Vanderbilt Register:University-wide effort needed to make alcohol policy work

University-wide effort needed to make alcohol policy work

by: Adrienne Outlaw

Vanderbilt's effort to raise the awareness of the dangers of underage drinking and alcohol abuse must involve the entire University, says the woman hired to coordinate that effort.

Mary Beth Carroll, coordinator of Vanderbilt Community Challenge, will direct the University's educational campaign to curb alcohol abuse. "I think the community as a whole needs to address the issues. It needs to come from the administration, the faculty, staff and students. Everybody has to take a part and say what is acceptable for the Vanderbilt community."

With the start of the school year, the University has begun implementation of a new alcohol policy that couples education with stronger and more certain disciplinary action for students who violate the rules. The policy was approved last spring by the Chancellor and the Provost. During the summer, all new and returning undergraduate students received a written summary of the policy, which strengthens the previous policy by imposing stricter penalties for violations and adds new education programs for all students. The rules, which are explained in the Student Handbook, also were discussed during the mandatory Student Academic Orientation Program.

Shortly after the policy was announced, a committee of faculty, students and administrators began meeting with resident advisers, student leaders and Vanderbilt security officers in addition to the outside community to discuss the new policy and ask for help in its explanation and enforcement. Two open meetings of the committee were held in the first weeks of school.

K.C. Potter, dean of residential and judicial affairs and chair of the implementation committee, said he believes "the student body in general is adapting to the new rules pretty well."

In the first week of school, Potter placed 11 students on probation for policy violations. They include a freshman, five sophomores, four juniors and one senior. Sixteen more cases from the first week were pending. On average, Potter said, he hears 350 disciplinary cases a year.

"The committee implementing new policies will continue to function throughout the year and welcomes feedback on the program," Potter said.

Vucept President Sonal Saraswat, a member of the implementation committee, said, "We have worked hard as a committee this summer to implement policies that were given to us by the alcohol task force. So far everybody that has been speaking against it has justifiably been speaking passionately. However, along with that emotion we need to offer some concrete ideas before any change can be made."

Among the students who oppose the new policy is Michael Koyfman, a senior in Arts and Science. "I'm in a fraternity and the alcohol plays a part in our social functions. I don't agree with the policy because it's not Vanderbilt's responsibility to act as our parents."

Graham Hemingway, a junior in engineering, said he is concerned the policy will encourage students to leave campus to drink, "which can lead to more people drinking and driving."

Carroll said that is a concern that has been raised among students at the open committee meetings. She said she hopes to help students make better choices so they will not use the stricter enforcement as an excuse to drink and drive.

"I think we need to look at the definition of fun and if fun needs to include alcohol," she said.

Johan Madson, associate provost and dean of students, said the University must confront a mindset among many of today's students. "The biggest challenge is to change a culture, and any change is difficult. We're trying to change the culture with the goal being to decrease the abuse of alcohol. We want to provide the student with the tools to intervene with their friends when they are abusing alcohol."

Carroll sees that as a major goal. A graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in communications, she also holds master degrees in student personnel as well as in guidance and counseling from Bowling Green State University. She joined Vanderbilt from the University of South Carolina, where she was director of Greek Life.

"I have seen campuses where students drive the changes toward a safer environment, including having fun without alcohol, and I would like to see that happen here at Vanderbilt," Carroll said.

She is working with on-campus groups like GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) and BACCHUS (Better Alcohol Choices concerning High School and University Students) to provide them with alcohol awareness skills and to discuss ways to have fun without alcohol. Both groups are scheduled to take the eight-hour "On Campus Talking About Alcohol" course, which all resident advisers have already taken. As part of the increased effort to involve the community, Vanderbilt will sponsor Alcohol Awareness Week on campus Oct. 6-12 . Carroll is asking student organizations to participate in the week's activities. In conjunction with the week, Project Dialogue will host a dinner and discussion about how alcohol impacts social interaction on campus.

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