New Drug and Alcohol Policy
Shaccira Flentall
Issue date: 9/29/09 Section: News
When students arrived on campus this fall, they were informed of a new drug and alcohol policy; one that did not allow them to make reoccurring mistakes concerning visitation, underage drinking and drug possession.
The new plan is a collaborative effort of the Benedictine Police Department and the Department of Residence Life in an effort to bring campus safety to a more efficient level. Although the Police Department and Residence Life worked together, they have maintained their own stipulations on how they will individually deal with students.
The departments plan to achieve this by issuing fines of over $50 depending on the violation and the amount of times the person has received a violation. Four warnings will be issued before the student is arrested.
More serious violations such as large quantities of narcotics will result in immediate arrest. Chief of the Benedictine Police, Michael Salatino, said there are warnings before the arrest in an effort to secure students future beyond Benedictine.
The plan is intended for anyone who fails to comply with drug and alcohol policy and the protocol of residence life.
Salatino says the university has always had these violations, but in the past violations would be dealt with solely by residence life.
The problem arose when residence life staff found themselves reprimanding the same people. They soon realized the students were not taking the consequences seriously. As a result, the new plan was implemented.
Salatino said he expects voluntary compliance as a result of the plan; Salatino sees the sanctions as more of a tool to get the students' attention rather than a tactic of force.
A month into the school year, the plan seems to be a success. "We've only had to issue six sanctions; one for alcohol, one for theft, one for marijuana and the rest for visitation," says Salatino.
The university went from a plan that constantly saw the same faces to not encountering them more than once. "There has been a dramatic reduction in violations; our jobs have been made easier," said Salatino. "Students are not throwing the parties as much anymore," Salatino added.
While the plan has been a success, the severity of the plan is not expected to change. In the future, the plan is anticipated to raise awareness around campus simply by being a part of Benedictine's protocol rather than officers having to implement it.
Salatino is looking forward to see how effective the plan will be in the Benedictine community. He said that safety and security will always be No.1.
Salatino said, "There will always be poor decisions made; we want our students to learn from those poor decisions."
The new plan is a collaborative effort of the Benedictine Police Department and the Department of Residence Life in an effort to bring campus safety to a more efficient level. Although the Police Department and Residence Life worked together, they have maintained their own stipulations on how they will individually deal with students.
The departments plan to achieve this by issuing fines of over $50 depending on the violation and the amount of times the person has received a violation. Four warnings will be issued before the student is arrested.
More serious violations such as large quantities of narcotics will result in immediate arrest. Chief of the Benedictine Police, Michael Salatino, said there are warnings before the arrest in an effort to secure students future beyond Benedictine.
The plan is intended for anyone who fails to comply with drug and alcohol policy and the protocol of residence life.
Salatino says the university has always had these violations, but in the past violations would be dealt with solely by residence life.
The problem arose when residence life staff found themselves reprimanding the same people. They soon realized the students were not taking the consequences seriously. As a result, the new plan was implemented.
Salatino said he expects voluntary compliance as a result of the plan; Salatino sees the sanctions as more of a tool to get the students' attention rather than a tactic of force.
A month into the school year, the plan seems to be a success. "We've only had to issue six sanctions; one for alcohol, one for theft, one for marijuana and the rest for visitation," says Salatino.
The university went from a plan that constantly saw the same faces to not encountering them more than once. "There has been a dramatic reduction in violations; our jobs have been made easier," said Salatino. "Students are not throwing the parties as much anymore," Salatino added.
While the plan has been a success, the severity of the plan is not expected to change. In the future, the plan is anticipated to raise awareness around campus simply by being a part of Benedictine's protocol rather than officers having to implement it.
Salatino is looking forward to see how effective the plan will be in the Benedictine community. He said that safety and security will always be No.1.
Salatino said, "There will always be poor decisions made; we want our students to learn from those poor decisions."
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