Waiting for the bus to the Welcome Back dance, students found they were not alone.

With Department of Public Safety officers and Director of Student Life Phil Lyons conducting “visual searches,” approximately 18-24 beers and some liquor were confiscated from students prior to boarding the buses.

At last year’s dance, some intoxicated students going to the dance urinated and threw up on the bus. This resulted in three of the six buses being unavailable to return students back to campus afterwards.

“This year we started with eight buses and ended with eight buses,” Lyons said.

Students were visually searched at the request of the Division of Student Development. If any student exhibited bulky pockets or had large bags or purses, those students were asked to empty their pockets and open their bags or purses.

“Taking buses to the dance is a privilege,” Lyons pointed out.

Only eight to ten students had alcohol confiscated, according to Lyons. Those students’ names were not recorded and will not be reprimanded.

“The University does have the prerogrative to stop underage drinking,” explained Director of DPS Jack Titone.

Prior to the searching, Lyons informed DPS officers that they were to confiscate alcohol and not let anyone on the bus who was extremely intoxicated. “Every year we’ve confiscated alcohol, but this is the first year we glanced in purses and bags,” Lyons said.

The University handbook outlines students’ right to unreasonable searches: “Students shall be secure in their persons, living quarters, papers and effects from unreasonable searches and seizures.”

Lyons thinks that this was a reasonable search for two reasons: First, students weren’t subject to the search unless they were getting onto the bus which prohibits transportation of alcohol. Second, not everyone was searched physically.

Michael McGee, a DPS bike patrol officer, said approximately 12 people were searched due to very obvious signs, such as pockets or large bags.

“This is the first year that we didn’t have any major problems,” Titone added. “It’s something we don’t like to do, but when we are given a directive, we have to.”

Michael McCarthy, who watched his friend’s purse opened, said, “I see their point; it was a legitimate concern. I remember standing outside last year waiting for the buses to return.”

“What I saw was them basically asking students to search themselves by showing pockets and opening bags-which I didn’t find out of line,” said Matt Love, a student standing nearby.