EDIT: This is not a real policy. I was told about it by a friend who heard it directly from one of Res-Life's trained RAs. I apologize for the confusion, but apparently some of our RAs don't even know what they can and can't do.
Sure, students with shot glasses probably don't have them for just decoration and students with ping-pong balls aren't playing ping-pong, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Think about it. What are we talking about here? Not bongs, bowls or pipes or empty handles of liqueur. A ping-pong ball. And a tiny 1.5 oz glass. I have a feeling that not all RAs will use those items as grounds for a search, just the bloodsucking ones who I have offended before with my "immaturity." Those with souls will probably ignore these sanctions. I know that for a fact because in the past I have drank with RAs and in reality some don't give a shit what you do. Some do have souls. Some.
Remember, we are in college and we are adults. (Except for the few freshman not yet 18) but still, how are shot glasses and ping-pong balls considered grounds for a room search? Until this policy is changed (if it is for that matter - come on student senate!) be sure to keep all your naughty things out of sight. Big brother is watching.
What are your feelings towards this new policy? Has UNH gone too far with these sanctions or not?
Stay classy, not UMassy.
Not sure how this jives with the Housing Room and Board Agreement which states:
ReplyDelete11. Entry/Inspection. University staff members reserve the right to enter a student’s room or apartment at any time, whether or not the student is present to (a) perform maintenance (b) to conduct fire inspections (c) during an emergency (d) to enforce safety or health expectations.
a) Advance notice is not required unless maintenance is expected to be substantially disruptive to students.
b) The Durham Fire Department and the University reserve the right to determine fire safety standards for decorations and appliances and require students to take action to correct hazards.
How is having a shot glass or ping pong balls enforcing "safety or health expectations" or an "emergency?" Me thinks Residential Life is stretching....
If UNH sells shot glasses and ping pong balls in the bookstore or gives them away at school-sponsored events, I can't understand how they can then make rules that allow authority figures to invade the privacy of people living in the dorms. Ping-pong balls and shot glasses are too ubiquitous to qualify as some kind of probable cause.
ReplyDeleteI actually didn't object to the beer can pyramid rule, because in my opinion, it's reasonable to assume that the occupants of a room consumed the contents of the empty containers. But this seems like it's going too far. It'll be changed or removed
I heard something similar from my RA.
ReplyDeleteWhat I was told was that if RAs are on duty and are making rounds and hears a ping pong ball, they have the right to knock on the door and ask the resident to open it. They will then confiscate the balls if it is due to unrelated activities.
For shot glasses, it's the same deal. If you have your door open and a RA walks by and sees a shot glass on your desk, they will confiscate it.
My RA also said to get around this, if there's reason that you have these products, then it won't be a problem. Ways to get around this is that having a ping pong paddle (they assume you play ping pong) or having multiple different designs of shot glasses (they assume you collect), then it won't be a problem.
Very interesting. I didn't hear that those items could be confiscated. That is just as ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if they can be confiscated. My RA said nothing about that.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the Room and Board agreement, that only applies to Housing Employees and not RAs.(RAs are part of Residential Life) What that means is if you submit an maintenance request, when the workers come to fix your stuff and you're not there, they are allowed to enter your room. Same goes for fire safety checks, as you are required to have 2 unannounced checks during the year. In addition, the safety issues is mainly regarding if something is on fire or someone need immediate care.
RAs cannot enter a room without probable cause. If they hear pong balls bouncing, that's cause. If an alarm clock is ringing and no one shuts it off, they have probable cause to go in your room and turn it off, they can't search anything else unless it's in plain sight and can't stay for an extended period of time
Well fuck a duck. Who's the big ass kisser that thought of this absurd qualification to search a room? Anyways, screw them. I'm really sorry for all the people who have shot glasses and use them to take cough medicine or put little cute artsy stuff in them. That's just rude. And ping pong? Really UNH? Maybe I like to play ping pong and not necessarily Beirut. Way to just assume. I suggest that you kids on campus get a doorstopper so sound doesn't get out or maybe while you're at it a bulletproof vest, because if you think seeing a shot glass/ping pong balls are keeping students 'safe'. Think wrong. How about you if you see vibrators, insulin needles, heroin needles, semen sheets, dirty underwear, and sexy lady men/women posters? Are you going to initiate some sort of time-wasting investigation. PS, sex causes Chlaymidia (which is actually common on campus as well as utterly embarrassing, but good luck with that), pink eye (hello cumshot and disease to the face), Herpes (you can get it on your face and eyes), and HIV. Too much? Nah. You get the point. That shit ruins lives and even can kill you (you never know people). Ping-pong balls? Maybe using them as ass beads might get yourself killed. Shooting them with perfect form into a plastic cup? Not so dangerous. Shot glasses? I'm not even gunna go there.
ReplyDeleteHow about pill bottles, ya? How about you check for the date rape drug. How about some plastic baggies for all the druggies who carry their shit around or hell even lay it out for an RA to freak out and see and barge into your room. Fun shit. PS, theres no point in confiscating weed because how many kids hurt themselves with lazy inducer? But hey I hear people on crack, meth, heroin, and yes lots of alcohol can cause death. Intervention anyone?
Start with that and get back to me. Student government should overturn this and focus their attention on other things besides paying someone to bitch at some kid at court for a measly object an RA saw.
I think it comes down to privacy and respect. Respect the rule of not being too loud and RAs should respect the privacy of others simultaneously. Don't be stupid and use a condom.
Normally I would not reply to a blog, but as a public service I will. I am the Director of Residential Life at UNH. Two major falsehoods need to be cleared up from the blog statements:
ReplyDelete1. We have no new paraphernalia polices this year. In fact, we have no new behavioral policies of any kind this year in the residence halls or apartments.
2. RAs are NOT permitted to enter a students room without permission to conduct any kind of a search.
Scott Chesney
Director of Residential Life
This kind of hypocrisy happens all of the time. Recently, I found the item that we were all given at my high school's prom to commemorate the event. It's a beer mug. I had a great laugh about this because we all know how vehemently high schools try to stop drinking before, during and after prom. My school was no different, and yet they gave out beer mugs. This is the same type of situation. The new policy is foolish, and it's just another way for the school to infringe on our rights. Hopefully, it will be reversed.
ReplyDeleteThis whole article is based on misinformation. There's no policy to be reversed because there's no policy against having shot glasses and ping-pong balls in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYou have the right to post whatever blog entries you want, but wasting time complaining about something you haven't first verified as true makes you look like a total doucher. It's like yelling at the wind.
Check your facts, dude. And if the facts do actually warrant a complaint, please try to piece together a more coherent argument than the "my friend's friend told me/this is stupid/big brother/blahblahblah" logic train you very clearly rode while trying to sound important here.
Start writing about the things that really matter. How many people on campus last weekend were sexually assaulted while under the influence of alcohol? How many students were transported to the hospital last weekend because of alcohol poisoning? But you want to get all defensive about your right to have some ping-pong balls and shot glasses in your room?
Your arguments are weak, small, and ill-focused.
STFU.
Like I said in my post today, I apologize for not researching the info I had been provided. I don't want this to turn into a gossip based blog. Thanks.
ReplyDelete