Starting this Friday, American University students cited for underage drinking off-campus can be punished through AU's judicial system, according to Associate Dean of Students, Sara Waldron.
While such action has always been permissible under Section III of the Student Conduct Code, it has not been enforced until now. The decision is mainly a result of spikes in off-campus neighborhood complaints about parties and hospital transports, which has the university at odds with its neighbors. Students whose names appear on police reports dated before this Friday, however, are not affected by the new policy.
How this change will affect on-campus drinking remains to be seen. Presumably, more underage students may stay in and risk getting caught by RAs rather than party off-campus and get doubly slammed by the cops and JAMS.
Section III of the Student Conduct Code also states that the university has jurisdiction over students' conduct throughout their matriculation, even during summer breaks and leaves of absences. Hearings can be conducted even after a student graduates or withdraws. How far will AU take this policy?
It's understandable that AU wants to cut down on underage drinking among its students. However, double punishments seem a bit draconian. Is slapping another financial and disciplinary penalty onto an already chastised student really the right approach for a university that prides itself on its liberal values? Probably not. And unless JAMS feels like paying tuition bills, AU students probably don't need any more parent figures.
