Written by Paul Yu
Campus strictness at Maryland is based on the rule of its enforcers and on the judicial committees. Students may encounter police officers and Resident Life officials that are either lenient, stringent, or moderate when following procedures. Sometimes, it depends on the timing, the situation, and the amount of evidence. For example, during football season at tailgates in the parking lots, patrolling police officers may not attempt to investigate whether good-natured, young attendees holding bottles of beer are of legal age. Yet, ask a random student who was caught on Maryland’s campus while doing something wrong, and he or she will tell you that the campus police are sticklers, mostly due to the fact that police officers are very strict on the road for speeding and with people who park illegally without permits.
Resident assistants are a different breed. RAs are educated in confronting and preventing escalating conflict both inside and outside of residence halls. While most RAs do, in fact, implement their training background to take action, they usually follow the “see it, hear it, or smell it” rule. Rarely, do RAs seek out trouble—the opportunity to fill out paperwork and attend judicial hearings—but when trouble is in the air, RAs can sense it and will confront the student. If drugs are involved, the police can get involved, too.