It’s Friday night, you have a red cup in your hand and your standards are gradually lowering as you dive head first into the night with a little pre-gaming in your room. Just when it seems like your night is going swimmingly, you hear three knocks at your door and know the Domino’s guy isn’t here four hours early.
The number of disciplinary referrals for drug and alcohol violations increased significantly in alcohol violations, but dropped slightly in the number of drug violation referrals in 2007, compared to 2006, according to the latest statistics released by the University in its annual Jeanne Clery Disclosure Report.
Liquor law violations increased from 756 incidents in 2006 to 900 incidents in 2007, while drug abuse violations decreased from 84 incidents in 2006 to 77 in 2007.
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Tom Pellegrino attributed this increase in liquor-related violations not to the behavior of students but to increased statewide compliance standards and the diligence of current University Resident Assistants.
‘A law was recently passed in the state of Connecticut that holds private landowners responsible for incidents which occur on their property,’ said Pellegrino. ‘It forces us as a school to be more diligent about underage drinking and its consequences.’
In recent years, there have been many changes to University policy that have restricted the ability of students to gather and consume alcohol and, thus, in a more vulnerable position to be documented for their actions.
The two most notable of these changes was the banning of kegs on campus and the permanent closing of the townhouse basements.
‘We were forced to close the basements because of an obvious safety issue,’ said Pellegrino. ‘Not only were they a fire hazard, but the steps were not meant to hold the amount of people that would be on them in the event of a documentation of the house.’
Nathan Lubich, the townhouse area coordinator, said students are liable to adhere to the University policy, and can suffer consequences if they do not.
‘All students, by attending the University, agree to abide by the Student Handbook which outlines the policies and expectations that all students are to follow,’ he said. ‘In many ways our policies reflect the laws of the State of Connecticut which do not allowing students under the age of 21 to purchase, possess or consume alcohol.’
Lubich also noted that some University polices stem from, but are not exactly the same as, state law such as the restriction of kegs on campus, a decision Pellegrino signed off on in 2006.
‘Kegs were a magnet for high-risk drinking,’ he said. ‘There was only one other private university in Connecticut that hadn’t already taken that measure. We are responsible for behavior that can be result from high risk drinking.’
Pellegrino did acknowledge that the ever tightening arm of the University law has pushed students to do their drinking off campus, a fact he admitted is very unsettling.
‘We can’t attempt to enforce abstinence,’ said Pellegrino ‘If students know they may get in trouble on campus, they choose to use fake identification and travel to off-campus bars that allow this behavior.’
‘The problem with this scenario is kids can become intoxicated in foreign places and then get dropped off not quite on campus in very bad shape,’ said Pellegrino. ‘This type of behavior is also obviously very dangerous.’
In regards to the Amethyst initiative, which calls for the drinking age to be lowered, Pellegrino said he agrees with University President Fr. Jeffrey von Arx, but acknowledged there will always be opponents to either side of the argument.
‘Opponents to the initiative say it is just a way for colleges to take the responsibility off themselves,’ he said. ‘On the other hand, it is almost not feasible to enforce the law across campus. It is not from a lack of desire but rather a lack of ability to constantly monitor the situation.’
Jogues Resident Assistant Will McPherson ’10, said he hasn’t noticed a substantial increase in bad behavior, but acknowledged how kids are attempting to adapt to the school’s policy.
‘Last year I was a RA in Campion, and the kids are definitely understanding how to get around the system,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t seem that the behavior is that much worse, but the kids are trying to be more discreet about what they do because they know the school is real strict about the alcohol policy.’
FUSA President Jeff Seiser said drugs and alcohol are both major problems and are connected to one another, but feels that Public Safety and the resident assistants are constantly doing their part to combat the issue.
‘With the increase of drug and alcohol violations it seems that students are drinking and then doing drugs to either find a balance or to further their inebriated feeling,’ said Seiser.
‘This jump could also be attributed to more organized DPS and RA staffs and to roommates reporting dangerous behaviors of other roommates.’
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