Resident Life Advisor Assaulted in Bernadine Hall

(Cadre Nov. 2005) RLA Assaulted -

A female residence life advisor (RLA) was assaulted in Bernadine hall on Friday the 18th after attempting to enforce the university’s drinking policies. Myanna Adams, a third year student and fourth floor Bernadine hall RLA, was in the middle of rounds at approximately 12:45 a.m. when the altercation took place.
According to residence life officials, a signed in guest was leaving Bernadine Hall through the back entrance and was seen on video holding the door open for three young males who had been drinking. The three males, none of whom were UPEI students, entered the premises and were drinking in the stairwell when Adams confronted them.
Residence food and conference services manager Mark Braithwaite says when Adams asked the men not to drink in the hallway they apparently became irate, and when questioned about their guest status the situation became violent.
“Specifically, one of them grabbed her by the arm and jammed it in the stairwell door,” says Braithwaite. “[They weren't] going to co-operate with the Res Life advisor.”
Luckily, two male students were in the area and came to help, restraining the assailant and holding him until UPEI security police arrived. The other two men fled the scene and the third was arrested and removed from the building, says residence co-ordinator Donald MacLellan.
“The assaulter was arrested and removed from the building by UPEI security police, the other two ran off,” says MacLellan. “Later in the evening one of those two other gentlemen were discovered coming into the building and he was arrested as well.”
Braithwaite says their staff is appalled at the actions of these young men, but are pleased with the reactions of Adams, campus police and the two students who stepped up to help. Colin porter is one of those students.
“It’s pretty much like what people were saying,” said Porter. “One guy grabbed her [Adams] and me and one other guy held him until security came.”
After the men were removed from the building, residence staff made the decision to not allow guests for 48 hours to determine if there was any further threat to students and if there was a breach in security.
“Our first response is OK, let’s restrict the guest visitation privilege,” said Braithwaite. “After we were satisfied with our own investigation, that it wasn’t the fault of anyone living in residence, it wasn’t the fault of any breach of anything security attendants did. It was just a matter of one person exiting the building and three people snuck in.”
“I’ve been here for 11 years and this is one that’s new for me. It’s incredibly isolated, I’m appalled by the behaviour of these young people. Three males coming in and doing this to a female staff person? On university property, with security police here, that’s just over the top ass far as we’re concerned.”
According to Braithwaite and MacLellan, one of the men is being charged with assault, resisting arrest, trespassing, being drunk in a public place and illegal possession of alcohol. Court documents had not been processed at the time of publication and so specific charges, court dates and names of the accused cannot be published.