Posted by Brendan James
Administrators from Residential Life and Student Affairs divisions will embark on a retreat next week to reassess and amend the College Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) policy, a process that Dean of Student Affairs Rochelle Calhoun says will be based on student input.
"We will sit down and come to an understanding on the revisions," Calhoun said. "We received a lot of good and useful feedback from students, and took a lot on board."
The feedback Calhoun references came last semester during a public information session hosted by the College's peer mediation group, Fight Club. Students appeared before members of the administration and critiqued elements of the new AOD policy.
Among the more contentious points in the policy implemented last semester was the "association rule" in which students could be penalized for being in the presence of those drinking alcohol. Also, while few students articulated any concerns over the new point system in general, many desired to see an amendment allowing students to work toward expunging the points within their four-year college career.
These major concerns, as well as patches of the policy viewed as ambiguous or unclear, will be addressed during the retreat, Calhoun said.
Afterward the new plan will be presented to committees on ResLife, SGA and the Intervention and Assessment Group. SGA will most likely hold a public session of Senate to discuss the new changes in front of the student body.