<p>Well, I went back and re-read the “judgement”. For most freshman–it wouldn’t mean a whole lot at most universities to get kicked off campus for housing since the majority move off campus after freshman year. It’s harsher for your son because he wants to return in his academic community. So appeal it immediately.
And as to committing more infractions–don’t do anything that causes major trouble.Thousands of kids go through school never getting in any trouble whatsoever. Be one of those.
I’m still unsure why this landed before a disciplinary board to begin with. Do hospital admissions get reported? (that would seem weird to me–where’s the privacy?) Must be more to the story. </p>
<p>OP’s original post is [url="<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1687428-dreaded-phone-call-what-to-do-p1.html"]here[/url">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1687428-dreaded-phone-call-what-to-do-p1.html"]here[/url</a>]. In a nutshell, the student was puking, and in that circumstance the RA was required to get the student to a hospital and (I assume) file a report about it.</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.”</p>
<p>Right. It’s not about drinking – it’s about getting so drunk that he’s making himself sick in other people’s space. The thing is, I’m a hardline, hanging judge when it comes to drunken antics, ESPECIALLY puking in common areas, and even <em>I</em> think that banning someone from the dorms for one offense is excessive and probably counterproductive. I’m thinking more along the lines of being forced to clean it up, pay a fine, publicly apologize to fellow residents, and probation that brings much harsher consequences in case of a second offense. It’s so severe that I wonder if there were aggravating circumstances we didn’t hear about. Or was this a special rule for the engineering community, which might have special quiet hours, substance-free policies, etc.?</p>
<p>On an empty stomach, just a couple of standard drinks could cause someone to throw up. He may or may not have been excessive in the amount of his consumption, just naive about the possible effects given his nutritional state. </p>
<p>@notjoe You interpreted my statements the way I meant them. I think many teens and slightly older young people fail to grasp (or acknowledge, or maybe even care about) the issues you mentioned in post #28. Of course, some older people also fall into this category, but I think this mindset is especially prevalent among the young. Most people do mature as they age.</p>
<p>“On an empty stomach, just a couple of standard drinks could cause someone to throw up.”</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s not what I saw happening when I was in college. The hospital would never have kept him overnight, either.</p>
<p>I would be surprised if hospitals sent under aged drinkers home the same night. Unless their parents were picking them up. Or any drunk patients. But maybe they do. </p>
<p>I cannot believe that a kid can be naive about alcohol. This is taught in high school health classes, driver’s ed classes, freshman orientation seminars, etc. I am pretty sure my daughter learned this at least 4 times. Could there possibly be a college freshman who doesn’t know that drinking on an empty stomach will affect you more?</p>
<p>I do think having strong sanctions against a student could inhibit a response when kids are in distress. </p>
<p>Knowing before the first drink and knowing after the first drink are two different things.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Of course. No one knows exactly how they will be effected by consuming any product, until they try it. Freshman men are notoriously bad at getting themselves fed properly. Hence the shock on moms’ faces when they come home looking like they have been starved.</p>
<p>While I don’t condone drinking to excess by persons of any age, I agree with Hunt and Nano that extreme sanctions put kids at great risk. They are young. They are going to make a few mistakes. And they probably don’t know their limits. But if students are afraid to seek medical help for fear of being suspended or kicked out of school, more kids will die of alcohol poisoning. Fine them, make them do community service, attend an alcohol program, etc. - enough to send a message, but no so much as to jeopardize their lives. </p>
<p>Is VT cracking down on the drinking done at its frats? If not, then they aren’t being sincere.</p>
<p>“No one knows exactly how they will be effected by consuming any product, until they try it.”</p>
<p>You can know damn well that 6 shots of tequila are going to make you sick. That’s the kind of stupid, reckless thing I’ve seen a lot of inexperienced freshmen do. I have never seen people get sick in public as a result of careful, rational limit testing. Rational testing of limits would be 1 more drink than you had last time. If you do it that way, you may have a rough morning, but you don’t get sent to the hospital.</p>
<p>“I would be surprised if hospitals sent under aged drinkers home the same night.”</p>
<p>Why? If they only threw up because they pounded two drinks on an empty stomach (which I don’t believe happens very much freshman fall), they’d be blowing under .08 in no time. Maybe even upon arrival. They’re only under age in terms of alcohol; they’re legal adults and do not need parents to pick them up. Mileage may vary in hospitals in places like Blacksburg, I suppose, but in a busy emergency room, they can’t wait to free up that bed.</p>
<p>@soonmtnest </p>
<p>“Knowing before the first drink and knowing after the first drink are two different things.”</p>
<p>LOL. Yeah, how true.</p>
<p>So, just for the record… It turns out the deferred suspension does <em>not</em> preclude him from on-campus housing next year; that was a mistake in website write-up. That was the only part that seemed unreasonably harsh to me. </p>
<p>Well <em>that’s</em> very good news indeed!</p>
Is it normal for a college student under the age of 21 to drink alcohol? what i am trying ot ask is do most students underage 21 drink or is it very struct out there? sent from Europe?
It is extremely common for underage college students to drink illegally in the US, unless they attend a religious school (BYU, Liberty, Oral Roberts). Not everyone does drink, but everyone does have the opportunity.
To varying levels yes. Practically every college student under 21 has still had some amount of alcohol before. But it’s not as if everyone is getting drunk every night.