Alcohol ban lifted as task force reports

Penn President Judith Rodin will now consider the list of recommendations. The provost-appointed alcohol task force submitted a 10-page list of recommendations to University President Judith Rodin on Monday, prompting her to end the nearly five-week ban on alcohol at official undergraduate events. The committee -- which had been meeting at least once a week since March 30 -- recommended several key changes to the existing alcohol policy, including a total ban on hard liquor at all on-campus undergraduate registered events and a stipulation that alcohol distribution end at 1 a.m. at those parties. And the recommendations call for the development of a vast range of new educational programming and increased non-alcoholic social options on campus. It also expands many of the current regulations for Greek organizations to student groups across the University. Provost Robert Barchi, who chaired the committee, said that this is "a very substantial document [with] specific proposals on how we should be working together to change our campus." The committee, composed of 14 student leaders and seven faculty members, developed recommendations within five categories: education, ensuring student safety, responsibility and accountability, minimizing risk and expanding social options. Although the temporary ban has been lifted, none of the new recommendations will be implemented until Rodin finishes a two-month-long period of consultation -- scheduled to last until June 30 -- with the University community. Rodin is asking students to read the policy and send comments to her via e-mail. She said she hopes that even though the semester is almost over, students "don't forget about important issues when they leave." The committee said students should expect to see noticeable differences on campus with regards to the recommendations when they return in September. The recommendations outline an ambitious set of changes that would require significant University support and funding. "The main purpose of this was to get a report out on what should happen," said Wharton junior and former Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Bill Conway, a member of the task force. Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said she has been assured that her office will receive all the funding it needs to implement the social options of the plan, if approved by Rodin. The recommendations call for the establishment of an Alcohol Rapid Response Team that would be in charge of implementing the recommendations if and when Rodin approves them and would also serve as a consultative body that the provost could call upon as necessary. The recommendations for alcohol education include academic projects such as the development of classes that focus on alcohol issues and the development of extracurricular events such as forums for students to speak about alcohol experiences. Specific education efforts will target freshmen with the distribution of the Alcohol 101 CD-ROM to pre-freshmen and the creation of an Alcohol 101 freshman seminar, which would promote "scholarly discussion" of alcohol and drug abuse. To ensure student safety, the committee recommended the creation of an alcohol coordinator to address alcohol policy and education issues --Ea position which was also called for by a committee charged by Rodin last year with finding ways to cut down on campus alcohol abuse. Rodin said yesterday that officials interviewed candidates for the job but never hired anyone. Another recommendation to facilitate student safety is the addition of a statement to the alcohol policy specifically spelling out that a student seeking alcohol-related medical assistance for themselves or friends would not have to worry about possible disciplinary action. "Health and safety are the University's and the Penn Police force's primary concerns," said Undergraduate Assembly Treasurer and College sophomore Michael Bassik, another task force member. The recommendations stress that the University will support enforcement of local, state and federal laws and that there will be punitive measures taken against students who violate University regulations. Additionally all organizations holding events must be aware of the alcohol policy and regulations and will be held accountable to them. All officially recognized organizations --Eregardless of whether they plan to hold social events -- would be required to have a member other than their president receive training with regard to alcohol abuse policy. Failure to do so could result in the loss of University recognition. Risk prevention measures include the ban on hard alcohol and the 1 a.m serving limit at registered parties. The committee hopes that by stopping alcohol distribution an hour before the University-mandated closing time for parties, students will have a "cooling-off" period of sorts to sober up before leaving the event. Hard liquor would continue to be allowed at third-party sites, such as sorority parties or fraternity formals, because those establishments are more likely to card students and also usually charge for alcohol -- making it a "financial disincentive" for students to drink themselves to the hospital, said former IFC Vice President for Rush Jeffrey Snyder, a Wharton senior and committee member. The committee also said that a BYOB policy will be enforced at all undergraduate registered events, not just at fraternity parties. Also, the committee recommended a one six-pack limit per organization member at a registered event in an attempt to control the "aggregate" of alcohol at parties. Another goal of the committee is to alter the campus culture by offering more fun, non-alcoholic social options. The recommendations list a variety of social options including the creation of bowling alleys, pool halls and dry music clubs on and around campus, and offering late night intramural athletic and recreational activities. Rodin stressed that the University will fund the resolutions that it ultimately passes but she "can't guarantee that when people come in September, there will be a bowling alley." The alcohol task force was appointed at the end of March after a series of alcohol-related events -- most notably the death of 1994 Penn graduate and Phi Gamma Delta brother Michael Tobin -- prompted the University to re-examine the existing alcohol policies. Tobin's death, which occurred after a night of drinking before and during a FIJI alumni event, prompted Rodin and Barchi to temporarily suspend the policy allowing alcohol at undergraduate parties. The move was met with widespread student condemnation, which culminated with a March 30 rally where student leaders decried the fact that they were not consulted before the administration enacted the policy.

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