McMaster University has taken a strange – well it’s McMaster so probably not so strange – position when it comes to sleeping on campus in the lounge areas…there isn’t to be any. According to two of my very reliable sources (aka my eyes) posters such as the one below have appeared in the ITB lounge.
It says: Based on McMaster Health Initiatives, sleeping in common areas is NOT permitted. Upon notification by the staff, Security(they think they’re important with a capital in their name) will enforce this policy.
Please join me in a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on three. 1, 2, 3: WTF? That is what I was wondering when I was first told about these…so today I shot off an email to security, oh sorry I mean Security:
From: “Danny Vacar”
Subject: McMaster Health Initiatives
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:02:47 -0400
To: SecurityHello,
I have noticed posters around campus warning that McMaster Security
will be enforcing something under the name of “McMaster Health
Initiatives.”
I did a search of the McMaster domain but came up empty so I was
wondering if you had a PDF copy of these initiatives or if you could
forward my inquiry to some who does. I would be interested in learning
what they are.Respectfully,
Danny Vacar
I am waiting their response and I’m very interested in knowing what these “Health Initiatives” are. At the moment they sound like a lot of *BS* unhealthy stuff.
Watch out for those napping students, they are ruining this university!
Now my question is if they are using the Student Code of Conduct to enforce this and if they are, what is the punishment?
Sounds to me like this is a priority of the Student Affairs management, so I would expect the punishment to be swift and hurt – I think it is likely a fine in the $100 range.
It is no secret that the university has asked to close the student centre at night and the administration is unhappy that students have a habit of studying all hours of the night with naps in between.
The enforcement of such ruling against sleeping in public areas could be difficult. If we assume some level of reasonability, then an offending party must, as with any other criminal violation (except man slaughter) commit the crime both in mind and body. I shall explain, dealing with the issue of closing the student center at night first…
The student center is provided as a resource center for students to eat, meet and study. Students are known for studying at all hours, day and night. On these assumptions, I think we can concluded that students will be studying in the student center at night. This reasource is needed as there is not enough room in the residence study halls to accomidate all students. additionally, due to present residence guest restrictions, study groups are difficult to maintain without the student center to facilitate meetings.
Concerning sleeping in public areas. Most students do not intend on sleeping during their study time. Infact, the vast majority intend on studying during their study time. In such as case as an accident, I would hardly see punishment such as a fine of about 100$ reasonable. Maybe a gentle poke and a warning. Maybe even some encouraging words to keep the students going?
Also, on occation, and I have done this my self, a student will be awake for long periods of time, sometimes exceding 52 hours without sleep. I believe that at this point, a person is considers to be insane under law, and heavily impaired. This means that even if they did fall asleep, they cannot be held for their actions of sleeping in public, because they were insane at the time.
One more point.
Some years back, a man was found not guilty because he was drunk at the time. The judge ruled that because the man was so impaired by alcohol, he could not be held accountable.
NOW, if this legal president is held to on campus. I believe we would see a very quick decline in fines and charges to students in the coming year.