Drinking sends Ware freshman to hospital

The incident is the first since the University's new alcohol policy went into effect last week. A male freshman was admitted to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania early yesterday morning for an alcohol-related illness, a source close to the situation said. A nursing administrator at HUP said the student, a resident of Ware College House, was released at 9:15 a.m. yesterday. The student, who the source said had been drinking a large quantity of vodka and beer, returned to his hall in the Quadrangle at about 3:30 a.m. Although he did not lose consciousness, he told a few of his hallmates that he had vomited and that he had never been so drunk before, the source said. He did not need an ambulance to take him to the hospital. It was unclear how the student obtained the alcohol or where he had been drinking. The freshman is at least the seventh student to be hospitalized for excessive drinking this year, and the first since Penn implemented a stricter version of its alcohol and drug policy last week. Provost Robert Barchi emphasized that while the student may have required hospital care, he was not suffering from alcohol poisoning. "This and every episode of this type underscores the importance of the job that faces our alcohol working group," Barchi said, referring to a group of administrators and students who are meeting to examine the University's alcohol policies. Outgoing Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Bill Conway, a vocal critic of the administration's alcohol policy, said the issue "brings up more safety concerns." "In general, I think the policy makes us more susceptible to abusive drinking incidents, but it's hard to say if it had anything to do with this particular incident," the Wharton junior said, adding that the temporary alcohol ban is only pushing alcohol into less-safe, off-campus locations. The stricter policy was implemented four days after the death of a 26-year-old University alumnus who fell down a set of cement stairs at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house to his death after he had been drinking since the previous afternoon. That same weekend, a freshman was hospitalized for an alcohol-related illness and two downtown sorority parties were busted by the Liquor Control Enforcement bureau. Since the temporary changes were introduced, University Police have issued at least three citations to Penn students for underage drinking.