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The narrative from the official police report regarding the arrest of Hardeep Purewal.

PUREWAL

Police incident report

Incoming freshman arrested downtown, status at University jeopardized

By: TAMARA BEST

Posted: 6/24/08

A University student in Athens for freshman orientation was arrested and charged with underage consumption of alcohol and urinating in public. The incident could keep him from attending the University in the fall.

Hardeep Purewal, 18, from North Charleston, S.C., was arrested and charged early June 12 after Athens-Clarke County police approached him. He was "staggering greatly" as he began to urinate near Hull Street, according to the incident report. Smelling of alcohol, Purewal said a downtown bar "just let him in" and repeatedly asked police "what would it take to let him go." Police did not find a fake ID when they searched him, the report states.

Hours after being released, Purewal was scheduled to register for classes on OASIS during his second day of orientation. However, the registrar's office told The Red & Black that Purewal was "not registered for classes but in their system for the fall."

"All students are told at orientation that if there is any misconduct while at orientation, that their admission can be taken away," Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs, said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning.

Jackson said he would not comment on the incident concerning Purewal, but said in the past the University has rescinded admission due to underage drinking arrests.

As defined by the Code of Conduct, a student includes those admitted to the University and attending orientation programs.

The rules in the Student Code of Conduct typically begin upon matriculating, when a student is registering or has registered for class, said Kim Ellis, vice president for student affairs.

"Up until that point, admission is conditional and that could include orientation periods," Ellis said.

Purewal had not matriculated, and as a result the incident will not be handled through the Office of Judicial Programs, Mitch Clayton, University open records manager, said in an e-mail Wednesday morning.

Purewal declined to comment Wednesday about the status of his admission and attendance at the University in the fall.

As a part of the orientation program, students are cautioned about the consequences of underage drinking during one of the Arch sessions called "Moderation."

The University Health Center, the University Police Department and other groups speak during the session, said Milly Legra, director of orientation.

"We also encourage the OLs [orientation leaders] to have a talk with them about the consequences," Legra said. "They hear it several times, but sometimes it helps to hear it from a peer."