Tougher alcohol policies on tap for fall

By Jack Gillum

Students who violate university alcohol policy either on or off campus next year may face more stringent punishments, university officials announced Monday.

If approved, new policies could require students convicted of their first on-campus drug or alcohol offense to pay a $50 fine. Offenders may also be required to complete community service, write a paper or attend counseling sessions.

The punishments, outlined in draft policy written by the Office of Student Life, include mandatory guidelines and leave little room for leniency. Such sanctions are "comparable" with policies of other Jesuit universities, Assistant Dean for Student Life Matthew Duncan said.

The draft was distributed during a monthly Neighborhood University Relations Committee meeting, comprised of Santa Clara city officials, university representatives and residents.

Officials defend the stronger policy based on research from the university's Healthy Campus Committee, comprised of a cross section of representatives from the athletics department, Campus Safety and faculty, said Dean for Student Life Jeanne Rosenberger.

First offenses at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y., among others, dictate mandatory fines or other sanctions.

Subsequent violations at Santa Clara could mean higher fines and parental notification if the student is under 21.

An off-campus offense including the involvement of Santa Clara police would require parental notification in addition to a $75 fine and a similar educational sanction.

The Office of Student Life relies on judicial sanctions codified in the university's Community Handbook.

Current rules leave room for adjudicators to use discretion in the punishment phase, such as placing a written warning in a student's file or requiring offenders to complete community service or alcohol education programs. More severe sanctions include suspension or expulsion.

Duncan acknowledged that some students have felt unfairly treated as the result of varying sentencing guidelines, which are less rigid than the proposed punishments for next year.

Statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2001 stated that 728 referrals were issued at Santa Clara for alcohol violations. To date, 516 have been issued this year, Rosenberger said.

She emphasized the university is not "changing policy," but is instead providing more "straightforward" punishments based on the current student conduct code.

"It is much more prescribed than in the past," she said, hoping that the guidelines will affect students' behavior.

The city listed the university's presentation of alcohol sanctions in the official NURC agenda. The changes would go to the University Policy Committee and would be implemented in September.

Claudia Daw, president of the University Neighborhood Group, recommended Monday night that Santa Clara consider another set of alcohol punishment guidelines, similar to those administered by the University of Vermont.

"They had a lot of problems that paralleled our own," Daw said, such as vandalism and "binge" drinking, but she did not provide specifics. Daw said a comparison between Santa Clara and Vermont is demographically appropriate.

Alcohol was one concern neighbors addressed at the meeting, referring to students' behavior traveling to and from parties in particular. Some complained of trash left outside by student tenants.

Resident Joanne Bruna, a frequent target of student criticism and vocal in complaints to the committee, dubbed the surrounding community a "neighborhood in crisis."

But Bruna praised the work of Santa Clara students â€" and Associated Students Vice President Nathan Iglesias in particular â€" who raised nearly $5,000 to aid nearby Buchser Middle School's fire relief fund in March.

"I just can't say enough," Bruna said. "You've done some special, special work."

Ten science classrooms at the school, 1111 Belomy St., burned Feb. 22 from an electrical fire and caused $5 million in damage, fire officials said.

One parent, Maria Duncan, angrily accused Santa Clara police of using "racial overtones" when confronting her son, Nathan, for noise violations this year. She fears her son may face eviction.

Nathan, 22, who lives on Alviso Street and next door to Bruna, bluntly stated his opinion.

"Every student has felt that they've been harassed" by police and neighbors, he said after the meeting. "Students feel there's nothing they can do."

Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan, who chairs the committee comprised of representatives from the police and the city manager's office, said the complaints were inappropriate for NURC and would not address "specific issues."

û Contact Jack Gillum at (408) 554-4849 or jgillum@scu.edu.