Drinking on campus: let’s be safe

The Lawrence fraternities have been facing some interesting situations with administration. Each of the frats on the quad has had different problems that have been taken up by Dean of Students, Nancy Truesdell and Dean of Student Life, Amy Uecke.The Phi Delt house has struggled in recent years to maintain enough members to retain their house. They have put forth strong efforts to recruit enough men to live in the house, but each year they seem to face difficulties meeting the University-mandated quota.

The Sig Ep house has the same issue of failing to meet housing quotas. This is of particular concern to the University because of increases in admission every year and lack of places to put the incoming and returning students.

The Delta Tau Delta house has been plagued with stereotypes and labels from years past that administration continues to uphold. Despite efforts to curb these titles, the Delts are continually checked on during the week and especially on the weekends.

During the preseason, the Delt house was reprimanded for consuming alcohol in common spaces in their house. Though asked many times on separate nights to better control the alcohol consumption in common areas, LU Security still broke up nightly events.

Dean Truesdell took over as Head of Security on campus this school year. She explained how the decision to make her the new head of security was made by President Beck over the summer for several reasons. Most significantly, it is thought that the security of the students should be handled by the Dean of Students rather than Physical Plant.

Drinking on campus is an issue that is handled by security. Though there is a clear understanding of the University policy that mandates that there should be no alcohol in any and all common areas, the fraternities are concerned that this is being taken too far in their houses.

Truesdell insists that no one group or individual is being targeted and that the same action is taken in all cases. She proudly stated that much intervention is usually not needed because “LU students are very responsible.”

“It’s all about safety,” Truesdell said. A common concern for students’ safety is the “misuse” of alcohol, which includes underage drinking, binge drinking, drinking games, and drinking in common areas.

Having alcohol in common areas generally increases the number of people in the space, violating fire codes in buildings.

Truesdell says awareness and enforcement of both alcohol misuse and fire codes is a national concern.

Though the fraternities on campus seem to be targeted more than the rest of campus, it should remain clear to all Lawrence students that we have all signed contracts indicating that the campus follows Wisconsin federal laws about drinking age and locations.

Truesdell would like to remind the student body of this fact and encourage drinking to be in control, in moderation, and safe.