Five MSU students facing criminal charges in connection with the October drowning of an 18-year-old Bay City man in the Red Cedar River also could be disciplined by the university.
One of the students, a male Holden Hall resident, provided beer to Delta College student Eric Blair on Oct. 19 in his dorm room - a violation of university ordinances that can be reviewed by the campus judicial system. The other students, four women who live off campus, held a party Blair attended later that night.
Police pulled Blair’s body from the Red Cedar River five days later.
If officials can link the off-campus party to illegal on-campus activities, the four women also could face the university judiciary.
“The basic criteria is the allegation has to be made about a student, and the behavior has to happen on campus or be associated with a campus event,” said Rick Shafer, associate director of Student Life. “If someone got in a fight on campus and continued off campus, we can deal with that too.”
The five students already stand to face criminal charges for their connection to Blair’s death.
Warrants likely will be issued today in East Lansing 54-B District Court, and police will begin contacting the students to turn themselves in.
The four women will be charged with a felony offense for charging admission to a party that included alcohol. The man will be charged with three counts of supplying alcohol to a minor.
Police said Blair was asked to leave the party, near Bogue Street and Waters Edge Drive, because he was too intoxicated and became separated from his friends. When his body was recovered in the river, near East Shaw Hall and Bogue Street, he had a blood-alcohol level of .14.
Lee June, vice president for student affairs and services, said students who committed an illegal activity off campus only are reviewed if they are a threat to the campus community.
“It’s only done when there is a clear indication in whatever happened that the person’s continued presence at MSU would represent a danger to persons or property on campus,” he said.
According to Student Life officials, the judiciary committee has five choices of disciplinary action to take, including recommending suspension.
The committee also can send a written statement expressing disapproval of the acts, can put the student on probation or can put him or her on disciplinary probation where committee members will observe and evaluate the student’s conduct.
MSU police Capt. Ken Hall said the police department does not become involved in the judicial process unless an officer is needed at a hearing.
“We’ll pursue our angle regardless of what the university does,” Hall said.
“We don’t make suggestions to the university.”
Shannon Murphy can be reached at murphy78@msu.edu.
