Jessica Kozloff

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Letters/Policies

Memo

From the President's Desk

12 February 2001

"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction." –John F. Kennedy

Today, I used the authority granted to me under the University Forum governance document to issue two emergency policies. Those policies are:

PRP 4818: Regulations/Sanctions for Pledging Social Greek Organizations

Pledging or joining a social Greek organization without fully complying with all university requirements regarding eligibility is strictly prohibited. Recognized fraternities and sororities may only pledge students who have accumulated at least 12 credit hours and matriculated during either the fall or spring semesters. Executive board officers of Greek organizations that fail to adhere to this requirement will face a campus judicial hearing and will be subject to disciplinary actions which may include probation, suspension or expulsion.

Students with fewer than 12 credit hours are not permitted to pledge or join either a recognized or unrecognized social Greek organization. Students who fail to adhere to this requirement will face a campus judicial hearing and will be subject to disciplinary actions which may include probation, suspension or expulsion.

PRP 4819: Sanctions/Alcohol and Drug Violations

Students who are charged by a law enforcement agency with illegally selling alcohol to anyone, providing alcohol to minors or providing or selling controlled substances shall face a campus judicial hearing. Sanctions shall include a minimum suspension of one academic semester and may include a longer suspension or expulsion.

Students who are charged with underage drinking or possession of controlled substances shall face a judicial hearing. Sanctions may include probation, suspension or expulsion.

Students whose actions in relationship to possessing or providing alcohol or controlled substances are deemed at risk to the university community are subject to interim suspension pending a judicial hearing in accordance with provisions in the Student Conduct Code.

The effective date of these policies is February 12, 2001. I urge the University Forum to discuss the measures and take action within the six-month emergency provision, including any modification of wording, so students and parents have no doubt about the university's policy.

Why am I taking this extraordinary measure? During the past few weeks we have witnessed another student tragedy related to alcohol abuse. Although this student's death occurred off-campus, it is still incumbent upon the university to use whatever resources we possess to prevent such tragedies in the future. Additionally, the student involved has been referred to as a member of a university fraternity. Given that the university has a prohibition against the pledging of students with fewer than 12 semester hours, there is strong suspicion that this young man had been illegally pledged during his first semester at the university.

This senseless loss of a young man with his entire life before him is both a personal and community tragedy. We have lost a member of our university community; society has lost untapped potential and talent. But beyond this, the loss to his family is too profound to express in any words.

As we continue our efforts to find effective weapons to fight alcohol abuse, we must remain vigilant in our battle against illegal drugs. Just this past week, university police arrested several students who were allegedly involved in selling drugs out of one of our residence halls. The fact that illegal drugs were found on campus surely requires us to reaffirm our judicial sanctions pertaining to the possession or distribution of controlled substances.

These emergency policies reflect both current administrative practice and a number of substantive changes. For example, the policy regarding disciplinary sanctions for those who provide alcohol to anyone underage or illegally sell alcohol has been administrative practice for some time. Members of the Forum have argued, however, that they were not involved in approving this practice as official university policy. I agree that information on these administrative practices needs to be widely distributed and supported by the entire university community, particularly the Forum.

Likewise, the administrative discretion to place students who present a risk to themselves or others on interim suspension has existed in our past practice. The restatement of this principle, particularly as it relates to the possession or use of alcohol or controlled substances, is important at this critical time.

These policies also contain a number of substantive changes to existing judicial practices. Judicial hearings may be conducted when charges are filed, rather than awaiting conviction for those accused of illegally selling alcohol, providing alcohol to anyone underage or providing or selling controlled substances. Waiting for conviction has resulted in serious delays to campus action. These delays have caused both the public at large and the student body to misunderstand our serious commitment to appropriate judicial sanctions. Therefore, I have authorized, when feasible, prompt judicial hearings after law enforcement citations related to drug and alcohol possession, distribution or use, pursuant to the due process provisions in the Student Handbook.

We also will discipline executive officers of fraternities and sororities if their organizations illegally pledge students who have not accumulated at least 12 credit hours and take disciplinary action against students who fail to comply with university requirements for pledging Greek social organizations. There are sound academic and student welfare reasons for not permitting freshmen to pledge Greek organizations until they have adjusted academically and socially to university life. University policy has prohibited pledging first-semester freshmen for some time, but the prohibition has not been universally followed. For the sake of student welfare, disciplinary sanctions for individuals as well as organizations must be in place to change this behavior.

I readily admit that these increased enforcement initiatives alone will not solve the problems of alcohol and drug abuse. We must continue a three-pronged approach of enforcement, education and alternative activities. And, in the long run, no solution will work without a commitment from the student body.

Vice President for Student Life Preston Herring and I will be available for questions at meetings of the Forum over the next few months as this policy is debated. If you cannot attend, please make your opinions known to your Forum delegates.

Administrative action cannot completely solve a problem, but that does not mean it should not be utilized. Now is the time to clearly restate our expectations and intentions regarding enforcement. The welfare of all of our students hangs in the balance.

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