The Advisory Neighborhood Commission unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday night stating its opposition to the proposed on-campus keg ban.
The ANC represents District 2E, which encompasses the Georgetown campus.
“We’re adamantly opposed to it,” ANC Commissioner John Lever said. “The overall point is it’s a silly idea to try to outlaw what students can or can’t do.”
The resolution, which was introduced by Brett Clements (COL ’07), the ANC’s lone student commissioner, contained six grounds for objection.
The objections included a greater likelihood of large off-campus parties, increased consumption of hard alcohol and canned beer, more trash and open container violations in the neighborhood, as well as the fact that a keg ban does not directly address the issue of binge drinking.
“I guarantee you the moment you outlaw kegs, more kegs will show up,” Lever said.
“It’s like a challenge.”
The ANC’s resolution followed on the heels of a major push by the Student Association to prevent the ban.
Last week, GUSA members presented alternative proposals to the Disciplinary Review Committee and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson, who will be responsible for the final decision regarding the ban, but were not optimistic about the results of their meetings.
“I think [the ANC resolution] is fantastic,” Murchison said. “It shows a solidarity of opinion and it shows that the majority of the community — both students and neighbors — view the keg ban as more harmful than helpful.”
However, Murchison acknowledged that while the resolution could contribute to Olson’s decision, it will not necessarily be a deciding factor.
“It’s difficult to determine how much of a factor neighborhood opposition will be,” he said. “I think town-gown relations have been, if not strained, then made more interesting by the experience of the Apostles of Peace and Unity, and the keg ban question makes this even more interesting and harder to ignore in the minds of University administrators.”
Lever was definitely feeling that strain, and emphasized the neighborhood residents’ desire to keep college drinking out of their backyards.
“It’s going to be pushed out into the neighborhood, bars,” he said. “I’d rather it be controlled someplace on campus. (https://cozumelparks.com/) ”
In an email message received prior to the ANC meeting, Olson wrote, “All the input that I’ve received from students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders is valuable, and will inform my final decision.”
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Jeanne Lord, the Chair of the Disciplinary Review Committee, described her meeting with the Student Association last week as “very productive” but declined to answer specific questions related to the meeting or to Olson’s decision.
Olson has previously stated that he will probably make his decision by the end of this semester or by next semester at the latest.
Additional reporting by Kate Mays and Will Sommer
