The buzz on alcohol

By: Johnathan Skidmore
Copy Layout Editor

The recent articles regarding alcohol use and the policies governing them have sparked some conversations regarding the implementation of the alcohol policy on Monmouth College campus.

Judging by the responses on the matter, the students at Monmouth College seem to have greatly differing opinions regarding the alcohol policy.

“The college’s alcohol policy is too weak, drinking underage or in hallways results in a slap on the wrist, a couple dollars and no real consequences,” said one anonymous male junior.

“The alcohol policy on this campus is adequate,” said Will Dowling, head resident of Graham Hall. “It could be better, but it does meet the needs to a certain extent. There should be a scale system so that students who violate the policy numerous times should suffer an increased fine or some other form of consequences. The residence life staff does what they can to work with the policy and its current implementation.”

“The alcohol policy on our campus seems to be too strict, but compared to other colleges, it’s basically the same,” said one female senior. “I think that the reason why it seems that security is so strict and the RAs are strict is because we are so small. The college can see us easier.”

“The policy has good intentions,” said Savannah Dorsett, resident assistant of Bowers Hall. “Students should face consequences for irresponsible behavior. The fact that students can pay their fines without their parents finding out, however, and the small amount makes the practice a joke. Plus, there are no consequences if a person has frequent strikes against them. I think if someone is caught more than three times for underage drinking, he or she should have to spend a weekend receiving some kind of alcohol awareness counseling. If the person really does have a problem, the school should try to help, not just let the student write a check and continue the same destructive behavior.”

“The college is infringing on our own rights by creating the alcohol policy, but we signed away those rights when we came here. It’s the individuals who act out that are causing the problems,” said one anonymous female student.

“Some RAs in the past have chosen not to enforce policy because they have developed relationships with the residents to the point where they feel uncomfortable punishing their friends,” said Ian Van Anden, resident assistant of The North Hall.

“I don’t understand why we cannot drink on campus regardless of age,” said one anonymous female freshman. “The college is preventing us from getting the college experience by allowing RAs and security to enter our own rooms to write us tickets for drinking our own beer.”

“The RAs never go around searching for alcohol, which means that the only way to actually get caught is to have your door blatantly open showing everything you’re doing, walking around the hall with alcohol or being loud after quiet hours, which is normally quite a reasonable time,” said an anonymous head resident.