it- • ...- , • • • • .-...Cratiitof , Times Vol 22, No. 2 Alcohol Abuse Discussed on Capitol Hill Uncooperative Attitudes of Colleges Cited by LCB By Jan Travers A recent Department of Education survey of colleges and universities reveals most institutions felt drug and alcohol abuse is a major concern that should be addressed. As a result of action in the Pennsylvania House of Representative, House Resolution Number 86 established a committee to "investigate the extent of alcohol abuse by commonwealth college and university students, both on and off campus, including the extent to which underage drinking and the lack of enforcement of both institution drinking rules and the laws of the commonwealth contribute to the problem." On Tuesday, September 9, the committee met with law enforcement representatives and PA college student leaders in a three hour meeting to hear testimony on the issue. The major focus of the hearing was underage drinking. "It's ironic that if you have money and intelligence you can buy a ticket to drink at will at 18 years old," said Harold Mowery, a representative and vice-chairman of the committee. "Is there any other haven within the state where underage drinking is protected?" he asked. According to John Reiley, Secretary of the PA Liquor Control Bureau, part of the reason that underage drinkers continue to be protected is because of the "uncooperative attitudes exhibited by most colleges and universities." Reiley went on to Provost's - Lecture Series Speakers Announced By Michele Hart "Change in America" will be the theme of the 1987-88 Provost's Leccture Series at Capital College. The series, featuring four speakers, will run from October through March. According -to Michael J. Breslin, community relations, the series' 'theme was decided upon by Capital College Provost Dr. Ruth Leventhal and a speaker series comittee made up of faculty, staff and alumni. The first speaker in the series will be orchestra leader Peter Duchin. Duchin will present a special lecture/performance, Thursday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m. in the Sculpture Garden. His topic will be "Changes in American Music." describe how most institutions automatically accept that there will be drinking by their students and therefore try to "confine their drinking activities to a limited area where they can be controlled. "They [college administrators] see it as a form of protectionism," he said. Reiley also charged that school officials make it toaeasy for students to drink on campus. "It used tO be that anyone caught with , beer on campus would be gone," he said, adding that now many times officials just look the other way. Part of the problem in controlling underage drinking is that college students don't view it as breaking the law. Jeff Shields, president of- the association at Shippensburg University said that the college student today has a higher awareness of the problem with alcohol abuse. "Students don't think it's funny to stumble to a car and drive away, or punch someone out, but they don't think underage drinking is wrong either," said Shields. "They are not worried with breaking •the law, but they are concerned with human life," he added. However, in spite of commonly held beliefs that the law prohibiting underage drinking is null and void as it relates to college students, the state police has begun to crack down on offenders. According to State Police Major Glenn Walp, director of Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, during its first three months of operation, his The Honorable Shirley Chisholm , well known for her advocacy of educational reform, and the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, will present the second lecture. Chisholm wil talk about "Controversy Versus Challenge in Education: Change for the Future," Thursday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m., in the CUB. Golden Fleece Award originator Senator William Proxmire will speak on "Change in American Spending Policy," Thursday, Feb. 11, 1988, 8 p.m. . Proxmire has become well-known as a watchdog of federal spending of tax dollars. The final speaker of the series will be Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique. Friedan will close Penn State Harrisburg bureau hascharged three times as many minors with underage drinking than the LCB (who was responsible for enforcement up until this year) did in the same time period last year. "The bureau will not take a business as usual attitude toward underage drinking," said Walp. A big challenge to colleges on dealing with alcohol use is the students who have been drinking since high school. "People who drank in high school are not just going to change their behavior now," said Maureen Ryan, vice president of student affairs at LaSalle University. The schools must reocgnize this and start to develop policies for educational programs, recommended Ryan. "Scare tactics and severe penalties will not work," agreed Dennis Nicholson executive director of the PA Tavern Anociation. "Underage drinking and alcohol abuse are rampant and the association will not continue to be a scapegoat, " he said. "We need an extensile education program." Marc Falato, a Lehigh University graduate student outlined new policies at his school. Responsibility plays a key role in their policy, he said. In addition, all parties must be registered with student activities as to the number of people expected, the number of attendants, and the type and amount of alcohol which will be served. Alternatives are offered to the Lehigh students in the form of university sponsored movies, plays and lectures on weekends and a popular non alcoholic night spot close to campus. the series Thursday, Mar. 24, 8 p.m., lecturing on the topic "Change in Quality of Life." Breslin said the speaker series comittee first chose a focus area for the series and then selected the speakers to fit the theme. of changes had taken place and in what kind of things, and then decided who could talk about those changes," Breslin said. Some of the speakers may be speaking for students in the Gallery Lounge in addition to their lectures, Breslin said. "We want to tie them [the speakers] and their topics into the classes," he said. "We want students to "We first looked at what kinds Also on campus, is a full time drug and alcohol counselor who helps coordinate the joint efforts of education among the interfraternity council(lFC), administration and student activities. Fraternities have taken the rap for alcohol abuse on campuses recently. However, Phil Bongiorno, Indiana University of Pennsylvania President of See related article on Page 2 the Interfraternity Council, disagreed. "Frats are not the cause of alcohol problems on campus," said Bongiomo. "With or without frats there will still be alcohol problems," he added. With the cooperative effort of the IFC and the school, lUP has come up with programming which deals with alcohol in every day situations, taking into account societal attitudes and behaviors. "By looking at how alcohol affects you in everyday life, we have significantly decreased our problems," said Bongiomo. According to Mowery, the committee will meet and discuss the testimony they have heard, deciding whether to obtain more information to form their report. "We hope to be able to present colleges with a bill of rights to guide them in their policies," said Mowery. The final report is due by February 1988. get a chance to meet them." Subscription tickets for the series are available for $20.00. Patron tickets, which include preferred seating and a reception are $75.00, and student tickets are one dollar per lecture. FINSMETI Resident Assistants - 6 Jaded Eye Review - 5 Leadership Conf. - 3 Sept. 16, 1987
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers