UW students falling out of dorm windows, parties, alcohol, drugs?

Since the mid 1980's at the UW in Seattle alone, at least six male students have died from falling out of windows in fraternity houses or dorms. At least five more have broken their backs, their necks or suffered other severe injuries. Countless others have fallen but escaped serious injury — and, in many cases, detection.

I had assumed the pull of gravity was extremely strong in the area of the U, and perhaps some leaning far out of the windows to catch a beer headed south might have met with this ill fate. Not so, they've no need. The fraternities provide them with more than enough alcohol. Neither does it have to do with the infamous light deprivation in the area. Wrong again on drugs, this IS Washington. According to some parents, it is the fault of the windows, which oddly enough have kept students safely inside for decades.

It has most recently been brought to the fore by the fatal plunge of yet another student from his third floor window on June 14. Slipping on the ladder to his bunk, out the window he flew after a long night of partying in the frat house. The ladder was secured with a tennis shoe on each leg to prevent slippage. Not recommended.

The initial attention getter this year was in March. Dawn Mott 22, was in critical condition after falling through her sixth floor room's plate glass window. Fortunately her fall was broken as were some bones by landing on the second-story awning above the cafeteria, she is a survivor.

Of course, there are many more stories each with their own details and stupidity, the one commonality seems to be the alcohol driven lifestyle at the Greek frats. These are tomorrow's movers and shakers folks, as they are fond of reminding us. A proud tradition of legislators, doctors, and politicians still belong to their Greek fraternities.

I find it interesting that parents blame the University for this alcohol-fueled tragedy rather than their own offspring. For example, a student and his parents are filing suit against Delta Upsilon and the window installer. The student, Erik Anderson survived. According to the suit he's a victim. This is especially ironic as he was the one who had organized the particular party he'd attended until the wee hours just before his fall. Innocently, Anderson was lying in his bunk bed next to a "free swinging window" after drinking at a "Trashed Tuesday"party. The lawsuit continues saying he rolled, "fell through the nearly five-foot opening, plunging from his fourth story bed to the concrete 45 feet below, "suffering massive injuries." His parents seek $279,000. Beware of bed spins, apparently they can throw you off of your mattress and out of the window....who knew? UW students falling out of dorm windows, parties, alcohol, drugs?
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