The university's response to some recent student deaths and violent events is a campaign called "Police Yourself."
Though this title could be taken different ways, it was created to remind students that they are responsible for the consequences of their decisions.
In the university's words, "Police Yourself" is not an excuse to make up individual rules. The statement does not mean that the university is washing its hands of monitoring the behaviors of its students. It means that students are the first authority in preventing legal violations.
"Public safety is going to be better through the efforts of everyone," Doug McConkey, vice president of student affairs, said.
Students should listen carefully to these words. They demand acts of cooperation with law enforcement while sending the warning that obeying the law is not a hit or miss practice.
Some students engage in illegal behavior and never get caught. Others wind up in court after their first violation. With letters being sent home to parents of students and prospective students and University Police Department increasing patrols on weekend afternoons and evenings, "Police Yourself" is more than just a slogan. It is the university's way to show students, parents and the community that this is a plan of action, even if it is more extreme than previous university policies regarding alcohol violations.
This serves to remind students that everything that happens off-campus might not stay off-campus. Every situation is taken on a case by case basis, but students should not assume they are immune to university policies.
Students have decisions to make in these situations. They could participate in illegal activity and face fines, a police record and possible suspension. Or they could be careful and skip risking their academic future for illegal activity.
It is easy to laugh at a warning. But the laughter might stop when a student cannot continue their education at Ball State because of one unwise decision.
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