NIU student faces possible expulsion

By Stewart Warren

An NIU student who was charged Nov. 5 with selling pot from his residence hall room might be kicked out of school.

Andrew C. Otto, 19, 1124 Grant Towers South, was arrested by the North Central Narcotics Task Force and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

The Rockford native had more than an ounce but less than a pound of marijuana in his residence hall room.

Although no official source reported the incident to the NIU Judicial Office, Director Larry Bolles said he will investigate it immediately.

Bolles said his three main sources of information are the campus police, other hall residents and residence hall staff.

The judicial office considers on-campus drug-dealing to be a serious offense, Bolles said. “Selling drugs in a residence hall is an expellable offense on this campus,” he said.

If expelled, Otto can appeal the decision and continue to live in the residence hall during the process unless the residence hall staff takes action, Bolles said.

“If we feel you are a threat to students or to university property, we can remove you,” Bolles said. “A student selling drugs is a threat. Dope dealers get robbed and shot at. We’d move him out with a temporary sanction.”

Otto is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 21.