UA aims to discourage binge drinking

Undergraduate Assembly members agreed last Sunday that the body must play a primary role in curbing irresponsible drinking at the University. The lengthy discussion at the group's weekly meeting served as a follow-up to a debate on binge drinking at Wednesday's University Council. "It's probably better for us to address it before anyone else does," UA Chairperson Noah Bilenker told the body Sunday. "It's our issue." Several UA committees introduced ideas to create a safer drinking environment on campus and prevent future instances of alcohol-induced student-on-student violence such as those that have occurred in recent weeks. To allow people to sober up before making their way home from fraternity parties, the Greek Life committee proposed that parties remain open until at least 3 a.m., while continuing to stop serving drinks at 1:45 a.m. Fraternities must currently shut down events at 2 a.m. "For that extra hour, you're giving them a chance to sober up," Greek Life committee chairperson Mike Steib said. "And that hour is dry." The College senior explained that such a system would coincide with the West Philadelphia committee's proposal to extend Spectaguard patrols from 3 a.m. to 4 a.m. on weekends. The extended protection on the streets would allow party-goers to make their way home later, safe and sober. The Greek Life committee will present its proposal to the InterFraternity Council at its next meeting, and the IFC will decide whether to bring it up before the administration. As part of efforts to stress responsible drinking, the UA plans to initiate a "propaganda campaign" attacking the cultural propensity towards binge drinking with short, catchy slogans and a day-long educational program. "We're not going to be able to change [the drinking culture] completely, but maybe we can fray it a little," Bilenker, a College junior, said. In a related issue, the Greek Life committee decided to join the IFC in opposing a proposed Greek Card that would help fund fraternity parties by requiring students wanting to attend the parties to purchase the card in advance. Steib said his committee fears the card would only have limited support at first -- especially because incoming freshmen won't have clear ideas of how frequently they might attend parties. The committee would rather see the administration find ways to provide the fraternities with more money, perhaps by increasing the General Fee which every student pays along with tuition. "It's inconceivable to me that [fraternities] wouldn't be treated like a student organization by the school," Steib said. "The administration treats fraternity parties differently because people are allowed to bring alcohol to our events." Apart from the drinking discussion, UA members also had the chance to meet with Dining Services Director Bill Canney to voice concerns and inquiries about recent changes in dining. Canney said the new weekend meal plan has been less successful than expected, falling short of its target goal of 2,000 participants. In the past week, 100 students have dropped the weekend plan, leaving only 1,300 students still registered. But Canney said he would still like to continue with the plan, giving it at least "two years." UA members expressed general opposition to Dining Services' decision to replace last year's meal redemption program with a "dining dollars" system -- where every student begins the year with $53 on their PennCard to use at Chats and McClelland Marketplace. Canney said he intends to improve the "dining dollars" system with time, but does not favor a return to meal redemptions. Twenty-two of the UA's 25 members attended Sunday night's meeting. One member was replaced with an alternate in accordance with the UA's constitution. Wharton senior Alan Danzig, who has been attending past meetings as an alternate, will take the seat of Roger DaSilva, a Wharton junior studying abroad this semester. DaSilva will become a non-voting alternate when he returns.