POT POLICY DRACONIAN, BUT POT IS ILLEGAL

Students living in the UI's residence halls are warned of the stiff
penalties that exist for drug possession and use in the dorms.

Thus, when the UI police receive notice that the noisy occupants of a
specific room are burning more than candles (which, by the way, is
also prohibited), the offenders get burned by the university's policy.

Because of the zero-tolerance policy currently in place, students
caught with marijuana in one of the university's residence halls are
often evicted, even for first offenses.

As a result, the UI Students for Sensible Drug Policy recently drafted
and circulated a resolution to reform these policies, collecting more
than 1,000 student and faculty signatures in support of the
resolution. The group presented the resolution to the UISG Student
Assembly on Tuesday, arguing that education and assistance should be
emphasized for offenders over stiff penalties that are imposed now.
The resolution was not passed because of its wording - assembly
members were concerned that no distinction was made between marijuana
and other illicit drugs, such as cocaine. Plans are already underway
to rewrite the resolution and present it again in November.

We can sympathize with the Students for Sensible Drug Policy's view on
this issue - that immediate eviction for possessing a bag of pot is
too punitive - but we would also point out that marijuana is an
illegal substance, according to state and federal law. In this
respect, it's different from alcohol, which the university needs to
account for through its policies.

The two substances cannot be placed in the same category because one
is permissible (for those of legal age) and the other is not. That's
why students caught with alcohol in the dorms aren't ordinarily
evicted on the first offense (unless they possess large quantities)
while students caught with marijuana often are.

One of the arguments behind this effort is that, as noted by UISG Vice
President Jason Shore, some students caught with illegal substances in
the residence halls are forced to drop out of school after their
evictions. This is a legitimate concern.

A first-year student found to be in possession of pot should not have
to end her or his academic career simply because of one act of poor
judgment.

To this end, residence-hall officials need to ensure that violators
are given ample time to find alternative housing if they are evicted.

Education and assistance should also be emphasized for offenders, but
only while acknowledging that marijuana is illegal. Being in
possession of it ordinarily results in arrest and incarceration.

It is for this reason that the UI's zero-tolerance policy toward
marijuana and other illicit substances in the dorms is not wholly
unjustified. Many may not agree with the legal status of marijuana in
this country - in its Oct. 6 editorial, the DI suggested that legal
penalties for pot possession are too harsh, leading to overcrowded
jails and costly trials - but this is not within the university's
scope of jurisdiction. Therefore, campus policies need to correspond
with laws set forth by the state.

This is why 19-year-olds are prohibited from consuming alcohol on
university property.

We recognize the apparent draconian nature of the university's drug
policies but also recognize the need to uphold the law, as insensible
as it may be. To dorm residents, we offer one simple suggestion: Don't
break the rules, and you won't be penalized.