The formation of a Social Event Management Procedure Review Committee this week presents the College with an opportunity to reevaluate its disingenuous alcohol policies and actually take student input -- and perhaps reality -- into account. After all, administrators could continue along their current course of action and pay lip-service to the student body while formulating actual policy behind closed doors in Parkhurst Hall.
Forming committees to "review" controversial issues and then report back to those who actually make decisions is an age-old method of burying dissent in muddled bureaucracy. Another common strategy is to stack such committees with those who already agree with the norm. The SEMP Review Committee is composed of five administrators, three students appointed by administrators and only three students elected by their peers. We congratulate Mallory Fosdick, Robert Freiman and Bryan Thomas -- the elected members -- as well as Joseph Hanlon, Jason Moore and Candice Rhodes -- the appointed members -- for taking on this responsibility, but we warn them that theirs is an uphill battle.
The recent rule changes instituted by Student Activities director Linda Kennedy that prevent Greek houses from having more than 40 people present in a house without registering -- even if the house has over 40 members -- are typical of the manner in which the College administrators treat the fact that most Dartmouth students do drink. It's time that Kennedy and her colleagues find a reasonable way to work with the student body on these issues. Acting in full on the recommendations that the SEMP Review Committee presents would be a good first step.
We have a few suggestions that we hope the Committee takes into account in the coming months. First of all, make your deliberations and recommendations as open and transparent as possible. Second, don't wait until finals or the end of the school-year to present your findings; all six student members will likely graduate in June, and with their departure goes any hope of implementing change. Third, pressure administrators to accept your recommendations completely; if Parkhurst tries to pull a fast one, let the student body know.
Yours is an important responsibility. It's about time the College adopts a reasonable alcohol policy.
