THE ISSUE: "Off-campus RA" write-up surprises students
WHAT WE THINK: Students deserve clarity from liaison
For residents, he seems like a savior from the annoyance of boisterous youth. For students, he seems determined to kill their Saturday night fun. Who is this two-headed monster? Steve Montgomery, off-campus community liaison, or as he's more commonly known: "the off-campus RA."
On an exclusive Heights ride-along with the man, the myth, the legend himself, it was apparent that based on his behavior and interaction with students, Montgomery does not deserve the bad rap that he has gotten. He was respectful, yet assertive, and explained all of his thought processes explicitly to us. We ended the ride-along at 2 a.m., impressed with the University official and sympathetic toward the job he tries so hard to do.
But a wrench was soon thrown in the works.
During our four hours with Montgomery - on an unusually quiet Friday night - we accompanied him to only one doorstep. The case seemed very straightforward; Montgomery listened, Montgomery heard noise, Montgomery approached the house, knocked, and called out to residents.
And, to continue the textbook example, the residents offered ID cards, apologies, and promises to never repeat the offense. Montgomery, to answer their queries and to calm the residents, repeatedly offered the following reply: "Don't worry, this is just going to the dean as a noise complaint."
Understandably, then, residents were surprised when they received an e-mail from the dean saying two of them were also being written up for alcohol possession and/or use. Hadn't Montgomery promised "just a noise complaint"?
This incident, as any other, is not merely reported to the dean as a noise violation, as Montgomery's simple explanation would have you believe. Instead, he writes up a detailed and comprehensive report of each incident, noting his observations of the scene and his interactions with the residents. It is then the dean - not Montgomery - who makes the formal charge and who ultimately determines disciplinary procedure.
2008 Woodie Awards
