Thursday, October 1, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Anti-alcohol policy drives students to drink covertly
Ban carries penalties housing officials say
By Martina Paiva and Julie M. Sach*
Konsan staff writers
Although alcohol is illegal in student housing at the University of Kansas, many students have mastered the art of sneaking it past student-housing officials.
In the 1997-98 school year, there were 250 reports of consumption or possession of alcohol in student housing.
Brice Zogleman, Wichita junior, lived in Amini Scholarship Hall last year and in Oliver Hall his freshman year. He said that the risk of being caught was not a deterrent.
"Most of the people who wanted to drink did it." he said.
Consequences range from a warning and probation for first-time offenders to transfer or expulsion from student housing for repeat offenders, said Fred McElhene, associate director of student housing.
Violators also may be reported to the dean of student life and have the violation noted in their records, McElhenie said.
To avoid consequences, students often find ways to sneak alcohol into student housing.
"When I lived in the dorms, we would carry a case of beer up the fire escape, down the hall and no one even noticed," said Stacy Brase, Lenexa junior. "We never even got in trouble."
Some students were more creative
"You would take a soda box back to your car and then carry cans of beer in the box," said Ryan Muller, Wichita senior.
He said that residence-hall officials never suspected he was carrying alcohol.
No alcohol on Daisy Hill
Once alcohol is in a student's room, student-housing officials often are caught in a bind. Even if they suspect that alcohol is being kept in a room, officials cannot immediately conduct a search.
Alcohol is illegal in student housing, even for students older than 21.
McElhenie said that student-housing officials did not search rooms because searches required warrants and the participation of police.
Housing officials must give 24 hours' notice to search rooms legally. McEhlenie
250 incidents of consumption/possession in student housing were reported in the 1997-1998 school year.
and the 1974-1995 school year.
The first time a housing resident is
the amount of alcohol which is caught with alcohol results in a warning.
The second offense can result in probation, removal from University housing, or transfer into different housing facility.
Kristi Elliott / KANSAN
said that any alcohol in plain view of authorities was confiscated during searches.
The consequences for sneaking alcohol into student housing are different than entering student housing while intoxicated, said Ken Stoner, director of student housing.
Intoxicated residents usually are not punished if they got drunk outside of the residence halls, he said.
"The staff might talk to you about it." Stoner said. "If it's a pattern they might try to recommend more professional help
for an individual with drinking problems."
Zogleman said that more students got caught with alcohol in the dorms than in scholarship halls. This semester, 3,158 students live in residence halls and 435 students live in scholarship halls.
Zogleman said that scholarship-hall officials watch their residents less.
"In the scholarship halls, it is different," he said. "At least where I lived, student housing directors and proctors let you alone more often. They tried to give us more freedom."
The anti-alcohol policy also applies to Stouffer Place, which is University housing for students with families.
Although many Stouffer Place residents are old enough to legally drink alcohol, they still are not allowed to possess alcohol.
Drinking is not allowed in any University housing even if a resident is older than 21, McElhenie said.
The regulation does not sit well with many Stouffer Place residents.
"I think we should be able to drink because it is our house. We are all older. People don't usually have parties. It is a
"When I lived in the dorms, we would carry a case of beer up the fire escape, down the hall and no one even noticed. We never even got in trouble."
Stacy Brase
Lenexa junior
quiet neighborhood," said Enrique Martinez-Meyer, Mexico City graduate student.
Mecimente said that drinking alcohol was pointless.
"When they overindulge, that is pretty important to me because it's kind of a ludicrous activity," McElhenie said. "Think of all the brain cells that are lost and good time, productive time."
Stoner said that if officials were unaware of the presence of alcohol in student housing, the University was not liable for alcohol-related injuries or deaths that might result.
More fraternities banning alcohol
Continued from page 1A
said. "Then we'll remove beer from the rooms. we'll a lot easier to do it in steps, than in 2000 all at once."
One reason why the trend is expected to overtake most fraternities is a new movement by national sororites. Two sororities, Chl Omega.
ties, Chr Omgee and Delta Gamma, both of which are present at the University, have pledged on a national level that by the year
2000, members will not attend fraternity house parties with alcohol present.
Fraternities won't have anyone to invite to their houses as more sororites sign on with this program, Kinney said.
Amber Packard, Chi Omega president, said that everyone in
her chapter seemed to support the mandate. Packard said that she thought that removing alcohol from the houses would increase membership.
"I think it will help the fraternities grow," she said. "I have friends who haven't joined a fraternity because they think it's going to be like Animal House."
Dave Dieffendorf, president of Delta Tau Delta, said that even though he saw the benefits, such as decreasing insurance and raising membership, he did not think his chapter would conform.
"Our headquarters' main concern is how is this going to be enforced and what problems they will have to tackle when 2000 roles around," Diefendorf said. "We're talking about alcohol — we're aware of the problem — but we're focusing on educating members more."
He said that the chapter had decided to eliminate all hard liquor from the house because of
"Thave friends who haven't joined a fraternity because they think it's going to be like Animal House."
Amber Packard Chi Omega president
liability reasons.
Though experts, students and alumni have speculated about the positive and negative effects of alcohol-free fraternity houses, it's difficult to assume anything until 2000.
"We hear people say that we're pushing the problem to the community," Kinney said. "But it depends on the problem we're trying to solve. This will decrease insurance, provide a safer environment and will make the house nicer. Now it depends on how this is handled when the party is moved."
Police arrest robbery suspect in holdup of two local businesses
By Keith Burner
Kansan staff writer
A 28-year-old Topeka man was placed in Douglas County Jail Tuesday night in connection with two recent armed robberies in Lawrence, police said.
The man, arrested at 9:20 p.m., is suspected of participating in the armed robberies of Sharks Surf Shop, 813 Massachusetts St., and Lawrence Pizza Co., 601 Kasold Drive.
The man was transported by Lawrence police from the Shawne County Jail, where he was being held on charges of aggravated robbery and misdemeanor theft.
bery, felony possession of a firearm, eight counts of aggrataved robbery and two counts of child endangerment, police said
The Shawnee county charges were dismissed, but he was jailed in Lawrence for conspiracy to commit an aggravated rob-
Sharks Surf Shop was robbed Sept. 1 when someone entered the store with a firearm and demanded money, police said.
The man robbed the store's three customers and a 22-year-old KU student who worked there.
Police said the man got away with an unknown amount of money.
Police also think the suspect is one of two masked men who robbed Lawrence Pizza Co. on Aug. 23. The store and four of its employees were robbed of less than $100.
There was also about $120-
worth of personal belongings
stolen from the store and its
employees.
Police said that the four employees, Lawrence residents between the ages of 19 and 24, were robbed of a purse, two wallets and other personal items such as drivers licenses and credit cards.
One of the men had a handgun, but no shots were fired.
The men were last seen running away from the store wearing bandannas on their heads and faces.
Douglas County Jail officials said that they did not know when the man's first court appearance would be, and no bond has been set.
No one from either business would comment about the robberies.
Police have not yet located the other suspect in the Lawrence Pizza Co. robbery.
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