IRVINE – Students who publicly protested the closure of a campus trailer park have been told by UCI officials to attend a disciplinary meeting by Friday or face suspension of privileges such as being able to check out library books or get grade transcripts.

Eighteen students at the University of California, Irvine, were told last week by e-mail to meet with a judicial officer to go over allegations that they obstructed campus activities when they tried to block a soil-testing crew from entering Irvine Meadows West last month.

The trailer park, which provides low-cost housing for about 100 students, is slated for closure July 31 to make room for a parking lot. During the protest, one of many in the past several weeks, nine students were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly.

"We thought we were within our right to protest," said Matthew Cardinale, a graduate student leading the effort to save the park. "They are trying to intimidate all speech, and it is very troubling."

Cardinale is specifically accused by the UC of disrupting university activities and failing to comply with the direction of a UC official. He denies violating any UC policies. Cardinale, 22, like the others, was told to appear before Byron Breland, director of student judicial affairs, to review the charges. If students refuse to meet, Breland said, UCI would hold their records and deny library check-out privileges.

Breland denied that UCI was trying to prohibit free speech.

"No scare tactic is going on," Breland said. "The university wants students to feel free to express themselves, but they can't do it to the point that it disrupts university business. As of Tuesday, Breland said only a few students had set up meetings with him. If students are found to have violated UCI policy - a decision made by Breland's office - punishment could range from community service to expulsion. Dismissal is unlikely, he said. Students have the right to appeal any decision to the vice chancellor of student services.