City of Berkeley follows state guidelines, reopening June 15
Lisi Ludwig/Senior Staff
Several COVID-19 restrictions in the city of Berkeley were lifted Tuesday in response to the state s reopening plan. However, while many restrictions are being lifted, some health guidelines remain in place.
As California begins a return to normalcy following its June 15 reopening date, the city of Berkeley lifted a broad range of COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday following state guidelines.
A large part of the changes impacts local businesses and restrictions on gathering capacities. According to state guidelines, capacity limitations and physical distancing restrictions for both indoor and outdoor settings are being completely removed for customers and guests.
Animal rights activists representing the group Direct Action Everywhere, or DxE, dyed a fountain on Sproul Plaza red Monday and called on UC Berkeley to commit to stop purchasing from meat suppliers that allegedly raise animals on factory farms.
During the protest, campus freshman Zoe Rosenberg and alumna Cassie King, both organizers for DxE, stood inside the fountain, which had been dyed red to “resemble blood,” according to Rosenberg. The duo held placards saying “UC Berkeley Drop Factory Farms,” and the protest lasted from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and was livestreamed on DxE’s Facebook account.
“We’re asking that Cal Dining immediately drop these suppliers Hormel, Harris Ranch and Tyson Foods and to commit to phasing out all factory farms by the fall semester of 2021,” Rosenberg said. “We would eventually like to see them phase out animal products altogether because we believe that there’s really no humane way to raise and kill animals, and it’s just a really
“Rolling with the punches” has been a common mode of action among UC Berkeley students as many continue to grapple with the evolving policies and procedures induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For three campus students and resident assistants, or RAs, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, this adjustment has been a bit more jarring.
Beyond daily academic responsibilities, one of the anonymous RAs a campus junior said they have to carry out the duties outlined in their job description. Among those tasks are performing rounds to check in on residents, retrieving locked-out residents and fostering a sense of community for students amid their transition to a life of newfound freedoms and independence.
An approximately yearlong rent strike led by residents of University Village in Albany, or UVA, is continuing to push for rent forgiveness in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since April 2020, the UVA Tenants Union has been coordinating the rent strike as part of its campaign for the cancellation of rent payments, according to the UVA Tenants Union website.
A survey conducted by the UVA Tenants Union in April found that about 95% of UVA residents were rent-burdened, meaning they were spending more than 30% of their income on rent, and more than 85% of residents said their ability to afford rent had been or would be impacted by the pandemic.
Amid growing demand, UC Berkeley housing capacity remains uncertain
Jessica Schwabach/File
According to UC Berkeley spokesperson Adam Ratliff, some parts of campus’s housing plans for the 2021-22 academic year have not been finalized yet. Ratliff noted that applicants who are part of certain groups, such as students with disabilities and student athletes, will be given priority for housing offers.
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But for UC Berkeley freshman Aamir Hudda, that was not necessarily the case.
With the pandemic steadfastly looming over, Hudda began college life not in a residence hall but at home. However, as the spring semester approached, Hudda said he and his current roommate decided to apply for on-campus housing.