Last week, the Office of Student Conduct, the Department of Campus Safety (DCS) and the Denver Police Department (DPD) teamed up to deliver letters to off-campus student housing locations reminding residents to not be loud and disrespectful of neighbors.
A note was also included in the weekly campus updates sent out by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) last week.
“When the off-campus behavior of students negatively impacts the community, it creates a conflict with the mission and goals of the University of Denver and may warrant the University’s intervention,” the note said.
According to University of Denver External Relations Manager Will Jones, the letters come after an increase in noise complaints, which he handles as the community liaison.
“Whenever something happens, a neighbor calls me,” said Jones. “Almost every day there is an email or a voicemail message for me.”
The letters ask students to respect their neighbors and not host loud gatherings and parties, and says that students can be held to the Code of Conduct for repeated off-campus noise complaints. Possible university responses may include suspension and expulsion, according to the letters.The letters were delivered to specific addresses which have received numerous complaints.
“We need you to remember that living off campus does not mean that you are no longer a member of the University community,” the letters said. “The houses in and around DU are home to families with children, young professionals, retired couples and a variety of other types of neighbors.”
This has been a recurring concern on campus, according to DCS Sgt. Stephen Banet.
“The University takes relations with the neighborhood seriously. It’s something we don’t want jeopardized,” said Banet.
In the fall, DPD and a DCS investigator went to off-campus student homes to discuss the concerns with students.
“This is the same thing, except we have more of a formalized letter from the university explaining that even though you don’t live on campus, your actions and activities still fall under the code of student conduct,” said Banet.
Jones said the university also chose to send out letters now because there is an anticipated increase in noise concerns with the arrival of spring and warm weather. Letters will also be drafted and sent to landlords of off-campus housing locations, Jones said.
“We want to do everything we can to keep these students safe,” said Jones. “A lot of these students are adults, but we want students to understand that we don’t want them to be excessive. We’re trying to give the students tools they need to make a better decision.”
Jones said the chancellor and the university Board of Trustees also plan on having a meeting within the next few weeks to discuss the issue of noise complaints, as well as to discuss the accelerated drinking levels the university has seen this year and plan further approaches to the problems.
“We’re trying to give people every avenue to understand that their behavior is inappropriate,” said Jones. “This is not like a speed trap. We’re saying ‘There is a speed trap 10 miles down the road, you might want to slow down.’”
The letters were sent from the Student Life Department and were reviewed by the chancellor before they were sent out. Students are invited to contact Banet with any questions.
