Alcohol Policy Worries Students

Drinking in public? Students know not to test the Oberlin Police Department. Acting drunk? Only if Obies want to risk an appearance before J-board.

With a new proposal that would change College regulations to include "intoxication" as an offense punishable by the judicial board, the College has taken steps to cement its implied authority. The rules applying to on-campus intoxication have been under review since last year, and are centered on what agencies refer to as a "problem drinker" - the drinker who endangers her/himself and others.

The issues discussed by the Student Life Committee and the Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs deal with the specific implications of abuse on students' psychological and physical health, and not with the legalities of a drinking age or with the petty vandalism committed by persons under the influence of alcohol.

For some, the conflict that arises from the establishment of such rules seems like an imposition upon individual rights.

Former senior student senator and current Student Life Committee member Jane Glynn, said, "I think this policy is a huge mistake that follows in loco parentis ideology that we supposedly have abandoned. The first three sentences of Section IX of the the Rules and Regulations state: "'It is understood that Oberlin students are adults. Therefore, Oberlin College does not act in loco parentis. The College provides students with the freedom and encouragement to make decisions and requires them to assume responsibility for - and accept the consequences of - their behavior.'"

On the other hand, College administrators generally feel that a written stance on the issue must be taken. The College complies with all state and county laws, and these include laws providing for the safety of the individual even in instances of self-inflicted harm. The federally funded Drug Free School and Campuses Act asks schools to develop programs that deal with alcohol and drug abuse.

When the College becomes aware of students with alcohol and/or drug problems it is supposed to act accordingly by providing counseling to the individual. In this aspect administrators, like Assistant Dean of Students Bill Stackman, feel that they are acting on behalf of the students' welfare and development.

That action on the part of administrators is taken is not questionable, but the problem remains that the College's actions are not defined anywhere. Administrators feel it necessary to document Oberlin's compliance with federal law.

Stackman, chair of the Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs, said, "Ohio state laws and city laws certainly address issues of intoxication, which we need to adhere to. So, technically, right now anyhow, it's my understanding that it would be violating our alcohol policy if you were intoxicated even though it doesn't say that in our policy because we have to adhere to state laws."

The tricky factor that will contribute to the future of this new school rule is its wording. Defining the state of intoxication may not come down to blood-alcohol level, but may be judged more subjectively. Students fear that if incorrectly worded, the rule will be applied unfairly in the future. The window of misinterpretation for the rule is wide open. After reactions from a senate meeting three weeks ago wherein only one senator voted in favor of the suggested change, and comments on a proposal by the Student Life Committee last week, Stackman noted that the policy still needs to undergo much rethinking.

According to Stackman, "I think for me - I think for educational purposes - it's valuable. This isn't an attempt to address behavior where someone is just drinking and having a good time. It's really severe intoxication, where someone has lost control of bodily functions, and they are really presenting, at that point, a danger to themselves.

"That window allows us to [intervene to provide] education and support. Technically, I think we can do that anyhow, but it allows us to do it in some cases where we would not otherwise have been able to," Stackman said.

Glynn said, "My objections, which mirror those of many on Senate and of other students, concern the scope of the proposed policy and the implementation of the policy. Bill Stackman won't always be around to use this policy as it is intended, as a tool to help those who need help, and he won't always be around to make sure the policy remains fairly implemented. His successor will be hired by Dean of Students Peter Goldsmith who has repeatedly shown that he does not seem to understand or, more importantly, care about students here." Although Oberlin does not rank high in the nation for alcohol related hospitalizations, 20 students have been hospitalized since the beginning of this semester, only one of whom was over 21 years old.