Hale Aloha Mokihana dorm ranks first with alcohol posionings

By Matthew Marzi, Nalea J. Ko and Christen Vidanovic

So far this fall semester, the University of Hawaii campus security’s crime logs indicate that three alcohol poisonings occurred at the Hale Aloha Mokihana dorms, but resident advisers claim that even more cases go unreported.   

The first incident on Sept. 2 took place in Mokihana’s lobby at 3:13 a.m., and the student was transported to the hospital by EMS crews.  The next night, a repeat of this incident happened in the 12th floor restroom at 12:36 a.m.

The final incident occurred the following weekend on Sept 10, this time involving an underage student.  The resident was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital after the alcohol poisoning was reported around 1:16 a.m.

Despite these three alcohol-related incidents, Hale Aloha Mokihana’s staff maintains that it is a secure place to live.  “Mokihana is pretty safe, especially with the 24-hour desk,”  said 12th floor resident adviser (RA) Marlon Gomez, referring to a policy in the freshman towers that mandates a staff member be on duty at all times. 

However, when our team of journalism students went to the tower at 9 p.m. on Saturday to investigate the incidents, no one was available.  We called a number posted in the lobby to get a hold of an on-call staff member.  In all, it took nearly 10 minutes before an RA arrived.  In the event of an emergency 10 minutes could mean death.

Brittney Taketa, who works at the front desk of the Mokihana dorms from midnight to 3 a.m., said she believes that there is a drinking problem in that dorm.  “I have to deal with people coming into Mokihana drunk all the time, and I have to deal with the emergencies that happen as well.”  Taketa continued, “People need to know their limits.  You can drink, but keep it under control.”

Taketa is responsible for logging all incident reports, but sometimes events at Mokihana dorms are not documented, she says.  “There have actually been more than three [alcohol poisonings]: those are just the ones that have had the ambulance called.”  Taketa continues, “There have actually been about five.  They were moderate cases, but they were still alcohol poisonings, and they went unreported.”

Mokihana was also home to a highly televised and reported security crime incident.  A student was sexually assaulted by an intruder on Aug. 17.  “When she awoke she saw he had a pair of scissors that he pushed against her face causing a small cut.  He then grabbed her inappropriately, thereby committing sexual assault.  She screamed, fought back, and he ran out of the room,” according to a University of Hawaii press release.

As a result of this incident UH officials proposed security upgrades such as hiring off-duty police officers to patrol the campus at night. 

Regardless of the influx of alcohol poisonings in the Mokihana dorms, some believe that the incidents are being properly managed.  Gomez believes that the RAs in Mokihana are keeping residents safe. “The RAs do a good job, and they make it a safe environment,” he said.  “If we suspect something’s going on [with drinking] then we will take care of it.  We have specific steps to address alcohol problems.”  Gomez was one of the few RAs who did not refuse to speak on the incidents, as UH Housing prohibits any interviews. 

In a survey given to incoming freshman by the Manoa Alcohol Project in 2005, 70 percent reported that they do use alcohol, and 30 percent admit to binge drinking.  But in Mokihana, those numbers may even be higher.  One Mokihana resident has proudly posted nine letters fro the university on his door informing him of alcohol violations.  And while staff members say they believe that it is a safe place to live, so far Mokihana has the most alcohol poisonings of any dorm, according to Campus Security’s crime logs.

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