It’s a false alarm for beach residents who didn’t fill out the required contact information for the Dean of Students Office by the latest September 24 deadline.
Beach residents were informed over the summer by mail and recently via email that they were required to submit an online form with their local addresses, phone number, and even the name of the house in which they are living. Cell phone numbers were optional.
The delinquent students received letters in their campus mailboxes late last week informing them that they had missed the online deadline and they had until Friday, September 24, to appear in person at the Office of the Dean of Students to complete the form or risk “stringent disciplinary action,” according to the letter.
However, all the students who did not submit their information shouldn’t lose sleep over fear of judicial action.
Mark Reed, dean of students, said he has not given much thought as to what kind of judicial measures would be taken, only that they would be “dealt with on a one-on-one basis.”
“The information is collected because there arises, on occasion, the need
to contact students, and in order to do so, the contact information is
necessary,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are also some emergency situations
which arise, and this information has been extremely helpful.”
Reed also said that knowledge of the houses’ names would make it easier to find students. Reed’s statements were supported by other administrators, including Duane Melzer, director of off-campus activities.
“There have been many instances over the last several years in which
student health and safety were compromised,” he said. “We were able to contact off-campus students and get them to the health center quickly because we had the off-campus addressed and phone numbers.”
“The same was true when a hurricane came through the area and we had to evacuate students off of Fairfield Beach Road by boat,” Melzer added.
While in agreement with the safety concerns, many beach residents are not pleased with having to submit the names of their beach houses.
“I was kind of confused why they needed the name of the house,” said Michael Duni ’05, a beach resident. “I think the phone numbers and addresses are definitely necessary in case they need to reach you, but what’s the point in the name of the house? They have the address.”
Duni was not satisfied with the university’s reasoning that the house name would help find a student in case of an emergency.
“It’s a little suspicious. Maybe it’s to keep tabs on the houses. The address makes it much easier to find someone; the name doesn’t. I think the school isn’t telling the whole truth,” he said.
Ryan Cleary ’05, also a beach resident, agreed with Duni.
“It’s pretty stupid. We don’t have a house phone and it’s not like they’re going to call my cell phone. They’d be wasting my minutes,” he said.
Cleary was one of the beach residents who missed the September 24 deadline and received the letter threatening “stringent action,” but he isn’t worried.
“I missed both deadlines but I just filled it out in the office and I think I am off the hook. The Dean of Students Office didn’t say anything to me,” he said.
Robyn Atkachunas ’05, another beach resident, was able to see both sides of the argument.
“I think it’s good and bad,” she said. “Well, I think it’s a good thing because, God forbid, something bad happens and we need to know. This way they know how to contact me and/or the people I live with,” she said.
“On the other hand, now they know where I live and keep tabs on our house, like if we have parties. This way we might get more regulated with the cops and the school, like a watchful eye. Like a parent, they are paying attention but sometimes you don’t want them to be, sometimes it’s too close for comfort or a nuisance,” said Atkachunas.
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