At the request of Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jean Kim, who heads the Student Life Task Force, the Campus-Community Coalition discussed the pros and cons for making University of Idaho residencies alcohol-free at a meeting Thursday. The coalition, however, did not find any pros.
Sharon Fritz, from the Counseling and Testing Center, said Kim asked her to lead a discussion on the topic, but she does not know why.
“I don”t understand what their goal would be, because I don”t think that it”s going to decrease drinking,” Fritz said.
Currently several fraternities on campus and portions of UI”s residence halls allow students to have alcohol on the premises if they are 21 or older. Most of the coalition agreed that banning alcohol outright would not stop students from drinking, but rather it would push them to drink off campus in riskier situations.
One of the primary arguments against the idea that was brought up by several attendees was that by driving students to drink at off-campus locations, they could inadvertently cause students to drive drunk or rely on strangers to help them. Several members of the coalition said it was better for students to drink on campus because then at least they are around sober people who they can trust.
The coalition recognized the ban would have a larger impact on the fraternities on campus than other residencies, and that banning alcohol would likely be met with the most resistance from UI”s Greek life.
Chuck Bond of Moscow Bond Rentals said he is sure there are still issues that should be resolved. He”s noticed that drinking habits and regulations have gotten better, especially within his own fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, since he was a student at the university.
“I went to college for fun and they gave me a degree to get rid of me, and that is the truth,” Bond said. “I was one of the worst.”
Multiple Greek students present at the coalition meeting spoke up in defense of UI”s Greek system and explained the regulations for parties and other events where there may be alcohol are in-depth and effective. ASUI Director of Health and Wellness Katherine Pope said fraternities do follow the rules set for parties.
“I do think that if campus went dry, everything would go off campus,” Pope said.
Peer Health Educator Ashtin Mitchell said fraternity parties are much safer environments than off-campus parties, which she described as a “free-for-all.” While fraternity parties are within walking distance for students who live on campus, many people have to drive to get to off-campus locations for parties, and off-campus parties draw different types of crowds, she said.
With tears in her eyes, Mitchell recalled an incident recently at Washington State University, when she encountered a friend who drank so much alcohol his blood alcohol content was at 0.5 percent. The student was a member of a WSU fraternity and was drinking on his fraternity”s property. Mitchell said because she, her boyfriend and the student”s fraternity brothers were there, they were able to get the student to the hospital safely.
“I just know that if my boyfriend and I hadn”t been there “¦ that that boy would”ve died,” Mitchell said.
Fritz asked if there were any pros that members could think of toward the end of the discussion. Bond said it may limit the damage done to fraternity property. Another member, Director of Athletic Training Barrie Steele, said it could potentially change the expectations of people who come to campus over time, but he found it more likely to drive business away from UI and decrease enrollment.
The coalition agreed it would be a better idea to educate students about smart drinking habits instead of taking the choice away from them entirely.
Erin Bamer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ErinBamer