Police citing more students

Orginally published in The Daily Iowan 7/13/2009

Students are racking up police records along with bar wristbands and empty bottles.

According to a UI report, the number of students charged with non-traffic-related crimes rose by 12.5 percent from 2007-08 academic year to 2008-09.

During that nine-month period, local law enforcement cited 1,194 students. The citation rate for undergraduate males was 8.3 percent.

Fraternities had the highest rate, with 15 percent of members receiving citations — up from 13 percent the previous year.

But Sean Prendergast, the vice president of public relations and marketing for the Interfraternity Council, pointed out the 2 percentage point rise roughly equaled increases in other student groups.

“We are trying to put on activities that take place on nights that people normally are drinking,” he said.

Male athletes came in second with a citation rate of 10.5 percent, more than twice the percentage of female athletes who faced charges. While the rate of male athletes increased by 3 percentage points, female athletes saw little change.

UI Assistant Director of Athletics Rick Klatt said he wasn’t familiar with the numbers.

Overall, 530 more male students were charged than female. Almost 6 percent of all women in a sorority were cited last year, the highest of any female group.

While this number is an increase from last year, UI Panhellenic Association President Treacy Weldon said that group is working with the Interfraternity Council to find ways to reduce binge drinking and prevent citations and arrests. She also noted a lack of alternative entertainment downtown, a perennial discussion among university and local officials.

“There’s no movie theater, bowling alley, or anything,” she said.

The greek community and athletics aren’t the only major organizations facing this problem. More than 10 percent of males and 3 percent of females living in residence halls were cited, a slight decrease from the previous year.

Von Stange, the director of University House, noted a distinction between crimes committed by students off-campus. Furthermore, residence-hall officials primary focus on drug and alcohol possession in their buildings.

He noted that assault — roughly 2 percent of 2008-09 crimes — is also a concern.

While the overall charge rate is up from the previous two years, it’s almost 29 percent lower than during the 2005-06 academic year, when local police cited 1,678 students.

DI reporter Alina Rubezhova contributed to this report

UI projects cost less

The university will save roughly $200,000 on the re-roofing of Burge Hall this summer, University Housing Director Von Stange said.

The savings are a result of local contractors’ lower bids during the economic recession.

“Based on the economy, we have more vendors look at these construction opportunities,” Stange said. “It’s been good for us.”

Jeffrey Aaberg, University Housing’s head of facilities and operations, agreed.

“Projects this year have been typically lower than what we’ve expected,” he said.

While the UI is putting off several major projects across campus because of budget cuts, none of the residence-hall projects are being pushed back.

This summer’s plans include, in addition to replacing Burge’s roof, renovating restrooms and installing key-card access at Hillcrest and Slater.

Stange said the original cost estimate for the Burge project was approximately $1.4 million, but after landing good deals with area contractors, new projections show it will cost around $1.2 million.

The university spends roughly $7 million on summer projects each year, Stange said.

The final cost of campus construction projects is not released until they are complete, but the university is expected to save 10 to 20 percent per project this summer.

Jeff Kelsey, a co-owner of Iowa City business S&K Roofing, said his young company has been taking low bids to stay alive.

“We’re barely making out,” he said.

Aaberg said officials have no specific use for the extra money but noted it could be used as an emergency fund if future projects are affected by budget cuts.

“Maybe we’ll be able to do a little extra work next year; if not, hopefully, we’ll be able to stay on the same path,” he said.

Aside from the Burge roof project, the summer won’t bring major changes to the residence halls, Aaberg said.

Stange said the Burge addition — which will add 100 beds and more storage space — didn’t benefit from the current discounts because its contractors were hired three years ago. But the project is also unaffected by budget cuts because it has been paid off over the past three years.

The Burge addition is projected to cost the university $9 million, an increase from the original $8 million estimate made three years ago.

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