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St. Cloud State University
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Campus wages drug battle
By Lesley Christianson
Published:
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Some believe it is a minor problem. Others think it is a prevalent epidemic storming this campus by the thousands. Either way, drug use is here and it is probably here to stay.
The government set out in the early '80s to fight a war on drugs. Since that time, SCSU has been fighting its own war, although slightly smaller in scale than the battle Reagan began.
Director of Public Safety, Miles Heckendorn, said that when it comes to illegal drug use on campus, SCSU's record is relatively common.
"It (drug use on campus) is certainly the mean," Heckendorn said. "It fits into the general consensus."
According to the SCSU annual crime report, 10 people were arrested or given criminal citations on campus in 2002 for possession or selling of illegal drugs. The same year, 26 students received university sanctions for selling illicit drugs or having possession of them. Heckendorn said most of the cases involve small possession charges.
Those statistics are a slight increase from the 1999 annual crime report statistics. That year, nine people were given criminal citations while 18 individuals received university sanctions.
The period between 2000 and 2001 experienced a relative lull in drug activity with only five (2000) and six people (2001) being arrested on campus due to illegal drug use. During those same years, the university issued sanctions for 26 students in 2000 and 22 sanctions in 2001.
The statistics show a rising trend in the university to attempt to resolve matters without involving law enforcement officers.
Heckendorn said this trend results from the fact that many of the incidents occur in the resident halls.
"The resident halls quite often try to resolve the issue internally," he said.
He said most of the cases where police are notified involve a belligerent individual who refuses to cooperate with Public Safety or resident hall employees. Police officers are often called in to ensure the people involved are unharmed.
"Personal safety is paramount," Heckendorn said.
If the RA decides the matter needs administrative review they may submit an incident report or referral to the associate vice president for Student Life and Development, BernaDette Wilson.
Wilson will review the case and make a determination as to whether the case will be heard by her or be referred to the University Judicial Panel.
"If an individual is caught for drinking, marijuana, or other drugs, I tend to give them a second chance depending on circumstances and severity of the crime," Wilson said. "If an individual is caught for a marijuana offense for the first time they lose their dorm contracts and depending on various things it could lead to expulsion from school."
MnSCU has recently changed its policy so that any student found in violation of a university's code of conduct, and as a result is expelled from school, may not be considered for application at any other MnSCU college.
Although the numbers cited in the annual crime report may seem small, Heckendorn said Public Safety and the university do not take illegal drug activity any less seriously.
"We're certainly knowledgeable that drugs are a problem and that they are available on campus," Heckendorn said. "Some of the places people like to go and smoke grass are down by the old crew docks, the river dock and parking lots."
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