Fire-setting and other dangerous behaviors by Ohio University students like those last weekend will only dissipate when students frown upon drunken deviance and police themselves, OU President Roderick McDavis said at Christ the King University Parish Center, near the scene of last weekend's revelry.
McDavis spent much of the discussion listening to student concerns about police presence and unruly freshmen at an open forum, convened by Dean of students Terry Hogan and coordinator for off-campus living Jim Hintz, and attended by about 40 people. McDavis, Athens mayor Ric Abel and Student Senate President Brian Footer emphasized respectful communication between students and Athens residents.
Some students complained about too many police, while others felt like more officers are needed to control the crowds of freshmen that wander into their parties.
Abel said that the amount of police officers will not be changed. Students share part of the responsibility to maintain civility in Athens, and the city is already paying overtime for eight police officers Friday and Saturday nights.
I would like nothing more than to have (students) say
'Mr. President Mr. Mayor just leave
' McDavis said. We'll handle it.
Abel said because of the disturbances last weekend, 14 police calls went unanswered and the city had no officers Uptown when the bars closed early Sunday morning.
Professor of African-American Studies and Elliot Street resident Francine Childs said students do not look out for other students.
If we have students who are jeopardizing other students
we need to have stiffer punishments
she said.
McDavis said nothing about specific plans for such punishments, but said he plans to ask University Judiciaries to speed up the time lag between arrests made by the Athens Police Department and appearances before judiciaries.
He also talked about the importance of extracurricular activities as an alternative to binge drinking that can lead to disruptive behavior, especially for freshmen.
They're here a couple of days
they get all (these welcoming activities) thrown at them
and then we back off and say
'Good luck
' McDavis said.
Tricia Lockman, who has lived on Mill Street for 27 years, suggested partner households -coalitions of several households that would jointly reprimand a problem household in the neighborhood. This would create accountability among students and give more clout to those students who want to improve their neighborhood, she said. Before students dominated the Mill Street area, they were more respectful of the residents, and it felt more like a neighborhood.
Now
we should put a banner out in front of our house that says 'Family Zone
