Expensive night: parietals fines increase

Breaking Providence College policy just got more expensive. The Office of Residence Life has substantially increased the fines for drinking, smoking and having visitors of the opposite sex stay in your room for the 2002-2003 academic year.

One of the more notorious increases in fines concerns "parietals," or student visiting rights. According to the Providence College Student Handbook: 2002-2003, "Students caught in a dorm or on-campus apartment [belonging to a member of the opposite sex] after 1 a.m. and before 60 minutes passes, will be fined $100. If caught after 60 minutes passes, students must report to the Dean of Discipline and face possible disciplinary probation." The fine increases to $250 and two semesters of disciplinary probation for the second offense. The third parietals violation will result in the suspension of the student for a minimum of one semester.

Rev. Kenneth Sicard, O.P., Executive Director of Residence Life, explained the change in visitation policy: "With regard to the visitation policy, it was felt that the new, stricter policy was more consistent with the mission and Catholic identity of Providence College."

For those living in on-campus apartments, it is okay to have a guest of the opposite sex stay past midnight as long as they move from the bedroom to the common area, i.e. the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. If a Resident Assistant asks a student to open his bedroom door, believing one to be in violation of the policy, he must do so. If one chooses not to cooperate, security could then be called. "And do not think about going for the window," advised an apartment resident assistant, "you could also be fined for removing your screen!"

Smoking and drinking in the dorms just got more expensive too. Lighting up a cigarette once will cost you $25. Smoking a second time will result in a fine of $50. Fines for drinking in the dorm have also increased. A first offense comes with a $100 fine.

Freshman and sophomores will feel the majority of the policy changes' impact due to their required on-campus living situation. After Aquinas Hall conducted it

=s beginning of the year dorm-meeting, students filed out shocked by the new changes. Sophomore roommates Eric Traugott and Andrew Roberts commented on the reactions of those being affected by the fines. Traugott said, "Everyone was surprised to hear that the fines have gotten more strict, even more so than last year's. This is too much money to have to pay for slipping up just once."