Note: First priority is to those letter-writers who live in circulation
area.

FORUM ADDRESSES TECH'S ZERO-TOLERANCE DRUG POLICY

BLACKSBURG -- When parents of incoming freshmen hear about Virginia
Tech's zero-tolerance drug policy at orientation, they often stand and
applaud.

But that policy, which automatically suspends students for any illegal
drug violation, was the subject of frequent criticism by students and
sometimes frank critique by administrators at a forum Tuesday night.

About 70 students and a few faculty turned out for the discussion,
hosted by the Virginia Tech chapter of Students for Sensible Drug
Policy, the Student Government Association and the Graduate Student
Assembly at Tech's Haymarket Theater.

Kristopher Reinertson, president of Tech's chapter of SSDP, organized
the forum to discuss what he sees as the university's imbalanced
policy of zero tolerance for drug violations but a three-strike policy
for alcohol violations. He favors a "diversion" policy in which
first-time offenders of the drug policy could remain in school by
agreeing to undergo an evaluation and treatment.

"Alcohol is a drug," he said. "I think by having these policies
separate confuses students."

The policy was established by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors in
1989 and the administrators at the forum -- Dean of Students Tom
Brown; Chris Flynn, director of Tech's Cook Counseling Center; Frances
Keene, director of judicial affairs; and interim Vice President for
Student Affairs Ed Spencer -- were clear to point out that they could
not change the policy.

They at times defended the reasons Tech has what Spencer referred to
as "the most conservative judicial sanction in Virginia," for illegal
drugs. But they also admitted that there was plenty of room for
criticism of it.

"It's odd to me that Tech is harder on marijuana than the criminal
justice system," Flynn said.

There were 29 cases of students being suspended as part of the
zero-tolerance policy last year. Keene said her office handles about
1,500 alcohol violation cases a year -- about half its caseload. The
administrators admitted that alcohol poses a bigger problem on campus
than drug use, but stopped short of advocating a change in policy.

Students are made aware of the policies and -- like them or not -- if
they choose to violate them, they have to face the consequences,
Spencer said. He said he sees the proposal to add another warning for
students found with illegal drugs as an unnecessary "get out of jail
free card."

But Tech student Chad Van Alstin called the current automatic
suspension of at least two semesters "draconic."

"If it really is to help and benefit the students, then, expelling
them? It doesn't make any sense," he said.

Four students, part of a group of about 20 cadets at the forum, spoke
out in full support of the university's policies. Some questioned the
mind-set of students who would break the law and complain about the
punishment for breaking policies they were well aware of.

"We here at Virginia Tech are students who have all graduated from
high school ... we've already learned the laws, we've already learned
the rules in high school," said cadet James Orr.

As the conversation drifted toward the social stigma of marijuana and
the gray lines of acceptable alcohol consumption, Flynn -- a
self-described "child of the '60s" -- admitted that confusion and
disagreement about drug use has been a long struggle.

"Our culture's not clear about it," he said. "We tend to be a
microcosm of a greater society that is not clear on this issue."