Public Safety increases jurisdiction

Public safety now can issue moving violations in addition to parking tickets. Fines for these violations were established accordingly. If you are fined, you can appeal and go to traffic court.

by Megan Zustra copy editor

The roadways of the college and its parking spaces fall under the jurisdiction of public safety, according to a letter recently given to all Cabrini College parking sticker holders.

Not 'only can public safety give tickets for parking, but a list of moving violations has been added to the parking violations, according to the Cabrini College Department of Public Safety vehicle regulations.

The new moving violations are a result of numerous people notifying public safety of increased speeding on campus over the past few years, according to Rich MacErlean, director of public safety.

"Some students are not taking the stop signs seriously," said MacErlean. "This is the reason for the new violations."

"Also, over the past two years we've observed an increase in students driving and parking on the grass," said MacErlean.

The traffic committee and Dr.

I Robert Bonfiglio, vice president for student development, agreed that public safety should increase its enforcement relating to these subjects, according to MacErlean. These regulations apply to all or doorways; parking on a campus roadway; littering; parking on the grass; parking in a fire zone; parking in a handicapped space; blocking a handicapped space and double parking.

The fine for these violations are all $25, except for parking in a fire zone and both handicap parking violations, which are $35.

Rich MacErlean, Director students, faculty, staff and visitors.

Special events parking arrangements can be made through public safety, also according to the letter.

Parking violations include: registration violation; parking in a restricted zone; parking next to the houses in a snow storm; parking as to block entrances, driveways

The newly added moving violations include: driving without an operator's license; driving an unregistered, uninsured or uninspected vehicle; driving in excess of 15 mph, which is the posted speed limit on the entire campus; failure to stop at a stop sign and reckless driving, which all have the consequence of a $50 fine. Reckless driving and turfing require the offender to pay a $75 fine plus the cost of property damages.

The largest fine is $ I 00 and is given for driving on campus under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The reason for the steepness of this fine is because of the severity of driving a vehicle while under the influence.

These fines, however, are not set in stone once you see the ticket affixed to your windshield.

There are two methods of appealing a traffic fine.

You can either notify the director of public safety, Rich MacErlean, within 10 days of the ticket being issued or attend traffic court.

Traffic court is held at noon on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Widener Center Conference Room.

During traffic court, anyone who wishes to plead not guilty to their ticket for either a parking or moving violation may argue their case during the court meeting.

The committee will then evaluate the argument and then finally come to a verdict.

Policies on alcohol consumption do not signify zero tolerance

According to Dr. Robert Bonfiglio, vice president for student development, there is no zero tolerance policy. This is when alcohol is completely banned from campus, which has never happened or will ever happen here.

by Shanna Lynn Fanelli staff writer

There seem to be rumors aplenty, indignant remarks and a general "not in the know" feeling about penalties concerning the consumption of alcohol on Cabrini's Campus.

The ironic thing about all this upheaval, caused by the zero tolerance policy, is the fuss on a policy which, of itself, is zero.

According to Dr. Robert Bonfiglio, vice president for student development, there is no zero tolerance policy.

Zero tolerance is the banning of alcohol on campus, which Cabrini has never done and will never do. The policy itself on dealing with alcoholism has not changed, just the interpretation of it. A letter explaining the policy on illegal and excessive alcohol consumption had been sent out to the parents of Cabrini students before the start of this school year.

This letter was sent out by Bonfiglio. The policy, along with all other policies, is located in the student handbook, which is reviewed each summer by Bonfiglio.

It is Bonfiglio's job to look over the policies and make recommendations on how they could be improved. After being reviewed and updated by Bonfiglio, the policies are then forwarded to the Student Government Association for approval but, as Bonfiglio said, "The final say is ultimately up to the President." The policies, after having been approved, are then used by the resident life staff to strengthen the code of conduct. Any changes to the policy sion.

Actions that will result in suspension include sexual assault, possession or usage of explosives or firearms and possession of weapons.

There is a specific policy that deals with the issue of drugs.

The drug policy in the past has been that if a student either took action or threatened to do bodily harm to himself or herself, it would result in suspension.

Dr. Robert Bonfiglio, vice president have to do with actions so severe that they result in suspen-

The cases of past students who had overloaded on alcohol, and in doing so were required to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance, were treated in the eyes of the college as students who had done bodily harm to themselves.

The decision for that case stayed within the rules as dictat- ed in the drug policy. This year the college bas decided to follow that policy if a situation like that were to occur again.

This means that any student who consumes such an abundance of alcohol that ambulance assistance is needed will be suspended for a week.

"If a person is going to drink themselves to the point that their life is in danger, we as an institution are not going to stand idly by but take action to prevent this from happening again in the future," Bonfiglio said.

Cabrini inhabitants need to keep in mind that any action or indiscretion which is deemed inappropriate will not be acceptable in the eyes of the administration.