Calvin University's Knollcrest campus, on Burton Street SE, is mostly in the City of Grand Rapids — but not entirely. Parts of the campus fall in Kentwood and in East Grand Rapids, and which side of those lines an incident happened on decides which police department responds and which of three district courts hears the case. Add Calvin's own rules — stricter on alcohol and marijuana than Michigan law — and a Calvin student can face a very different set of consequences than a student a mile away.
I'm Shawn Haff, a criminal defense attorney in Wyoming, Michigan, and I represent Calvin students — and the parents who call me at 2 a.m. — in the 61st, 62-B and 63rd District Courts and the Kent County Circuit Court. The first call is free and I answer it myself, 24/7: 616-438-6719.
Who Makes Arrests at Calvin
Calvin's Campus Safety officers are armed and on duty around the clock, but they are not sworn police: their arrest power is a private citizen's, and Calvin's own security report says local police are called in to make arrests. On most of the campus that means the Grand Rapids Police Department, which responds under an agreement with the university. The portions of campus in East Grand Rapids and Kentwood are handled by those cities' own departments.
Where a Calvin Student's Case Is Heard
Where the case lands depends on the jurisdiction. Incidents on the Grand Rapids portion of campus — and anywhere else in the city — go to the 61st District Court, 180 Ottawa Ave NW. Kentwood cases go to the 62-B District Court, 4740 Walma Ave SE. East Grand Rapids cases go to the 63rd District Court, 1950 E Beltline Ave NE. Felonies from all three are tried at the 17th Circuit Court in downtown Grand Rapids. The citation names the court; if it does not match where you think you were, that is worth raising.
The Second Case: Calvin's Student Conduct Code
Calvin's Student Conduct Code is administered by the Office of Student Support, Accountability, and Restoration, and it covers off-campus conduct. Two of its rules catch students by surprise. Alcohol is prohibited anywhere on the Calvin campus regardless of age — students 21 and older may drink off campus, but not on it. And marijuana is prohibited on or off campus, even for students over 21 for whom it is legal under Michigan law. Calvin can impose a provisional suspension before a hearing. Title IX matters are handled by the Director of Safer Spaces, Calvin's Title IX Coordinator — see my note on sexual misconduct allegations at Calvin.
Calvin's Good Samaritan policy says a student who calls for medical help for someone will not be sanctioned for it, and Michigan law separately protects a minor who seeks medical help from an MIP charge. For many Calvin students the school consequences — scholarships, a teaching placement, a church or ministry path, and the two-year residency requirement that keeps most students in campus housing — matter as much as the criminal ones. That is why the conduct process should not be handled alone.
The Charges I See Most From Calvin
Calvin's caseload looks different from a big state school's: fewer bar charges, more cases where the conduct code and a small criminal charge collide.
- Minor in possession — and for students of any age, alcohol on campus as a conduct violation
- Marijuana charges and conduct violations, even where the possession is legal under state law
- OWI, including zero-tolerance charges for drivers under 21
- Retail fraud from the East Beltline and 28th Street stores
- Adderall and prescription drug possession
- Sexual misconduct and Title IX allegations
- Assault and dating violence allegations
Michigan Law Every Calvin Student Should Know
These are the Michigan statutes behind most student charges. For a Calvin student, read them next to the Conduct Code: several things that are civil infractions — or legal — under state law are still violations at Calvin.
| Charge | Statute | What it actually means |
|---|---|---|
| Minor in possession — 1st | MCL 436.1703 | A state civil infraction, not a crime: fine up to $100. "Possession" includes having consumed — a breath result of 0.02 or more, or any presence of alcohol. |
| Minor in possession — 2nd / 3rd | MCL 436.1703 | Misdemeanors, with fines up to $200 and $500. Jail (up to 30 / 60 days) only if you violate probation, skip treatment or screening, or do not pay. A second offense can be deferred once in a lifetime. |
| Calling for medical help | MCL 436.1703(9) | Not an MIP violation: a minor who seeks medical help for themselves or a friend, or who accompanies them, cannot be charged with MIP for it. |
| Fake ID | MCL 436.1703(2); MCL 257.324 | Using a fraudulent ID to buy alcohol is a misdemeanor (up to 93 days). A conviction for possessing or displaying a fake or borrowed license also brings a mandatory Secretary of State suspension — 90 days, or one year with a prior. |
| Marijuana under 21 | MCL 333.27965 | Up to 2.5 oz is a civil infraction: up to $100 the first time, up to $500 the second. Legal at 21 under state law — but not necessarily under your school's rules. |
| Zero-tolerance OWI (under 21) | MCL 257.625(6) | Driving with a BAC of 0.02 or more, or any presence of alcohol. A misdemeanor: up to 360 hours of community service and/or a $250 fine, plus license sanctions. At 0.08, it is an ordinary OWI. |
| Retail fraud, 3rd degree | MCL 750.356d | Under $200: a misdemeanor, up to 93 days and a fine of $500 or three times the value. It is a crime of dishonesty — what licensing boards and employers look for. |
| Furnishing alcohol to a minor | MCL 436.1701 | The 21-year-old hosting the party: a misdemeanor, up to 60 days and $1,000 for a first offense — and far more if someone is badly hurt. |
| HYTA | MCL 762.11 | For offenses committed from 18 to before 26: plead without a conviction being entered; complete supervision and the case is dismissed and closed to the public. Prosecutor consent needed from 21. Not available for OWI or other traffic offenses. |
| Setting aside a conviction | MCL 780.621 | Most misdemeanors can be set aside three years after sentence. A deferred-and-dismissed MIP still counts toward eligibility, so it is not "free". |
What to Do in the First 48 Hours
- Do not explain things to Campus Safety. Their reports go to the police and to the conduct office.
- Find out which city you were in. Grand Rapids, Kentwood or East Grand Rapids — it decides the police department and the court.
- Do not write a statement for OSSAR before a lawyer has reviewed the situation.
- Think about what else is at stake — scholarship terms, an education placement, a ministry or seminary path — and tell me at the first call, because it shapes the strategy.
- Call before the first court date.
For how the juvenile court, HYTA and campus discipline fit together for every age group, see my teen and college student defense guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Calvin Campus Safety arrest me?
Only as a private citizen could. Calvin's Campus Safety officers are armed and on duty 24/7, but they are not sworn police officers; Calvin's own security report says local police are called to make arrests. On most of the campus that is the Grand Rapids Police Department; the Kentwood and East Grand Rapids portions are handled by those cities' departments.
Which court will my Calvin case be in?
Usually the 61st District Court at 180 Ottawa Ave NW, because most of the campus is in the City of Grand Rapids. Incidents in the Kentwood portion go to the 62-B District Court, and those in East Grand Rapids to the 63rd District Court. Felonies from all three go to the 17th Circuit Court.
I am 21. Can Calvin discipline me for marijuana?
Yes. Michigan law allows adults 21 and older to possess limited amounts of marijuana, but Calvin's Student Conduct Code prohibits marijuana on or off campus. It also prohibits alcohol anywhere on campus regardless of age. Legal conduct under state law can still be a conduct violation at Calvin.
Can Calvin suspend me before the case is decided?
Yes. Calvin's conduct code allows a provisional suspension before a hearing. The conduct process moves independently of the criminal case and uses a lower standard of proof, so what you say in it needs to be planned with the criminal case in mind.
Talk to a Calvin Student Defense Lawyer Today
The criminal case and the school case both start moving within days, and the choices made in that first week are the hardest to undo. Call me directly at 616-438-6719 for a free, confidential consultation — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.