Hmmmm.....

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Chicago ✅
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<p>E-mail from Susan Art, Dean of Students in the College:
"Dear Students,
We are writing to share some information with you about a perceptible change in student behavior this fall around the use of alcohol. Colleagues around the institution have reported an increase in the number of transports of students to the ER for excessive alcohol use. In addition, our custodial staff report a larger number of incidents of students vomiting in the bathrooms. Finally, we are disturbed that the Sexual Assault Deans on Call have received several calls of possible sexual assault/sexual abuse cases from students this year, a significant increase from last year.</p>

<p>Although the raw numbers at the University are not huge, the risks are unacceptable — alcohol is key factor in behavior that causes people to do lasting harm to themselves and to others. It puts lives at real risk. A 2005 national study showed that 1,700 college students per year die of alcohol-related injuries. Another 599,000 are injured, and 696,000 report being assaulted by somebody who has been drinking. More than 97,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault each year, and a different study shows that more than 100,000 students a year report being too intoxicated to know if they consented to sex.</p>

<p>Along with some of the worrisome reports we have heard this fall have come heartening accounts of students and other members of the community stepping in to care for those who are in trouble, bringing them to safety and offering guidance and support. You have our gratitude and admiration. As a community, we are all individually and collectively responsible for creating a safe and healthy environment in which we can all flourish. We are part of a culture in which we look out for one another, and take responsibility to for what is going on around us.</p>

<p>The University offers a variety of resources to address alcohol-related problems. If you live in a residence hall, your resident head will be an excellent resource for you. If you have ongoing concerns about your own or a friend's alcohol use, the Student Counseling and Resource Service can provide help. If you see somebody who is sick or passed out after drinking, understand that this is a medical emergency and call the University of Chicago Police. The safety of each member of the community is a high priority for the University.</p>

<p>We look forward to engaging students and student leaders in an ongoing conversation about alcohol use on campus and our shared values around creating a safe and healthy campus community.</p>

<p>We hope you have a safe and productive end of the quarter.</p>

<p>Susan Art, Dean of Students in the College
Kim Goff-Crews, Vice President for Campus Life and Dean of Students in the University"</p>

<p>.................................................I blame the Common App.</p>

2

<p>I was going to make this post, but I decided to avoid it since my opinions would likely start a flamewar. In any case, I do believe this to be somewhat of a deterioration of the College likely brought on by its increasing popularity. I’ll leave it at that (for now).</p>

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A reasonable illation.</p>

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<p>^^ I might consider copying and pasting this letter for our next Where Fun Comes to Die question ;-)</p>

<p>I’d be very sad, though, to see the laissez-faire alcohol policies in the dorms deteriorate due to alcohol abuse and all that that entails. It seems like the next logical step if this continues to happen. An integral part of my Chicago experience has been being treated as an adult by peers and by administration, and I’d hate for us to become an RA or nanny state.</p>

<p>Perhaps I should throw a big party at my apartment in protest…</p>

5

<p>Wow. As a prospective student, this isn’t exactly… reassuring. From this forum I had always gotten the impression that UChicago students drink, but are smart about it. However, Ms. Art said, “the raw numbers at the University are not huge.” At least it hasn’t completely overtaken the campus like at some other schools (Penn, Dartmouth, WashU). </p>

<p>But I have to agree with unalove, if the University starts to trend towards a Big-brother-controlling-posters-everywhere-with-cameras-in-the-eyes type institution, it’s going to be a big turnoff for the “true” (and I use that term for lack of a better one) UChicago students. </p>

<p>This very well could be a result of the Common App and UChicago taking in more “traditional” college students, but I also think part of the blame should be pinned on liberalizing social norms: smoking weed becomes more socially acceptable as people broach legalizing it in the public eye, leads to more underage drinkers (who would usually not drink for fear of the law). I’m not saying that IS the cause, but it’s something to think about…</p>

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<p>When I lived in Hyde Park a few years ago, Susan was a neighbor. (She has two wonderful dogs…).</p>

<p>We had many a chat about the worst part of her job, which was contacting the parents of students who had been taken to the ER for alcohol poisoning over the weekend. And if you asked a UofC police officer what they did the most on weekends, they would tell you it was scraping kids off the sidewalk that could not walk.</p>

