Displeased Students at Boston University, a group formed to work on changing BU policies students dislike, held its first meeting Monday night and attempted to formulate practical ways to adjust BU’s policies on drugs and alcohol, cable, dormitory visitors and recycling.
About a dozen people attended the meeting, bringing even more concerns about BU policies such as the price students pay for parking and making Convenience Points acceptable at more area restaurants.
Club President Seth Lubin, a University Professors Program sophomore, said he formed the group after his friend was kicked out of housing because two resident assistants claimed they smelled marijuana smoke in his room. Looking into why RAs had that much “power” over students led Lubin to form the group, he said.
“The RAs are just sneaky,” said group Vice President Dan Rubin, a College of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “They’re like cops who turn their engines off and sit by the side of the road to try to catch people for speeding. An RA should be friendly, not someone who’s walking around trying to bust you.”
One of DSBU’s main goals is to “get rid of inconveniences” in the Guest Policy by ending the requirement that forces students to find a co-host for guests of the opposite sex and by renaming and expanding the “study extension” policy. Lubin said he has already spoken with Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, who Lubin said is also looking to change the co-hosting policy.
“The Guest Policy is just ridiculous,” Lubin said. “They treat us like we’re kids – they parent us, really.”
The group also wants to relax penalties for drug and alcohol violations in on-campus residences. The university currently enforces a zero-tolerance policy for these violations, but Lubin suggests a one-strike policy. Group members said it will be difficult to change the policy, so they are first aiming to make RAs less powerful.
Finally, the group is asking for BU to establish a committee to oversee the development of a recycling program on campus. According to the group’s website, faculty and students should be able to participate on the committee, which can be paid or unpaid.
“I’m from California where we have compost heaps,” said College of General Studies sophomore Diana Lawrence. “I was shocked when I came here – there’s barely any recycling. It’s all do-it-yourself … People aren’t educated enough to know what is and isn’t recyclable, and they’re too lazy to do it.”
Lubin said the group’s main goal is to publicize petitions for each of the group’s issues, which can be found on the DSBU website. On the site, students can read the group’s stances on each issue and sign some or all of the petitions.
The group will write up formal proposals once it has garnered enough signatures on the petitions, Lubin said.
In the future, the group also hopes to sponsor a barbecue and a “root beer pong” tournament to raise awareness of their causes, according to Lubin. Group members said they are confident DSBU will affect change at the university.
“I think it will [be successful],” College of Engineering sophomore and group member Matt Bennett said. “They say what they mean, and they’re really direct.”
Lubin said DSBU “is the best avenue we have.”
“This is the best chance for students to be heard – if we come together and speak with a collective voice, we’ll be heard,” he said.
As for the future name of the group, Lubin said it might be changed to “Students for Change” because of the negative connotations of “displeased.” The current name came from a statement by President emeritus John Silber that said students were “pleased” with dormitory conditions, according to Lubin.