Personal responsibility vs fines: one students’ perspective

By Ryan, March 29, 2016

By Alex Laskaris // Staff Writer

While fines are given out to all of those who do not abide by the rules of High Point University, these fines act as a warning sign that if you break the rules you will have to pay, literally. These rules exist to maintain order and safety throughout, the campus and although we are all well aware of this, we continue to break the rules leaving us to pay High Point even more than just the tuition we pay every year. When determining whether to steal a sign, smoke a cigarette, or play loud music, does it cross our minds that if we follow through with these choices we may have to give $50 or even $500 to a fine?
Before Spring Break began, I am sure every student was aware that their rooms were checked by Residents Assistants to make sure everything was up to code. These are known as “health and safeties,” and while the RA’s are the ones to wake up early and go through every room in every house in their vicinity, I feel as if students are the ones that must prepare for these. Students receive e-mails to alert us as to what our rooms should look like, as well as contain, before we leave for long breaks. Besides the obvious “take the trash out” and “don’t leave food lying around,” we also have to be aware of certain objects that could get us in trouble if found in our rooms. For instance any table that looks like it is involved with drinking is a hard no-go; so that table that is covered in signatures and alcohol stains that you cleverly folded up and threw into the corner will be carried out of your house no matter how heavy it is. That candle that cost you $3 at Walmart, if seen, will then cost you upwards of $5. Lighters, which seem like a commodity to any and every one, are not allowed in dorm rooms either. What do you need a lighter for? To light a cigarette? To light a candle? Neither of which you are allowed to have so what does that lighter signify besides that you are in possession of things you should not have? Thus is the logic.
I consider it unfair when students are fined or have something confiscated, but this also comes full circle back to using common knowledge before acting upon something we know will be consequential. As a student here at High Point, I have had my fair share of altercations with the Office of Student Life. With the stress of finals week along with the depressing idea that my year was just about over, late one night I had the bright idea to take a break and venture onto the roof of my dorm building. With securities mysterious ways of knowing everything that occurs inside the gates, they soon showed up and asked for passports. With just two days left of classes, I ignored e-mails and phone calls from Student Life. After finally opening one of the many electronic letters, I received the option to pay a $500 fine or to participate in community service in the city of High Point. While it is obvious which one I chose, I was sent to a soup kitchen down the road from campus. This place did not appear to be up to health codes and the kitchen had bugs crawling up the walls, not an ideal situation for anyone. Besides these conditions, the people I met were rude and made some comments that made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Once my time was up, on the walk through the parking lot to my car, a male approached my driver and asked for her phone number. I could not have gotten into the car fast enough. While the intentions of HPU was to give me a sense of thankfulness, along with the satisfaction of community service, it could not have left me feeling anymore uncomfortable and even angry at HPU for putting me in that situation. Considering it was so close to the end of the year, I think a verbal warning would have been enough to make me not climb on any roofs for awhile. Putting a student in an uncomfortable situation or having her pay a $500 fine seems a little extreme.
It is no question that rules and fines are placed upon students to keep everyone safe. Through our years at High Point, I am sure everyone has at least one story where security has been used to their advantage. Whether it was for a ride, lockout, or a matter of safety, security has benefited us in many ways. The staff has been extremely helpful and definitely comforting towards many parents of new students that have to leave their children in this strange new place. While the security staff are not the ones to argue with about absurd chargers on small altercations that I, as self-proclaimed adult do not agree with, who should I try to reason with? Is there any possible way to reason with High Point in dropping absurd fines? Or, a better question: Is there any possible way to get through four years at this university without being fined? While it seems like security is especially on high alert during weekend nights, it also seems that High Point has forgotten that I am a college student and just want to have fun.