<p>I don’t think Susan’s letter is a threat. It is a statement of reality, and a not too subtle reminder that every student plays a role in this, facilitator (i.e. Unalove’s distasteful suggestion of a “protest” party), user or caregiver to those in need. In fact, it disappoints me greatly to see the posts that take this message so negatively.</p>

<p>Please, recognize the problem and the risk, even at a sedate place like UofC.</p>

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<p>Alcohol-related problems are not new to campus with the Common Ap. In the last few years, there have been a number of incidents (assaults, fights, accusations) that have caused a lot of heartbreak and reflection for various people across the college. It’s not really a new issue.</p>

<p>When I was an RA (in a large, fairly hard-partying house) there was barely a weekend that went by without some kind of major alcohol related incident. Nights spent caring for people bent over toilets or hooked up to IVs showed me that perhaps the University’s easy-going attitude towards alcohol has been a little ineffective. I couldn’t agree with newmassdad more that this kind of explicit recognition of the realities of alcohol on campus is a step in the right direction.</p>

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<p>^^ The party was a joke. My sense of humor :)</p>

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<p>Unalove,</p>

<p>It is impossible to read your comment as a joke, especially in light of your critical comments in the previous paragraph. </p>

<p>This issue is much to serious to be brushed off in such a manner. Maybe you’ve never had anyone vomit on you, then pass out, leaving you to wonder if you should call for help? (Hopefully you even understood the risk of vomiting while heavily intoxicated, and the risk of aspiration? I suspect not…)</p>

<p>Susan was not hinting at a crackdown as you fear, although I’m not sure that would be such a bad idea if it saves a few lives. She was talking about the real risk of alcohol abuse.</p>

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<p>Some people are not living up to the vaunted reputation of U Chicago as a home for aspiring intellectuals who are driven by logic, facts, and critical thinking. And, I am not talking about the U Chicago 2013 common app twits who usurped the birth right of much more deserving, true, “life of the mind” acolytes who should have been admitted instead to claim their rightful place at the annals of U Chicago. </p>

<p>Blame all the campus woes on common app and the resulting student body that caused deterioration of the college if you have data that support the following:</p>

<p>(1) This year’s upward bump in alcohol abuse shows a significantly greater increase than the historical trend (last few years) would have warranted. In other words, if there has been a gradual increase last few years, the most recent finding cannot be attributed to the common app and the class of 2013 kids - the first common app class - unless the increased abuse is a further, significant departure from the normal trend. </p>

<p>(2) The significant increase in alcohol abuse can be demonstrated to be well confined within the class of 2013.</p>

<p>(3) If class of 2013 does show a greater degree of alcohol abuse, it still requires controlling for the general trend among all its cohorts in comparable academic institutions. If the alcohol abuse among all cohorts end up explaining most of the variation at U Chicago this year (the significant increase of the incidents), the woe can not be blamed on the common app and the class of 2013 kids who got in because of the change in the admission policies.</p>

<p>I am not necessarily saying common app caused college deterioration is impossible. I am asking for data to support this assertion. If data bears it out, I will accept the claim. </p>

<p>Without data supporting all these wild claims, “blaming it on common app and the class of 2013” is just simple minded fear mongering and sloganeering, and reflects, more than anything, the sin of intellectual sloth. Now, I wonder, who does not really belong in U Chicago???</p>

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<p>hahahahahaha</p>

<p>BURN.</p>

<p>I meant it mostly as a joke, and you guys got a little carried away. Although, I have noticed the first years are pretty rowdy this year. Even in my house, in a dorm that certainly has the least of any party reputation whatsoever, a hefty portion of the first years goes out to drink solely to get drunk and make stupid decisions - friends from other dorms are saying the same thing. Make of it what you will, but as an intellectual sloth, my first, albeit sarcastic thought was to blame the common app. </p>

<p>I also realize that this has been a trend over the years. When comparing the 4th years and 1st years, there is a very stark contrast between quirkiness of students - the UofC is most definitely becoming more “normal” :frowning: I think it helps a little to see this if you’re actually living on campus and not sitting behind a computer screen.
Oh well. Whether this is a good or bad thing isn’t up to me to decide.
I should start on my transfer app to that school in the burb up north, because CLEARLY I don’t deserve to be at the UofC. :-P</p>

