but it's drug reputation came
from the '60s counter-culture and
political activism-it is not at all
applicable anymore."
Although Patnaik did say he
assumed there were "people
smoking pot in the privacy of
their own rooms," he maintained
that "if the person is caught, we
make it an educational and
developmental experience rather
than a punitive one."
The Greek system has also
been under fire for alleged
widespread abuse of drugs-
particularly alcohol. Both police
and fraternity officials said there
is frequent under-age drinking at
fraternity parties. Herzog, who.
also counsels students in regard to
alcohol and other drug abuse, said
that while there is a significant
problem among fraternities it is
unfair to single out 'the Greek
system.
"I don't think there is more of a
problem at the Greek system,
Herzog said. "It's just that their
rituals are more apparent, so they
are easily targeted," Herzog said.
"But," she added, "the
stereotype doesn't exist for
nothing, they have a lot of work to
do."
Both the Greek system and the
housing division have already
taken steps to remedy the
problem. At the beginning of this
semester, for example, the
fraternity system instituted an
alcohol-free rush.
Another change on campus was
last fall's institution of
"substance-free rooms" in
residence halls. A student enters a
substance-free room on the
condition he or she will refrain
from using alcohol, drugs or
cigarettes.
I tis clear that alcohol and
drug abuse is restricted
neither to the student
population nor to the
University campus itself.
Bruhnsen said he sees
anywhere from one to two
hundred cases of faculty or staff
per year that seek help for
themselves or for others.
"You don't see faculty coming
in for alcohol and drug problems
as much as other staff members,"
Bruhsen said, "probably because
they choose to seek help through
they're own channels."
Bruhnsen also said while
alcohol is, again, the largest
problem among faculty and staff,
there are cases of marijuana,
cocaine and other illicit drug use.
"But that information is
anecdotal," he added, "we don't
know the scope."
However, drug use among State
Security officers who patrol
mas ,-- 90.
University buildings is alarmingly
widespread.
State Security is a private firm,
contracted by the University to
hire night guards. These
uniformed
guards walk
and driveeIlN I.
around the II4I ir-1
U n iv e rs ity a t 1 .* n g ,i r
night, IOld GIV
checking to I I
see that Z
campus
buildings are
locked and
secure. State Security officers are
different from Campus Security
officers but both work out of the-
Department of Public Safety.
One source who works at State
Security told Weekend Magazine,
on the condition she not be
named, that she was introduced to
cocaine at the State Security
office. She also said she has been
frequently offered free bags of
pot while on the job. "They (the
officers) are walking and driving
their beats high all the time," she
said.
A State Security guard, who also
requested his name not be used,
confirmed her testimony: "I
would say about 60% of the
guards walk their beats high at
one point or another."
On April 3, at around 4 a.m., a
State Security guard who was on
duty told this reporter he had
taken LSD earlier in the night.
"Acid isn't what it used to be," he
said, "now it doesn't give you
anything a bottle of Jack Danie's
and a few good joints couldn't
give you...I'm not exactly
tripping, I just got a good, high,
high buzz."
Sergeant Vern Baisden of
Campus Security said he was not
aware of any reports of drug use at
State Security. Tom Ford, one of
the owners of State Security, was
unavailable for comment.
Ann Arbor Police Sergeant
David Miller, who works with the
Livingston and Washtenaw
Narcotics Enforcement Team
(LAwNET), said most illegal drugs,
including crack, are problems in
Ann Arbor.
"Drugs are everywhere," Miller
said. "You can go to a nice
restaurant, a bar, a housing project
and get cocaine. If it's that easily
accessible, I call it aproblem."
Miller also said that while crack
is not a rampant problem in Ann
Arbor, it does exist.
"There are crack houses in Ann
Arbor, mostly located on the
North and West sides," he said.
Miller added most of the crack
comes from Detroit or Ypsilanti
but said there are periodic
instances of crack-related violence
within the city limits.
"You have turf wars, who's
going to sell on what area, stuff
like that. There are some drive-by
shootings but no alarming
numbers."
Contrary
Us i ' + NW tto the US
II u Magazine
< <6 u0djiI article's
prediction
that
widespread
:i 08 dr crack use
would rise
in Ann
Arbor, Miller said the problem is
generally restricted to asmall
group of people.
"You just don't see crack that
much," Miller said. "Powder is
still the choice both off and on
campus."
On campus, University officials
are still trying to come up with a
policy relevant to
the problem. Glaser
pointed out that
liberal attitudes and
policies (such as the
now-antiquated $5
pot law), have
fostered
experimentation
with drugs in the
past. Although
Glaser said there is
a tendency for drug
use to decline with
age, he said he
opposed any
experimentation.
Herzog agreed:
"A lot of people
come to college and
become socially
dependant on
drugs-particularly
alcohol. Alcohol-
related car crashes
is the leading cause
of death in the
college-age
population."
"The problem
with using alcohol
or other drugs to
avoid.pressure,
whether its
academic or social,"
Glaser added, "is
that once taken, you
can't control the
effects. The course
may be very
different than what
you thought."
But Glaser cautioned that the
University should not be singled
out as having a unique drug
problem. "There is no need to get
hysterical about it," he said, "the
problems here are very similar to
the problems at other universities.
I don't think ours is unusual in
any way."
Although the task force is
presently discussing the question
of whether or not the University
should regulate off-campus
drinking among students,
University officials say they are
hesitant to institute policies that
may prove unenforceable.
Bruhnsen said it is too early to
say what the specific
recommendations of the task
force will be.
Students have spoken out
against the regulation of off-
campus drinking, saying the
University would be infringing
upon their freedom. As one
student put it: "There's no way
the University should try to.
interfere with what I choose to do*
off-campus. The whole 'thing
sounds like a bad trip."
f
14 WEENI
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