MSU now part of MIP process
Tweet
Freshmen busted for underage drinking this fall might not only have the courts to answer to, but also MSU staff members, as part of a larger program aiming to curb alcohol use before it becomes an issue.
The Arrest Impact Discussion (AID) pilot program, which began Aug. 30, requires students who are arrested or ticketed in the city of East Lansing — including on campus — for alcohol related offenses within the first six weeks of classes to sit down with a trained member of the MSU Department of Student Affairs and Services.
The one-time discussion would be part of the plea agreement as ordered by the prosecuting official, said Nancy Moylan, East Lansing 54-B District Court administrator.
“If (the students) do not successfully participate, then they risk losing their plea agreement or answering to the judge on why they did not complete their sentencing conditions,” she said.
The discussion, which focuses on the impact of a student’s arrest and support afterward, is not a punishment and will not appear on student records, said Pat Enos, the assistant vice president for student affairs and services.
“It’s expressly not a slap on the wrist. … That is not the intent,” she said. “The university does know you’re here and, to some degree, what you do off campus does matter to us.”
Enos declined to reveal the discussion leader’s identity, but said a new position wasn’t created and the leader is coming from within the university’s staff. The discussion leader will be paid hourly for time put into the position, creating some “nominal” costs to the university, Enos said. She would not disclose those costs.
No-preference freshman Savannah Bushman said peer pressure could provoke underage drinking on campus and discussions might help students.
“I could be drinking my first time and get caught when I first come on campus,” she said. “Talking to people about that, I think that it actually really helps some people.”
The university is getting involved because of a request from the city of East Lansing that there be responsiveness from MSU when these incidents occur on campus and in the city, Enos said.
MSU is partnering with the city of East Lansing to complete the program and City Manager Ted Staton said discussions might prevent students from getting involved in alcohol-related incidents again.
“This just seemed to make sense in terms of another partnership,” he said. “We could intervene early in the academic careers of people who had run afoul of the law.”
AID is meant to be supportive and educational, said Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services.
“First-year students get in contact with the law enforcement and they can learn some things from it and recover and go on to have a productive semester and year and academic career at MSU,” he said.
Alcohol-related offenses are common in the fall, East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said.
“Freshmen coming on campus, being away from home, we do have alcohol-related offenses,” he said. “Of course that happens.”
Enos said AID is a different program than other similar ones on college campuses in the state.
The University of Michigan has a program called Alternative Conflict Resolution for Alcohol/Other Drug-Related Incidents through the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, which acts in a similar manner to MSU’s AID.
It also involves discussions about the related incident, but places students under no obligation to pursue its pathway.
Increases in alcohol-related activities during the first weeks of the U-M semester are obvious, said Diane Brown, a public information officer with the Department of Public Safety at U-M.
“Students don’t often have pressing deadlines and there’s that whole issue of social activity is high during that time,” she said.
Students will have to contact the MSU Department of Student Affairs and Services to set up a discussion as part of the ruling and Enos estimates about 200 students might come in the six weeks, ending Oct.11.
Commentary
Add your $0.02, go to the comment form or follow the comment feed
Ed T
(09/14/09 8:29am)Report
This is a good idea.
If you get busted for MIP, it might just mean you were at the wrong place at the wrong time. But studies suggest that getting busted for a drinking-related crime (even something minor like MIP) is a strong indicator for developing a serious drinking problem later in life.
At the very least, the AID program will help students consider whether they already have a drinking problem, and if they want to do something about it.
Fox
(09/14/09 12:02pm)Report
This is the dumbest thing I have every heard. MIP’s do nothing but make you want to drink more. Personally I have had 5 in my life and still drink like a champ. Most states don’t even have MIP’s and now MSU wants to punish you not only in the courts but in the classroom. Terrible, sorry freshman.
student
(09/14/09 12:04pm)Report
this is not a punishment, but an opportunity to evaluate your actions and the reasons why to act in a certain way.
this is great.
Mark
(09/14/09 1:22pm)Report
I think it stands to reason that someone who has received an MIP has established themselves as a consumer of alcohol and therefore would intuitively be more likely to become an alcoholic than the average person, as the overall population of people will include those who do not drink, or only drink minimally.
However, I don’t think that an MIP is an indicator of future alcoholism. Face the facts and realize that the social starting point for drinking is at most 18 years of age. Anyone receiving an MIP on a college campus is just a victim of the age difference between the social standard and written law.
MSU students know that drinking laws are made overly severe in EL because of the schools reputation and the cities voting demographic. As an example, a noise violation is considered a misdemeanor in EL. Why?
I recognize that this policy does not get students into further trouble with the law or the university, and that it’s intention may be to supply students with counseling before a small issue turns into a big problem. All of that might have sounded good in a board meeting somewhere but forcing this step on students is just going to add another step to an already antiquated legal process, which is forcing all Spartan Students to pay for MSUs reputation.
student
(09/21/09 7:09pm)Report
Why is this important news? MSU will not be among the elite institutions unless students are treated like adults. As of now, MSU thinks of them as children, and wastes time with this sort of thing instead of actual important university activities.
If you get busted for something, sure, you get screwed, and you deal with it and grow from it. Why MSU thinks it is their responsibility is beyond me. A research university should exist for the purpose of academics, and an elite research university should not even think about spending time on unimportant social games that make it look like their priorities are backwards.