No excuses on ULV's dry campus
Campus Times
October 3, 1997
The University of La Verne's Office of Housing and Residential Life
and the Department of Campus Safety and Transportation are working together
to formally enforce the issue of zero tolerance against drug and alcohol
consumption.
According to Dr. Loretta Rahmani, dean of student affairs, ULV has a
dry campus "because we are church affiliated."
The issue of zero tolerance was implemented to prevent or reduce the
problem of alcohol and drug abuse on campus.
"We work in partnership with Housing," said John Lentz, director
of campus safety and transportation. "The approach is more formalized
this year; last year it was more of an individual response."
By "individual," Lentz is referring to the resident assistants
(RA's) assigned to each dorm facility. In the past, the RA's took action
against those who offended dormitory regulations by confronting the student(s)
on his/her own.
"We ask that an RA contact us and we will step in to take action.
The RA's are the ones we work more closely with," said Lentz.
Several weeks ago, freshman Michael Anklin was caught in a room where
alcohol was being consumed. Anklin was surprised by the rapid action, and
admits his disappointment in the new approach of reprimand.
"It's wrong because what they do, with it being zero tolerance,
you feel like you're a criminal," said Anklin. "It's not about
it being a dry campus or anything. By bringing in a person of higher authority,
they [Housing and Campus Safety] are not going to achieve what they want.
People are going to party, get drunk; it's going to happen anyway."
Though Campus Safety and the RA's cannot catch all students who disobey
the regulations, they have caught some.
Said Lentz, "Catching students does not occur often; it is not
very sporadic. As far as being involved or being aware of it, we catch maybe
five to six offenders a year."
Lentz described that loud, noisy music and complaints from other residents
are the initial signals in finding offenders.
Chris Freeman, area coordinator for housing and residential life, said
that the new approach is "more pro-active."
"If students are being loud or out of control, we will take action
to assure that there is no disturbance to other people," Freeman said.
"Hopefully students will choose not to drink or do drugs. If they are
found doing these things, we involve Campus Safety to interact in the situation."
Freeman stressed the point that "we need to work together as a
University community to make it a better place to live."
If a student is in a situation like that of Anklin, Freeman suggests
that the student either step out out of the situation, or move the party
to an off-campus site.
"It comes back to being responsible," Freeman said. "That's
a decision they [students] have to make."
