When 4:20 p.m. rolls around on April 20, University students on Foss Hill may have more to worry about than where their next hit is coming from. According to Public Safety, their presence on Foss Hill this year will be similar to last year’s—a possibility that could lead to student citations or arrests.
“Last year we had Public Safety up on the Hill because of the number of people and what was going on, and this year we’re doing it again,” Director of Public Safety David Meyer said. “This is just a friendly reminder to everybody that if they want to stay out of trouble, stay away.”
In an e-mail sent by Associate Director of Residential Life Maureen Pyne Isleib to Residential Life staff that was posted on Wesleying, her message was similar to Meyer’s. “As you know, Sunday, April 20th is ’4/20,’ and many students are planning to meet on Foss Hill at 4:20 PM for a unified pot-smoking party,” the e-mail read. “Please remind your residents that possession/use of marijuana is a violation of the Code of Non Academic Conduct and inform them that Public Safety will be on Foss Hill on Sunday afternoon.”
According to the Student Activities Committee Chair Michael Pernick ’10, who recently discussed 4/20 celebrations with Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Whaley, the suggestion that there will be a crackdown this year is unsubstantiated.
“The plan for this year is to follow the same exact policy as [Public Safety] did last year,” Pernick said. “If they see somebody who’s smoking, they will ask them to stop smoking.”
However, Pernick did say that any problems that students cause may be met by Middletown Police officers.
Like Pernick, Meyer expressed that police presence is possible.
“There may be arrests, I don’t know,” Meyer said. “It depends on what happens out there. It’s going to depend upon the reaction of the crowd.”
Meyer says that the punishment that smoking students face is not up to him, and that he is not deterred by the suggestion that Public Safety cannot prosecute students if enough of them flock to the Hill.
“Oh yeah? That’s my response. Oh yeah?” he said.
However, Meyer says that he by no means wants to sound threatening.
“It’s illegal activity,” he said. “We’ll document it and then find out who’s involved. I don’t want to start a confrontation.”
Pernick feels that, as long as students respond courteously to Public Safety officers, there will be no problem.
“For the most part, as long as students are respectful and don’t do anything ridiculous, there’s nothing to worry about,” Pernick said. “The 4/20 tradition at Wesleyan will continue as it has in the past.”
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