"Police Yourself," a phrase that educated students but that was also mocked by them in T-shirt slogans and protested in a rally of about 150 of them, is being phased out.
The announcement to leave the advertising campaign slogan behind was made by Doug McConkey, vice president of Student Affairs, in a letter to the Daily News published April 30.
"The 'Police Yourself' theme was effective in grabbing attention, but it has run its course and is not a phrase we plan to use in the future," McConkey wrote.
Heather Shupp, executive director of University Communications, said the information will still be disseminated by the university to students in other ways, but the phrase itself will no longer be used, partly because of students' reaction to the campaign.
"I think student reaction has been a part of how we looked at this all along," Shupp said.
The campaign was created last March, shortly after the death of sophomore Karl Harford, who was shot and killed after leaving an off-campus house party. Another student, Michael McKinney, had also been shot and killed by a University Police officer in November. McKinney had been at the bars earlier and had a Blood Alcohol Count of 0.34 when he encountered the officer.
These incidents, mixed with a Muncie Police Department crackdown on off-campus house parties, inspired administrators to create an "education campaign," where the university would warn students about the legal and academic consequences of underage and excessive drinking.
However, after the Muncie Police busted a party at Lambda Chi Alpha and arrested more than 80 people, students formed a protest, rallying at the Shafer Bell Tower and marching to the Administration Building. Many thought the university's "Police Yourself" campaign was part of the bust.
"It did kind of get all mixed together," Shupp said.
However, McConkey and Dean of Students Randy Hyman said in March that they received e-mails from many students who supported the campaign.
Hyman, who helped announce the campaign and later defend it to angry students at open forums, said he has not had a chance to speak to McConkey about the decision to phase out the campaign slogan. He said he will meet with McConkey and other university officials later this month to decide how to take Ball State's education campaign further.
McConkey could not be reached for comment.
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