Director of Health Services Dr. Jack Turco will soon begin work with the national chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving on forming a new "youth council."
If MADD goes ahead with the council, Turco would then play a role in examining the organization's position on youth drinking.
"I hope MADD can target under 21-year-olds and influence them not to drink and drive and to try to minimize abusive drinking," Turco said.
The national chapter of MADD will convene two meetings to decide whether they should form a youth council soon, Turco said.
Director of Health Resources Gabrielle Lucke said it is "exciting" for Dartmouth to be represented on the national level.
"It is important that MADD have input from a college health professional," Lucke said. "It recognizes the fact that college students are different from high school students."
Turco agreed that college students face different challenges than students in high school and called for changing the drinking age from 21 to 18.
Turco said college students are "adults in every way," and, "18 -year-olds should have the right to drink."
The 21-year-old legal limit on drinking "prevents colleges from dealing with abusive drinking," Turco said. "If the drinking age were 18, we could do more programming and help prevent abusive drinking."
Turco said he would to concentrate on the negative results of drinking.
MADD does not advocate a designated-driver policy for underage drinkers. Turco said that by doing so members feel they would be condoning drinking.
"[Designated driving] is unrealistic," Turco said. "My emphasis will be on the negative results of drinking, especially among 18,19 and 20-year-olds."
MADD was founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. The organization supports victims of drunk drivers with support groups, and takes a proactive role against drunk driving through education and lobbying for legislation.
MADD operates through its central office in Texas and smaller local chapters around the country.
