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Editorial:
Student participation
crucial to alcohol policy

The memo was sent to various members of the Administration, the president of the Wesleyan Student Assembly, and the Greek Council Presidents. However, the rest of the student population was left guessing about the terms and conditions of the policy. Many students are scratching their heads in confusion about party regulations. We understand that the University has an obligation to uphold the law, but because the policy has the greatest impact on students, it is necessary that they are informed of changing party regulations and can influence them as well.

Trinity College, Connecticut College, and Yale University allow students to have on-campus parties without obtaining liquor permits, which violates Connecticut law. We respect Wesleyan’s decision to enforce the law, even while other schools do not. However, the aforementioned colleges also allow students to participate in determining the school’s stance on alcohol by including them on alcohol policy boards alongside administrators. There is much ambiguity surrounding the University’s alcohol policy and party regulations. We realize that we cannot change the law, but we want a say on the manner in which the policy is interpreted and enforced.

We propose the formation of a student committee that would interact with the Administration in setting party guidelines that would uphold Connecticut law and, at the same time, accommodate students. A task force of students and administrators is necessary to clarify the issues surrounding the policy, because the best type of policy is one that is understood by both sides. As it stands now, SJB violations have increased due to party policy violations. This is caused in part because students are not aware of the policy’s stipulations and subsequently violate the regulations. 

A student committee addressing the University’s stance on alcohol would facilitate communication between the Administration and students. If the University’s goal in enforcing at tighter alcohol policy is to keep students safe, then the Administration has a duty to work with student to keep them informed and allow them to participate in the policy’s evolution. If the issue is a true concern to students, then they in turn must do their part and actively attempt to be heard by the Administration.