Student Government Association President Steve Poe is confident the
amount of drug use in campus residence halls will continue to rise
without a K-9 unit at CMU.

The Ohio senior met with University President Michael Rao, Dean of
Students Bruce Roscoe and John Kulhavi, chairman of the Board of
Trustees, last Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Poe, as well as Spring Lake senior Nick Bonevelle, said drug use in
the residence halls has been the worst during the first semester, even
though the numbers do not agree.

Bonevelle said those numbers — 44 controlled substance violations
that took place in the residence halls during the 2004-05 school year —
are misleading.

“From my perspective, as an RA, I’ve noticed an increase,” said
Bonevelle, who has worked as an RA in Thorpe Hall for the past four
years. “It’s been more of an issue this semester than any first
semester as far as I can remember. There are more happenings than
violations taking place.”

During the meeting Poe said he was told a K-9 drug-tracking unit
should be up-and-running by fall 2006. He is going to hold CMU official
to their word and believes he has done what he can do up to this point.

“There will always be students who will want to test the waters,
drug dog or not, however, the majority of students would be less likely
to bring drugs into the residence halls if they knew there was a drug
dog making regular stops at the residence halls,” Poe said.

Poe said he first mentioned his concern for this topic back in April
while talking with Rao. The issue has been discussed at numerous SGA
meetings in an attempt to find a resolution for the drug dog problem.

One of the big concerns of not having a drug dog on campus is the
time is takes away from police officers as well as RAs. Bonevelle and
Poe say they have busy schedules as it is, let alone having to keep
drugs out of the residence halls.

Poe said he believes the use of drugs in residence halls also takes
away from the real reason why students attend college: To receive a
good education.

“It is sending the wrong message to students who actually care,” he
said.

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