Colleges Tell Students the Overseas Party's Over -NYT

[Rose Siding]

It was embarrassing enough when an Eckerd College trip overseas celebrating the glory of Europe last winter culminated in a group of students' sampling too much of the local vintage, insulting the residents and keeping guests at their hotel awake with their drunken revelry.

But after another student on one of Eckerd's overseas excursions studying human rights and diplomacy decided to settle a political disagreement with his fists less than six months later, the college had had enough.

As students begin shipping out for their semesters abroad this week, reform is in the air. Like many other colleges across the nation, Eckerd, a small liberal arts college on Florida's Gulf Coast, is taking aim at what it calls the boorish behavior that occasionally makes the ugly-American stereotype a reality.

While students were scrambling for visas this summer, Eckerd was revamping its paperwork, tacking on a contract in which students sign a pledge "to behave in a mature, responsible manner." If they do not, they face sanctions or fines, and can even lose the right to return to campus............

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/23/education/23college.html?hp

[roguevalley]

1. 'Bout time. Jeez! Makes it hard for the rest of us to go anywhere.

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. You're not the kind of person to wear plaid shirts, pants and socks?

Then you'll do fine :)

Swiftboat Veterans for Bush

SHOVE IT! - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - Hero Kerry AWOL Bush
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Maple]

2. Well I'd have to

agree with that.

They're representing their college and their country, and by that age should be responsible adults anyway.

[bluestateguy]

3. Good!

I have no patience for spoiled brat college kids who spend 4 years wasting their parents money drinking beer, smoking pot and partying!

[goforit]

4. LOL!!!.......Sounds like US people just aren't wanted by foriegn countries

Hmmmm.....Now it can't be Bush/Cheney, eh?

[Logansquare]

5. A foreign study student from my college vomited out of his window

and on to an Italian woman's blouse that was hanging out to dry after being laundered. Yes, he was plastered when he did it. He was a complete yutz about it, and refused to pay for a new blouse. I guess the woman didn't call the police because Italians like to try to mediate things themselves. The landlord threatened to break his contract with the college unless a blouse was purchased and an apology was made. The college (which shall remain unnamed) finally threatened to expel him, and the woman got her new blouse.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. What a dickhead.

But, I have this clear knowledge that for every young man like that, there is this moment of crystalline clarity, a Crossing of The Rubicon in their life, when they get that really brutal asskicking they have worked for so very hard. The time spent healing is very good for reflection on the error of one's ways.

[kskiska]

6. They think everyplace is spring break

The Bush* Twins come to mind.

[poliguru]

9. Unfortunately, I'm not surprised

I live in an apartment on campus but not owned by the campus. It's me, my husband (who's in med school), and our 2 young kids. A lot of undergrads live here, and mos act like it's spring break, all the time. Seriously, if you know there's a family that lives upstairs from you, don't have a loud party - on a Thurs. night, no less. And don't throw your trash around the yard. And don' get into huge, dramatic et shallow arguments in the hallway (OK, I admit that one was pretty entertaining). And don't pile your trash bags in front of my garage exit door so I have to climb over them to get into the building. And please, please, please - when you do these thoughtless things and I have to politely ask you to have consideration for your fellow human beings - don't act like an ass.

And this is at a very highly respected university - one of the most intense undergrad programs in the country.

Thanks for allowing my rant. :mad:

[SoCalDem]

10. My son went to college in Florence for a year, and he LOVED it

of course he was a respectful kid.. He and his flatmates bought bicycles and rail passes and blended in.. When they came home, they gave the bicycles to the landlord's kids..

They tried their best to speak Italian..and luckily for him it was in 2000, when people still liked Americans..:)

I'm not saying that they did not party a bit, but they fell in love with the Italian people, and my son wants to go back..

It's sad that the overseas adventures are being scaled back.. Less opportunity to get to know the rest of the world is exactly what we DON'T need right now..

[Dem2theMax]

11. I'm drooling over your son's adventure.

I've been lucky enough to spend a few days in Florence. A whole year? sigh. I want to go back too. But I only want a one way ticket. :) Italy is so wonderful. Someday.....

[SoCalDem]

12. His apartment was right across from that famous bridge

and in almost any show about Florence, that we see.. He will yell..THERE'S MY APARTMENT !!!


He is a soccer player, and met up with a bunch odf Candian hockey players on holiday.. They had a villa in Nice, so the hockey guys hung out with my son in Florence, and invited hiom and his roommate to Nice when they got a school break.. (Took a long time to decide on that one , eh??)..

He travelled to almost everywhere in Europe.. His favorite place was Budapest, even though he was afraid of pickpockets.. He said he felt so "loved" there..everyone "touched" him..

He lost my camera in Pompeii, so we never got to see those pictures, but he had a great adventure for a 19 yr old guy :)

[drdtroit]

14. That famous bridge

The Ponte Vecchio, ah, Firenza!

[SoCalDem]

15. That's the One ...Thanks

:)

[SoCalDem]

16. Found a pic that shows "his place'

They shared a courtyard apartment in that building.. And of course he freaked out every time it rained hard..Their apartment would always flood...The landlord would bring them a squeegee thing on a mop handle and say.."push push..water is gone".. The apartment was pretty much tiled everywhere:)

[drdtroit]

13. Yes, becasue their parents never taught them

any friggin' manners.