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 substances—specifically, 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 student’s 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 policy—all 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

May 2
May 9

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