Campus Poll

Author: [no author name found]

In order to make The Campus opinions section a more accessible medium, starting this semester The Campus will include a poll containing not only numerical data but also personal statements from interested students. Each week we will post the poll question for the next week's issue. Go online to www.middleburycampus.com and select the response that best reflects your position on the issue. Feel strongly about a particular poll question? On the left side of the web site click on the tab entitled "Send a Letter to the Editor" and, in 150 words or less, explain your rationale for voting as you did. Everybody has an opinion. Share it.

RESPONSES

I do not believe the proposed changes would make a difference on campus. The individuals who are irresponsibly drinking hard alcohol will most likely continue to consume hard alcohol anyway, and if they do change the type of drink they have, they will still continue to misuse whichever drink they convert to. I do not fully comprehend the tagging of intoxicated students, but the current policies in use are sufficient for safety purposes. When students get out of hand it is the responsibility of fellow classmates to take steps to ensure his or her safety and when it is too hard for students to handle, a call to Public Safety can almost always take care of the issue at hand. Although people abuse the privilege of alcohol on this campus, I do not believe the proposed legislation will help much, because those who have found trouble before with hard alcohol will most likely create problems with other substances and those who drink responsibly do not want to suffer consequences for others' actions. Ultimately, this school is rather liberal, and most students that are here do not want to attend a dry campus - which this legislation would be taking steps towards. Tell the abusers to drink responsibly and this would not be an issue.

- Anonymous '11

No. I am skeptical of a tag system, but think it has potential. Rather than disciplining students who are "tagged" at parties, I think some informal counseling for students who are repeat tagees would be good. Banning hard alcohol at parties is very logical in slowing down the rate of drinking, but I think that may merely serve to push it behind closed doors. In light of Officer Dykstra's comment, perhaps only flavored vodka should be banned at registered parties.

- Eric Harvey '09.5

I don't think micromanaging students with a tag is very useful. The less freedom you give students when it comes to alcohol, the more ways they will try to get around the rules. I am glad I won't have to deal with that.

- Mark Shimrock '09