!™ANCH
123
N O .
4
HOPE COLLEGE • H O L L A N D . M I C H I G A N
"SPERA IN DEO'
S E P T E M B E R 3 0 . 2 0 0 9 • S I N C E 1887
V O L .
MIPs on campus
Looking at the 'minor in possession' Erika Ter Louw GUEST W R I T E R
M o s t college s t u d e n t s are fa- • miliar with t h e feared t e r m M I R M i n o r in Possession. However, m o s t are not i n f o r m e d of Hope's and t h e city of Holland's policy regarding this subject. The state of Michigan n o w h a s o n e of t h e strictest laws in t h e c o u n t r y regarding M i n o r s in Possession. In 2004, Gov. Jennifer G r a n h o l m signed law Public Act N o . 6 3 w h i c h m a d e several c h a n g e s to t h e state's policy. The following are five substantial c h a n g e s that w e r e m a d e according to t h e Michigan.gov website: 1. The definition of being "in possession of alcohol" n o w explicitly includes blood alcohol content. 2. T h e n e w law gives judges discretion t o use jail t i m e w h e n a y o u t h has a prior M I P conviction and fails t o c o m p l e t e any t r e a t m e n t , screening or c o m m u nity service activities o r d e r e d by t h e c o u r t or fails t o pay any fine. 3. T h e n e w law gives a firstt i m e o f f e n d e r t h e break of not having a m i s d e m e a n o r record if h e or she c o m p l e t e s p r o b a t i o n requirements. 4. T h e n e w law sets u p a syst e m with t h e secretary of state for tracking first t i m e o f f e n d e r s of t h e Michigan MIP law a n d c o m p a r a b l e local o r d i n a n c e s . 5. T h e n e w law p e r m i t s 19 and 20 year olds w h o c o n s u m e d alcohol the o p t i o n t o use this as an affirmative defense. Taking this into consideration, Hope's d e p a r t m e n t of c a m p u s
safety m u s t work u n d e r this law with regard to alcohol violations o n c a m p u s . Therefore, it is always a possibility that t h e local police will g e t involved. However, according to c a m p u s safety Patrol Sergeant C h a d Wolters, "That d o e s n o t m e a n that every violation o n c a m p u s will involve getting an MIP. If people are cooperative, t h e r e is a better c h a n c e t h e violation will be h a n d l e d by t h e college." F r o m January to D e c e m b e r in 2008, five M I P s were issued to s t u d e n t s o n c a m p u s . 2007 included 21 violations, 2006 seven a n d in 2 0 0 5 there were 13 liquor law violations o n c a m p u s . W o l t e r s states that " m o s t violations occur at off c a m p u s locations. The college o b t a i n s that i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e Holland Police D e p a r t m e n t , and t h a t inf o r m a t i o n is f o r w a r d e d to stud e n t development." Likewise, t h e Holland City Police D e p a r t m e n t issues liq u o r violations. In 2007, 304 violations w e r e d o c u m e n t e d ; in 2008, 276 violations w e r e issued. These statistics would include violations received by H o p e students. Knowing these statistics, t h e q u e s t i o n n o w is what can b e d o n e t o lower t h e m . According to t h e D e a n of S t u d e n t s Richard Frost, there a r e t h r e e m a i n things t h a t H o p e targets. First, H o p e f o c u s e s o n t h e dev e l o p m e n t of s t u d e n t s by asking questions such as W h o are you as an individual?, W h a t d o your responsibilities include? a n d
' Is-.
