A committee will be formed in the coming weeks to evaluate the overall effects of the alcohol policy, said Dr. Todd Olson, Vice President of Student Affairs, at a town hall meeting in Sellinger Lounge last night. He also said that no immediate changes are forthcoming.
After weeks of student protest over the alcohol policy introduced at the end of last spring and continued frustration after changes to the policy were announced on September 13, upwards of 60 students welcomed the chance to ask Olson and Judy Johnson, Director of Student Conduct and co-chair of the Disciplinary Review Committee, their questions about the policy.
“The Georgetown that I arrived at is a different culture than the one I saw at my GAAP weekend last year,” Kendall Puig (MSB ‘11) said.
Olson stressed the need for a balance between a “vibrant” social life and “a safe and respectful and responsible community.” The policy was prompted in part because of the “phenomena” of larger and larger parties, increased fights and vandalism on campus, Olson said.
In response to student criticism over the policy, Olson said there “have been some unintended consequences.”
“I have definitely heard negative student feedback,” over the changes made on September 13, Olson said. “By the way, I have also heard positive comments from students, parents and faculty.”
While some of the remarks from students got heated and one—requesting Olson and the students sign a petition to lower the drinking age—verged on absurd, both Olson and Johnson were positive at the end of the meeting.
“It’s always good to get student input,” Johnson said.
Matt Hammel (MSB ‘10), a member of “Work Hard, Party Hard,” said Johnson and Olson hadn’t said anything new.
“It was more of the same on their end,” Hammel said.
Matt Appenfeller (COL ‘10), Vice President of the Student Association, thought the meeting was a positive step for an ongoing dialogue between the administration and students.
“It’s important that Dr. Olson made himself available to the students in a retail way,” Appenfeller said.
