The elimination of the Fresh Start program beginning in fall 2005 was finalized this week after student leaders and ISU administrators met extensively and gathered student feedback.

The group made the recommendation to eliminate the program based on budget issues, which also resulted in the elimination of the academic resource coordinator positions, part of Fresh Start, last semester.

Drew Larson, president of the Inter-Residence Hall Association, said the elimination of the coordinator positions will save the university nearly $100,000 each year.

He said after the suggestions were approved by ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, he was glad the changes could be made.

The program was eliminated mostly because it had become difficult to enforce because of the elimination of the coordinator positions, Larson said.

“Students disliked it; it was detrimental to the intention of the program, and with the financial situation and elimination of the ARCs, that just made it that much more urgent,” he said.

All residence hall areas will follow the non-Fresh Start alcoholic beverages and controlled substances policy for the 2005-06 academic year, with the exception of Maple and Eaton Halls and five houses in Friley Hall. Alcohol will be prohibited to all students in these areas, regardless of age, according to an e-mail sent out by Department of Residence administration. Any student who violates the alcohol policy will be removed from the substance-free living environment.

“The main points for the recommendation [to eliminate Fresh Start] was the alcohol policy and the visitation policy,” Larson said.

The visitation policy allows no guests in student rooms past 1 a.m. on weekdays.

“This policy is gender-neutral, and roommates can change any aspect of it by signing a roommate contract,” Larson said.

He said he was surprised to see how much student feedback he received on the issue. The one specific concern students had was how these policies would be enforced.

Mitch Hayek, former president of Maple Hall, was a part of the decision-making process to eliminate Fresh Start and said he was happy with how ISU administration worked with students on the decision.

“We went through and threw out all the ideas of the old Fresh Start, salvaged what we could and threw out what we couldn’t,” he said.

The visitation policy, in particular, was changed in response to constituent input, Hayek said.

“I received 300 e-mails from students, polls were available on residence hall Web sites, and all Community Advisers gave input,” Larson said.