RUPD deserves respect from students

By Christine Pao     2/26/09 6:00pm

When students think about everything they appreciate at Rice University, a lot of things probably come to mind: the residential college system, the abundance of on-campus social activities, the great academic opportunities. Unfortunately, students tend to focus on what directly affects them on a day-to-day basis, sometimes ignoring the people who, underneath the surface, help them along the way. While we are often absorbed in our own lives, there is one group at Rice whose efforts are often overlooked: the Rice University Police Department.From the Campus Watch Program to the lost and found service to the night escort, it is evident that RUPD goes to great lengths to protect us and our property. We might get frustrated and annoyed every now and then when RUPD hands us a parking citation, but deep down we realize that we probably did something wrong to deserve it (most of the time, at least). And the recent policy that allowed RUPD to take our possessions preemptively may have been frustrating, but it reminded us not to leave our belongings lying around with the risk of being stolen.

Ultimately, I believe that RUPD is genuinely concerned about the safety of Rice students, and the members of RUPD deserve our respect and appreciation for everything they have to put up with.

For example, look at underage drinking. A couple of times, both during on- and off-campus parties, I have witnessed RUPD escorting excessively intoxicated, underage students back to their dorm rooms. The problem is not that these students are getting drunk; rather, it's that they're getting so drunk that they no longer have the ability to function or even stand, let alone walk to their rooms alone.

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RUPD has long been known to be lenient towards underage drinking on campus. Although they do not by any means condone underage drinking, the widely acknowledged, yet unspoken, policy is that if RUPD doesn't see any alcohol, they won't go out of their way to actively search and punish you for it. This is a major privilege that students at other universities lack. However, I often see underage students at raunchy parties drinking within view of the outside world, a clear abuse of our privilege, yet RUPD rarely goes out of their way to punish them.

The immunities that RUPD bestows upon us need to be handled responsibly. Too many times, I have witnessed RUPD caring for those who have consumed too much alcohol to perform even basic functions. If RUPD is willing to be so lenient towards our student body's current drinking habits, then we should at least show them some respect by letting them know that we are mature enough to handle the freedom they grant us by not drinking ourselves into idiotic stupor.

I am not suggesting that all underage drinkers are irresponsible - in fact, most aren't. Nor am I suggesting that we stop drinking altogether. I am merely arguing for a little more responsibility shown on the part of those who get themselves inebriated to the point where they can no longer care for themselves because someone else will inevitably have to. Don't make RUPD be the one to clean up after you.

It's not hard to imagine that Rice would be in a more chaotic state than it is now without the presence of RUPD to remind us of the rules and regulations. Still, they give us the benefit of the doubt when it comes to underage drinking, recognizing that we, as a collective body of college students, should be responsible enough not to take advantage of it. By simply being aware of our limits when it comes to the consumption of alcohol, we can show RUPD that we do deserve the responsibility they grant us.

Christine Pao is a Martel College freshman and Opinion editor.

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