<p>I suspect that kicking him out of the dorms was a way of “setting an example” for other residents. I’m not sure I support such a move, but it makes more sense than the rehabilitation argument.</p>
<p>I thought it was probably legal, on the part of the university. If you fall out a dorm window/down stairs, even if you are drunk someone is going to sue. </p>
<p>Someone mentioned the age range of students spanning legal/underage. Here, all dorms are dry. It was put in place several years ago and has in fact reduced the drinking problems in part. Most upperclassmen live off campus anyway.</p>
<p>Harsh. I’d appeal as much of it as I could. Don’t let him be “the example” to other students. Let that happen to the next guy–there will be one very soon. Don’t let it go on the record if at possible–it could follow him for life.<br>
And for heaven’s sake–the next time someone really does need medical treatment they won’t get it because of fear of reprisal.</p>
<p>@greenbutton If the school was worried about a future lawsuit from an accident then they would insist that the student leave the dorm NOW…not next year. </p>
<p>From the OP’s posting history, it appears that this is VT. I am surprised that VT has such a ridiculous policy.</p>
<p>Others need to note that their kids need to protect themselves. </p>
<p>I am sorry to hear about this. Please keep a close eye on your son. I know a few kids that had similar problems. They came through the initial phase fine but once everything calmed down and the consequences sank in, they had some emotional problems. Depressed about their mistake and had a hard time retooling their social life because of the probation. Hugs to you.</p>
<p>I think there needs to be more oversight at the supply end. Society has basically decided that 18 year olds are minors when it comes to alcohol.</p>
<p>From a different perspective, perhaps the kids who sign up for substance-free housing don’t want to room with kids who are drinking themselves nearly to death. Is it their job to police?</p>
<p>The colleges also need to protect themselves–probably more than any student. Good for VT. The problem is not just being drunk–it’s what happens after they are drunk. Often very dumb sometimes dangerous things. And then people go looking for deep pockets to blame.</p>
<p>That is overboard…way overboard. I would also go back and see if he can live in the dorm next year, but do community service of some sort. Also…I agree with the other poster who said that kids will be less likely to seek help for themselves or others with those types of strict punishments. The punishment needs to fit the crime…not a one and your done type of thing. </p>
<p>@Hunt,</p>
<p>“What, exactly, are these moral/ethical implications to drinking? At least, what are they as expressed by someone who doesn’t think that drinking by adults is immoral or unethical?”</p>
<p>Moral and ethical issues concerning drinking include: drinking too much; providing alcohol to others under various circumstances; drinking, then driving or engaging in other activities requiring significant motor coordination; the connection between drinking and sexual conduct.</p>
<p>Yes, notjoe, but those all involve drinking to excess–and they are no different for people over 21 than they are for people under 21. My point is that it’s foolish to expect young adults to respect (in both senses of the word) this particular law, apart from the fear of punishment.</p>
<p>I am actually surprised to see so many calling this ridiculously punitive, given the number of times it has been said on CC that until colleges get serious about cracking down on underage drinking the situation will not improve. </p>
<p>Personally, I am in favor of changing the drinking age to 18 and legalizing pot, but… I think that the only part of this “sentence” that is unreasonable is being forbidden from U housing next year. It would make more sense to kick him out NOW, and allow him back next year if he has served his probation without incident. I think that he should a) be glad that this did not involve the legal system, and b) look into appealing the housing portion of the punishment based on his desire for engineering housing and a spotless record from here on in. (Doing some relevant volunteering around student drinking/safety might be a good idea: do they have escorts on call, education programs, etc?) I would think that it would be more convincing to make this appeal after he has some of this under his belt, but he should check now to find out about any deadlines. There should be someone who can advise him on this.</p>
<p>@Hunt,</p>
<p>I agree, but I didn’t take @kidzncatz’s meaning to be that there are moral and ethical considerations to drinking - apart from legality - that apply only to teenagers, but rather that teenagers seem to only care about the legal issues regarding drinking, not other moral or ethical issues.</p>
<p>But I could be wrong.</p>
<p>“My point is that it’s foolish to expect young adults to respect (in both senses of the word) this particular law, apart from the fear of punishment.”</p>
<p>I think the problem here is that many folks in society, young and old alike, aren’t persuaded that the current legal regime is workable or even sane.</p>
<p>What I learned in college: the drinking age doesn’t actually stop anyone under age 21 from drinking. It’s just done in secret instead of openly. I didn’t think it was that dramatic, but it is: if people want to drink, they’ll find alcohol. From a brain development standpoint, a drinking age of 23 makes the most sense, but from the practical perspective of keeping students safe, 21 is doing nothing. And in this case, the punishment doesn’t seem to match the crime.</p>
<p>I certainly think it’s insane to throw the book at a kid who was sick enough to go to the hospital, while there are hundreds (or, if this is really a big state university, thousands) of other students who are breaking this rule on a weekly basis. That is a recipe for death when somebody doesn’t get medical help.</p>
<p>I don’t drink, but I’m glad that my school has a medical amnesty policy: if you call in for help because someone is in need of medical care from drinking, neither you nor the person you’re calling for will be punished by the student conduct board. Otherwise I think you have a recipe for disaster.</p>
<p>“I certainly think it’s insane…”</p>
<p>I agree. I’m glad my sons are at a school where there is limited amnesty in cases involving medical emergencies. Knowing that if you help your friend to the emergency room because he’s vomiting from drinking too much, that he won’t be punished for seeking help, and you won’t fall under suspicion for bringing him saves lives.</p>
<p>I think it’s bizarre that he can live in the dorms for the rest of this year, but not next year.</p>
<p>The punishment doesn’t fit the “crime” unless they are making an example of him. I’d appeal the housing part of his discipline.</p>
<p>But it must be said that he didn’t just drink, he drank to such an excess that he caused a lot of trouble (and probably a mess) for others, and put his own life at risk. I do think some of this poor decision making is due to our absurd drinking laws. It makes far more sense to lower the age to 18 and let kids learn to drink responsibly with their peers while they are still under their parents’ roof. Having such a high legal age just drives the whole thing underground and makes the lessons all about consequences, rather than about learning one’s own tolerance for alcohol while facing peer pressure.</p>
<p>And yes, I know it’s legal for parents to serve their own children under their own roof, but having a glass of wine with mom and dad isn’t necessarily going to help a kid learn to party responsibility when with his peers.</p>
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<p>That’s what they mean by deferred suspension. His punishment has been deferred for two semesters - this fall and spring semester so he can live in the dorms for this year. Reading the VT policies, if he actually drank in the dorms or used drugs, there would be no deferment. He’d be kicked out of the dorms immediately. (I don’t make up these rules, I just read them).</p>
<p>I believe that “deferred suspension” relates more to a student’s status with the school, overall and not specifically with housing (ie the student can continue to attend classes on a probationary basis but ANY further infractions of school rules or disciplinary sanctions can result in full suspenson or expulsion from the school); yes, had the drinking incident occurred in the dorms it is more likely that he may have been kicked out immediately (this is what happened with my son (different school and state) and it was also called a deferred suspension). So, since the incident was not in the dorms, he will be allowed to remain for the rest of this year - however, is does not make sense why there would be any restrictions relating to housing at all (other than perhaps due to his age or that it will be easier for him to find off campus housing the following year, since it is quite common for students to move off campus in their second year anyway)</p>