The current University alcohol policy fails to accomplish its stated goal of ensuring “the most responsible approach for the use of alcohol.” The policy does not afford a reasonable amount of trust to students, resulting in a confrontational relationship between students and the University administration. Rather than fostering “responsible citizenship,” as outlined by the Student Affairs Student Handbook, the current policy begins with the assumption that students aren’t responsible enough to monitor their own behavior on an individual level.
However, things may change. Next week the FRIENDS Initiative, an informal partnership of students, staff and faculty which was formed to address student drinking issues, plans to unveil its proposed changes to the current alcohol policy. FRIENDS is looking to make student alcohol consumption safer, while also raising the quality of student life by promoting a collaborative relationship between students and the administration.
The current policy is designed to hound students. It assumes that blanketing students with regulations will effectively snuff out underage drinking and keep those students who are of age from drinking to excess.
This policy is not succeeding. Students drink a lot. If the University is interested in giving students a healthier attitute towards drinking, the policy should be changed. It may seem paradoxical, but most of the evidence regarding effective substance abuse policy points away from demonizing drinking. (https://skinnyninjamom.com)
The FRIENDS Initiative’s proposal includes such changes as ending the “beer garden” policy at University events (which segregates drinkers away from the rest of the attendees), ending the sanctions against dorm residents found in the presence of alcohol (you don’t have to actually be drinking to be disciplined) and forming a “buffer” group to visit parties and soften the often adversarial relationship between students and the Department of Public Safety. Ending these policies will help students develop a healthy, balanced attitude towards alcohol instead of demonizing it and, by extension, them.
Whether any of the proposed changes are adopted by the University depends on the Disciplinary Review Committee, which will evaluate the FRIENDS proposals this September. Any changes that are made must aim to treat students as adults and focus on creating a safer and more cohesive University community.
