The Fourth Wall
page 3
Drinking
from page 1
way to become involved is to get
caught consuming the alcohol
itself. This would qualify one for a
sit down with Community
Standards and Judicial Affairs,
both of which are represented by
Kim Rushing. Typically, you would
undergo contract review for your
housing contract, your parents will
be contacted, and you will be
referred to the Alcohol
Intervention Program; or AIP.
The first time, you will be
assigned AIP I. According to the
AIP Program informational
pamphlet, ““[t]his program involves
meeting with a campus counselor
. [,] takes about an hour to
complete and the total cost,
0 lel TET
including counseling, is $50.” This
$50 cost is actually less than it
costs the campus to bring in the
counselor, according to Mrs.
Christopher.
The next time, you will be
assigned AIP II. This is basically
the same as AIP [, but it requires 2-
3 sessions with the counselor,
which would cost between $100
and $150.
The third time, you will be
participation in a Franklin County
Drug and Alcohol Workshop as
well as treatment at a local drug and
alcohol treatment facility, both
arranged through a campus
counselor and at the student’s
expense,” according to the same
AIP informational pamphlet.
These AIP sessions are
mandatory if they are assigned.
They are not the only means of
dealing with offenses, as each case
is treated individually. Factors such
as the amount of alcohol found and
the students’ intentions play a role.
For relatively minor infractions,
students may be assigned a
research paper which is to concern
the effects of alcohol and why
consuming alcohol is therefore a
can be fairly severe for incidents
involving more alcohol or repeat
offenses, and one consequence
not mentioned, though one that
has been used, is revocation of
your housing contract, forcing you
to move out.
What happens if you merely
possess alcohol? As was noted
before, each incident is considered
individually. The most extreme
measure, dismissal from the
university, has been used to deal
with offenders possessing large
amounts of alcohol, although only
in conjunction with individuals
who were repeat offenders (Source
withheld). Possessing alcohol will
have you referred to Judicial
Affairs, just as will consumption.
Just being around individuals
consuming alcohol, though not
consuming it yourself, may land
you in trouble. Depending on your
reasons for being at the location
where alcohol was being
consumed, if you were a past
offender, or any mitigating
circumstances, your punishment
will vary, if there is any at all.
However, students have gotten in
trouble just for associating with
those consuming alcohol (Source
withheld).
For persons of age, many of the
same consequences apply. You will
have a sit down with Community
Standards and Judicial Affairs, and
have your contract reviewed as
well. Your parents will also be sent
a letter even though you are of age,
and this has happened (Source
withheld). According to Mrs.
Christopher, however, a special
allowance for adult learners was
made in the past to allow them to
possess and consume alcohol on
campus, but this led to several
problems. However, many older
should at least be allowed to drink
on campus.
We have seen that, and as
members of the Penn State Mont
Alto community know drinking
goes on on campus. We also know
that the punishment for drinking
can be quite harsh. We conclude
from this that the campus’ policies
concerning drinking have been
combat this perceived problem.
Certainly, the current focus on
making alcohol seem bad or evil,
or even pointing out the
consequences of drinking in
educational programs, which the
If students aren’t responding,
however, something must be
wrong.
Truthfully, binge drinking is a
serious problem on college
campuses. Maybe this should be
the focus of current alcohol
policies; rather than seeking out
and punishing offenders, we
should be attacking the
overconsumption of alcohol
instead. Campus administration
needs to face the truth that drinking
is prevalent not only on this but
on every college campus in
America.
Alcohol serves a social function
in the college world, and the
campus here cannot replace that
with other campus sponsored
activities. ‘What the campus
should focus on is combating
binge drinking and not all drinking,
seeking to educate all students that
they should drink responsibly, not
that they shouldn’t be drinking at
all. Mont Alto is certainly a place
of alcohol consumption, and no
campus policy could ever eliminate
that. Campus policy should instead
focus on mitigating the effects of
alcohol consumption rather than
on mitigating the consumption of
alcohol.
ASB
from page 1
looking much younger than her
respectable 79 years, is the
beneficiary of a Habitat house that
was, and still is, in the process of
sons who are both disabled and
incapable of independent living,
graced us with our presence one
warm day on the worksite, and
though she kindly donated a
private lunch, the balanced was
even when she stole our hearts.
The words “God bless you”
flowed constantly from the lips of
the slight creature, praising our
work and our devotion of time.
Though her commendation was
lavish and all but unceasing, what
Mildred did not know is that within
each one of us, the praise was
mutual, if not heavily in her favor.
The entire trip can only be
described as breathtaking. The
sights of the old town of Savannah,
the taste of fine southern cooking,
the indefatigable kindness of an
extraordinary group of peoples was
miraculous. Our experience in
Georgia was a devotion of our time,
doubtlessly so. However, I believe
I speak for the entire Alternative
Spring Break Club when I say that
there ultimately remains a debt that
may never be remunerated: To a
tiny community in Effingham
County, Georgia for a kindness
thought unattainable in an
evolving world.
To learn how you can get
involved in Habitat for Humanity,
go to www.habitat.org or call the
Chambersburg chapter of Habitat
for humanity at (717) 267-1899.
Additionally, each student has the
chance to join next year’s
Alternative Spring Break club, the
details of which will be available
at the beginning of the fall
semester.
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