U-District residents hope extension passes

In response to the ASUW Student Senate's support for stricter governing of off-campus conduct in the state legislature, U-District community members hope to see the resolution's high standard of behavior become law.

The resolution [HTML_REMOVED] passed under the threat of conduct code legislation by Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle [HTML_REMOVED] aims at improving on the long-standing adversarial relationship between UW students and U-District residents.

Under the Student Senate's resolution, existent conduct code violations such as sex-related crime, harassment, physical abuse, stalking and hazing now carry school-related sanctions in addition to preexisting legal consequences. New to the code of conduct is a series of off-campus, quality of life or "party" related offenses that were not previously considered violations. Among the new "party" related offenses are vandalism, public lewdness, theft, noise violations, littering and trespassing.

"When [U-District residents] live next door to houses that consistently have parties [HTML_REMOVED] not just parties, but loud, after 12 a.m. parties with property destruction [HTML_REMOVED] we have an obligation to do something," Murray said. "Unfortunately, by trying to pass legislation dealing with this problem it makes us look like we're trying to punish the whole student body."

Resident complaints range from noise violations and littered beer cans to reports of public defecation, urination and fighting in the middle of the street, Murray said.

"I have been to community meeting after community meeting for the past 11 years," Murray said. "And for the past 11 years I have faced rooms full of my constituents complaining about problems caused by UW students."

U-District resident and University Park Community Club President Kent Willis, expressed appreciation for the student senate's resolution, but was skeptical about the effect it would have on student behavior, calling the decision a "paper tiger."

"In order for a student to be punished under the new code they must receive three citations," Wills said. "I don't think there is a single UW student dumb enough to get three citations."

Willis said he has been awakened on countless occasions by people drag racing down his street late at night. In the past, drunken partiers have uprooted trees in his front yard, stolen planter boxes from his front porch to smash in the street and littered his front yard with beer cans.

Recent shootings have also increased awareness of student conduct off campus.

"There have been deaths and shootings. People have fallen off balconies. People have thrown TVs out windows," said ASUW student lobbyist Bryce McKibben. "Most of the problems occurring are coming from students."

Last year, while serving in the House of Representatives, Murray proposed a similar bill requiring all state universities to extend code of conduct rules beyond their campus grounds. The bill was passed by a vote of 91-3, only to be pulled by Murray to allow students to develop their own means of dealing with the problem.

The UW created the North of 45th committee in response, an effort directed at addressing U-District residents' complaints through cooperation with UW administrators, students and community members.

Murray said despite some promising signs, he has heard mixed results about the success of the committee.

Willis, a collaborator with the North of 45th group, said though he has been active with the committee for a year, measures discussed by the committee are still in their infancy and have yet to yield results.

ASUW President Cullen White stressed that positive improvements have been made, adding that an unfair amount of blame has been placed on fraternities and sororities.

"Fraternities and sororities have done a lot of wonderful things in terms of proactively dealing with this issue," White said. "The Greeks are now registering all their parties, allowing police to enter and checking student IDs to make sure attendants are UW students. They're also participating in neighborhood cleanups."

Non-UW students who are lured into the area by student parties contribute to some of the problems, including the most recent shooting, McKibben said.

While some residents complain the new student conduct code resolution won't do enough, White disagrees.

"We're an educational institution, not a punitive institution," he said. "It is our responsibility to educate first."

Willis wants conduct to change sooner rather than later.

"If change doesn't happen, I will be talking to Sen. Murray about code of conduct legislation for next year," he said. "We're fed up."

Reach reporter Brian Slodysko at news@thedaily.washington.eedu