Will kegs be banned on campus? Once again, the alcohol policy committee discussed the feasibility of limiting campus alcohol distribution in a meeting yesterday.
Last week, Maureen Cullins, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, presented a rough plan limiting the distribution of alcohol to campus dining facilities already licensed to do so, such as the Rathskeller and the Cambridge Inn.
The three student representatives on the committee discussed the need for alternative social activities as well as the potential problems that the proposed plan to limit alcohol distribution would create.
Trinity junior Paul Hudson, ASDU president-elect, said that alternative social options need to be implemented and examined before limits on alcohol distribution are considered.
"The way things are on campus right now, I don't support going to no distribution," Hudson said.
Steve Truckenbrod, a graduate student in chemistry and the graduate student representative on the committee, said that he was worried about how restrictions would affect informal departmental gatherings between graduate students and faculty. Alcohol is often served at such events, he said.
Peter Burian, professor of classical studies, voiced similar concerns about the proposal last week.
Sumathi Jones, assistant director for class activities for alumni affairs, was uncertain of how alumni would react to a new distribution policy. She expressed concern over the policies possible effects on informal Homecoming gatherings where alcohol has been served in the past.
Jones said that members of her department were concerned with the strict nature of the limits under consideration.
"They remember times when the University got more restrictive," she said. "And they didn't like it."
While disagreeing on whether strict distribution limits would decrease alcohol abuse on campus, all committee members agreed that there is a problem with campus alcohol abuse which needs to be addressed.
Cullins said that implementing a policy limiting distribution would not be the only administration initiative to reduce alcohol abuse.
"A policy is just one piece in getting at alcohol abuse," she said.
Hudson questioned whether setting distribution limits was the most effective way for the administration to help solve the actual problem of students abusing alcohol.
"What are our goals?" Hudson asked. "It seems to me we may be trying to develop a policy just to have a policy."
Next week committee members will hear from a University professor who is an expert on the relationship of alcohol availability and consumption.
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