University of Virginia Library

Canevari Predicts End Of Concerts
Unless U-Hall Drug Use Ceases

By TOM SAUNDERS

The University may sponsor
no more concerts in University
Hall unless drug use ceases at
the events, Dean of Students
Robert T. Canevari said
yesterday.

"Although no one has used
the word 'raid,' the possibility
of one occurring has been
implied repeatedly" Mr.
Canevari said.

When asked if he would
recommend cancellation of the
Openings Weekend concert if
there was significant drug use
at the Homecoming Weekend
concert the previous week, Mr.
Canevari said "I'd strongly
recommend it."

"Unless we can keep drugs
out of U-Hall during these
concerts," he said, "the
University is going to have to
suffer the bad publicity of
students being arrested during
concerts."

"Rather than run that risk,"
he said, "I personally think
that it would be better to have
no concert at all."

The problem of drug use at
University Hall concerts was
among topics discussed at a
May 30 meeting of University
administrators, students, and
law enforcement officials.
Albemarle County Circuit
Court Judge David F. Berry
called the meeting for
investigation of the overall
University drug problem.

Since May, members of the
University Union and its
concert booking affiliate, the
PK-German Dance Society,
have made plans to attempt a
halt of drug usage in University
Hall during concerts.

Strains Cited

According to University
Union Tri-Chairman Richard
Berkeley, the "no dope or no
concert" policy has placed a
definite strain on those
responsible for the concerts.

Despite the Union's
repeated warnings and requests
that drugs not be brought into
University Hall, Mr. Canevari
and Albemarle County Sheriff
George L. Bailey, among
others, received complaints of
drug use at the Sept. 15 John
Denver concert.

"I even heard," said Mr.
Canevari, "of several girls who
felt they had to leave because
they feared getting high from
the marijuana being smoked
around them."

Sheriff Bailey has stated
that drug use at the Sept. 15
concert was at as high a level as
at any time before.

Mr. Berkeley said although
no definite plans had been
formed, the Union expects to
have to use more stringent
methods to stop drug use at
future concerts.

"We're going to have a
meeting next week of members
of the Union, the Department
of Security, and some people
from Student Affairs to
decide exactly what steps we're
going to take," he said.

Lights Considered

Steps under consideration
are leaving the lights on in
University Hall during the
concert, enforcing the fire
regulation banning smoking of
any kind in the facility,
limiting attendance to students
only or persons above a certain
age, "more efficient ushering,"
and checking persons entering
for bottles and containers.

"Many of the people using
drugs at these concerts are
young kids who don't know
what they're doing," said Mr.
Canevari, "and it's not right for
the University to be blamed for
the actions of people not
connected with the University
community."

"The best thing to do might
be to keep these people from
coming to the concerts in some
way," he stated.

"The message we have to
get out to the students," he
said, "is exactly what's at stake
here."