Acorn

Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Opinions

Media Credit: Kelsi Bitgood

Hazing is a serious offense. So why is the men's lacrosse team getting a simple slap on the wrist for this severe violation of the student code of conduct?

Among the piles of papers and forms students are given during Orientation, one of them is their very own copy of Daniel's Dictionary, the student handbook for the College of Liberal Arts.

The handbook clearly defines whether violations of the code of student conduct need to be considered for academic or non-academic discipline. While the process and sanctions for violations of the rules of academic discipline are clearly explained, for forms of non-academic disciplinary the lines are a bit fuzzier. These offenses include everything from hazing to interfering with fire safety. The possible sanctions are listed, but our current system for violating rules of student conduct and policy does not assign any particular sanction to any particular violation. The punishment is left up to the members of the appointed committee. Maybe this is why no sanctions will show up in the records of the five upperclassmen men's lacrosse players who were reported for hazing earlier this month.

Drew students deserve a clear set of rules. Why is there so much ambiguity when it comes to serious crimes such as theft and sexual assault? The majority of the student body is over the age of 18. If one of us were to be accused of violating social host laws outside of the Drew bubble, we would be subject to a felony charge with the possibility of jailtime-punishments that become a part of our permanent records. Apparently, any reprimands for forcing underclassmen to drink large amounts of warm milk and beer, which all of them cannot legally consume, is apparently not even worthy of mention on a student transcript.

We need a comprehensible procedure for dealing with all violations of student conduct. Currently, an Honor Code Committee is in the early stages of revising the policy. The Acorn sees this as the perfect opportunity to make overdue changes. Right now, incidents are being shoved under the rug, violators are floating around campus somewhere, and the student body has no idea.

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