Members of the Residence Halls Association general assembly showed their support Wednesday for an East Lansing City Council ordinance that would clarify riot conduct, following a presentation by East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert and Assistant City Attorney Tom Yeadon.
Wibert and Yeadon were invited by RHA to give a presentation, which included a 20-minute video of Cedar Fest 2008. Wibert described police actions that night and the reasons for them. Members of the assembly were able to ask questions regarding Cedar Fest.
“I really think that we’re fortunate, as students and part of the MSU community, to have someone that’s very community oriented,” RHA President Mark Dobson said.
Because the ordinance — which was introduced two weeks ago — is a response to Cedar Fest, Wibert said it has been viewed as an anti-student ordinance.
“When people see an ordinance involving a riot, they assume it’s anti-student. That’s not the case,” he said. “Most MSU students were not present at Cedar Fest — 95 percent found something better to do. This is an anti-riot ordinance.”
Wibert told the assembly the law is not being changed, just clarified.
“We want this to be an informational ordinance,” he said. “So far we’ve seen overwhelming support.”
The ordinance would prohibit participants from encouraging riot conduct, taunting the police,and other activities if a situation is declared to be a riot.
Dobson said the ordinance is clear.
“It’s just really, to me, condemning what I already know is unacceptable and what I think our students understand to be unacceptable,” he said.
Although this issue has been discussed by City Council, Dobson said it is very important that students be informed about the reasons for the ordinance.
“There are neighborhood associations, but the biggest neighborhood in East Lansing is the MSU community. So although we have another police force, we are part of this community as campus residents,” Dobson said. “Chief Wibert and Mr. Yeadon were more than willing to come and speak to us because I think they value the people we represent.”
There will be another public hearing about the ordinance March 17, but Dobson was unsure if an RHA official would attend.
The assembly also confirmed supply chain management senior David Averill to be RHA’s chief of staff next year.
“I’m really excited. There’s a lot of opportunity to help the organization grow,” Averill said.
The RHA chief of staff supervises all nonelected RHA officials and advises the president.
Averill said his experience qualifies him for the position.
“I have a lot of experience with RHA. I’ve experienced being a supervisor, and I really want to bring that to the table with RHA and run with it,” he said.
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