SGA proposes late-night sign outs for upper-classmen
Liberty University’s Student Government Association (SGA) is in the process of working with Student Affairs to allow upper-class students more freedom through late night sign out sheets on Fridays and Saturdays.
Mark Hine, senior vice president for Student Affairs, said in an email that while more freedom is the goal, safety is the primary concern.
“Safety of all of our students is, and always has been, a paramount concern,” Hine said.
“We are working to have more freedom for upper-class students but also ensure we do not leave safety behind. I believe that is possible but must be done carefully.”
A potential late-night sign out sheet would allow upper-class students living on campus the opportunity to stay later at a friend’s house or make a late-night Cook Out run among other activities.
“We are currently working our way through what that would look like with members of SGA,” Hine said.
“An exact time for implementation has not yet been firmed up.”
Student Body President Jack Heaphy said these changes would have a positive impact on the students who will be allowed to participate in the late-night sign out.
“I think overall it is going to be a positive change for students on campus,” Heaphy said.
“I can see that parents might be concerned because it is a change from the old way, but I think what this does is allow more freedom for students without a lot of the consequences that would come from no curfew at all.”
Freshman Class Vice President Gage Taylor said the resolution originally was designed to take curfew off the table on the weekends.
“Three or four people (from SGA) came together and came up with the idea of a late-night sign out sheet that would be more appealing to the parents that wanted to keep curfew and also give some of the students more freedom on the weekends,” Taylor said.
The proposal was issued by SGA as a result of the numerous complaints about curfew from students.
“What we are trying to do with this is give more leeway for students who actually obey the rules that want to abide by the Liberty Way but also don’t want to be
babysat,” Taylor said.
The potential late-night sign out sheet would be similar to the current overnight sign out sheets that students must fill out and sign.
The sheet will require departure and returning times along with the destination and a phone number for emergency contacts.
“This allows students flexibility to make decisions that they are going to be making once they’re out of college and allows them to practice those in a healthy and safe environment where they’re held accountable by their friends, RAs and leadership,” Heaphy said.
Taylor said the Liberty Way must be upheld by students on campus and those who get to participate in late nights.
“I don’t think the Liberty Way will be affected in a bad way,” Taylor said.
“You want to empower students and embolden students to make choices that will help them later on in life, and you want to make the Liberty Way something that helps them be able to handle adulthood after college.”
The administration is in the final stages of reviewing the resolution that will affect the student body, but at this point no decision has been finalized.
CONLEY is a news reporter.