Samuel watches campus change, improve

In "The Rule of Four," the popular novel set at the University by Ian Caldwell '98 and Dustin Thomason, the characters perpetually navigate dangerous underground steam tunnels on campus.

Though some students may have disregarded this plot component as just another fictional element, Sgt. Kenneth Samuel of Public Safety knows the real story.

"[They're] not fictional," Samuel said. "Some of the tunnels go to the Dillon Gym pool." That, he said, is how people have gotten into the gym "to swim late at night" in the past.

In 38 years with the Department of Public Safety, Samuel has seen his fair share of outrageous behavior. However, he said he has also witnessed significant improvement in the University's policies and in the conduct of its student body.

He has also accumulated a substantial amount of knowledge concerning student life during his years with the University.

Samuel, who joined Public Safety in 1966, said the most significant change he's seen was the University's decision to make the Class of 1973 coeducational.

Samuel said, contrary to the general opinion among undergraduates at the time, the integration of women into the University community did not lead to tension in the student body. In fact, he said, "it seemed like a good way to change the University."

But throughout the years, Samuels said there has been at least one constant among University undergraduates — alcohol consumption.

"It's always alcohol," Samuel said. "Being in college, you're going to tend to drink because of the sophomores and juniors [who do]. [Freshmen] fall into their habits."

The University also used to facilitate student drinking. In the 1960s, when the drinking age was 18, there was a pub in the basement of Chancellor Green. When the drinking age was changed to 21 in the 1970s, the pub was closed because only a few seniors could use it and the business was no longer lucrative.

But the removal of the pub never stopped students of all ages from drinking. And along with alcohol consumption comes property damage. Samuel said he has seen many students who got "too drunk and head-butted the lamps or whatnot" in his years.

However, Samuel said he thinks students have been drinking less in recent years.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

"I think it's starting to mellow out a little bit," Samuel said. "Students aren't drinking as much or as often as they used to."

He attributed this change to the possibility that students have "read more about alcoholism" and the fact that there are "more counselors" on campus who specialize in matters relating to alcohol. "The majority were deans in previous decades," he said.

Despite some of the hassles of his job, Samuel says his work is very rewarding. "I love it," he added.

Samuel has his wife to thank for his close relationship with the student body.

While he was deciding between policing for the Borough or for the University, his wife sealed his fate when she told him, "I don't want you carrying a gun."

He has gotten to know members of the football team particularly well through his work with a community partnership program.

"I travel with them, try to be close to them, have them talk to me if they need to," he said.