protest at Valparaiso University

KDMafia · #1 04-25-2006, 10:44 AM

http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/04...5b0006e85b.txt

I just heard from some of my sisiters at my undergrad about all of the stuff that the campus police as well as the town police have been doing. Another hot point of the protest deals with the valparaiso university police stopping the van used to transport students around campus just to breathalize whoever is on them. they are ordering the service to allow them to ride the vans to make sure that no students that drink are using them for a free ride. The director of the service as well as almost all of the drivers have quit over this.

We've had many back and forth discussions on this board about drinking and everything but the fact remains that college students do drink but there is a fine line between picking up a drunk student walking home or breaking up a rowdy party then what it appears they are doing. They had been getting out of control for a long while. Last year they broke up one of the sig eps lock ins with their new guys and even though no drinking was discovered underage they still kept them otuside for hours breathalizing and threatening to get them kicked off campus.

I guess the point is, at what point does it turn from their job to them actively trying to make trouble for students, both greek and non-greek and what should be considered over the line?

macallan25 · #2 04-25-2006, 11:35 AM

I have a friend at OU (Oklahoma) that told me earlier this year that the police were doing this too. They would follow the Safe Ride Vans, which are for students only, back to the dorms and fraternity houses and then stop them once they got out of the vans and test them for PI's and MIC's. Complete BS if you ask me.

Drolefille · #3 04-25-2006, 11:49 AM

So then students stop using the "Safe Vans" and drive home themselves... that's a lot safer

Campus police in general, and alcohol task forces in particular, suck.

D.0.7 · #4 04-25-2006, 11:55 AM

It really upsets me to hear that our greeks and college students are being subjected to this type of behavior. Its really messed up and it changes your college experience when you have cops or campus saftey staff doing such acts as to what has been mentioned in this posting. I feel that your study body need to get togther and protest, talk to your college personnel, adminstration, and the mayor of that town where the college is located. Not only will it cause a stur when it comes to the mayor but it will also effect how money, and students enrollment in the future. Sometimes it need to be put on TV, Newpapers, the media cause a uproar, but make sure its justfiable....

KDMafia · #5 04-25-2006, 12:02 PM

There have been quite a few news stories already and the protest will be getting news coverage so hopefully that will wake up the university's administration. Unfortunately our President has always been an anti greek advocate and would have no problem closing down all of the fraternities and sororities so I suspect this plays a part in the tactics the police use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valpara...nt_Controversy

The fraternites all have signs out side of their houses in protest and some do say things about the safety van raids encouraging students to drive drunk.

Optimist Prime · #6 04-25-2006, 12:27 PM

that pig will get his one day

Drolefille · #7 04-25-2006, 12:51 PM

Even if students don't turn to drunk driving (NO! BAD!) walking home tipsy or drunk isn't safe either, especially at night and/or alone.

I feel that campus police are supposed to protect you, not harass you. And that includes making sure that you have a safe way to get home after drinking (especially legally!)

Rudey · #8 04-25-2006, 12:53 PM

What law are you breaking by being intoxicated? You're not driving and you aren't purchasing alcohol even.

-Rudey

Drolefille · #9 04-25-2006, 01:06 PM

public drunkeness is a crime in some states/cities but i suspect they're trying to catch underage students in particular

dzrose93 · #10 04-25-2006, 01:19 PM

When I was in school, campus police officers would often drive students home from the bars and I know that a few local police officers did as well. It didn't matter how old the students were. The cops were just happy that the students weren't driving themselves or walking home in the dark.

I'd say that boarding a safe-ride van to conduct breathalizers is a pretty stupid move. Way to encourage drunk driving, guys!

Rudey · #11 04-25-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Drolefille
public drunkeness is a crime in some states/cities but i suspect they're trying to catch underage students in particular

I don't think a car in public though. I also thought it's illegal to purchase or sell but not consume under the age of 21.

-Rudey

AGDee · #12 04-25-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
I don't think a car in public though. I also thought it's illegal to purchase or sell but not consume under the age of 21.

-Rudey

This varies by state. In Michigan, it is illegal for a Minor to Possess (MIP=Minor in possession) and if you blow a breathalyzer higher than .001 and are under 21, then you are considered an MIP. It's the new Zero Tolerance focus.

Kevin · #13 04-25-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by macallan25
I have a friend at OU (Oklahoma) that told me earlier this year that the police were doing this too. They would follow the Safe Ride Vans, which are for students only, back to the dorms and fraternity houses and then stop them once they got out of the vans and test them for PI's and MIC's. Complete BS if you ask me.

For my 10,000th post...

In the Oklahoma City metro area (of which Norman is a part), it seems like all of the towns except for OKC have a bunch of OKC police acadamy rejects in their respective departments. Edmond, where I went to school is kind of hit and miss. Sometimes, you'll be pulled over by a meathead who just wants to beat the heck out of you and will do so (and make up charges that you attacked them) in order to get their giggles.

Norman cops are jerks as you can tell. This, of course is a new low for them. If the D.A. doesn't drop the charges on these things, I sincerely hope he gets voted out of office. There's simply no excuse for that.

KDwxgrrl · #14 04-25-2006, 01:46 PM

In Indiana, from the best I gathered from living there for 4 years, you can be arrested as an intoxicated minor or a minor in possession. Most of the arrests at Valpo are intoxicated minor from the police giving breathalyzer tests to students they stop on the street, pull over in cars, or bust at parties. I could fill pages and pages with stories I heard over my 4 years there, like the time cops stood outside the student union one weekend morning hoping to catch people drunk from the night before coming to breakfast.

The Chicago Tribune article this morning about the van controversy:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ck=1&cset=true
Also, the rumor on campus is that CBS news in Chicago will be on campus today and tomorrow.

The raids on the Sigma Pi and Phi Sigma Kappa houses this weekend are particularly troubling because the police had their guns drawn when they entered the house, and if you know Valpo, you know how ridiculous that is. My sister (biological) was at the Sigma Pi house when it happened, and she was terrified.

Optimist Prime · #15 04-25-2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KDwxgrrl
The raids on the Sigma Pi and Phi Sigma Kappa houses this weekend are particularly troubling because the police had their guns drawn when they entered the house, and if you know Valpo, you know how ridiculous that is. My sister (biological) was at the Sigma Pi house when it happened, and she was terrified.

That means that cop is a terrorist.