Driving along Patterson, sophomore Julius Conley was told by aUniversity of Memphis Police Services officer to turn down thevolume of his music. Without any hesitation, Conley cooperated.
Like any other place, there are rules to disturbing the peace onThe U of M campus.
Some students refer to noise pollution as loud music in vehiclesor dorm rooms, and some take it as far as when someone is talkingloudly while others are around studying or sleeping.
Sophomore Krystalyn Ingram said students on campus need theirsleep, something that can be hard to get enough of when others areenjoying college life -- loudly.
"I just finished my homework and got ready for bed, and when Idozed off, I heard this boom," Ingram said. "I looked at my alarmclock, and it was 1:30 a.m. When I looked out my window to see whatwas going on, it was an SUV bumping his or her music loud."
Some U of M students are fed up with this noise pollution andsometimes call Police Services to help control the situation.
Derek Myers, deputy director of Police Services, said when theofficers take action on the infraction, the majority of loud musiclovers are good about turning down their music or keeping theirvoices down.
This semester, Myers said, there have already been severalcomplaints of noise disturbance.
Sept. 17, after midnight, someone called saying students werebeing loud outside Richardson Towers. Sept. 16, at 7:17 p.m.,someone reported loud music on Central Lot, and Sept. 11, at 1:09a.m., someone reported a group of people on the front lawn ofRichardson Towers talking loudly.
"It's fairly common for students to call us when someone or somepeople are being loud when others are trying to sleep or study,"Myers said. "But they always do what was told."
In dorms and apartments on campus, quiet hours are in effecteach day from 10 p.m. until noon, specifically meaning noise shouldnot be heard from any student's room or apartment, according to TheU of M handbook.
Sophomore Karen Waters said people don't respect others in theirdorm, despite the rules.
"Noise pollution is when people hear and see you talking toother people, and they decided to turn up their music or any otherdevices to overrule your conversation," she said.
However, "rowdy, boisterous or disorderly behavior whichdisturbs other residents constitutes misconduct in the housingfacility," according to The U of M handbook. The "disorderlybehavior" includes using any sound-producing equipment at anyvolume in any manner, which disturbs other residents at anytime.
"Sound from such equipment must not be audible outside theresidents' rooms or apartment unit," the handbook says.
Sophomore Rachel Davis said people should respect others andalso themselves by thinking twice about turning up the volume. Itdoesn't really bother me when people blast their music," she said."But they should understand it can harm their hearing and those whoare riding with them."
