UT STUDENTS VOTE IN FAVOR OF REDUCING MARIJUANA PENALTIES

Vote Is Nonbinding, But Students Say It's A Victory.

University of Texas students have approved a referendum supporting
decreased university-imposed penalties for marijuana.

Results from the student government vote held Tuesday and Wednesday also
showed that most students endorsed plans for a new student activity center
and chose Danielle Rugoff, a senior government major, to be next year's
student government president.

The Student Activity Center is expected to cost students no more than $65 a
semester in fees after its completion in 2010.

The marijuana referendum is not binding and asks that Student Judicial
Services' penalties for its use or possession be reduced to the same
penalties for on-campus alcohol use or possession.

UT's penalties for first-time alcohol offenses range from a warning to
disciplinary probation, but the sanctions for marijuana can range from
disciplinary probation to suspension, a spokeswoman for Student Judicial
Services said.

"By having stricter penalties, I think that many of us feel UT is just
promoting alcohol use due to the fact that they are harsher punishments for
marijuana," said Judie Niskala, the UT Campus Coordinator for SAFER Texas,
which stands for the Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation. She also
leads Texas NORML, another group working to decriminalize the drug.

Niskala said the group discussed a referendum after meeting with students
who had success with referendums at other campuses, such as the University
of Colorado. The December death of a UT freshman from alcohol poisoning
galvanized the movement, she said.

UT has worked to make the punishments for marijuana use and possession more
flexible, Associate Dean of Students Sherri Sanders said.

This is the first year a marijuana offense on campus hasn't resulted in
automatic suspension, but students who use or possess marijuana in the
dorms are still kicked out of university student housing.

"We're feeling pretty good about where we are right now," Sanders said,
adding that she doubts UT's policy will change. "As a state institution . .
. I think it would be pretty unlikely that we would take a different
approach or stance from how our state approaches the issue."

Vote results

Student government president

Danielle Rugoff, winner with 54.19 percent of the vote

Total votes: 6,853

Vice president

Marcus Ceniceros, winner with 56.41 percent of the vote

Total votes: 6,479

Daily Texan editor

J.J. Hermes, winner with 53.23 percent of the vote

Total votes: 4,578

Referendum 1

New campus Student Activity Center

For: 67.72 percent

Against: 32.27 percent

Total votes: 7, 770

Referendum 2

Reduce university-imposed penalties for use and possession of marijuana to
those currently imposed for use and possession of alcohol.

For: 64.45 percent

Against: 35.54 percent

Total votes: 7,574