A CLEAR MESSAGE

When Catawba College officials say no drugs on campus, they mean no drugs
on campus.

Acting on a tip from students, college security officers found small
amounts of marijuana and cocaine in a dorm room. The college suspended two
students, expelled another and told a campus visitor not to come back.

Incidents like this may happen at area colleges more than the public will
ever know. According to police, colleges handle minor incidents in-house.
They want to be discreet. But public knowledge about incidents such as this
could help Catawba in the long run. It proves to the community, to parents
and to students that the college will take decisive action against students
who violate its policies. No one is looking the other way.

This goes well beyond putting soft drinks on freshmen's beds and warning
that this is the only kind of six-pack they're allowed to have on campus.
It puts swift, sure action behind high-minded words. That may be the best
deterrent of all.