CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (U-WIRE) — Many students flock to off-campus parties on weekends. When students are off-campus, they might not worry about resident assistants catching them, but they do have to watch out for other pitfalls. Everybody knows — Boston College officials and police officers included — that at most parties, underage students break the law by drinking, and the apartment’s residents break the law by serving them. When they’re caught, students often face serious consequences.
When student Laura Cassato had a party last year at her Cleveland Circle apartment, Boston College police officers knocked on her door twice. The first time the police came by, they told Cassato, “Be quiet and you’ll be fine. Continue having fun but keep it down.” The second time they told her, “It’s loud. Get everyone out of here.” The police verified that Cassato and her roommates were 21,
then left.
A few weeks later, Cassato received a letter from the university, which warned her that any further incidents may result in punishments on her housing status. “It’s like a Catch-22,” said Cassato. “You’re finally outside the jurisdiction of BCPD, but residents still have to deal with ordinances.”
In a letter obtained by The Heights addressed to students who hosted a off-campus party that was visited by police, Michael Ryan, associate dean for student development, warned that misconduct, disruption of the neighborhood, disturbing of the peace and alcohol violations would likely result in arrests or court summons and also possible University judicial actions. The University also sent the letter to the residents’ parents.
“We expect students to behave on and off campus,” Dean for Student Development Robert Sherwood said. Boston College may confront a student if he or she is “in violation of local, state, or federal laws which materially or adversely affects the individual’s suitability as a member of the Boston College community and violates university student codes of conduct. A finding of guilty or an admission of sufficient facts in criminal court may be used as evidence against a student at an on-campus judicial hearing,” according to the Boston College Web site.
Boston College watches off-campus lawbreakers
Daily Emerald
October 1, 2002
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