Pubdate: Tue, 05 Jun 2007 Source: Dallas Morning News (TX) Copyright: 2007 The Dallas Morning News Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117 Author: Jason Trahan, The Dallas Morning News Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DEAD STUDENT'S DAD ASKS SMU TO STEP UP DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION Dean: School Offers Programs But Students Must Make Wise Choices The father of a 21-year-old Southern Methodist University coed who was the third student to die from excessive drug or alcohol use in the last five months said Monday that the school needs to more aggressively address substance abuse among students. "Drugs are woven into the Greek system and the social fabric of the university," Joseph Bosch said at a news conference at Dallas police headquarters. "The administration is either unwilling or has been incapable of addressing this issue, and we urge the administration of the university to radically change their approach to this problem." University officials say they are working to stop drug use on campus, including appointing a task force on substance abuse prevention. But students must make wise choices, officials said. "We mourn with the Bosch family the tragic death of Meaghan," Dee Siscoe, SMU's dean of student life, said Monday. "Like colleges and universities across the nation, we are concerned about illegal drug use among some students, habits sometimes developed before they begin college," she said. "For this reason, SMU offers numerous programs and services aimed at prevention, education, assistance and enforcement." "Essential to our efforts, however, is the commitment by students, as young adults, to abide by laws and regulations and to make decisions in their own best interests." The Texas Rangers announced Monday that Ms. Bosch died from an accidental overdose of cocaine, methamphetamine and oxycodone, an addictive pain pill and respiratory depressant. Ms. Bosch's family said they began noticing her drug use around February, which is when friends said she began to withdraw from them. She began to attend SMU in fall 2005, officials there said, after attending classes at Collin County Community College and the University of Arkansas. She graduated from high school in McKinney. Ms. Bosch was found dead May 14 at a construction site in Hewitt near Waco; her family reported her missing three days earlier. It's still unclear how she ended up there. Police believe Ms. Bosch was last with James McDaniel, 46, who was paroled in 2001 after serving 22 years for a Dallas murder. He is identified in police affidavits as a drug dealer who targets SMU students and supplied Ms. Bosch with drugs. He denied he was a drug dealer in an interview last week and was vague when asked what he knew about her disappearance. "These drug dealers go on and off campus at their will," Mr. Bosch said Monday. "I think the university and law enforcement at the university is aware, to some degree, what goes on, on their campus. . There is no doubt in our hearts that this tragedy could have been and should have been avoided." On Dec. 2, Jacob Stiles, a 20-year-old sophomore from Naperville, Ill., was found in his room at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on campus. He overdosed on a mixture of cocaine, alcohol and the synthetic opiate fentanyl. On May 2, SMU freshman Jordan Crist, 19, also from Illinois, was found unconscious in an SMU dorm room and later died at a local hospital. His death was ruled alcohol poisoning. SMU officials said university police and local law enforcement agencies investigate any possible violations of alcohol and drug use in their jurisdictions, and SMU also enforces its student code of conduct and residence hall guidelines through its judicial system. "Those with drug policy violations are subject to fines, suspension and expulsion," said SMU spokeswoman Patricia LaSalle. "Those who are allowed to stay may be subject to drug testing as a condition of continuing as a student at SMU." Police affidavits say Ms. Bosch was spotted at Mr. McDaniel's house apparently high on drugs the day before she was reported missing. The next day, a witness said he saw Ms. Bosch unconscious and barely breathing on Mr. McDaniel's bed. The day before her body was found near Waco, Mr. McDaniel told the witness to pretend not to know him if questioned by police, the affidavits say. Although Mr. McDaniel currently faces no charges in Ms. Bosch's disappearance or death, he is being held while state officials move to revoke his parole after finding guns in his home. Mr. McDaniel has also been charged in a 2005 sexual assault case in Dallas. The victim in that case, which is unrelated to the Bosch inquiry, says Mr. McDaniel drugged and raped her. When police searched Mr. McDaniel's two Dallas homes last month looking for clues to Ms. Bosch's death, they found videos of Mr. McDaniel having sex with women. Police are trying to identify the women in the videos, which Mr. McDaniel has told police chronicle consensual acts. Ms. Bosch is not in the videos. The Bosch family and police are asking that anyone who knows anything about Meaghan's death contact the Texas Rangers at 214-861-2360 or Dallas police at 214-671-3584. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath