Author: Emma Parker
A committee is being formed to evaluate Occidental College’s “search and seizure” practices, Director of the Campus Safety Department Holly Nieto said. The committee will revise current policies to develop official regulations of practice with the consent of President Susan Prager. Since Campus Safety and Residence Life searched the residence hall rooms on Nov. 30, 2006, there have been no changes in Campus Safety’s drug policies.
The committee will consist of two faculty members, two administrative figures and two students. Nieto will be one of the administrative members of the committee. The goal of the committee is to help the department make its practices more transparent so that students know what to expect if they are caught with illicit substances, she said.
“This is a promise that we made in a meeting with the Honor Board and GA,” Nieto said. “We want a written policy that is widely known.” She also emphasized that the college would much rather “handle incidents in our campus judicial system” as part of an educational model.
Nieto stressed that the committee on “search and seizure” practices will not develop harsher punishments for students in possession of illegal substances, but it will hopefully make policies more clear so that students can make more educated decisions.
Since Nov. 2006, however, there has not been a significant change in the number of drug related incidents on campus. “It feels like a little less,” Nieto said. She added that Campus Safety is still getting a number of reports of marijuana smells in residence halls.
Nieto expressed concern for the increase of vandalism on campus in the past few weeks. “It’s student vandalism,” she said. “This is the first time that’s ever happened.” However, Campus Safety is taking measures to prevent further incidents, she said.
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