MIT Moves to Cite Underage Drinkers

Campus police at MIT on Wednesday began a policy of handing out citations for underage drinking offenses.

In addition, MIT has set out specific penalties for both first-time and subsequent offenses, the Institute said yesterday.

The MIT campus police will now hand out citations to minors caught drinking or to any individual caught procuring or offering alcohol to a minor. MIT's Dean for Student Life, Margaret R. Bates, said that for the moment, only campus police will have the authority to do so.

The student offender, the MIT campus police and the Dean for Student Life will all receive a copy of the citation.

This spring, infractions will not be part of a student's permanent record.

The announcement of penalties for alcohol offenses are meant to be "a specification rather than a change," Bates said.

By detailing the exact penalties of first and subsequent offenses, Bates said she hopes to make the university's response clear to all students. She also said she hopes that by making the issue more public, students will not fear seeking help when they need it.

Bates said offenses involving alcohol at MIT are divided into two categories. The first category involves underage individuals who are caught with the possession or consumption of alcohol. The penalty for a first offense is a meeting with an MIT dean as well as a two hour educational session on alcohol consumption.

A second offense would result in a fine of $50 and eight hours of mandatory university service. A third offense would result in a fine of $150, 16 hours of mandatory university service and possible deferred suspension from the school's approved housing.

The second category involves individuals procuring or offering alcohol to minors, and individuals offering alcohol to someone already intoxicated, minor or not. The penalties for an initial offense in this category are the same as those in the first category, but with the addition of a $25 fine. Subsequent offenses could result possible suspension or expulsion from MIT.

These penalties provide a minimum frameworkfrom which to work, Bates said. Severe cases, suchas those involving physical violence, will receivestricter penalties.

Harvard's Dean of Students, Archie C. Epps III,yesterday refused to say whether Harvard willfollow MIT's lead and implement a similar system.

"We are all struggling with this problem, notonly with consumption but also the secondaryeffects of binge drinking," Epps said. "For themoment, the college policy is represented in thejoint letter from Dean Lewis and myself," he said.

In a statement released this fall after thealcohol-related death of an MIT first-year, thecollege adopted a policy of "no tolerance."

The statement urged Harvard Squareestablishments to "be strict" in carding studentsand cautioned athletic teams, singing groups andother student organizations to "observe allrelevant regulations" regarding alcohol-relatedpractices.

"We are determined to find and utilize everyeffective means to prevent a tragic injury ordeath from occurring at Harvard," the statementsaid

These penalties provide a minimum frameworkfrom which to work, Bates said. Severe cases, suchas those involving physical violence, will receivestricter penalties.

Harvard's Dean of Students, Archie C. Epps III,yesterday refused to say whether Harvard willfollow MIT's lead and implement a similar system.

"We are all struggling with this problem, notonly with consumption but also the secondaryeffects of binge drinking," Epps said. "For themoment, the college policy is represented in thejoint letter from Dean Lewis and myself," he said.

In a statement released this fall after thealcohol-related death of an MIT first-year, thecollege adopted a policy of "no tolerance."

The statement urged Harvard Squareestablishments to "be strict" in carding studentsand cautioned athletic teams, singing groups andother student organizations to "observe allrelevant regulations" regarding alcohol-relatedpractices.

"We are determined to find and utilize everyeffective means to prevent a tragic injury ordeath from occurring at Harvard," the statementsaid