Dillard students have mixed feelings about curfew for freshmen and sophomores, seeing it either as an attempt to instill mature behavior in students or rebutted as crippling students’ abilities to make responsible choices for themselves.
Dillard enforces curfews for its freshman and sophomore students from midnight to 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2-7 a.m. Friday through Saturday. Repeated failure to comply may result in a hearing in front of the Residential Life Hearing Board, according to the student handbook.
When asked to weigh in on the pros and cons of curfews in the long- and short-term, six Dillard University students all agreed the rules are set with good intentions, but disagreed regarding the benefits.
English sophomores Tiffini Reese, 19, from California, and Maya Franklin, 19, of Shreveport, live on-campus and, therefore, have a curfew and agreed there are pros and cons. Reese, who said she’d never had a curfew before, said while you can’t stay out as long as you want without consequences, the rule does make you more responsible. Franklin had a curfew at home, sees safety as a long-term benefit.
Two juniors had mixed opinions. Kendra Murray, 20, a mass communication junior from Chicago, said the “ridiculous” curfew was the reason she moved off-campus, but she said safety is a short-term benefit.
Taylor Francois, 20, a English/psychology major from New Orleans, lives off-campus and has a curfew at home.
Yet she said, “I really don’t like curfews because I feel [as if] I’m grown so, therefore, I should be obligated to have one. But I know it’s for the best.”
Two seniors also had conflicting views. Naketo Doyle, 21, a criminal justice senior from New Orleans, lives off-campus and has a curfew. Dion Simmons, 21, an English senior from Detroit, lives on-campus as a resident assistant in Straight Hall.
Doyle saw short-term benefits, but no long-term ones with curfew. But Simmons, who said she’s lived with curfews all four years, said she saw neither short-term nor long-term benefits.
“Students should be expected, and not forced, to behave responsibly,” Simmons said. “Also, students have different lifestyles and abilities…Curfews cripple and coddle students rather than encourage growth.”
