Freshmen are more likely to visit the Judicial Affairs Office more than other classes.

Sixty-two percent, or 541 of 874 cases handled by judicial affairs in the 2005 to 2006 academic year involved freshmen.

Only 19 percent of cases involved sophomores, 11 percent involved juniors and eight percent involved seniors and graduate students.

“There’s a lot of different theories in judicial affairs as to why that is,” said Heather Webb, director of Judicial Affairs.

One theory is that with more freshmen living on campus than any other class, they are likely to be involved in more cases referred to judicial affairs.

“Virtually all freshmen live on campus,” said Mark Hudson, director of housing and dining.

Excessive noise, housing visitation policies and animals in on-campus housing are policies that mainly on-campus residents would violate.

Webb said another theory for the high number of freshmen cases is that the first year of college gives students a new independence they might know how to handle.

“This is really the first time that they’re independent and they’re making decisions for themselves,” she said. “Some students have more trouble handling those changes than other students.”

One of those decisions is whether or not to drink alcohol. Of 874 cases, 428 were for underage possession of alcohol.

In an effort to lower that number, the university began a new education and prevention program called AlcoholEDU, designed to educate Eastern’s incoming students about alcohol.

“You’re probably going to start to see some differences,” in alcohol offenses because of the program, Webb said.

All incoming students must complete the web-based program or a hold will be placed on their EIU student accounts.

“When you are first here you go through that period of time when you are testing that independence,” Hudson said. “As people are here longer, they mature and make better decisions.”

“College is always a learning experience,” Webb agrees. “The freshman year especially.”

The 2006 to 2007 judicial affairs statistics will be compiled during the summer of 2007.