University of Virginia Library

False Bust

To many students, including the
management of WUVA, a false bust
is as abhorrent as a bomb scare. It is
a dangerous practical joke with
large implications - ranging from
the loss of one's hard-earned dope
to the threat of reprisals.

In service to its University
audience last Tuesday at 12:27
a.m., WUVA reported the
information it had ascertained
concerning a "reported bust" in
Fitzhugh. Students in that dorm
called WUVA and reported hearing
loudspeaker announcements saying
a bust was in progress, as well as
reporting the sighting of a police
car outside the dorm. Information
about the students' report was
aired, while it was mentioned that
WUVA was checking out the story.

Unlike the bomb scare analogy,
the false bust had no precedent.
Especially on such a grand, and
apparently thorough, scale. At
12:35 a.m. WUVA stated that the
bust was a hoax. What happened in
that eight minutes is now a part of
history's harsher reality. In this
period a half-dozen Fitzhugh
residents made inquiries at the
radio station in person.

The details of the "joke" were
reported on the air. Not reported
on the air was the fact that a
member of the Judiciary
Committee and a counselor were
aware of the prank and took no
action to prevent it. They blamed
WUVA for inciting panic and not
purporting the facts.

Mass drug raids on dorms are
not ruled out. On Tuesday, Chester
Titus. Associate Dean of Student
Affairs, released a statement that
dormitories cannot be drug
"sanctuaries" when and if action is
taken by police. WUVA refuses to
abdicate its right to broadcast the
facts concerning busts, real of
staged.

Should such tasteless student
action as occurred early last
Tuesday morning take place again
WUVA might be forced to delay
reports of drug raids until they are
over and can be checked out with
the proper authorities.

The consequences of a drug raid
under these conditions could be
much worse than the loss of a lid
down the toilet.