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by EMILY MELTON
News Reporter
The Student Government Association unanimously passed two pieces of legislation at Tuesday's Senate meeting.
The first is a resolution to allow skateboarding on campus, provided it is an activity approved by the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science. It also must occur at least 50 feet away from buildings or be used for transportation on sidewalks, parking lots and street crossings.
The piece was written by Brian M. Kelly, an off-campus senator and freshman business education major.
“I
talked with multiple administrators and among those administrators, the
only issue that I have come across was damage to property, as well as
safety for the skateboarders and all those involved [in] any possible
accidents,” Kelly said.
According
to the legislation, the University Handbook of Student Rights and
Responsibilities restricts skateboarding on Appalachian State
University’s campus, but is allowed at all other North Carolina school
system universities.
Kelly believes this
restricts both the right of expression of the student and the need for
transportation across campus property.
University
Police prohibited skateboarding in 1999 after over $2,000 worth of
damage was caused to the Veterans Memorial near the B.B. Dougherty
Administration Building.
Except
when taking place at skateboard parks, skateboarding is also restricted
on any sidewalk within Boone and is punishable with a penalty of up to
$50, according to the Town of Boone Code of Ordinances.
The second piece of legislation was written by T. Andrew Edmonds, a sophomore political science major.
It will
reduce the consequences for off-campus Driving While Impaired (DWI)
offenses, will apply to students under the age of 21 who are punished
for receiving blood alcohol content readings at or below .07.
“Someone
with a .01 [blood alcohol content] now receives the same sanction as
someone with a .07,” Edmonds said. “The difference [will be] having a
different sanction based on your blood alcohol content.”
Appalachian
State University and North Carolina Central are the only schools in the
North Carolina school system that charge for DWIs that occur
off-campus.
The
current student conduct policy issues the same sanction for any DWI
level, resulting in probation, an assessment program at the Student
Wellness Center and a $75 charge.
SGA
believes the Office of Student Conduct’s mission should be educational
rather than punitive, suggesting a revision of the sanction to include
lesser repercussions.
If legislation is approved, the revisions will be determined by the Code of Student Conduct Revision Committee.
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