Has anyone received an underage drinking charge from either the Elon police force or the campus police, and if so what is the outcome? The police seem quite vigilant in issuing citations and there is zero tolerance and no warnings. I have heard of many students receiving underage drinking charges and having to go to court as this is a misdemeanor charge. They are also simultaneously in trouble with the school who receives a list of the students getting charged, and they are issued punishment from the school as well.
My daughter was at a party her freshman year at Daniely that was busted. She wasn’t drinking and was released after a breathalyzer proved it. There were consequences for the others but I can’t remember what they were. I know that parents were notified and they were put on probation, meaning that if they got caught again within a certain time frame there would be stiffer penalties. My daughter has known two students who were expelled after repeated violations (I know weed was involved in one of those, and I think fighting in another. In both cases she felt that they were very unfair (not taking into consideration circumstances and not letting them finish the semester to earn the credits they paid for)). Elon does not want students drinking on campus. I suppose it’s a liability issue with them, but I wish it wasn’t that way because the parties are off campus and often require driving. My son went to Vanderbilt who had the opposite idea – keep all the parties together on Greek Row, within walking distance (or Vandy Van distance) of the dorms. Campus police monitor and make sure nothing dangerous is happening but otherwise leave them alone. I think they are much safer that way. But yes, Elon is really strict about on campus drinking. Students do it anyway of course, but when they get caught the consequences are stiff. Off campus parties get busted too, but less often, since campus police don’t monitor them, just Elon city police, and then usually only if neighbors complain. Another anecdote – in my daughter’s class, there was one student who got so drunk and disorderly on the very first night (swam in the fountain I think, and maybe some vandalism?) that he was sent home even before freshman convocation that morning.
That said, there is no shortage of parties or drinking at Elon. On campus parties consist mostly of pregames and are much more chill. The big bashes are in houses off campus.
Having recently graduated there, I can say its really easy to avoid drinking citations. I am willing to bet the overwhelming majority of those receiving citations are freshman students who haven’t quite learned the ropes yet. Playing loud music in your tiny dorm with 20 people stuffed inside is a sure way to get busted (usually by an RA however, not a law enforcement officer). The other most common way kids get citations is by bringing their beer cans/red solo cups out with them and drinking while walking on the sidewalk to the next party. By sophomore year, most kids have this figured out and rarely receive citations from then on.
Elon definitely does drive the party scene off campus (for better or worse), but rarely do kids attending the parties have to drive themselves there and worry about getting home. The school runs “safe rides” where student volunteers drive until 3am getting kids home safely. Not to mention most off campus parties are about a mile or less to the on-campus dorms, so walking home is usually easiest and never impossible.
Raises hand as son has received one on campus (sophomore year) and off campus (junior year). Luckily he was off probation when the second one happened. There are absolutely stiff consequences that are strictly enforced by Elon. And, yes, off campus offenses are reported to the school so you’re essentially dinged twice. Consequences vary based on the degree of the offense - at least for on campus ones - and are spelled out clearly on the website with the exception of the monetary fine.
Thank you for your response to this bkbmom. I have felt uncertain about posting about this, but my son who just finished sophomore year had 2 minor incidents this past spring. After the second, which consisted of off-campus police noticing he was carrying a half bottle of beer (friends were hanging out during finals, no one was drunk at all), he was suspended for next fall. Semester abroad taken away, leadership position at his club taken away, and also his scholarship taken away. Plus, we will have to pay court fees, pay for the flight back to NC for his court date, …
He will be given tons of community service hours he will have to do down there, he’s not allowed on campus, and any coursework he does here at home next fall will not be transferable.
This is all adding up financially and emotionally. I have to say, had I known this about Elon (though he overall likes it a lot), we would not have sent him there. He has severe ADD and does not remember things like “put your cup/bottle down before you go outside”. I understand the need for some consequences, but the punishment, especially for minor incidents in which someone has had a cup or half bottle of beer, seems extreme. I am not sure how this helps “student success”.
I don’t know if it’s worth speaking to anyone at Elon about what seems like an overly rigid policy–I’m afraid to make anything worse.
Naggymom, it is absolutely worth being in touch with the school to discuss these repercussions. My experience with Elon is that they care a lot about student success, and as you said in this case the severe consequences may not support your son’s best chance for success. If he was a heavy partier with repeat offenses, then the penalties may be entirely appropriate in that the student needs to get his act together. If you want to discuss your S’s probation, you will need to do the necessary legwork to set up a meeting with the appropriate administrator. A phone call alone will not suffice, and the discussion must be more than just griping that the policy is overly rigid. We faced a similar situation but it was for academic probation. We met with the VP of academic advising, with our S, to discuss what was going on with him and why we felt that the probation inhibited his chances for academic success. The probation was modified and an appropriate action plan devised (with accountability built in.) We were pleased with the outcome of that meeting, and thrilled with the support we received. Your son will absolutely need to advocate for himself in any meeting you arrange. While they certainly will not eliminate all of the consequences, he may at least be able to negotiate his return to campus in the fall.
Having said that, you need to do your own honest parental assessment about what is going on with your S (both socially and with the ADD). If he does return to campus, he is going to need to learn how to navigate his social behavior so that he is not found in violation of the alcohol policy. If he gets caught again for any infraction, there will be no more do-overs. If he can’t remember that he shouldn’t carry an open beer bottle on a public street while (presumably) sober, then this is going to be an ongoing concern for you. Are you absolutely sure it was solely his ADD in play here? Why 2 citations this spring after having none freshman year and first half of sophomore year? If this was a one-beer type of celebration, why was he carrying that beer with him to another place, and why didn’t his friends tell him to put it down? Certainly he should have been aware that the first infraction meant he needed to be very, very careful until his probation period was finished. Make sure there is 100% truth in your S’s story (or your understanding of how he reached this point) before you have any meeting with administration. And/or think carefully about whether it is best for him to return to campus while on probation, if his ADD is going to prevent him from doing appropriate self-monitoring.
I know from experience about the emotional toll of having to navigate a situation like this and an unexpected change in course. Take a deep breath and address it openly and honestly with both your son and Elon administration, and know that it will work out as it should - whatever the final outcome is. Ultimately, our S’s final outcome was far different than we ever imagined, but it was the right one! Good luck to you and your S.