Two UVA Students on Life Support, Six Hospitalized

Parents Forum
121

<p>Until the colleges themselves put their money where their mouth is, nothing is going to change. Students, under the age of 21, receive mixed messages about drinking because universities turn a blind eye to sanctioned events that take place involving a lot of alcohol. Do these events need to involve any alcohol at all? Of course they do or no one would want to attend these events, pledge and become members. Those who do pledge ARE under the age of 21. They ARE being served alcohol. Why wouldn’t they drink? Everyone says it’s okay so forget the dialog about making adult decisions. Let’s all just look the other way. We want the student to have the best possible social college experience. We all know that involves alcohol. </p>

<p>Some go to college and do not get caught up in the drinking culture. They are never going to drink. Lucky for them, so no need to worry. Some go to college and begin to binge drink for the very first time - and for many this is where the problems begin and lifelong addiction patterns emerge. </p>

<p>It’s easy to say that these students are adults and should be making adult decisions. Yet, this activity is condoned by the universities and by their peers that are illegally serving them alcohol. This is always the attitude until there is trouble. </p>

<p>Back in my day, my small LAC ran into a lot of problems with fraternities/sororities. There were several major incidents. Finally after several tragic deaths, the university made the bold decision to shut down all fraternities/sororities. The college survived. Is there still underage drinking? Of course there is, but there are consequences for parties and the university has a better control of the enforcement.</p>

122

<p>It’s not just the students…it’s not just the colleges…it’s not just the parents, this is a societal issue…we all have a small hand in creating the situation and if we EVER want to see it end, we ALL need to accept some of the responsibility.</p>

<p>As for less binge drinking in the 80s…or even before, media is a big reflection on society, what year did Animal House come out…it was funny, because it was an exaggeration of an environment that existed at the time, but the media has continued to make underage drinking ‘acceptable’, how many of those spring break shows with kids partying on the beach do they show that don’t show (or are even sponsored by) alcohol.</p>

<p>There was A LOT of drinking in my HS back in the 80s, there was A LOT of drinking in my college in the 80s - binge drinking not just on cheap beer, but on Everclear (it might as well be rubbing alcohol) or cheap vodka. The first time I was ever drunk was sitting in a dorm room on my ‘dry’ college campus. There wasn’t much enforcement back then and there is not much now. It’s not just the colleges, but law enforcement as well.</p>

<p>In most college towns even if students are arrested for illegal consumption or public intoxication there is a program in place to avoid a criminal record. Students can often pay a fine and as long as they adhere to a set of rules their record will never reflect what happened. They do this to ‘help’ students. Why tarnish the records of these students for such a minor incident? If it’s on their record they may have trouble getting a job later or become involved in any activity where a criminal background check becomes important. So, it’s so much better to protect their futures to teach them there ARE NO CONSEQUENCES. That’s the lesson they learn. We can drink…we can party…nothing’s going to happen. But that isn’t just in colleges. I have a close friend who is an alcoholic…he’s now been convicted of 3 DUIs, yes…3. For his last DUI he was sentenced to serve so many days in jail, but since he had a job, they allowed him to show up to jail on Friday and check out on Sunday??? Huh??? What is that doing/teaching other than taking my tax money to feed him for the weekend. I mean, I suppose it’ll keep him off the roads on the weekends if that’s the goal, but seriously, if you want someone to learn a lesson, there has to be a consequence to the action.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, that friend is not the only alcoholic in my life and I have watched several struggle. I used to drink…beginning the day I moved into the dorm on that dry college campus…far more during college than after, mainly because of peer pressure - but personally rarely drank to excess although I saw it FREQUENTLY, after college I drank casually, but after seeing the struggles of friends and family, I really lost my taste for alcohol and haven’t drank any now in close to 5 years. My son, now in college, has drank a few times, but I made him well aware that there would be ample amounts of alcohol on his college campus, so he has never tried to hide it from me, but he has also told me now several times that he doesn’t drink because he doesn’t enjoy it. I fully believe that is because he learned from my ACTIONS and not my words. He saw my emotions on watching my close friend convicted of his DUI, he heard my honest opinions on how damaging alcohol could be, and he watched me abstain throughout his entire high school career. </p>

<p>I ofter wonder how it is that as a society we can teach our children not to drink drain cleaner, that we can teach them not to drink anti-freeze, but we struggle with teaching them to avoid other HARMFUL things. For all the parents out there that HAVE to stop for that Friday night drink after a long week at work, for all the parents out there that go to the Superbowl parties and tell their kids ‘this drink isn’t for you’, for all the parents out there that have a drink or 2 at the restaurant with their dinner and then drive home because that’s not a problem, are you teaching your children to drink responsibly through your actions or are you just teaching them that in our society as adults alcohol is OK?</p>

123

<p>^I am trying teach my kids that alcohol consumed by adults is ok. If you want to teach your kids a different message that is fine with me. It takes the human body approximately an hour to get rid of one drink’s worth of alcohol. A person who has a drink before dinner and another with dinner will not be drunk at the end of dinner assuming dinner is not a 5 minute affair.</p>

124

<p>Society does excuse underage drinking in a way.
Especially for privileged kids. It was everywhere in my hs.</p>

125

<p>

</p>

<p>The problem is, kids are often tempted by things that adults do but are (at least nominally) forbidden to them.</p>

<p>Of course, the typical residential college age is even more problematic, since the 18-20 year olds are legal adults in most respects, but not alcohol consumption, and the legal drinking age happens to fall within the typical age range of residential college students (so some are legal and some are not). Yes, in theory, a fraternity or other party host can card everyone at the beer keg, but how often does that happen in practice (and even if they did card, a 21-year old partygoer could pass the beer to an underage one)?</p>

