|
By PATRICK H.
DONGES
Published:
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Saratogian
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The open cannabis consumption
that occurred at Skidmore College last year on the
unofficial pot holiday, "4-20," was not seen Tuesday
as about 45 students sat on the lawn near Skidmore’s
Haupt Pond Tuesday afternoon.
"Four minutes," said one student at 4:16 p.m., while
walking past Campus Safety Director Dennis Conway,
to join those already on the grass. A Time-Warner
camera crew was also on the scene awaiting any
illicit activity.
"We hope it stays quiet and uneventful," Conway
said. Uniformed campus safety officials walked
between the groups looking for any marijuana related
activity. "It’s a non-story," Conway said as 4:20
p.m. came and went without incident.
An e-mail was sent to students last Friday with
notification that tents and other enclosures would
not be allowed on the lawn this year. Six students
sat within an open structure made of large sticks
that could’ve been a tent with some sheets.
"Quite honestly, they’re all indoors," speculated
senior Andy Garlick, one of the students sitting
within the would-be tee-pee.
Three-year Skidmore student Walker Bragman played
guitar through a portable amplifier from a gazebo
near the pond. "(Administrators) are pandering to a
mindset held by some members of the Saratoga
community that is out of date," he said. He also
said that alcohol was the cause of most
substance-related incidents on campus, citing a
recent car accident on campus that resulted in a
student being charged with driving while intoxicated
after being evacuated by helicopter to Albany
Medical Center.
"Everyone’s in their dorms doing it," said another
senior standing outside Case Center who declined to
give his name.
"It’s a beautiful day, why not be on the green?"
senior Eli Dibner-Dunlap said. He suspects the
strong presence of Campus Safety near the pond had
made people wary of coming outside. "There would be
more people here if they weren’t around," he said.
Skidmore senior class president Michael Cass-Antony
said he noticed a shift in enforcement of the
college’s policy on drugs and alcohol to focus more
on the use of substances like marijuana over the
past four years. He attributed the increased
presence of Campus Safety this year to how the
community responded to last year’s press coverage.
"They’ve taken up the challenge of responding to
their anger," he said of the administration’s
efforts.
A group of students at that the pond-side gazebo
said there is a large group of Skidmore students who
believe marijuana should be legalized, although they
do not organize public meetings or belong to a
national advocacy group.
"There’s not too much activism," said one student of
the perceived advocates, "more discussion."
|
