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Three Drug Busts Since Beginning Of Semester

Since the beginning of the spring 2007 semester, a total of eight Albion students and two non-students have been caught in possession of marijuana and have faced judicial action through campus safety.

The first incident occurred around 3 a.m.  on Feb.  10 in the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house.  Three students--two males, one female--and two non-students were caught smoking marijuana when campus safety officers were investigating a fight that had occurred outside of the house earlier that night.

The officers were following up with witnesses and happened upon the smell of marijuana, according to Ken Snyder, director of campus safety.  The three students were referred to the judicial board and no longer attend Albion.  Citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Snyder said he could not give specific details about any of the cases.

According to a friend of the students who asked to remain anonymous, one student was expelled after his hearing and the other two withdrew from the college to avoid having the incident show up on their academic records.

At 12:36 a.m.  on Feb.  15, four students were found smoking in the Sigma Nu fraternity house.  According to Snyder, campus safety officers were doing a routine check of the house and found a stack of boxes blocking a door.  The officers went to find the fraternity president to have him move the boxes and while they were looking for him, they smelled marijuana in another hallway.  The four males were all referred to the judicial board.

The latest incident [as of press time] was on Feb.  19 around noon.  A male student was searched by campus safety officers at Twin Towers and found in possession of marijuana.  He said Snyder told him campus safety had received multiple calls from students about him.  He went to trial on Tuesday, Feb.  27, and at press time was awaiting the verdict.

"We've been receiving information from other students who are concerned about drug use, especially marijuana," Snyder said.

One marijuana user said rumors are circulating among smokers that campus safety is working to put a greater focus on seeking out students in possession of illegal drugs, but according to Snyder, that's not true.

"At this point, we're not doing anything different," Snyder said.

He reiterated that campus safety has been receiving enough information from students regarding drug use on campus that they haven't had to seek out drug users.

Despite the string of busts, Snyder believes that marijuana use isn't a major issue for the campus.

"Because it's a small campus, most of the time when you have a problem it's only a few students," Snyder said.  "So we're gathering information trying to figure out is it a few? Which few? And what can we do to address that?"

In light of the numerous cases, Melissa Konen, Grosse Pointe Farms sophomore and close friend to the female student involved in the Feb 10 incident, expressed dissatisfaction with the severity of the school's drug policy.

"It's just sad because she was involved in a lot [of activities] and worked really hard at school and because of one slip-up, she's gone," Konen said.

The school's marijuana policy states that any student found in possession, using or merchandising illegal drugs will face suspension.  According to Snyder, all students are referred to the judicial board and it is up to the board to decide whether or not the student will be expelled.

One student, who asked to remain anonymous, is worried that he'll be targeted since he was friends with students who were caught.

"We don't keep anything related to any drug--other than alcohol--in the room," the student said.  "We can't take a chance on a random room search, or a noise violation on a party night [which leads to room searches], especially if I am being watched."

However, not all drug users on campus are worrying more now than they did before the recent busts.  One student cited carelessness as the reason for the students getting caught.

"If you smoke in a frat, you're asking to get caught," he said.  "It's not that hard to figure out."

Despite the fact that two of the three incidents occurred in fraternity houses, Snyder said residence halls and annexes are just as likely, if not more so, to be housing students in possession of illegal drugs.

"I don't know that [the fraternities] are more of a problem, we have not had the majority of our drug-related incidents at the fraternities," Snyder said.  "In fact, I'd say just the opposite."