126

<p>

</p>

<p>Seems like the US is the developed country with the most lenient attitude toward DUI.</p>

127

<p>Proudpatriot,</p>

<p>I don’t know where you get your data about metabolizing alcohol. Two drinks at dinner can affect different people very differently. Some may barely feel it; others may be quite inebriated.</p>

128

<p>I’m not a tee-totaler but this is a societal problem and college students are getting caught up in it. Unfortunately for some of them, this pattern of drinking remains with them well after college.</p>

<p>There is a lot of misinformation about alcohol among the college-age population. My D is 5 feet and weighs 95 pounds. One drink is certainly going to affect her a lot more than a 6 foot guy that hands her a drink at a party and tries to persuade her to keep up with him. She has friends who only drink shots because they believe that there are less calories in them - and they will drink 6-7 shots in a 10 minute period. You can imagine the rest of the story.</p>

129

<p>Cormom,</p>

<p>I agree. Also, women metabolize alcohol differently due to hormonal factors. So even at the same weight and height, a woman will get drunk more quickly and have a higher blood alcohol level than a man.</p>

130

<p>“UVA can ban membership in on-campus or off-campus fraternities anytime they please. I can name at least half a dozen colleges that have done that, including some where they national chapter was formed, with no legal liability.”</p>

<p>All private schools, at least the ones I’m aware of. This would be much more challenging at a public college, which is classified as a state actor and is therefore subject to the First Amendment’s language about free association.</p>

<p>They don’t have to sanction Greek life, offer fraternity/sorority student services, etc. But under current law as I understand it, they could not expel students for joining a private club.</p>

131

<p>Personally, I have no sympathy for students who over drink. It’s not that hard to drink responsibly if you want to. I feel that the only way to end up in such a bad state is to have a total lack of concern for yourself and other people.</p>

132

<p>“They don’t have to sanction Greek life, offer fraternity/sorority student services, etc. But under current law as I understand it, they could not expel students for joining a private club.”</p>

<p>They likely could, if they first sanction them, and then, because of a violation of their regulations, find that membership is not conducive to the college’s educational purposes. Of course, they would first get all of their students sign a document to that effect upon first entering college. </p>

<p>Anyway, that’s what lawyers are for.</p>

133

<p>I don’t understand how the university is not liable. By turning a blind eye to underage drinking they are condoning and supporting illegal behavior. I just don’t understand why drinking (or illegal drugs) is allowed at all on college campuses or at college “related” events (frat parties, sporting events) where minors are in attendance. </p>

<p>I, personally, have attempted to model responsible drink in my home, occasional glass of wine with dinner, cold beer after a hot day of yard work. Never ever getting behind the wheel after drinking. Never ever drinking poolside or when young kids are in need of supervision. Never talking about “needing a drink”. </p>

<p>Kids, teens and (especially) young adults don’t pay attention to most of what us adults “tell” them. Bla bla bla. But, they keenly oberserve every little thing. Any moron who’s hung around teens and young adults know this. you’d think that all highly educated college professionals would get this? Like it doesn’t take Phd or million dollar grant… All the highly educated deans can talk and issue statements until the cows come home. But until the college admins starting “acting” like drinking is unacceptable at school, kids will continue to drink at school. It’s high time to stop the spin and start to walk the talk UVA!!</p>

<p>Maybe the college board should include a new 800 point SAT section on common sense… Maybe an high school AP classes on how not to drink yourself to death at college…</p>

134

<p>Some campuses have required fraternities to go dry. Some national fraternities have required their chapters to go dry regardless of campus policies. However, some fraternity members find other places (not their dry fraternity houses) to have alcohol-laden parties.</p>

<p><a href=“Ban of Brothers - The New York Times”>Ban of Brothers - The New York Times;

135

<p>[How</a> Quickly Can the Body Metabolize Alcohol? | eHow.com](<a href=“http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4587430_quickly-can-body-metabolize-alcohol.html]How”>http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4587430_quickly-can-body-metabolize-alcohol.html)</p>

<p>

</p>

136

<p>“they would first get all of their students sign a document to that effect upon first entering college.”</p>

<p>Not going to work at a public school. The government cannot condition state benefits (like attending a public school) on willingness to give up First Amendment free association rights. Not going to happen.</p>

137

<p>Wouldn’t condition the benefits. State universities (like Chico State) have already suspended the rights of fraternities and sororities to recruit on campus, and prohibited students from joining. They can also set conditions for on-campus residential status.</p>

138

<p>I don’t know why some are so anxious to hold colleges liable for the unlawful behavior of their students. Punishing the colleges will hurt all students. If we are treating 18-20 year old adults like children with respect to drinking, why not hold their parents responsible? Require all students to pledge collateral, a deposit or an insurance policy before admission, and let the colleges collect if the students kill themselves drinking.</p>

139

<p>Re: #137</p>

<p>However, that is different from prohibiting student membership in an unrecognized completely-off-campus organization.</p>

<p>More recent news:
[Fraternities</a> and Sororities Must Agree to Guidelines and Meet February Timeline for Reinstatement - CSU, Chico News - CSU, Chico](<a href=“Home - Chico State Today”>Home - Chico State Today)</p>

140

<p>Totally agree with post #122. Why doesn’t “personal responsability” apply to parents as well as children. A more effective message to your children is to “do as I do” than “do as I say”.</p>