In order to speak on behalf of the assembly during the Student Alcohol Advisory Committee meetings, UPUA Governmental Affairs Chair Rachel Franceschino motioned at Wednesday night’s meeting for the assembly to vote as to whether or not they feel the dry campus policy is a failing policy.
The University Park Undergraduate Association voted unanimously that the dry campus policy is a failing policy, asking that the policy be further looked into by Student Alcohol Advisory Committee.
UPUA Vice President Katelyn Mullen (junior-supply chain and information systems)and Franceschino (junior-political science and labor studies), who both sit on the Student Alcohol Advisory Committee, spoke about the policy and decided it would be best to lead the motion to see what the assembly’s opinion was about the dry campus policy, Mullen said.
“When they first implemented the dry campus policy, they felt like it was going to be a very effective change, but looking at it now, it doesn’t seem like that’s the direction its going in,” Franceschino said.
Both Franceschino and Mullen attended the last Student Alcohol Advisory Committee meeting where they discussed the Dry Campus Policy in depth.
“Our discussion at the last meeting revolved around looking into different alternatives for the alcohol policy on campus,” Mullen said. “At that meeting, we discussed that we would go back to our constituents and see what their thoughts were.”
During the meeting, Senior Director of Residence Life Diane Andrews and Assistant Vice President for Housing, Food Services and Residence Life Stan Latta spoke about what they thought about the dry campus policy and expressed their disfavor of the dry campus policy, Mullen said.
“The majority of our students are under 21, so by law, they can’t have alcohol,” Latta said. “If I were king of the world, I would allow students to drink at 18. I find it disconcerting because I feel that if you can serve your country and die for your country, you should be able to have a beer.”
Franceschino said that if they decide to move forward with revising the policy, it would be a long-term project.
“Most likely, they will look at other Big Ten schools first in seeing what they do in terms of alcohol policy,” Franceschino said.
Franceschino said that many of the Big Ten universities have a policy that if a student is 21, he or she can have alcohol in his room in the presence of his roommate regardless of the roommates’ age, but not if there is another minor present.
Other schools block off certain sections of campus where underage students tend to reside.
“Maybe they would do something like this in East since it is all freshmen, but there is nothing really definite yet,” Franceschino said.
As for the fairness of the university’s current policy, Franceschino said that she believes it should coincide with the Federal Law.
“I think our school policy should be in accordance with what the federal government lets you do, which is being allowed to drink if you are 21,” Franceschino said. “I also understand why they have this policy because they don’t want people drinking in the dorms, but I think if everything was policed appropriately, then I do agree that it should be changed.”
