VWC is on a roll. Assistant Director of Residence Life Ryan Brown introduced the Marlins Wheels program on Wednesday Sept.26 at 1: 30 p.m. The opening ceremony took place in front of the reconstructed Wesley statue. Ten blue beach bikes were present.

“I love the new beach cruisers,” said sophomore Jennifer Felder, “because I feel like I am on the sitcom Pacific Blue. When my friends and I spot a bike, I get all excited. It makes me feel like a kid again, like I just found a pot of gold.” The orginal idea was presented by history profesor Dr. Dan Margolies from a prior institution. The program is not common, and it is rarely successful over a long period of time. Dean of Students David Buckingham, Brown and Margolies researched the program over the summer and solicited for bikes. Six bikes were donated and the school purchased four new ones. The Marlin beach cruisers were presented to the Virginia Wesleyan community so everyone will have a quick and easy way to roam the campus. The bikes are prohibited for off-campus pleasure. The Marlin bicycles are a source of transportation that will offer a convenient way for students and faculty to reach class and meetings on time. The Marlin bicycles are to be kept in plain view – never locked or stored in campus buildings.

Director of Residence Life Keith Moore assisted Brown in restoring the bikes. They scraped the rust off the bikes and painted them. Brown wanted the bikes to be useful but not too attractive that they would be stolen. “Thus far it has been a wild success,” said Brown, who has used one of the bikes to respond to a call. However, the Office of Residence Life has received a complaint that bikes are beginning to look run-down. “Some of the bikes have been recorded missing, because students have been hiding them in bushes and in their rooms,” said Tamika James, freshman office assistant. So far one bike has been “maliciously vandalized.” It was ripped apart and the tires were deflated. The main problem, according to Brown, is that the bikes get used for aerial acrobatics and chains pop off. But that is easy to fix.

After The Virginian-Pilot ran a story last week about the program, the school has received several calls from people willing to donate bikes. Kelly Jackson, an administrative assistant for the Center for the Study of Religious Freedom, said that her brother lives in Roanoke and heard about the program on the radio when the deejay’s funny story was the Marlin Wheels program. “I tenatively say it has been a success among students, faculty and staff,” said Brown. “I was surprised to see how much they were still being used Tuesday -- the novelty has not worn off.” Brown added the bikes are beneficial to alleviate parking problems for commuters. Riders have taken a keen liking to them. “The bikes are cool,” said freshman Kimberly Felder, “but some of them are already being run down by careless students.”

A rampage of vandalism struck campus last week targeting vehicles in the VII parking lot. Damages estimated at $1,300 were left to Gum Hall resident assistant Matt Tefft after vandals first kicked in the driver’s side door of his 1989 Trans Am Sept. 23 and slashed two tires in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Sept. 26. The vandals also left a hand-written note on his car the night of the tire-slashing, which Tefft described as “sarcastic.”

“I have no doubts that I was targeted,” Tefft said. Tefft reported the first incident to security Monday morning and security informed him of the second episode Wednesday evening after it was discovered. “Kristen Whalen was amazing,” Tefft said. “She helped me contact security who contacted the police.” The local Virginia Beach Police are now investigating the incident. Tefft went down to the station Oct. 1 to speak with the police more extensively about the two events. “Kristen, Dean Buckingham and Security Chief Leo were all supper supportive,” Tefft said. “The Dean made it clear that he was going to do everything he could to find out who was behind this.” Tefft was not the only victim of vandalism that week. On Sept. 26 sophomore Jackie Griffin discovered her front passenger tire was slashed and her parking sticker keyed. Her car was parked by the Bubble outside Village II. Griffin, however, doesn’t believe she was deliberately targeted. “I think people just did it for kicks,” Griffin said. “I don’t think it’s anything against me. I heard other peoples’ cars were also vandalized. One of my friends had her parking pass also keyed that night.” No matter how it’s viewed, however, it’s still an “expensive joke” Griffin said. Griffin and Tefft will both be forced to pay all damages to their vehicles.

With the start of every new school year comes inevitable changes on campus, and this year is no different. One of this year’s changes deals with amendments made to campus alcohol sanctions. “We’re looking at [drinking violations] as teachable moments...chances to educate students on how to make better decisions,” said Keith Moore, director of residence life. “We’re doing things other schools don’t.” While the majority of other institutions opt for a “three strikes, you’re out” policy, Wesleyan has adopted a more lenient “four balls, you walk” strategy. While the rules regarding alcohol on campus remain the same as in the past, the way in which violations will be dealt with has been modified.

The “sanctioning progression,“ as it has been termed, outlines the steps that will be used to deal with violations of the alcohol policy. The initial infraction carries a semester of conduct probation, five hours of community service, a two-hour alcohol workshop and guardian notification via letter. The second infringement carries the same consequences regarding guardian notification and an alcohol workshop, but adds two semesters of conduct probation and 10 hours of community service. The third violation earns the student disciplinary probation for two semesters, referral to counseling services, a four-hour Prime for Life Alcohol class, 30 hours of community service and guardian notification by phone. The fourth infraction results in suspension. In addition to the violations, there are situations in which students could encounter penalties for alcohol infractions with contributing factors. These factors are defined as instances in which the student must be taken to a hospital, acts in a belligerent manner, vandalizes property, is involved in a fight, drives under the influence, or hosts an unregistered social or plays drinking games. “Alcohol is not necessarily a problem — it’s what people do under the influence of alcohol that can be a problem,” said Moore. While it is early in the year and the guidelines have yet to undergo true testing, some students have already formed opinions of the new policy.

“I think it will only encourage students to go off-campus to drink,” said one VWC sophomore. “Then you have to think about the fact that those students are going to drink and drive to get back.” Another new plan regarding alcohol is the newly adopted Community Alcohol Prohibition, which is an attempt to motivate students to report incidents that involve disruptive behavior caused by alcohol. The policy states that if any floor becomes disorderly, or if an individual vandalizes school property or participates in any other threatening action in which no specific individuals can be identified, the entire floor will be penalized with alcohol prohibition for a period of time during which no one on the floor or in the suite may possess or consume alcoholic beverages. “It’s a useful tool in making people take responsibility for and ownership of their community,” said Moore. “No one likes when their rights are infringed upon because of the actions of others.”