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Shannon and WRC alumnus Arpit Shah, a senior at the time of the incident, were caught in a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission undercover operation when they went to Spec's Liquor Store on Holcombe Boulevard to purchase liquor for the RPC's Rodeo Party Feb. 17, 1996, when Shannon was RPC socials chair.

Shannon was then age 20 and was thus cited for underage possession, while Shah, who was 21, was cited for making alcohol available to a minor. Shah's trial is scheduled to be held on April 2.

Shannon and Shah were cited despite the fact that Shannon was carrying the Campus Police form authorizing alcohol at the Rodeo Party and offered to call the Campus Police so that they could explain. "The TABC agent told me she didn't care `what these Rice policemen had signed,'" Shannon said, adding that the TABC agents refused to give their names or even the address of the TABC office. "I don't think they wanted to deal with any of our big words," he said.

Associate Director of the Student Center Lisa Jones, also an adviser to the RPC, drew a distinction between Rice's "inside the hedges" policy authorizing the presence of alcohol at the party and any authorization of Shannon to purchase the alcohol. Referring to Shannon's Campus Police form, Jones said "that piece of paper means nothing outside the hedges."

"I felt immune with my paperwork and knowing I was doing the right thing for the university," Shannon explained.

Once charged, Shannon and Shah expected help from the university's general counsel but were disappointed.

Jones characterized the university's reaction as offering support "from the standpoint that `we're sorry that it happened' but Rice never asked Mike to purchase the alcohol."

Jones personally wrote Shannon a letter of support explaining the situation, but the university offered no official support. Both Shannon and Shah individually hired lawyers.

Rice counsel Joe Davidson explained that the level of university involvement in individual legal cases depends on the specific facts of the case.

In this instance, Shannon was not representing the university and actually acted contrary to Jones' advice that he not try to go to Spec's, according to Jones.

After his experience, Shannon said he realized how important it is for "student organizations to know all the rules themselves, because the administration doesn't always cover for you or the organization."

Shannon's case was immediately dismissed when the HPD officer who originally cited him did not appear at the trial.

"I'll take it by my officer's failure to appear that he felt justice was served," he said. Shannon now plans to have TABC reimburse RPC for the alcohol that was seized shortly after Shah purchased it. Shah has already been personally reimbursed by RPC.

With Shah's trial approaching, Shannon expressed concern that Shah might not be cleared so easily, since the charge against him specifically mentions "to wit Michael Shannon." If found in violation, Shah would face up to $175 in fines in addition to the legal fees he has already paid.

This item appeared in the News section of the March 14, 1997 issue.