Kelly Copeland

A new plea of legislation, which has been in place since 2007, is just now being recognized by Linfield.

Underage drinkers involved in the possession or use of alcohol will have his or her driver’s license suspended for 90 days under a law signed by Gov. Ted Kulongoski last year. People in possession of drugs face the same penalty.

Jeff Mackay, director of Residence Life and dean of students, said he learned about the new law after attending the Oregon     Campus and Community Coalition on Alcohol Issues Conference. The topic was also raised at the Feb. 20 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team meeting, where various Linfield faculty and students discussed the law and its possible effects.

Mackay said he is still unsure about its implications, because literature is limited.

Under the new law, the first Minor In Possession citation warrants a 90-day license suspension, with a one-year suspension for every subsequent violation.

What isn’t clear is how it will work with Linfield’s medical clemency policy. The new policy states that a student who seeks medical help for himself or another student will not be disciplined by the school, but will have to cooperate with administrators and counselors. The school will not discipline the student who receives medical attention if he or she meets with a counselor for a health referral and follows through with the recommendations.

“I don’t want this to deter students from getting help for their friends,” Mackay said.

The college is in the process of discussing the issue with the McMinnville Police Department that responds to 911 phone calls made by Residence Life staff on behalf of sick students, Mackay said. After the initial call is made, it is the decision of the police officer whether or not to issue an MIP citation.

Although the law has changed, Director of Campus Safety Mike Dressel said LCS officers will follow normal procedure when handling calls involving drugs or alcohol.

“The new law won’t change how we do what we do,” Dressel said.

While Mackay thinks students should be informed about the new law, he said it is a bigger issue at state schools. At the University of Oregon, 654 MIP cases were reported in 2006, according to an article published in the Daily Emerald in 2007. Only 10 MIP citations were given during fall semester of 2006 at Linfield.

Senior Nick Pagenkopf, who attended the ADAPT meeting, said he did not know about the new law until the meeting. He understands its complications from both students’ and the school’s perspective. He is unsure about whether the law will deter students from getting help for their friends, or if it will prevent underage students from drinking at all.

Barry Tucker, director of multicultural programs, compiled information about the number of alcohol violations for the month of September. He found the number of MIP citations given out to students is declining. Mackay attributes this to policy education and enforcement.

 As of right now, Mackay said he is trying to decide how the law will affect college policy.

“We’ll try to inform students as it progresses,” he said.