Social options. It is probably the most over-- used, cliched PCism on campus. Everyone agrees we need more. Yet the discussion is remarkable for the lack of insight among the participants. Our conception of "social options" could use a healthy dose of reality.
There seem to be two parties to this conversation: the Collis camp and the Greek supporters.
Members of the Collis camp believe strongly in the need for non-alcoholic social options. These options are generated by both the administration and the students. The new Collis Center is the flagship of the administration's efforts.
Meanwhile, students in the Collis camp take initiatives of there own. They form organizations such as Asgard and Dartmouth United and provide activities for Collis and social spaces around the campus.
The Greek supporters call for social options stems from a different motivation. Greeks are tired of being blamed for every social ill at Dartmouth. They feel the pressure would be relieved if they were not expected to be all social things to all social people.
So both sides agree that we need more social options, yet no one is happy. Why? Because neither side has acknowldged the reality of the situation.
The reality is that college students drink. The Collis camp loves to quote a survey conducted by the Health Resources Department. It notes that 37% of students have one drink or less per week. But the flipside is that 63% of students have one drink or more a week.
The limitations of Hanover must be recognized as well. Students at Dartmouth are always going to be required to organize themselves in order to create social spaces and events. Currently this need is served, for the most part, by the fraternity system.
One final reality to consider: The current social system, while it addresses a definite need, is not necessarily the best way to address that need.
An understanding of these realities makes it obvious that Collis is not the final solution to the social options problem.
Collis does provide valuable space for alcohol free programming. It is a location where the whole campus can be comfortable.
But the majority of students want to drink, at least once in a while, and that means they are going to finish their night in other locations. There is also a large group of students who don't drink, but like to be with their friends who do. For these students as well, Collis is not the final answer.
Our true goal should be less concerned with the dichotomy created by alcohol. We could build ten Collis Centers, each with miles of alcohol free programming space, but it would make no significant difference in the social options on campus since it would do nothing to change those social locations where alcohol is available.
The real change needs to take place in the areas that provide alcohol. Real change involves changing the atmosphere of those locations. It means that an average student who wants to drink is not forced to do so in a frat basement.
A real increase in social options means that some of the alcohol providers are more open to non-drinkers, more open to the increasingly diverse Dartmouth population.
In the end, this is something only students can accomplish. The administration is very good with things like Collis, but virtually powerless to change the atmosphere in the average fraternity. The students are the ones who must decide if they are going to create genuine social options.
