Drug Searches Spawn Brown Student Protest

A recent room search for drugs in a Brown University dormitory has sparked heated debate about student rights on the Providence campus.

Without prior warning or explanation, Brown officials searched the room of freshman David J. Paul last month. They found no illegal drugs, and acquitted Paul of any wrongdoing. In response to the university's actions, Paul took out a full-page advertisement in the Brown Daily Herald this week to assert his innocence.

The story began at 8 a.m. on September 18, when John M. Robinson, Brown dean of students, and school security officers entered Paul's room, waking him and his roommate.

Rude Awakening

While officials searched the room, Paul and his roommate were taken to an administrative building and, separately, each was given the option to sign a document allowing the police to search his side of the room. Paul's roommate signed the statement, while Paul did not.

The students returned to their room in time to see college officials concluding the search. Robinson and fellow searchers did find and confiscate drugs, but they turned out to be hay fever pills and a bottle of vitamin B-12 capsules. Tests performed on these substances revealed no traces of illegal drugs.

Nearly two weeks later, on September 30, Paul received a letter from Robinson. This letter relayed to Paul the tests' negative results, and also informed the Brown freshman that the room search would not appear on Paul's student records.

Brown students, however, reacted with indignation, primarily because they said the university was unjustified in conducting the search. "Most people thought it was an unreasonable invasion of privacy," said junior Kenneth R. Gellman.

Students "perceive him [Paul] as a victim," said sophomore Naline Lai. "The methods that Robinson used were really bad," freshman Isobel T. White concurred. "It's really given him [Paul] a bad name at the school."

Brown students were particularly angry because university officials never made it clear why they searched Paul's room. Robinson refused to give any reason for targeting Paul's room.

In an interview with the Herald, John Kuprevich, head of Brown police and security, explained why Paul's room was chosen. "We had some circumstantial evidence," said Kuprevich.

Say No To Drugs

Paul believes that the room search was used as a scare tactic. "Maybe they want to make me an example. To use it as a public relations technique to scare people off drugs. If they want a drug-free campus that's fine. But you can't be disrespective of someone's privacy or individual rights," Paul told the Herald.

Robinson has a different opinion. "He [Paul] was not chosen at random to frighten students," he said, adding, "if his room being searched caused people who were thinking about dealing drugs not to, then that's a good thing."

Brown's official policy regarding room searches, which is spelled out in the rooming contract, reads, "The university reserves the right to enter residence hall rooms without the consent of the occupant in order to provide for the well-being and protection of the community and its members property."

"We're responsible for the health and safety [of the students]. They have to live in a community. We can't give them total privacy in that circumstance and still maintain our responsibility," Robinson explained. "When it comes to dealing drugs, our feeling is that in terms of student rights, Brown students basically have a right to get an education here."

Robinson does not believe that the room search has affected student-administration relations. "A number of students came to me and said that they were glad to see someone taking initiative," he said.

Many students, however, say they believe otherwise. "Everyone is a little more wary," said White. "Before we may have felt the administration was on our side. Are they trying to give us a message? I don't think it's changed students' behavior, but it may have changed their feelings about the administration."

Say Yes to Booze

"None of us are throwing out our alcohol or anything," she added.

In response to the room search, Paul paid $260 in order to take out a full page advertisement in the October 8 edition of the Herald. The advertisement was a reprint of the letter sent to him by Robinson, which cleared Paul of any wrongdoing.

Student reaction seemed positive. Said one freshman, "Now everyone realizes that there wasn't anything found in the room."