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<p>Wow.
Common, guys, can’t we all just get along?
I think many of you are blowing this drastically out of proportion…
I’m not saying that binge drinking which leads to alcohol poisoning, sexual abuse, or both is good, I’m just saying that it is part of the makeup of college life. When kids move away from their parents (i.e. freshman year) they tend to be a little more lenient with alcohol. That’s just friggin’ logic for you. And as these freshman get, pardon my language, ****-faced, they will realized that it’s NOT VERY FUN… hopefully they will stop. Maybe not. The point is kids will be kids. As they mature they’ll realize that drinking isn’t really all it’s cracked up to be and then they might be more responsible with it. </p>

<p>And let me remind you, Susan Art said, “the raw numbers are not huge.” I read that as her saying, “ya the numbers are increasing but it hasn’t really overtaken campus.” Kids will be kids. And they will learn from their mistakes. And then they will be more responsible. For cereal guys, chillax. No one wants kids to die, but alcohol abuse on college campuses is inevitable… you can’t stop it unless you go all big-brother throughout Hyde Park. </p>

<p>And as to the “U Chicago 2013 common app twits who usurped the birth right of much more deserving, true, ‘life of the mind’ acolytes”: I’m pretty sure, hyeonjlee, that the admissions department knows what kind of students they’re looking for (though I have to admit I do not have the data to back it up). If they accepted such usurpers, I’m pretty sure it’s because they deserved to be admitted… UChicago doesn’t accept just anybody.</p>

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<p>^^ What I said was in jest. My good friends and I are pretty tame. I also took the “blame it on the common app” as a joke. Louie and I are on the same wavelength here :)</p>

<p>Some observations:</p>

<ol>
<li> If anybody’s going to drink and drink hard, my money’s on the first-year. First-years have a lot of things…
a) they think alcohol is really exciting and rad,
b) they think they have to prove it to themselves that they can attend “Where Fun Comes to Die” and still have a good time,
c) they aren’t bored of drinking yet,
d) they probably aren’t that advanced in their coursework yet, so their classes are pretty easy,
e) they can’t drink in a bar, where their drinking would be limited and monitored, and
f) they probably aren’t as involved in extracurriculars as they will be a year or two from now, so they have the time to drink.</li>
</ol>

<p>Every year I’ve been here I’ve seen the first-years party and drink a lot more than everybody else. Also, it’s been a warm fall in Chicago-- I don’t think Chicago winters are conducive to big parties. When it’s warm outside, people are more likely to wander around party-hopping more, so you might be more likely to see a mass congregate in one area. A theory.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I see the institutional personality changing a bit, but if you ask me, it’s changing in a very good direction for everybody. If anything, I think Chicago is more Chicago than ever, as I think there are more students on campus who drink the Chicago-flavored Kool-Aid, and I think the quality of student has risen considerably. Anecdotal and personal observations here.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m sorry that Dean Art had to send out an e-mail like this, and I would hate to be in her position. What I really want to see is students treating alcohol with awareness and respect, and I think that many students do treat alcohol reasonably. Unless things have changed, Chicago had an awfully non-existent alcohol lecture during o-week my year, and I’d like to see older students playing role models and mentors to younger students for responsible behaviors towards alcohol. Maybe that’s what needs to be changed?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>3a) I know a few frat brothers who graduated in the past year or two who would play “guardian angels” at parties. They would oversee what was going on and play interference when necessary. Perhaps nobody has risen to take their places…</p>

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<p>OK. I accept that the OP was mostly joking. On my side, I was mostly reacting to the sentiment expressed in another post that the latest incident reflects the deterioration of the college brought on by increasing popularity of U Chicago, which encouraged those who really don’t belong in U Chicago in its purist form to apply in great numbers, some of whom were admitted - all facilitated by adoption of common app by the admission office. I saw these posts more or less lumped together with the same theme: with Common App as an embodiment of what is heading toward a disastrous finale at U Chicago. Perhaps that was not what OP meant, and for him, “blame it on common app” was merely a joke.</p>

<p>We read on and off on this forum various assertions that increasing popularity causes more riff raffs to infiltrate U Chicago much to the chagrin of those who wish to preserve the pristine U Chicago brand, and negatively impact the college experience of those who are true Chicago types. The riff raffs are variously categorized as careerists, prestige seekers, and such. Some applicants are complaining that though they may have lower stats, they are more deserving to be admitted to U Chicago because they are the true believers (sarcasm on my part, but not muchj) and thus a better fit for Chicago than their higher scoring, higher achieving counterparts. </p>

