Judical summary for Fall 2002
To the Editors:
Over 110 cases involving alleged violations of the Code of Conduct were reported
to the Judicial Coordinator during the fall semester, an increase from 80 cases a year ago. An
explanation for the increase is that low-level violations of the alcohol policy (i.e. underage
drinking and open container), often heard by members of the Office of Residential Life in the past,
are now referred to the Judicial Coordinator for reasons of record keeping and consistency. While
the majority (96 percent) of cases were heard by the Judicial Coordinator, at the request of the
Respondents and because they were certain to result in sanctions less than suspension, situations
potentially resulting in probation and suspension were heard by members of the Judicial or Community
Board.
The most commonly heard violations were those pertaining to controlled and unlawful substancesspecifically,
underage drinking (59), possession or use of an illegal substance (26), intoxication (21), possession
of drug paraphernalia (13), disorderly conduct (11), open containers (5) and serving alcohol to
minors (5). The sanctions typically imposed for these offenses, assuming there were no additional
infractions or previous records, were an official warning and an alcohol and drug assessment. Parents
were notified when a student was hospitalized or in cases involving repeated violations. The warning
remains in the students judicial file and implies that further violation of the Code of Conduct
will most likely result in more severe sanctioning. Charges were dropped in almost all of the cases
involving severe intoxication because of the Good Samaritan clause of the Alcohol Intoxication
Policy. This clause states that in instances in which a student calls for assistance for an intoxicated
student, neither the individual calling, nor the student in need of assistance will be charged
with violations of the Alcohol Policy. However, an unofficial warning is issued and the students
are required to undergo an alcohol and drug assessment at the Counseling Center.
There were twenty-five cases involving offenses of health and safety regulations in the residences
halls resulting in a warning for first time offenders and probation for repeat offenders and those
with additional violations. There were twenty-one additional cases in which students were found
responsible for tampering with a smoke detector resulting in a minimum of probation for one semester
and a $300.00 fine. In such cases, probation specifies that further infractions of the Code during
a students time at Oberlin will, in most instances, lead to suspension or expulsion.
The judicial system also received eighteen complaints involving the refusal to comply with a College
staff member, fourteen violations of the smoking policy, fourteen complaints of vandalism, five
violations of the noise policy, four cases of harassment, four situations involving an unauthorized
party, three acts of physical violence or threat to harm, three cases involving the misuse of personal
or college property, one case regarding the release of a fire extinguisher, and one involving the
violation of the pet policyall resulting in one to six semesters of probation and a combination
of extensive hours of community services and fines, depending on the circumstances. Other cases
included: theft of personal property (two semesters of suspension), harassment, refusal to comply,
and separate violations of the alcohol and drug policy (suspension for one semester and counseling
while away); and the pulling of multiple fire alarms in the residence halls (suspension for one
semester, 40 hours of community service, and a $750.00 fine).
William Stackman
Associate Dean of Students and Dean of the Class of 2006
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