Dry Campus Full of Hot Air

As it stands presently, the policy on alcohol is as follows, found on page 15 of this year's updated Student Handbook:
Students and their guests, regardless of age, may neither store not consume alcoholic beverages of any kind on University property of as part of any University activity.

The policy goes on to state that behavior resulting from alcohol consumption is means for disciplinary action, counseling, and that "Decorative alcohol bottles are not permitted in residence halls. Empty alcohol containers may not be kept in the residence halls." Residents are also frequently reminded that returning to campus in a state of intoxication even if they are of age is means for disciplinary action. Bluntly, I interpret dry campus as no alcohol, no drunks--resident or not--, no problem.

All of this means that anyone intoxicated on campus is breaking the policy--including guests. As for the problem of the DJ not knowing, that is definitely someone's fault--be it SHU's assumption that they were aware of the campus's stance on alcohol or just the DJ's ignorance.

And before anyone brings up the issue of free speech, like wearing t-shirts with beer on them and whatnot, this is not the same--this is an icon representative of the necessity of alcohol to "party" and was displayed at a school sponsored function on school property. This is not a personal issue, personal freedom of the DJ's, or "right" of any kind. To me it's right along the same lines as solicitation and advertisement: we don't allow just anyone to hang signs around campus because that would invite all sorts of groups and people to hang signs on school property. Similarly, this icon as an averse representation of the school's drinking policy and is, indeed, a slip in the wrong direction if we are to remain a dry campus.

I do agree that the mug o'beer sends mixed messages. It is yet another conflicting issue in regard to the school's morality standards. But, I pose this question, what is the school's policy regarding off campus guests, not consuming alcohol on campus, but they arrive drunk at the dance...and they are over 21. I know this is a bit of a technicality, but its still a concern. I am wondering if in the near future SHU will shift to become a campus that allows alcohol if indeed the resident is 21+. It was suggested to me that when a majority of the football players (who are mainly in the same class) start turning 21 and get caught on campus their coach will likely lobby for this to happen. This is mere rumor and speculation because only time will tell.

If they wanted to say that people didn't need to drink to "party" they wouldn't have put this message on a giant mug o' beer. They could have put that same note on a big inflatable panda or rocket ship...

Now, I can understand the DJ setting this up not knowing what this school is all about. But don't you think that someone in authority should have told him to take it down before the party-goers arrived.

To me, it's not such a huge deal that I need to take this to Dr. Boyle's office... it's just worth pointing out another mis-step our school has made in it's overall message to the students. If they want this atmosphere to change for the better, they have to start actively, and positively, influencing it.

I suppose everyone has their own interpretation of the inflated mug o' beer. Someone on the residence life staff told me that they saw it as being a sign that you didn't have to go up to your room to get drunk in order to have a good time that night. This person saw it as meaning, "The 'party' (so to speak) is at the dance, so you don't have to be somewhere else." I guess I am just looking at this issue a little differently. It is possible the DJs didn't know the school was a dry campus, or that the school didn't know they were bringing the novelty item. Mike, have you questioned any administrators?