University of Virginia Library

Administration Tightens
Drug Abuse Control

By TOM SAUNDERS

CD/Bob Humphrey

Weekend Moving-In Proves Hectic For New Dorm Students

A rigid "no drugs allowed"
policy toward students living
on the Grounds has been
adopted by the Resident Staff
and the Office of Student
Affairs this year. The policy
results from negotiations
following the drug abuse
sentence of a University
student last May.

At that time Albemarle
Circuit Court Judge David F.
Berry publicly accused
University administrators of
"lack of concern" for the drug
situation on the Grounds.

Judge Berry then called a
closed meeting of law
enforcement officers and
University representatives to
discuss possible solutions to
the growing drug problem.

Curtail Availability

Several participants stated
later that he seemed concerned
primarily with curtailing the
open drug availability in the
dormitories and public areas of
the University.

The University was given
the option of taking action
itself or having outside law
enforcement agencies come
onto the Grounds in greater
numbers.

Following the meetings
Student Council President Jim
Rinaca and First-Year Resident
Staff Co-Chairman Ed Wilson
presented Judge Berry a list of
past University actions, and
plans to control drug abuse for
the coming term.

According to Mr. Rinaca,
the judge seemed impressed
with the University's present
efforts. Mr. Rinaca and Mr.
Wilson left the meeting under
the impression that the
University would be allowed to
handle the situation on its
own.

As a result of their meeting
with Judge Berry. Mr. Wilson
and First-Year Resident Staff
Co-Chairman Byrd Leavell
prepared a "position paper"
for this year's resident staff,
explaining the University's
official policy concerning drug
abuse in the dormitories and
within the University community.

The position paper, which
Mr. Wilson claimed has
administrative support,
commits the Resident Staff to
setting "an opening day tone
of non-moralistic
discouragement of drug use in
the dormitories."

Mr. Wilson said, "We've
been given the privilege of
looking after our own house,
and if we're going to retain
that privilege, we've no choice
but to say 'keep the drugs out
of the dorms'."

"Judge Berry," Mr. Wilson
continued, "is a graduate of
the University and he has a
great feeling for this school. He
is very sensitive to the
University's image and his own
responsibility to uphold the
law."

In August Student Affairs
Vice President D. Alan
Williams mailed a letter to all
students outlining summer
events with respect to the drug
situation, emphasizing
"increased enforcement
activity by the police agencies"
and claiming that the number
of arrests for the use and sale
of drugs and marijuana would
increase "as investigatory work
goes forward.'

Issues Warning

Mr. Williams said
responsibility in these (drug
related) matters rests not just
with the University
administration, but with the
student body, and particularly
with the various branches of
student government."

Mr. Williams warned that
"for those of you for whom
drug usage has become a part
of your life style, and for those
who sell and distribute drugs,
Charlottesville, Albemarle
County, and the University
Grounds will not be the place
for you this year."

Resident Staff Executive
Committee and the Office of
Student Affairs actions to
toughen the stance toward
drug use leaves the University
"in a much better position now
than it was in May," according
to Mr. Rinaca.

"I believe that Judge Berry
was fully prepared to have the
police come onto the Grounds
in a big way if the University,
especially the students, hadn't
taken some positive steps, he
said.

The Resident Staff position
paper cites the faith Judge
Berry has placed on the
students themselves and claims
that "we must act to maintain
this faith."