Thursday, November 06, 2008
Opinion: Alcohol absurdity
Our campus alcohol policy is absurd. Every student organization is prohibited from promoting consumption of alcohol in any way.
For some reason this publication is not held to the same strict standard. In the OSA Handbook there is a special rider for “autonomous student-edited publications.” This paper receives student fees the
same as any other group but are not subject to the rules that the rest of us play by.
If we all used this definition, any group should be able to create a publication and feel free to advertise alcohol to raise funds.
The confusion doesn’t stop here. Our school administration has made it dangerous for dorm residents to responsibly imbibe alcohol. I, along with many of my friends, are of age and live on campus. Under
current rules, enjoying some appetizers and a pint in a restaurant is out of question.
Campus rules state that a student’s body is a “container” and returning to your home on campus is an alcohol violation regardless of age and level of intoxication. This policy seems contrary to the housing
office’s goal of retaining upperclassmen in our dorms. Furthermore it discourages students from going to their own homes.
New exceptions for allowing alcohol at alumni events once again sends a contradictory signal about our policy. Our campus regulations attempt over-vigorously to stomp out alcohol on campus but
graduates are invited back to the student union to get sloshed. Also, can students attend these events and what happens when they try to get off of campus? These policies are confusing and vague at best.
We need a complete reevaluation and clearer definitions for our draconian policies. Please go to mnstate.edu/stusen and express your views on the subject.