IU might sanction students cited by IUPD for alcohol violations

More than 150 IU students will soon have to make amends with the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office for illegal drinking activity during their first two weeks on campus. \nBut for some, the trouble won't end there. \nOnce students have paid their debt to Monroe County, they might still face consequences from the IU judicial system. Depending on the police agency involved, a student criminal offense might be reported to the IU Office of Student Ethics, said Associate Dean of Students Pam Freeman. One such reported student is sophomore Casey E. Miller, whose .036 perecent Blood Alcohol Content landed her a minor consumption ticket after an IU Police Department officer caught her driving down the wrong side of the street. \n"I got confused with all the one-way streets and ended up on the wrong side of the road," she said. "There weren't any lines or anything, though. It was (a) legit (mistake)." \nMiller said she feels lucky the arresting officer didn't take her to jail or impound her car but said the incident will not keep her from drinking in the future. \n"I won't keep my nose clean," she said. "It's whether or not I get caught. I'm sure I'll be partaking in the IU festivities just as much. I'll just have to be more careful."\nFor first-time offenders like Miller, IU has a thorough rehabilitation system in place. \nFreeman said in many cases, students can opt into the Alcohol Alternative Intervention Program, which requires them to complete an alcohol screening with a University-designated psychologist. \n"Our system is separate and distinct from Monroe County," Freeman said. "We're not looking at it in the same way as the legal system. We are meeting academic goals, so we're going to be looking at some different questions. They will have to address the matter in the courts and here." \nStudents who commit more serious offenses, such as those involving hospitalization or vandalism, might be subject to other sanctions, ranging from a reprimand and a warning to expulsion from the University. \nWhen students violate the Code of Ethics, they receive a letter from the University explaining the nature of the infraction and some of the potential sanctions against them. The letter also tells students they have an appointment with a judicial officer from either Student Ethics or Residential Programs and Services. \nAt their conference, students are allowed to bring witnesses to help them explain the details of the incident. Based on the hearing, a judicial board decides whether there is "clear and convincing evidence" to impose sanctions on the student. \nDepending on the outcome of the conference, students might wish to appeal to a hearing commission. If the hearing commission still leaves the student unsatisfied, one more appeal can be made. \nIn case this process leaves a student feeling confused, the IU Student Association Department of Student Rights is standing by to help students maneuver through the IU judicial system, said the group's director, Jeremy Strife. The department hires and trains IU students as "case managers" to counsel their peers through the process and accompany them to their various conferences and hearings. \n"Anytime you go through something like this, when it deals with your future at IU, you really want to have all the knowledge available to you," he said. "Most people haven't read the procedures in the (Student Code of Ethics). Coming (to Student Rights) gives you a better perspective of where you are, where you could be and probably where you're going. It gives you a partner through the whole thing." \nAlthough case managers cannot speak for students until the final appeal, they can monitor the procedural details of the hearing and advise the student on how to answer certain questions. And sometimes, it's the effort that counts, Strife said. \n"It does say something when a student participates actively in the situation. It shows the J-board (judicial board) that, 'I am taking this seriously, and I want the right decision to be made here.'" \nThe Department of Student Rights is located in the Indiana Memorial Union student activities tower, room 675. Students interested in representation can call the department at 855-9789 or visit its Web site, www.indiana.edu/~iusasr.