Lest some on campus continue to vilify me as a crusader for temperance and an enemy of the Greek system, I want to clarify the remarks I made two weeks ago about alcohol and its role on campus. I am disturbed that the message I was trying to convey was ignored in favor of charges that I am a bleeding-heart ally of the administration in its supposed quest to destroy social life at Dartmouth. I apologize for allowing my comments to be unclear.
The first charge which requires a response is that my indictment of the Greek system was blanket and failed to recognize the positive aspects of Greek life. It was not an indictment of the Greek system, but rather of those in it who drink in ways which endanger themselves or others. The fact that the Greek system is the primary source of alcohol on campus and that the Risk Behavior Survey indicated a greater percentage of affiliated students met definitions for "problem drinking" than non-affiliates demand that a serious consideration of problem drinking on campus include the Greek system. Secondly, I am cognizant of the positive effects of Greek life which Billy Wynne, among others, have extolled. I thought those benefits worthy of my time when I rushed, and I still recognize them in those who are affiliated. Further, I recognize and commend the actions certain houses and groups in the system have taken to address problems within Greek houses. The fact remains that the administration and Trustees see the regulation of Greek houses as the way to curtail drinking. If significant changes to Dartmouth's drinking patterns do not occur, the Greek system will bear the brunt of the action taken, be it deserved or not. It is clearly in the system's best interests to use its influence to promote responsible consumption of alcohol.
On that note, what is responsible consumption? I do not subscribe to the definition of binge-drinking, (four drinks in a night for a woman, five for a man) if used to indicate problem drinking. But, passing out from alcohol consumption is a medical problem. Drinking until one vomits and then "rallying" is another example of the ignorance of physiological signs that one is endangering one's safety by overintoxicating oneself. These might be a more reasonable way of defining a line between fun but responsible consumption and irresponsible use of alcohol. I would posit that drinking to the above extremes on a regular basis means that one has a drinking problem, pure and simple. Some may disagree. I would hope almost everyone would agree that the extreme cases (like when the Emergency Room determines one's stomach should be pumped) are problem drinking. I've found that on this campus one never can tell.
The second myth which demands expelling is that my column was meant to cheer on the College Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Actually, I think the implementation of those recommendations will not substantially change campus drinking culture. I fear such implementation will lead to an increase in dangerous and irresponsible drinking. It's been said so often that it's cliched, but I believe drinking in Greek houses at registered social events is less dangerous than drinking in dorm rooms, apartments and other venues. Until students change the drinking patterns and culture on campus, I'd rather see those who drink unsafely do so in houses with other students than in the privacy of their own rooms. The CCAOD has refused to recognize that tightening restrictions on alcohol in houses will lead to increased use of hard liquor in less regulated settings. I fear this is what will happen.
That leads into the point of my column. Neither the administration nor the Greek system can solve the problem of irresponsible and dangerous consumption until individuals take on the responsibility of drinking safely and ensuring their friends/houseguests/peers do. No administrative policy against funneling would have stopped the flow of beer into the MIT freshman who died last summer. But the students around him could have. That they didn't is indicative of the problem Dartmouth faces; we all think we can forever "boot and rally." No matter how drunk we get, we tell ourselves we are not in danger -- we are invincible. There lies the problem. Until each of us decides we can go out, drink and have fun (even get buzzed or a little wasted) without drinking until we vomit or pass out, the problem will persist. Until the leaders of the Greek system, which is the primary alcohol provider on campus, decide to tell the student body they don't want dangerously drunk students in their houses, the problem will persist. And until we acknowledge a drinking problem is present, it will persist.
There you have it. Please don't miss the point of the column amid the "attacks" on the Greek system or "pandering" to the administration ...
