Case Western Reserve University faculty and students are protesting an administrative proposal banning pets on campus. Over 700 faculty and staff members have signed a petition against the proposal. Three hundred protestors held a rally two weeks ago to voice their opinion. CWRU’s president Edward Hundert attended the rally, accepting the petition. He told the protestors that a compromise could hopefully be reached.
Currently, the Student Government, the Staff Advisory Council, and the Faculty Senate are addressing the ban. These groups provide feedback on the proposal to the administration. In the end, the administration will decide if the ban will be enacted.
The University’s Department of Human Resources wants to place a ban on all small animals in the dorms. Many students feel strongly against this.
“Students appreciate having pets in the dorms. The dorm is their home, and being able to have animals is a comforting addition for many students,” stated Dr. Chris Mihos, protester and Astronomy Department professor.
The ban also includes no longer allowing Case’s professors to bring their dogs to their offices, which many have done for years. Many at the University believe that dogs are beneficial to the campus community and provide some added security for professors when working at night.
The dogs have also brought students and professors closer together giving them a common bond to build stronger relationships.
“For faculty and staff many of us appreciate the community-building that animals provide,” Mihos said. “Also animals are a proven stress reliever and during a trying day it has been helpful for me to pet the dog.”
The ban would follow the same policies that Bowling Green uses when dealing with animals on campus. There are no animals allowed in dorm rooms except for those kept in aquariums under 20 gallons. Any unauthorized pets found in dorm rooms would be a cause for disciplinary action.
If an unauthorized pet is found in a dorm room the student is given some time to find the animal a home before it is removed.
According to McDonald Hall Director Briar Winpersteen, the disciplinary action that follows tends to be a written warning up to probabtion if the student has previous offenses.
According to the University Provost there is no official policy regarding faculty members bringing their pets with them into the office.
