4 things your student should know to help them stay out of trouble
With St. Patrick’s Day and spring break right around the corner, some students may be itching for that opportunity to unwind from their busy college life. As your student looks forward to enjoying a well-deserved break, we want them to continue making good choices.
Here are some things we encourage your students to be mindful of so they can have fun and make memories in a responsible way:
Be a Buff wherever you are
Whether your student is on campus, exploring the Boulder area or choosing to take time away from Boulder for vacation, we want them to be considerate of those around them. Positively representing the Buff community can go a long way. It allows the Boulder community to thrive and helps your student to succeed.
Embodying and practicing that positive behavior also benefits your student in regards to the Student Code of Conduct. The code outlines the actions that are prohibited for all students including abusive conduct, underage drinking, damage to property, illegal use of drugs, having a fake ID, fire safety and other crimes.
You can help your student follow the Student Code of Conduct by encourage them to:
Make good choices on and off campus.
Follow Boulder ordinances around noise, nuisance parties and illegal fireworks.
Treat fellow Buffs and their neighbors with respect.
If a student is found responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct, Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution (SCCR) may assign educational and administrative outcomes, which could impact their ability to participate in Education Abroad or serve in leadership positions.
Know and follow the local ordinances
Students are also encouraged to understand the city of Boulder’s local ordinances. Not doing so could result in fines and a referral to SCCR.
Common reasons for citations include:
Alcohol offenses: Your student can receive a ticket for serving alcohol to a minor or if guests of their party are drinking alcohol in a public area, like the sidewalk in front of their property.
Fireworks: The use and possession of any fireworks is illegal in the city of Boulder and Boulder County, in addition to being a significant fire risk in our area. This includes sparklers, snaps, snakes, bottle rockets, roman candles and smoke bombs. Even if your student doesn’t possess or discharge fireworks, they can be held responsible for fireworks used by their roommates or guests.
If your student is living off campus, they should also be aware of nuisance party tickets. A nuisance party ticket is issued when a residence hosts a gathering that violates Boulder ordinances. This includes unreasonable noise, underage drinking, brawling, public urination and littering or trash.
Here are some ways your student can lower their chances of getting a nuisance ticket at their Boulder residence, while also still enjoying themselves:
Introduce themselves to their neighbors. Be sure to let their neighbors know if they are planning to host a party in advance.
Register their party for free. By registering their party through Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations, students will receive a warning from police if someone makes a noise complaint about their address. That warning gives your student 20 minutes to shut things down, which will help lower the chance of them being ticketed.
Watch their noise. In the city of Boulder, people may be ticketed for unreasonable noise at any time of day. Unreasonable noise is defined as amplified sounds, such as speakers, that can be heard from more than 100 feet away between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and more than 200 feet away between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
Invite people they know. Your student is responsible for what happens at their residence. As a host, they can be responsible for guests and their actions, including actions that would warrant a nuisance ticket.
What to do in an emergency
If your student finds themselves in a situation that they are not sure how to handle, calling for help is always the right thing to do.
Under the Amnesty Policy, calling for help in an alcohol- or drug-related emergency means neither the person who calls for help nor the person who needs help will be subject to formal disciplinary sanctions by the university.
To be covered by the Amnesty Policy, the student must:
Call for help (911 or university staff).
Stay with the intoxicated individual until help arrives. If the individual is showing signs of alcohol poisoning, put them in the recovery position.
Cooperate with staff and fully comply with police and emergency responders.
Take advantage of resources
Learn more about the resources that are available to your student.