One student’s appeal led to a change in recreation rules for SDSU students

By Sandy Coronilla, Contributor

This Thanksgiving, San Diego State freshman Nathaniel Bennett had something extra to be thankful for: Volleyball.

Toward the end of last month, the 6-foot-2, 160-pound intramural men’s volleyball player received word that his one-year-long suspension from all Aztec Recreation facilities and programs was being adjusted in his favor.

This put an end to a 12-week conflict involving Bennett and the ARC, during which he filed a successful appeal directed to Recreation Center Director Eric Huth.

It all began on Sept. 3 when the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity was hosting a party that Bennett attended. Five shots and “a few beers” later, he arrived intoxicated to the Aquaplex during its Welcome Back Pool Party.

In an incident report dated Sept. 24, Aquaplex Coordinator Jacki Johnson stated, “Nathaniel was able to pass Elite Security, which was at the entrance to the Aquaplex, and pass guest services without incident.”

According to Bennett, he wasn’t the only one from the party to show up intoxicated and able to pass security; he was just the only one to vomit on the south side grass. This prompted a swift reaction by Aquaplex staff and after a brief period in the shade, Bennett was accompanied by a public safety officer to a detox facility downtown.

The Recreation Board voted on Nov. 1 to make Bennett’s suspension more lenient. Instead of being banned from all facilities and activities, Bennett is now removed from “all … facilities / activities except intramural volleyball.”

But that’s not all.

A motion by the board to make Aquaplex guest rules more strict also passed. This situation caused the board members to amend rules to “more clearly state that any type of intoxication at the Aquaplex will lead to suspension from all Aztec Recreation facilities / activities.”

Meanwhile, the Recreation Board’s recommendations moved through the Associated Students Executive Committee on Nov. 8 and landed squarely before the ASC on Nov. 10.

Clearly causing some confusion in the ASC, Huth answered an onslaught of questions. During a lengthy discussion, both Huth and some A.S. members acknowledged that on the date of the incident, Bennett was in no condition to leave the premises. However, the current rule written in the ARC’s Member Handbook simply states members suspected of being under the influence of alcohol would be asked to leave.

Upon consideration of the recommendation to allow Bennett to use the ARC’s facilities to play an intramural sport, other members such as councilmember Stephanie Archibald seemed concerned about his lack of supervision.

“Since he’s allowed to play club volleyball, if we’re not having a staff person following him, he might not leave the center after practice. Will someone be checking up on him?” Archibald asked.

Huth replied, “We know when he’s allowed to come in but we’re not going to follow him. If he enters on days when there’s no practice, we’ll know.  But we’re not going to go crazy on this guy.”

In his appeal letter, Bennett took responsibility for his actions at the Aquaplex. But he also called the length of his suspension and his loss of ability to play intramural volleyball “a bit stiff.”

“I have been playing volleyball my entire life and it means the world to me; it is an outlet for energy and it keeps me active and healthy,” Bennett wrote.

As of Dec. 4 the new rule had not made its way to the students yet.