For the 2008-’09 housing selection, students will have the option of applying to live in a substance-free area of student housing.
The Residence Life and Housing office decided to offer a substance-free housing option after adequate student interest was shown. This option had been available in the past, however due to a lack of student interest, the option was discontinued.
“We asked a question about substance-free housing in the bi-annual alcohol survey and [the results showed] that students were interested, but they weren’t sure that they wanted to live there,” said Associate Dean of Students for Campus Life Nancy Tavelli.
Students who choose to live in the substance-free area will be required to sign a contract agreeing to neither use nor possess alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs or to abuse prescription drugs. If they are found to be in violation of this contract, they will be required to move into an open room in another residence hall.
“This is not something RAs will be enforcing. It’s for a group of like-minded students who want to live together and support each other,” said Tavelli.
The location of this substance-free area will be determined based on the amount of student interest.
Student support for this housing option is mixed.
“I think that we should have substance-free housing as an option. It would make a lot of people more comfortable and it would put people together who have similar interests,” said sophomore Hailey Flanigan.
However, not all students share Flanigan’s views.
“Creating a special substance-free section seems like it would garner a lot of ridicule… I feel like people are easily able to avoid alcohol or drugs if they want to and Whitties totally respect those decisions made by their peers, so it seems silly to create a special section for people disinterested in substances,” said sophomore Kelsi Evans.
Although preliminary research showed that there was adequate interest in creating this living space, it remains to be seen whether or not that interest will carry over to student’s housing selections.
Applications are available in the Residence Life and Housing office and are due by March 25.
