The same academic year The Princeton Review named Ohio University the second biggest party school in the nation, the number of alcohol- and marijuana-related violations increased for OU students. It's exactly the image OU administrators seemingly have been working to abolish in recent years.
According to a University Judiciaries' report given to the Board of Trustees last Thursday, the group received 739 alcohol-related complaints and 194 marijuana-related violations last year. During the 2008-09 academic year, judiciaries reported receiving 725 alcohol-related complaints and only 25 marijuana-related complaints.
Kent Smith, vice president for Student Affairs, called the number two ranking disappointing
especially after programs such as AlcoholEdu and low-tolerance alcohol and drug policies seemingly have reduced that kind of behavior.
OU's alcohol and drug policy is reviewed each year. Students found illegally consuming drugs or alcohol are referred to University Judiciaries for sanctioning, which could include suspension, expulsion or required participation in a drug program, according to the Student Handbook.
Smith said OU does not put much credence into the party school rankings because of their unscientific nature. A very small portion of the student population is surveyed anonymously, and it is difficult to compare universities with such diverse environments and populations, he said.
However, having OU recognized as a party school could pose problems in the long run, Smith said. Being named among the top party schools in the country could attract the very students whose behavior reinforces that reputation, he said.
Campus Editor Caitlin Bowling and Staff Writer Kristina Hauptmann contributed to this story. Summarized by Cori Sherman. 4
Opinion
