THE DAILY CAMPUS EVALUATES PROGRESS IN DRUG POLICY OVER FOUR YEARS

Four years ago SMU was rocked by the deaths of sophomore Jacob
Stiles, freshman Jordan Crist and senior Meaghan Bosch due to drugs
and alcohol.

Amidst the sadness, many loudly criticized SMU's drug culture. It was
this culture, they say, which contributed to the three deaths.

"Drugs are woven into the Greek system and the social fabric of the
university," Bosch's father, Joseph Bosch, said.

Four years later, what has changed?

It's true that SMU has become more involved in efforts to curb and
prevent drug and alcohol abuse. The Task Force on Substance Abuse
Prevention delivered 30 recommendations to President R. Gerald
Turner; 21 of those were accepted. Now the Task Force is called the
Commission on Substance Abuse Prevention and Education.

Student Senate passed resolutions regarding medical amnesty and good
Samaritan policies. These resolutions were then put into University
policy. Campus leaders became TIPS trained.

SMU's student population has also changed. Gone are the students who
choose between mutually exclusive options to either study or party.
Today's students are much more well-rounded. They've got the resumes
to prove it.

What we've noticed is that all of these efforts haven't put a dent in
drug and alcohol use. SMU students used to choose between partying
and studying.

Now they do both. The disconnect between the more academic-minded and
the party-minded has all but dissolved. The notable increase in SAT
scores and grades, while there is no visible decrease in partying proves this.

However, SMU's efforts have created more responsible students.

Whereas students of the past didn't always look out for their fellow
partiers, today's students do. Today's students are also more open
about their drug use. Many tell their parents of their activities.

This is certainly a change for the better, and we've got to hand it
to SMU (as well as parents) for instilling a mentality of
responsibility in students' minds.

But SMU's drug culture still remains. "Softer" drugs, such as
marijuana, are no longer taboo to do or speak about. Rather, it is
these that have become commonplace and common parlance.

Four years later, SMU has come a long way. There's still much to do.

The University should continue to work to lessen the presence of
drugs and alcohol (and subsequent abuse of those products). The
University should continue to educate students about personal
responsibility and emergency training.

Above all, SMU shouldn't forget about Stiles, Crist and Bosch. Their
deaths were tragic, and they spoke of a larger problem at this
University. The dangers of substance abuse and a culture where drugs
are the norm still remain even with a more responsibility-minded
student population. These three students should forever remind SMU
and its students that this issue has real and tragic consequences.

Four years later, we urge SMU to continue its efforts to change the
campus drug culture.