—
—
—
—
C O N S E Q U E N C E S —
•
>
PHOTO BY A N N GREEN
S t u d e n t s who choose t o t a k e part In underage d r i n k i n g run t h e risk of
r e c e i v i n g a minor in possession. H o w will this impact w h o you will b e c o m e ? Secondly, t h e college f o c u s e s o n w h a t t h e H o p e n o r m is. Surveys s h o w that t h e average H o p e s t u d e n t d o e s not drink; therefore, t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n makes it a priority t o i n f o r m s t u d e n t s of this social n o r m . Lastly, H o p e d o e s have a strict set of rules and policies. As a result, there are specific c o n s e q u e n c e s to s t u d e n t s ' actions, and it is " n o t a right b u t a privi-
lege" t o b e involved in activities on campus. Taking all of this into c o n sideration, Frost says t h a t their m a i n priority is to help s t u d e n t s figure out "who [they] are with regards to values and w h o [they] a r e in t h e o u t s i d e world." If a s t u d e n t is charged with an MIP, h e or she is guilty of an i n f r i n g e m e n t of Hope's policy regardless of w h e t h e r t h e violation o c c u r s o n or off c a m p u s . In t h e s t u d e n t h a n d b o o k , M I P s
fall u n d e r violation 18.1 w h i c h states t h e following: "Violations of local, state a n d / o r federal laws and statutes by any s t u d e n t will be c o n s i d e r e d violations of allc a m p u s policies, w h e t h e r t h e incident o c c u r s o n or off t h e campus." After an incident r e p o r t h a s b e e n filled or t h e college has received a call f r o m the police dep a r t m e n t , H o p e pursues it as an SEE M I P ,
PAGE 1 0
New international students embrace Hope Elena Rivera GUEST WRITER
The Phelps Scholars p r o g r a m , whose students are housed in Scott Hall, is in its largest year with over 80 participants f r o m c o u n t r i e s ranging f r o m C a m e r o o n to C h i n a . A l t h o u g h m o s t college s t u d e n t s feel anxiety a b o u t m o v i n g t o a different state or living in a d o r m with o t h e r people, t h e fear is magnified w h e n a p e r s o n is migrating c o n t i n e n t s and cultures. M e l o d e e Jackson ('13), w h o has lived in Kenya since her p a r e n t s m o v e d there w h e n she was three m o n t h s old, is still w o r r i e d a b o u t m e e t i n g people. "To me, ( H o p e College) is a big
t i m e adjusting." c a m p u s . People don't k n o w each Similarly, Monica Wittig other," said Jackson. "At m y high ('13) f r o m C a m e r o o n loves t h e school, at least I k n e w everyone's "friendliness of faces." p e o p l e and t h e H a n n a h vibrant spiritual Stewart ('13), life. I ' m not used to the who came from Jackson said Egypt, loves w a y girls dress, like t h a t o n e of t h e the c o m m u n i t y . laying out in s w i m biggest things "1 don't think suits... girls w o u l d she h a s had to [Hope] is t o o never do that in get used to is all big. Scott Hall is t h e texting. Egypt. especially really "Ilookaround friendly and o p e n — M E L O D E E JACKSON at lunchtime t o new cultures. I ('13)55 and everyone think t h a t general is texting. If atmosphere s o m e o n e doesn't look like helps me feel less homesick," they're texting, looking closer said Stewart. "Honestly, at a big shows they're texting u n d e r t h e school I would have a h a r d e r
W H A T ' S INSIDE NATIONAL
3
VOICES
8
ARTS
5
SPORTS
11
r
table." Stewart has had to get used to t h e differences in fashion: "I'm not used t o t h e way girls dress, like laying o u t in swimsuits... girls would never d o that in Egypt." Stewart also can't place a n a m e o n t h e culture shock she's experienced c o m i n g to America. "In big g r o u p s with lots of A m e r i c a n s , I stop and kind of feel o u t of place. It's so w h i t e c o m p a r e d to Egypt. Usually I'm in a place of a lot of cultures and countries, and it's not so big o n diversity here." Creative ways of c o m b a t i n g homesickness surround the international students.
Going nuclear— Iranian nuclear situation investigated Page 3 Got a story idea? Let us k n o w at anchor@hope.edu. or call u s j t j g j ^ T g T T ^
"I t a u g h t my f r i e n d s w o r d s I like to use [from back home]," said Wittig. "For example, asha' m e a n s s y m p a t h i z i n g or apologizing, a n d I taught my r o o m m a t e t h a t word." Stewart said, "I b o u g h t a b u n c h of tourist T-shirts t o wear, as well as a lot of Egyptian jewelry." Jackson b r o u g h t a book she wrote, her "End of Times" journal, which contains p r o s e she w r o t e a b o u t Kenya and her friends. She also h a s jars of A f r i c a n red dirt and M o m b a s a sand, w h i c h r e m i n d her of the smell of Kenya and her family's SEE P H E L P S , PAGE 1 0
lovely— Sounds serenades Holland
Metropolitan
Opera Page 6