THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2009
NEWS
5
POLICY (CONTINUED FROM 4)
rights as a tenant of an off-campus apartment.
"The issue with that is there is the document called the Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities that says students give up none of their rights as tenants," Heilman said. "Clearly, no one can come into your apartment without a search warrant."
Heilman said the code would have to be amended to allow room searches.
"This is still in the proposal phase," Martin said. "We're talking about how do we reduce the instances of excessive and underage drinking among KU students. We've seen the tragic consequences that can result in injuries and even death."
Marlesa Roney, vice provost for the office of student success, held the first meeting of the new University Alcohol Task Force on Tuesday. Roney cited recent student deaths as cause for alarm regarding alcohol abuse on campus.
"We decided we really need to double our efforts in light of what went on this spring and bring people together in a new way," Roney said.
The task force is comprised of students, Greek officials and University staff and faculty. Roney, who mentioned being a resident assistant herself in the past, said the University needed to "step back and evaluate" the residence hall policy of granting residents the same rights that off-campus tenants have. She said some students had learned to deny entry to resident assistants and were exploit-
ing the loophole. Roney added that the new policies would need to find a balance between respecting privacy and promoting safety.
"It can become a heated issue when it comes to individual rights,"
Roney said. "I do hope we have a healthy discussion between students and administration." Ralph Oliver, chief of the office of public safety and member of the task force, said the current policy relied on search warrants, which took a considerable amount of time to get.
"We can pull a search warrant if we get called to a certain room twice," Oliver said.
"The goal is not to punish; it's to hold students to their contract."
JENNIFER WAMELINK Associate director of the department of student housing
He added that the average time it took to get a warrant was about four hours.
cy changes would help limit police involvement.
Jennifer Wamelink, associate director of the department of student housing, said she hoped new poli-
"We're not interested in punishing our students criminally," Wamelink said. "Opening the door enables staff to talk to students and have an educational conversation. The goal is not
to punish; it's to hold students to their contract."
Roney said that student senate code was usually revised every other year and that it was revised last year. She said that the University and the student senate would make an exception this year to review
the code on students' rights in the residence halls.
Roney said she did not want to set unrealistic goals in making changes with the task force.
"This is not about abstinence," Roney said. "It's about responsibility."
Heilman said he was awaiting the return of student senators in the fall to discuss policy changes.
Check Kansan.com Thursday to learn more about the changes the task force is considering.
Edited by Ross Stewart
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