Loquitur
Friday, April 29, 2005
The
A&E Fall musical preview page 6
Cabrini College’s Student Newspaper
Radnor, Pa.
www.theLoquitur.com
Sports Intramurals page 13
Vol XLVI, Issue 24
Students find it easy to get high on campus KATIE MCNULTY STAFF WRITER KMM725@CABRINI.EDU Marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills continue to be extremely accessible for students to obtain on campus, and the distributors of these drugs have no fear of getting caught. Back in December, former news editor Lauren Reilly reported on the accessibility of drugs on campus. She discovered marijuana can be found anywhere on campus and can be placed in the palms of your hands in a matter of minutes. Students involved in the use and sale of drugs have continued business as usual even though their playing field has been exposed. Sitting on the shuttle, I overhear two guys having a conversation. I interrupt them and ask them if they know where I can get some drugs on campus and how long it would take. The one guy says, “It depends on what you want, if you want marijuana, I could have it to you by the time you return to Cabrini on the shuttle. Anything else might take
one or two phone calls.” One student says, “As long as you have the right phone number in your cell phone, you can get pretty much anything.” This may seem pretty shocking to some students and faculty, but drug use on the Cabrini campus is not any more a problem than it is on other college campuses. According to The University of Michigan, “Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use,” 35.9 percent of college students use marijuana. Cocaine use by college students has varied over the past 10 years, from a low of 2.0 percent in 1994 to a high of 5.4 percent in 2003. With drug sales occurring so frequently, it is quite obvious that students do not fear getting caught. One student says, “The people that sell, did it before they got here and are pretty good about not doing anything stupid. In the fall, a student was raided after much investigation. For about two weeks, people were a little scared of getting caught, but real soon everything went back to normal.” This is not surprising to Charles Shaffner, director of Public Safety. “Right after a drug
arrest or an incident of assault occurs, students fear consequences, but the further you get from the incident the less the fear becomes,” he said. According to the Cabrini College Drug Policy, there are many consequences a student can face if caught on campus. If a student is caught using, possessing or being under the influence of cocaine, they will face suspension or expulsion. If a student is caught using, possessing or being under the influence of marijuana, they will face disciplinary probation, plus an automatic fine of $100 up to and including suspension or expulsion from the college. The college reserves the right to sanction both the residents of the room where violations occur and or those present at the time of the violation. Possession of bongs, pipes and rolling papers is also in violation of the Cabrini Drug Policy. The sanction for this is disciplinary probation, and/or loss of campus housing and an automatic $50 fine. Even knowing the consequences, the users and dealers of drugs continue their everyday routine. One student says, “I smoke blunts out here everyday when I want and wherever I want.”
JESS WEBB/PHOTO EDITOR
Marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills continue to be extremely accessible for students to obtain on campus, and the distributors of these drugs have no fear of getting caught..
Public Safety and Residence Life work together to monitor drug use and sales on campus. Residence Life and Public Safety documents cases of drug use. “Sometimes we work together. With the raid in the fall,
‘First Lady of the Press’ to speak at graduation Helen Thomas, distinguished journalist, will be the 45th Commencement speaker ALYSSA SCHOENLEBER STAFF WRITER AMS725@CABRINI.EDU The Class of 2005 and all attending guests will have the opportunity to hear distinguished journalist Helen Thomas deliver the 45th Commencement address. “Helen Thomas was selected because her accomplishments and achievements reflect those that the College elects to honor,” Dr. Christine Lysionek, the vice president of Student Development said. “Each year, an invitation is issued to students, faculty and staff inviting them to submit nominations for the future honorary degree consideration,” she said. Those who have met the criteria and obtain Board approval are “added to the list of eligible candidates maintained by the President’s Office,” Lysionek said. Writer of three books, including “Front Row at the White House: My Life and Times” and her most recent, “Thanks for the Memories Mr. President: Wit and Wisdom from the Front Row at the White House,” Thomas was
the United Press International’s White House correspondent for nearly 40 years. She has since retired and today writes twice a week as a syndicated columnist. “As a young graduate student in the School of Journalism, I remember being awestruck,” said Dawn Francis, a professor of
University and began her career as a copy girl for the Washington Daily News. She began working for the United Press International in 1943. It was in 1961 that Thomas began covering the Kennedy administration and since, has covered eight Presidents.
COURTESY OF WWW.VERMONTWOMAN.COM
Helen Thomas was the only print journalist to make the historic trip to China with President Nixon in 1972.
communication. Thomas had spoken to Francis’ Reporting on Our Nation’s Government class in graduate school. The “First Lady of the Press” graduated from Wayne State
“I distinctly remember her saying that once an individual runs for public office, that person opens him or herself up to public security. Elected public officials have no right to cry foul when
asked tough questions. They are accountable to the public,” Francis said. “I still credit these words of wisdom to Helen Thomas when I’m teaching about First Amendment freedoms and invasions of privacy in intro to mass communication,” she said. Thomas made many historic firsts for women. She was the only print journalist to make the historic trip to China with President Nixon in 1972, the first woman member of the Gridiron Club and the first woman officer of the National Press Club. Thomas may also be recognized for being the first woman to end a presidential news conference with the long-established “Thank you, Mr. President.” Since beginning her coverage in the White House, Thomas has covered every economic summit. Lysionek said, “Currently, I am in the process of preparing an announcement soliciting nominations for next year’s Commencement and beyond and providing forms they can use to nominate candidates.”
Public Safety developed information in cooperation with Residence Life and the Vice President of Student Development. Together there was enough information, facts DRUGS, page 3
Inside
Features Celebrate Cinco de Mayo page 8
Perspectives Rising tuition costs to affect students page 10