The Question
By law, people under 21 may not drink alcohol. What should Stanford's policy be on alcohol use by underage students?
The Answers
1. Look the other way. Having a few beers is part
of the college experience
5
2. Casual enforcement. The University should crack
down on particular parties or residences that get out of hand
31
3. Strict enforcement of the law. Dorms or
fraternities that serve students under 21 should be sanctioned
14
s drinking just part of the college experience, or
is it a scourge to be banned from campus? We asked 50 alums for their
opinion on the issue after campus police sparked controversy last fall
by cracking down on a few undergrad beer bashes.
A sizable majority--62 percent--advocated moderation. "If it gets out of hand, then clean it up," said a travel executive, '59. "Otherwise, look the other way." Many wished for a stricter policy but gave it up as impractical. "It's a nice idea to try and enforce a ban on drinking, but it doesn't work," said a homemaker, '54, who argued that strict enforcement would require a police state. "We drank with our resident assistant."
More than one-quarter of our sample spoke up for a get-tough approach. "The University policy has to follow the law," said a retired conference manager, '49. A few said strict enforcement seems the most fair. "I don't think you can crack down on some parties and not on others," said a radio producer, '76. And several people admitted to a change of heart since their undergraduate days. "I might not have said this when I was a student," said a sheepish consumer affairs consultant, '36, "but as I look back, I think strict enforcement might be better."
A mere 10 percent defended a student's right to unfettered drinking. "We're dealing with adults," said a lawyer, '92. "The University has bigger and better things to worry about." A technical publications manager, '61, said it's safer to let students drink on campus than to encourage them to seek refreshment beyond it--as she did. "I had my own fake ID," she admitted. "It was really cool."
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