Non-students hanging out on campus raise suspicion

Non-students hanging out on campus raise suspicion

MATT THOMPSON

Managing Editor

The WCC Board of Trustees policy on nonpublic forum as to non-students is as follows: “The Board reaffirms its commitment to preserving College property as a nonpublic forum as to non-students. Unlike the public streets, sidewalks and parks, the property, buildings, or facilities owned or controlled by the College are not open for assembly, speech, or other activities. The Board delegates to the Office of Conference Services the authority, consistent with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and Board policy, to establish reasonable regulations for the use of campus grounds and facilities by non-students.”
Sylvia Mickles is worried that Washtenaw Community College isn’t the “safe haven” that she thought it once was when she signed up for classes — and encouraged her children to, as well. She became alarmed when she noticed non-students hanging out in the Student Center and said they had bandanas that she believes represent gangs. “If they’re not here for school, then why are they here?” questioned Mickles. “What are they doing? They could be selling drugs.” Mickles is a student who works in the Student Development and Activities, but also has a son going to WCC. Next semester, her daughter will attend classes here as well. “I wish the college would stay the way it was, a safe haven” said Mickles. “It’s changing right now.” When Mickles saw the students, she notified WCC President Larry Whitworth. She expressed her concerns with him, and Whitworth had security ask them to leave. The non-students left with no objection. “It’s simple: They’re not students so there’s no point to being here,” said Whitworth. “We’re not speculating what they were doing or accusing them of anything, but their hanging out time was up.” Mickles is plenty concerned with what non-students could be doing on campus, though. “Back in September, when I was waiting for the bus, someone was smoking reefer,” she said. “It’s all over. It’s going on.” That doesn’t mean that these non-students are selling drugs, but it makes Mickles nervous. “I don’t know if they’re selling drugs,” she said, “but the children don’t need that around when they’re trying to get an education.” WCC Campus Safety and Security Director Jacques Desrosiers hasn’t run into a huge problem with kicking non-students off campus, but he knows how to if need be. “Occasionally one or two come here and are disruptive of the educational process,” said Desrosiers. “When that happens, we ask them to leave. In some rare cases we trespass them, advising them that if they do not leave or return after they have left they can be arrested. If they fail to comply, we can have the sheriff’s deputies arrest them.” Most of the time, non-students on campus are just visiting. “If you came to have a sandwich, visit friends or go to the bookstore, that’s fine,” said Whitworth. “But it’s the whole loitering thing. What’s the purpose of being here?”
December 13th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: College, News
  • bill

    have you seen Al” Capone and shot out between rival lunch gangs on campus? food fight.I’m afraid a war may erupted in the luch from. a food fight.

  • AA

    Wow,non students on campus? I am so scared : )

  • Jasmine

    QUOTE: “I don’t know if they’re selling drugs,” she said, “but the children don’t need that around when they’re trying to get an education.”

    This is a college. There are no “children” here. And if these ADULTS really want to get drugs, they’ll get them. On-campus from their roommate or off-campus from a dealer. It doesn’t really matter.

  • Whitman

    Would the same suspicions had been raised if the “non-students” were a different gender, age, or race? It’s sad that the presence of young minority men on campus makes it unsafe in some people’s minds.

    There is some great sociological literature on this– how white college campus space is often coded as a “safe haven,” similar to the suburbs. Homogeneity makes us feel safe, but it is what we want for our campus?

  • DarthScorpio11

    This is stupid. I go to WCC and a lot of black young people hang around the same area as that office that was mentioned. Almost all of them go there and aren’t doing a thing wrong. I’m a black student so I know. I’m almost 100% sure those students in question were black, and if they weren’t they wouldn’t of even been questioned. People say we live in an equal society, but it’s mostly a bunch of bs. Smh…

  • J

    Errrr, while this IS a college, there ARE children here. Look at the Washtenaw Technical Middle College, in which high school students attend WCC. And yes, many of them still act like “children,” unfortunately.

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