Alcohol-Related IA #376

[Cheesin46]

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I know similar threads have been posted a billion times, but after reading the recent Institutional Action article I would like some input on the best way to word this:

Freshman year, I came back to my dorm with too much to drink. I threw up in my dorm room hallway, and the RA on duty reported this. I had a meeting with a residential staff member but wasn't "punished" in any way (no class, paper,etc.), and when I reached out to the dean of students office, they told me I had no conduct issues on file. I'm only concerned about the wording because throwing up in a dorm room hallway doesn't give the best mental image, haha. Could I say something like this?

In the first semester of my freshman year, I came home to my dorm room intoxicated. The RA on duty reported this, and I met with a residential staff member, we discussed the consequences of underage drinking and responsibility, but no further actions were taken. I have not had any infractions since and sincerely regret my reckless behavior.

 

[vrazzles]

Im not sure that this is an institutional action. Your RA having a talk with you without further consequences doesn't rise to the level of an IA unless there were further, institution-mandated sanctions against you. If I am wrong, it would be good for someone more knowledgable to correct me.

Regardless even if you report it will be fine. Don't have to tell people you ralphed in the hallway.

 

[Cheesin46]

Thanks for the reply, I only put residential staff member because I forget the title of the person I had the meeting with but they were definitely higher up than an RA and I got an email notifying me of the meeting which is why I think it's still probably an institutional action and wanted to err on the side of caution. Haha, thank you! I just needed reassurance that I didn't need to be that explicit in my explanation.

 

[Cornfed101]

You got in trouble for throwing up in the hallway? What a loser RA

 

[Cheesin46]

To be fair, she found me trying to clean it up (poorly) and had to report it in order to submit a maintenance request to thoroughly clean it. Just a very embarrassing experience altogether.

 

[Moko]

And this folks is why you should live off campus 😉

 

[LizzyM]

Frankly, a RA speaking to you about the hazards of excess consumption and filing a maintenance request to get a hallway cleaned is not an institutional action. You have checked and the dean of studetns confirms that this was not an institutional action. Do not waste any more time thinking about this and don't waste anyone's time writing it and reporting it on the AMCAS. It is a non-issue.

 

[Cheesin46]

Thank you for the insight! Just wanted to cover my bases 🙂

 

[ciestar]

And this folks is why you should live off campus 😉

My undergrad REQUIRED freshmen to live on campus. (Penn State is a “dry” campus hahaha)

 

[Goro]

I know similar threads have been posted a billion times, but after reading the recent Institutional Action article I would like some input on the best way to word this:

Freshman year, I came back to my dorm with too much to drink. I threw up in my dorm room hallway, and the RA on duty reported this. I had a meeting with a residential staff member but wasn't "punished" in any way (no class, paper,etc.), and when I reached out to the dean of students office, they told me I had no conduct issues on file. I'm only concerned about the wording because throwing up in a dorm room hallway doesn't give the best mental image, haha. Could I say something like this?

In the first semester of my freshman year, I came home to my dorm room intoxicated. The RA on duty reported this, and I met with a residential staff member, we discussed the consequences of underage drinking and responsibility, but no further actions were taken. I have not had any infractions since and sincerely regret my reckless behavior.

As long as you own this, you'll be fine.

 

[LizzyM]

As long as you own this, you'll be fine.

There is nothing to "own" and nothing to report, IMHO. Do you disagree? Should a student who vomited on campus report that an RA filed a report to have the hallway professionally cleaned?

The student admits, to us, that they attribute the vomiting to consuming too much alcohol. That might be against school rules and might be illegal according to state law, but the student was not arrested or sanctioned by the school for breaking the rules/law. Thankfully, the OP seems to have learned a lesson without needing to carry an IA.

 

[Goro]

There is nothing to "own" and nothing to report, IMHO. Do you disagree? Should a student who vomited on campus report that an RA filed a report to have the hallway professionally cleaned?

The student admits, to us, that they attribute the vomiting to consuming too much alcohol. That might be against school rules and might be illegal according to state law, but the student was not arrested or sanctioned by the school for breaking the rules/law. Thankfully, the OP seems to have learned a lesson without needing to carry an IA.

Freshman year, I came back to my dorm with too much to drink

IF this info is in the IA, then OP has some 'splaining to do. That's what my eye went to.

 

[LizzyM]

Freshman year, I came back to my dorm with too much to drink

IF this info is in the IA, then OP has some 'splaining to do. That's what my eye went to.

There was no IA. The only action any employee of the instutitution made was to ask maintenance to clean up a mess in the hallway.

 

[Cheesin46]

Just to clarify, the RA didn't just report it to maintenance. I just searched for the email I received regarding the meeting I had to attend and the subject was something like "meeting for investigating alleged student misconduct", however, when I click on the link in the email, a 404 not found error occurs. Would this qualify as an IA without any formal punishment?

 

[Cornfed101]

SDN should never have posted that article... we didn't need an excuse to increase the neuroticism. I read it and was like "hmm maybe I have an IA??"

 

[deleted859689]

I used to be an RA. First I would have you identify me by name and make sure you are conscious. I would have brought you to your room, find your roommate / friends, put you on your side, and have them take care of you. Then I would call emergency facilities to clean up the mess before the morning. The next day I’d have a conversation with you.

who else was CC’d on the email? If there is nothing on your record (you called), I wouldn’t sweat it. I mean who didn’t throw up during college at least once after drinking too much once at a party?

 

[Cheesin46]

Thanks everyone for all of your input, it really helped me out! it seems like most people are leaning towards it not being an IA and not necessary to report. Looking back at the email from the dean of students, they told me all incidents resolved at the hall level were considered informal and not a part of my student conduct record. I will stop worrying about this now and move on 🙂.

 

[deleted859689]

Thanks everyone for all of your input, it really helped me out! it seems like most people are leaning towards it not being an IA and not necessary to report. Looking back at the email from the dean of students, they told me all incidents resolved at the hall level were considered informal and not a part of my student conduct record. I will stop worrying about this now and move on 🙂.

also if a formal IA was filed against you - for what? Throwing up? No proof you were intoxicated or were in possession of alcohol. You could just as well make up a story that you ate something that made you nauseous - this is also why I do not think this constitutes a formal IA.

Sorry i was just thinking about it a little more haha.