Two University orientation leaders were fired Wednesday after it was reported they were at a West Bank bar with two incoming freshmen who had just gone through orientation.
The two leaders were sitting on the patio of a West Bank bar late Tuesday night. According to one of the fired male orientation leaders, a 19-year-old junior, the two female freshmen walked by the bar and joined them.
The two incoming students recognized the orientation leaders after attending a new-student program earlier that day, he said. The other male orientation leader is a 22-year-old senior.
University admissions officials saw the leaders with the freshmen at the bar and reported it the next day, said the 19-year-old former leader. The leaders were promptly fired.
According to new-student program policies, orientation leaders must sign an ethical code of conduct agreeing not to interact with incoming students outside of orientation. And orientation leaders are required to leave immediately if incoming students who attended orientation show up at a social event they are attending.
If they interact socially at a place where alcohol is served, it is grounds for immediate dismissal.
“We are real sensitive to the fact that orientation leaders are in a position of leadership,” said LeeAnn Melin, freshmen admissions director and facilitator of New Student Programs.
The orientation leader explained they didn’t invite the female students to the bar and the two women were not served alcohol. He said he was also not drinking.
The orientation leader said he didn’t think he was going to be fired because the students were not drinking, but added he knew he wasn’t allowed to interact with incoming students from orientation in a social setting.

Patrick Hayes welcomes comments at (612) 627-4070 x3211.