Spring Break
Low turnout for drug and alcohol forum
Tiffany Glick, Managing Editor, tglick@smu.edu
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: News
She feels that because police are focusing their attention on enforcing drug and alcohol policies, the safety of sober students is compromised.
Questions from the task force focused around how to keep students on campus and away from the off-campus drug and alcohol influences.
"SMU needs to consider a place where students can go at night and maybe have pool tables or ping pong tables with TVs" said first-year senator Erika Briceno. "It should be open late so people aren't encouraged to go out to Greenville and out to parties where there will be alcohol and they will be tempted to drink."
Briceno expressed her frustration with the lack of safe entertainment for underage students.
In response, junior Jayanth Mandyam rejected Briceno's suggestion, citing that the university failed at a similar attempt years ago.
"Nobody came because there was no alcohol so they'd rather go get drunk," said Mandyam.
After Mandyam singled out the university's handling of publicizing recent student deaths, he was asked to step down from the microphone by Student Body President Katherine Tullos.
Furthermore, first-year Elizabeth Stroud commented that sometimes alcohol abuse prevention can go too far.
"I feel I'm treated as a criminal before being proven innocent," Stroud said after relating an incident in which she was approached by SMU police questioning what was in her shopping bags. "I have a sense of paranoia about me now."
The stated goal of the Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention is to gather information from the SMU campus and outside sources to make recommendations on methods to stop drug abuse. The task force is currently in a research phase and will make recommendations in December.
For those who couldn't participate in the forum and wish to comment, the Task Force on Substance Abuse and Prevention has a Web site: smu.edu/smunews/liveresponsibly
Questions from the task force focused around how to keep students on campus and away from the off-campus drug and alcohol influences.
"SMU needs to consider a place where students can go at night and maybe have pool tables or ping pong tables with TVs" said first-year senator Erika Briceno. "It should be open late so people aren't encouraged to go out to Greenville and out to parties where there will be alcohol and they will be tempted to drink."
Briceno expressed her frustration with the lack of safe entertainment for underage students.
In response, junior Jayanth Mandyam rejected Briceno's suggestion, citing that the university failed at a similar attempt years ago.
"Nobody came because there was no alcohol so they'd rather go get drunk," said Mandyam.
After Mandyam singled out the university's handling of publicizing recent student deaths, he was asked to step down from the microphone by Student Body President Katherine Tullos.
Furthermore, first-year Elizabeth Stroud commented that sometimes alcohol abuse prevention can go too far.
"I feel I'm treated as a criminal before being proven innocent," Stroud said after relating an incident in which she was approached by SMU police questioning what was in her shopping bags. "I have a sense of paranoia about me now."
The stated goal of the Task Force on Substance Abuse Prevention is to gather information from the SMU campus and outside sources to make recommendations on methods to stop drug abuse. The task force is currently in a research phase and will make recommendations in December.
For those who couldn't participate in the forum and wish to comment, the Task Force on Substance Abuse and Prevention has a Web site: smu.edu/smunews/liveresponsibly
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
Barbara Whitehead
posted 10/23/07 @ 11:45 AM CST
Mandyam missed the point of Briceno's comments about the need for a campus recreational facility. He cited a few specific events that were attemped at H-T. (Continued…)
JMR
posted 10/23/07 @ 4:27 PM CST
As an alum ('83) we ALL had our share of fun, but things seem to have spiraled out of control lately. I have a son 4 years away from attending college and have had a major shift of preference from SMU to TCU (I can't believe it myself). (Continued…)
Anon.
posted 10/24/07 @ 10:24 AM CST
It's Jeanne Tower Cox...not Jean Cox. C'mon guys.
Drug rehab clinic
posted 4/24/08 @ 12:36 PM CST
This is what I call real drug education, young people need to be an active part in this action. Student campuses need this as they represent hot spots for drug abuse. (Continued…)
Lora
posted 6/02/08 @ 7:00 PM CST
Well it is known that it is our younger generation that is becoming the prevalent ones of drug use. In America 1.9 million Americans are admitted to a treatment facility and roughly 30% were under the age of 25. (Continued…)
wilmao
posted 6/19/08 @ 3:18 AM CST
as a concerned citizen authorities must focus also whats happening inside the campus not just outside. they have to be keen observer, but students and teachers too. (Continued…)
gregsimpson76
Vista Bay
posted 9/05/08 @ 12:33 PM CST
I don't know if pool tables and ping pong tables would deter individuals away from drinking as much as one would think. Pool tables and bars go hand in hand and ping pong can quickly be turned into a game of "beer pong. (Continued…)
Drug rehab
posted 9/23/08 @ 12:38 PM CST
That's a shame, this was such a good initiative.
yuvas
posted 10/09/08 @ 3:04 AM CST
One of the first topics discussed concerned the Greek community. One student, who identified himself only as Ryan, felt that residents of Greek houses were being unfairly targeted for alcohol violations by law enforcement on campus. (Continued…)
Narconon Vista Bay
posted 11/11/08 @ 5:12 PM CST
There are so many different things that we can do to keep youngsters off the streets. It is great to hear that here at least they have come with some idea. (Continued…)
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