In the week before St. Patrick’s Day, Campus Security informed the Kingston Police of 11 keg parties planned for that weekend. Campus Security also sent this information to Dean of Student Affairs Jason Laker, whose office forwarded it to Judicial Committee (JComm) Chief Prosecutor Jenn Mansell.
Last Wednesday, an emergency AMS Assembly meeting was called to discuss the issue. At the meeting, the AMS passed a motion condemning the Dean’s office for its actions “with regard to the collection of information on off-campus student activity” and the “sharing of this information with non-Queen’s bodies,” presumably referring to the police.
First of all, Laker shouldn’t have sent this list to Mansell. It’s obvious the information would put her in a compromising position as JComm chief prosecutor; she should have no prior knowledge of incidents that could potentially come up at JComm. However, although Laker’s actions showed poor judgment, it was done in good faith—to warn students.
The AMS overreacted by calling an emergency meeting instead of talking to Laker. It was a rash decision that only created more confusion and unnecessary panic. The situation would have been better resolved face-to-face, or even at the next regular Assembly.
Campus Security was only doing its job by forwarding the list of potential keg parties to Kingston Police; they’re required to share any information regarding potential illegal activity to the police.
Campus Security won’t confirm that they use Facebook, but it has been mentioned as the information’s probable source. The suggestion that notifying the police about possible keg parties is a violation of privacy is completely false, as events posted on Facebook are in the public realm—anyone can read what’s posted. Campus Security doesn’t actively investigate students but they are obligated to respond to complaints and all it would take for them to catch wind of these keggers would be a neighbour, student or otherwise, to give them a call telling them they suspect an illegal party will be taking place on a certain date. Students shouldn’t be surprised if Campus Security uses every means available to them—including Facebook—to investigate the complaints they receive.
All the AMS’s garbage about in loco parentis is defensive hyperbole. Next time, the AMS should think twice before passing silly motions aimed to protect students who throw illegal parties and are deluded into believing they have privacy rights on Facebook.
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