Elworthy Urges Erasable Citation Policy

Author: Chesley Thurber

At a Student Government Association (SGA) Senate meeting last Sunday, SGA President Brian Elworthy '02.5 announced plans to present a revision of the College's alcohol citation policy that would enable a student to remove a citation from his or her record by attending alcohol education programming.

The impetus for the revision comes from Elworthy's concern that the current system compromises student safety.

"This change in policy is needed because the current citation policy is inherently dangerous and not achieving what I believe is the paramount objective and that is keeping students safe," said Elworthy.

According to Elworthy, the problem lies in students who may be drinking in private in order to avoid receiving another citation. This practice is unsafe, as it encourages binge drinking and prevents others from intervening in order to help a student who may be in trouble, he continued.

Elworthy's proposal is still in its early stages with specific logistics of the plan not yet determined. The plan will undoubtedly center on a provision to allow students to "work off" a citation, he explained.

This would most likely take the form of alcohol education courses offered by Parton Health Center. Elworthy said he believed that this proposal, while making the campus safer, would also allow the College to "educate students about how to deal with their problems instead of simply punishing them and disowning them."

Such a policy would clearly require the cooperation of the Dean of Student Affairs Office, the Health and Wellness Education Office and the commons deans. Marianna McShane, director of health and wellness education, has already expressed reservations about the logistical aspects of the proposal noting "the implications for additional resources and staffing" that the proposal would entail.

Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson readily admitted that the "citation issue is not rooting out all of the problems," but said that it is nevertheless important as a "deterrent for illegal behavior."

Because Middlebury College was cited by the Vermont State Liquor Inspector for not having a policy to track and penalize repeat offenders of state liquor law, it established the citation system in the mid-1990s, creating a scale of increasing consequences for those who repeatedly violate state law.

Hanson and Associate Dean of Student Affairs Marichal Gentry were both quick to point out that education already plays a prominent role in the citation system. According to page 90 of the Middlebury College Handbook, upon receiving a third citation, students are "required to participate in a five-hour, two-part educational seminar. The seminar will be interactive and promote self-reflection."

The third citation also mandates that parents become notified of the history of infractions. A fourth citation normally results in disciplinary probation, and after a fifth citation, "students will be subject to a judicial hearing with the likely consequence of suspension," says the Handbook.

The citation policy has always been a contentious issue, and the College is often criticized from both those who believe the policy too harsh as well as those who find it too lenient. Many support Elworthy's contention that "a student should [not] be expelled for being caught with an alcoholic beverage five times in his or her college career." Meanwhile, many parents want notification if their child receives even a single citation.

Nevertheless, Middlebury has seen a significant drop in alcohol related problems in this academic year. Surveys conducted by the Office of Health and Wellness Education indicated a drop in binge drinking at Middlebury — a strong departure from the national trend — and Hanson noted that there had been remarkably fewer student visits to both Parton Health Center and Porter Hospital for alcohol poisoning. Hanson attributed this to the multifaceted nature of the College's alcohol policy that includes not only the citation policy but also strong educational programs and close contact with students through the commons deans.

Elworthy and the SGA are not the only group investigating the citation policy. Gentry is also heading up a committee of administrators to look into the citation system. The group plans to examine the policy's efficacy in complying with state alcohol regulations as well as its ability to ensure student safety.

The citation system has never been revised since its inception, and the SGA as well as the Dean of Student Affairs Office are clearly in agreement that it is time for such a revision.

Elworthy commented, "If we truly attend an institution in which students are to learn about life beyond academics, then the real world problems, such as a drinking problem, should be addressed as an opportunity to teach students acceptable behavior, even if the problem involves alcohol. The time to address the citation policy is now."