<p>I find all this pretty lame. As U Chicago’s reputation grows stronger and more competitive students apply with more diverse ambitions and goals, they bring more vitality to the college, and creates more viable long term Chicago community. What we see in nature, I believe, is also true in institutions: a severe lack of genetic diversity is likely to have an adverse impact on the species’ survival in the long run. I believe U Chicago’s attempt to cast their net wide to attract a stronger and more diverse applicant pool is a positive step. </p>

<p>With an increasing appeal of the University to a stronger body of potential pool of applicants, they can BOTH increase the overall quality of the students and preserve the life of the mind culture. They are looking to fill only 1300+ seats from the whole wide world, not a giant stadium out of a small city population. With a much better recruitment effort, a school with Chicago’s caliber can certainly fill 1300+ seats with the very best both in terms of the absolute standard and the Chicago fit yardstick. Chicago’s problem in the past has never been that the world does not have 1300+ would-be life of the mind acolytes. Rather, problem has been that not enough such potential students were applying to begin with. I believe many terrific Chicago fit type of students were not even considering Chicago due to its weak “mind share” among the top college bound kids. </p>

<p>Based on what I heard directly and indirectly, while U Chicago acceptance rate was falling, and the character of the student body was becoming more diversified, the overall quality of the student body went up greatly. The student boy is happier. The faculty respect the undergrads more and treat them better. One faculty told me: in the past, when the overall quality of the students was lower (when the acceptance rate was something like 60%), some faculty was downright hostile to undergrads since they felt that the students were not their intellectual equals and thus not deserving their respect. </p>

<p>I DO want to see Chicago preserve it’s mind of the life mantra. that’s why I am paying through the nose for my son to be there. I just happen to believe that you can preserve this wonderful tradition AND have more competitive student body at the same time. </p>

<p>If more “diverse” student body has alcohol incidents, they have to be dealt with for sure, but this is not a cause to immediately declare state of emergency for U Chicago’s core mission and long held tradition as long as the occurrence is still below the norm among its peer institutions and it is dealt with promptly and effectively by the school authorities. I say this as someone who does not drink at all, never smoked, never used any controlled substances what so ever, has never stepped inside a bar, abhors mindless Greek scenes in college, and detests Las Vegas and all its fakery with passion (I used to go there on business, and I hated every minute of it).</p>

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<p>Has anyone noticed that this is the first time in the last 5 years where the gender ratio is very different? In the past it has been 50/50 or 49/51 males to females. This year it is 53/47 males to females. I am not bashing men but they do tend toward heavier drinking and the behavior that goes with it. I would also wonder the effect of the new dorm. When you are in a big dorm there is always somebody who is ready for a good time.</p>

<p>DD is a first year and she has felt the life of the mind is very much alive and well. She is thrilled.</p>

16

<p>I need some more clarification re: whether or not the U of C is really changing. One major reason I like U Chicago is that I am a nerdy, socially awkward person who feels most socially comfortable around intellectuals and people who may be slightly, um… awkward. Not that everyone has no social skills, but that someone like that could fit in. It seemed to me that Chicago was a place where a nerdy kid whose social perceptivity/street smarts aren’t great could fit in. Is that becoming less of the case - or are people now more likely to be looked at as odd if, say, they don’t always pick up on sarcasm?</p>

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<p>On the contrary, Philosopher-King, I don’t perceive Chicago as ever really being as you described. There are a few socially awkward kids everywhere, and maybe there were a disproportionate number at Chicago, but I always envisioned the school as more of an intellectual place because the kids WANT to be intellectual… not because they [somewhat] lack the social skills to do other things.</p>

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<p>Well, intense intellectuals are occasionally less likely to pick up on social cues. As Plato wrote, they are so wrapped up in their thoughts they seem aloof… It just struck me as a place where one wouldn’t be as likely to be ostracized for, say, not knowing every pop culture allusion or social cue or whatever.</p>

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<p>Ya I can see that, I just don’t see the students as like complete intellectual hermits. I don’t think the students would ostracize you for not getting something right away… after all, you can’t know everything. I see it as a place where people actually enjoy learning, working, discussing, etc, all in an intellectual and academic setting. But that doesn’t mean they have to be socially inept, does it?</p>

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<p>Welcome to state school life, UChi. Zimmer, the times have been good, buddy.</p>

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<p>I think you’re right, but “blame” is the wrong verb in this case.</p>