Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 15 April 2004 — Page 44

Page 44 • The Muncie Times • April 15, 2004

RELIGION

continued from page 43. violence, and perverted ideas of behavior. The children will see sin set in alluring pictures of wealth, beauty, and happiness. But sin has a real side of poverty, ugliness, and misery. Children who follow the fantasy of television will

fall broken into the flaming pits of sinfs reality. Heartache, not happiness, is the result of sin. You cannot pipe filth, deceit, and violence into the minds and not experience a volcanic eruption of evil. Revival and spiritual strength comes to the church when there is a dying out to

fleshly lusts. The Apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ.” (Galatians 2:20). By his complete consecration and his consuming purpose, he shook his world with truth and spiritual power. Our world needs the same type of revival and evangelism it received from

the Early Church - and this is our task. Our eyes must not be diverted and perverted by Hollywood, New York, or Paris. We need to purpose as did the psalmist: “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes” (Psalm 103:3). We are not to lift our eyes to the worldly trash of

television but to the harvest fields in which needy souls await our help. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:16) By Joy Haney

Ball State campaign addresses off campus behavior

Ball State University is launching a comprehensive educational campaign with a message to students: Police yourself or face severe consequences from the university and the justice system. The campaign adds a new dimension to the university’s recently stepped up efforts to make students more accountable for their behavior off campus. In December, Ball State announced it would increase police patrols on weekend nights and would begin sending students cited or arrested by Muncie Police

through the same discipline process faced by students cited or arrested by university police. Key elements of the “Police Yourself’ campaign are a targeted community policing initiative by the university’s public safety department, newspaper ads, a Web site, e-mails to students, posters and a letter to parents. The campaign will continue through the end of the academic year and will begin again in the fall. “We’re doing this because Ball State cares about its students, their

health and safety, and their future.” Said Douglas McConkey, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, “I believe the vast majority of our students are personally responsible, obey the law, don’t abuse alcohol and drugs, and are good neighbors in the off campus homes where some of them live.” ^ “But this campaign clearly spells out what the potential consequences are for students who make poor choices,” he said. “This kind of effort is consistent with Ball State’s mission as

an educational institution, because it focuses on prevention through education and teaching student responsibility.” A letter from Acting President Beverley Pitts to parents of current and prospective students will be mailed next week. It provides parents with information about safety measures at Ball State students. Pitts’ letter also outlines the educational campaign and asks parents to support the university’s efforts by talking with students about their expectations for acceptable,

Elements of the “Police Yourself’ campaign include:

* A community policing effort by University Police with Weekend patrols starting earlier in the afternoon. Officers will talk to students about drinking responsibly and remind them of the consequences if problems arise or illegal activity takes place at a party they host. * Ads from the Office of the Dean of Students running weekly in the student newspaper for the remainder of the semester and resuming in the fall. * Hundreds of posters placed around campus and in the Village.

* University Police and Student Affairs staffs are working with student leaders interest in playing a role in the community policing initiative. * A “Police Yourself” Web site, containing all aspects of the campaign and additional information, is under development at www.bsuedu/policeyourself The university is also revising its student code in ways that parallel the city police’s emphasis on arresting students who sell alcohol with out a permit or provide alcohol to

minors. “Students arrested for those offenses won’t only go to jail, we will consider suspension or expulsion,” McConkey said. University Police and Student Affairs staff began meeting with student leaders two weeks ago to discuss a student role in the community policing initiative and in supporting the educational effort. “This message may be more powerful if it’s spread from student to student,” said Gene Burton, director of public safety. “We will look at all means to get our message across

and hopefully prevent students from making decisions or taking risks that land them in jail and begin a record that will follow them through life.” Since increasing the number of officers on weekend patrols, University Police has cited or arrested significantly more students for alcohol related violations than in the same period last year “We don’t believe this indicates a change in student behavior, but rather reflects that our enhanced enforcement efforts are working,” Burton said. “The university has

lawful behavior. The ads with theme “Police Yourself’ will begin running in the edition of the Ball State Daily News and e-mails carrying the ads will also be sent to all students. The ads amplify the message students received Monday via an e-mail from McConkey saying the university is pleased that the city of Muncie will join Ball state's efforts to step up enforcement as a way to address problems related to off campus parties.

also been receiving some names of students from Muncie Police as a result of the information sharing agreement established last fall. During a meeting last week, the city agreed to enhance those efforts.” For more information on this story, contact McConkey at (765) 2851444 or dmcconke @ bsu.edu.).