More than a year has passed since former Vice Chancellor of
Student Affairs Joseph W. Watson’s report and analysis of the residential
security officer program was released in Fall Quarter 2006, but neither his
successor nor student leaders committed to the issue have made strides toward
bridging the gap between RSOs and the UCSD student body.

Watson’s report — criticized by former A.S. President Harry
Khanna as largely ornamental — indicated that one of the primary grievances
that students held against RSOs was their enforcement of state and university
underage drinking policies, a role that would normally be handled by resident
advisers, as seen at other UC campuses.

Campus residential security officers like Kari Norwood were the focus of a 2006 report by administrators designed to improve their image among the student body. (Andrew Ruiz/Guardian)

The report went on to state that in order to reduce
on-campus alcohol consumption, and thereby improve RSOs’ reputation within the
student community, an outreach effort would have to focus on four primary
goals: education, communication, consistency and commitment. However, Watson’s
office, which he vacated upon his retirement in June, has not been working on
the issue this year.

Watson said he was unable to comment on the current
relationship between RSOs and students.

“I believe it is inappropriate for me to make any comments
on the RSO program at this time regardless of whether the comments relate to
events or actions that are pre- or post-June 2007,” Watson said in an e-mail.

Current Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue was
also unable to reveal any outreach efforts that could have been undertaken
following the report’s release.

“I have had no contact with the RSO program at this time,”
she said.

During his election campaign last year, A.S. President Marco
Murillo promised to re-evaluate Watson’s study and conduct his own in an
attempt to better understand how to bridge the divide between RSOs and the
student community. Murillo said he has plans to follow up on this promise, but
has not made any progress so far this year.

“Unfortunately, I have not had any time to address this
issue just yet,” Murillo said. “However, I do intend on determining what kind
of role an evaluation program can play in this process and what kinds of new
practices can be put in place.”

Murillo said that a shift in responsibility from RSOs to RAs
regarding the enforcement of underage drinking would also help the reputation
of RSOs within the student body.

“The RSOs’ purpose is to ensure student safety,” he said. “I
think that the problem is that a lot of students feel that RSOs have
overstepped their boundaries and have taken on more of a parental role. Each
building is assigned an RA. If students need anything, RAs are there as a guide,
and if anything is a serious problem, RAs need to hear about it.”

Despite Rue and Murillo’s apparent lack of progress, head
university spokeswoman Stacie A. Spector said the RSO program has actually
undergone numerous changes since that time.

“RSOs play a critical role in providing safety and security
to our residents and yes, significant effort has been made to improve relations
with students,” she said in an e-mail. “The coordination and communication
between all parties involved in the residential experience will continue, as
will exploring concerns students raise of an overly legalistic culture.”

Spector said these changes included new RSO uniforms to
minimize “feelings of intimidation” so that RSOs would appear more
approachable.

The officers have also participated in more of the training
given to RAs and housing advisers, as well as campus-specific meetings with
Residential Life staff.

“Starting fall of 2007, RSOs have participated in RA and HA
training at all six colleges to ensure consistency in customer service
throughout the RSO program and all six college residences,” she said.

UCSD Police Sgt. Yolanda Smith, who heads the RSO program
along with Lt. David Rose, expressed a more positive view of the current
relationship between RSOs and the student body.

“We run the RSO program, so maybe we have a bit of a biased
opinion, but I think most of the student body understands why we are needed,”
Smith said. “We are here to protect the student body, and as a result of that
comes a need for enforcement.”

Smith said that the RSO program, which is not common among University
of California campuses, attempts to
work in unison with RAs to ensure that student safety is upheld.

“Our primary responsibility is safety, but enforcement is an
essential part of that responsibility,” she said. “I believe the RSO report
represents only a small percentage of students who see RSOs negatively. I feel
the community as a whole appreciates what we do. As far as I am concerned that
was a very small percentage.”

Smith also acknowledged the fact that those responsible for
enforcement of rules and regulations are often the ones who most fall under
criticism and stringent evaluation.

“I understand that law enforcement gets a bad rep, that
there are bad apples everywhere, but unfortunately that is the price we have to
pay for being in this job,” she said. “Unfortunately, we have to be part of
things that are not going to go over well with everybody.”