Imagine this ? you and your boy or girlfriend come back to your suite from a romantic date. None of your suitemates are around and you guys are hanging out and then making out. Then, the door to the suite swings open and your little rendezvous is interrupted by a couple of UR security officers, walking through.
Think this is the beginning of a script for the UR soap opera? Think again. This can actually happen according to current UR security privileges. Security officers are allowed to enter any building and have access to inspect anywhere ? including bathrooms. The only exception to random raiding is your actual bedroom.
As a senior, I have never heard of this privilege or it being implemented until I returned to campus and visited some friends at the Fraternity Quad.
Prior to the start of classes, security had enforced this all-access privilege at a couple of fraternity houses. Their findings during such visits resulted in social probation for some of those fraternities inspected.
Now, I am not writing in favor of people breaking rules. In fact, I praise the administration and its departments for examining its security protocols and trying to adapt its enforcement policies to the new freshman housing on the freshman quad.
But please do the students a favor ? let us know.
Implementing tougher regulation and enforcement prior to the start of classes and before all students return to campus is very shady ? especially if the walk-through checks are concentrated on Greeks and without the presence of its organizations? leaders.
Worse of all, these disciplinary actions are for new policy that has yet been finalized.
The administration has always stressed the importance of communication, unity and working together. Its committee structure often involves student representatives to work together as a community. But this time, the administration has become a hypocrite.
In its effort to make this campus safer, UR students? sense of security is weakened and its privacy endangered.
Students should make more effort to be aware of UR policies, but resources must also be made readily available and any change in policy or protocol must be advertised. That responsibility belongs to the administration.
So before that happens, students are advised to invest in a nice long robe. The next time you step out of the shower in a towel and into your suite, sorority floor or fraternity house, you just might be caught by a security guard ? just doing things by the book.
Wu can be reached at jwu@campustimes.org.
