After two years of discussion with the administration, the Residence Hall Association has introduced several new methods to combat the problem of prank fire alarms, including a "neighborhood watch" program.
Residents will receive magnets declaring "Warning: Neighborhood Watch. All suspicious persons or activities will be immediately reported" to hang on door frames outside their rooms. The magnets are expected to arrive in about two weeks, according to RHA president Will Mount.
"It's just to say, 'I'm willing to watch out for people who are pulling fire alarms." Mount said.
The RHA has also formed a new Task Force on Safety. In its first report, the Task Force found that "The solution is twofold... We must find more effective methods to catch those who put others in danger and waste the time of those who protect us from the real threat of fire. Second, the punishment must be swift and fitting of the crime."
To aid the first goal, the task force found several options, including body heat-activated dye powder that sprays the person who pulls the alarm, an anonymous tip line through e-mail and a campus-wide awareness program to educate students on the dangers of false fire alarms and the possible punishments.
The RHA passed a resolution on Dec. 4, calling for expulsion of anyone convicted through the Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services of pulling a prank fire alarm. It also called for immediate dissolution of any campus organization that encourages its members to pull prank alarms.
The RHA strengthened its efforts by joining forces with the Student Government. A bill, which was passed Sunday, forms a 10 member joint RHA-SG task force to examine the issue in further detail. It also calls on the SG to advertise Housing and Dining's $200 reward for positive identification of people who pull prank alarms.
The bill also endorses JAMS policies toward those convicted of pulling prank alarms, but does not endorse the "zero tolerance" policy that JAMS already uses.
Unlike the resolution passed by the RHA, the bill passed by the Senate does not endorse a policy of expulsion.
Another amendment, passed by a large margin, allowed the SG to withdraw its support for surveillance, should Housing and Dining use photo or video surveillance for purposes other than to catch those who pull prank alarms.
One failed amendment attempted to include non-official campus organizations among those who would be punished if they encouraged their members to pull prank alarms.
"We're really willing to hear any idea, even if involves money. I just want to get rid of [prank] alarms on [both the north and south sides of campus]," Mount said.
