The Student Union and Boston University Students for a Sensible Drug Policy hammered out goals for a policy proposal, which would prevent the university from pressing judicial sanctions against students who report assaults or medical emergencies while intoxicated, at a town hall meeting last night in the Howard Thurman Center.
The proposal, which remains in initial stages of drafting and has not yet been presented to the administrators who will need to ultimately approve it, has been a talking point for the Union for semesters. Members of the Union General Assembly criticized the Union’s pace and ineffectiveness in creating a policy in light of increased reports of assault on campus last fall at this semester’s first GA meeting Jan. 28.
The still-nebulous policy would aim to guarantee judicial protection for students who report sexual assaults or substance abuse problems, making firm what administrators say is an unwritten policy of prioritizing student reporting of dangerous situations before judicial actions.
“Students want to be guaranteed that they will be protected,” Students for a Sensible Drug Policy President Meghan Schultz said. “Everyone’s afraid of getting in trouble with Housing or Financial Aid, but we want to make sure that students make the call.”
Many aspects of policy proposal remain undecided, but after the final draft of the proposal is written, it will be presented to the GA. Following approval, the proposal must be submitted to administrators, whose policy now is to handle issues on a case-by-case basis.
“I don’t see the administration being excited about it,” Schultz said. “They don’t want to have their hands tied.”
About 20 students turned out for the meeting and said a formal policy would encourage students to call for help if they were in danger of an assault or with someone suffering alcohol poisoning.
“We’ve been hearing a lot of student concern about this issue,” Union President Adil Yunis said. “Students have told us that it’s something we need to look into.”
Yunis said the policy would ensure students who report assaults would not face judicial ramifications for intoxication at the time of the assau< students calling for medical assistance related to intoxication would escape judicial action, but be required to perform community service and complete an alcohol education program. These measures would prevent students from taking advantage of the policy, he said. "We don't want to create a policy that will encourage underage drinking," Yunis said. Other colleges in the area, including Harvard University, Northeastern University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology already have similar policies in effect, Union City Affairs Director Jesse Kramer said at the meeting. He said the Union is modeling its proposal after the other school's policies. College of Communication senior Peter True said he hopes many student groups will get involved in the drafting process for the amnesty policy. "General student momentum is something the administration will have to deal with sooner or later," the College of Communication senior said. No formal step was taken toward creating the policy last night, but some students remained optimistic about its progress. "It's really great to have this discussion," College of Arts and Science sophomore Matt Seidel said. "It's how change really starts."
