The first campus rally of the spring is set for today, with students threatening an eventual sleep-in at the college president's office to protest his policy toward illegal drug violations.

Student leaders want SUNY New Paltz President Steve Poskanzer to enact a moratorium on the mandatory expulsion of students who have been accused of two marijuana offenses.

Justin Holmes, the president of the student government, said the rally is the culmination of longstanding opposition to the mandatory expulsions.

"No other SUNY state college is so draconian in its policies," he said. Students caught using marijuana or with drug equipment are automatically expelled after two such incidents without legal or in-house review, he said. Expulsion is quicker for incidents involving other controlled substances, one time and you're out.

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