As the search for the next Dean of the College nears completion, there is hope that the successor to Acting Dean Dan Nelson '79 will act on a series of administrative issues that for the past year have been the focus of forums, panels and student think tanks. With recent coverage of Committee on Standards reform and the need to revisit the College's alcohol policy during the trustee election, it is apparent that the new Dean will address one of the two early on in his or her tenure. I predict that the alcohol policy reform, regardless of how necessary it is, will be the most troublesome to resolve and will undoubtedly involve a few sacrifices on the parts of students and Greek organizations.
I was reminded of Dartmouth's alcohol policy on two occasions this term, both of which occurred off campus. While dining at one popular Main Street restaurant one weekend, I was surprised to return from the bathroom and find myself "cut off" after three drinks. Even worse, I had consumed them over the course of nearly three hours. I found out that the entire table of six was cut off after our combined bar tab reached too uncomfortable a level, primarily because of one friend's capacity to put down large amounts of ridiculously expensive drinks.
This past weekend at one local New Hampshire State Liquor Store, I was shocked to find another Dartmouth student arguing with the store managers after being denied a sale. Despite offering a driver's license, U.S. Passport with recent customs stamp, Dartmouth ID, Social Security card and a credit card, the store refused to serve him because of an anomaly on his license. When I approached the counter, one employee cross-examined my own license for 10 minutes because she felt it lacked a "security laminate" on one side. Although my ID was eventually approved, I was both impressed and dumbfounded by the extreme scrutiny.
Back on campus, though, many of the candidates for Student Body President, including the winner, campaigned about liberating alcohol on campus. Some made alcohol policy a major part of their platforms, even going so far as to propose 24/7 open taps on campus. In the context of State and Federal Law in addition to Dartmouth's responsibility to reasonably uphold those statutes, I don't understand how we can meet the same standards set forth above by restaurants and liquor stores. At the same time, should student organizations receive more self-governance in this aspect, expectations to adhere to these policies will increase. Imagine the crisis that would erupt if the same caution and undue diligence were demonstrated in the average fraternity basement and students were denied alcohol for those reasons. Yet if the administration takes the risk of allowing Greeks and other organizations more flexibility and self-governance, we must come closer to those norms than ever before.
In the 1980s students and administrators came to an understanding on alcohol policy that amounted to the students accepting full freedom and responsibility for their alcohol management with the promise to not serve underage or overly intoxicated persons. That system eventually eroded as the students abdicated their side of the covenant and the administration banned kegs in response to gross mismanagement. My fear is that the path of alcohol policy reform is leading back to this setup, and that next year students might commit to more than we are capable of. I could never imagine getting cut off at a Greek house after a few drinks or being denied a beer, but sooner or later with greater freedom comes the need for better monitoring and responsibility.
If we as students deem more alcohol on campus and 24/7 kegs necessary to our Dartmouth experience, we too must live up to new standards or face the consequences. For individual houses, this may result in larger sanctions than the usual reprimands and probations. For the institution as a whole, though, student organizations reneging on their side of the deal could result in penalties for Federal research grants and financial aid. While this is a nightmare scenario, the possibility is always there. Though I have not mentioned it in my reasoning, student health and wellbeing must be accorded paramount importance as well. Within a full year of contemplating the alcohol policy and potential reforms with students and administrators, I have yet to think of a viable solution that balances these concerns. I urge current students or the next incarnation of the SEMP reform task force to approach the issue with similar thought and caution.
