Elephant in the Room

There's an elephant on campus. A large, brightly colored elephant that has been ignored for far too long. With the publishing of this week's survey about the drinking habits of EMU students, that elephant is finally being noticed.

To attend EMU, every one of us signed the Lifestyle Commitment--a commitment that, among other things, includes a promise to refrain from drinking on campus as well as misuse of alcohol off campus. But according to our survey, 69 percent of all students drink regularly or occasionally. These students certainly don't all live off campus, and 69 percent definitely aren't 21 or older. It's time for EMU to walk over to that brightly colored, trunked mammal and say hello.

Take a look at the Lifestyle Commitment and reevaluate this small part of the responsibilities it requires. In a changing world, where more than half of our own campus consumes alcohol, the current Lifestyle Commitment is becoming less and less valid. A few years ago, a survey was done that concluded 30 percent of our campus consumed alcohol, upsetting EMU's administration. Thirty-nine percent later, the Lifestyle statement has yet to be reworded regardless of the apparent lack of effect it has on the consciences of many students.

Will we, as a community, continue to ignore the problem in the hopes that it will go away, similar to families plagued with alcoholism? This unchanging attitude can only result in continued growth of alcohol consumption. Over just a few years, the rate managed to climb nearly 40 percent. Will this trend continue over the next coming years?

Something needs to change, whether it be the Lifestyle statement itself or the programs, penalties, and general attitude towards alcohol on campus. Unspoken, unacknowledged discouragement ceases to be of any value any more.

Recommendations?

Open Common Grounds discussions of alcohol consumption on and off campus. Now that awareness has been raised, students need the opportunity to speak on the subject without fear of repercussions, including admittance. Create alcohol abuse presentations, programs, and invite speakers to edify our community on the long-term effects of binge drinking.

Opening discussion on how the Lifestyle agreement could be changed to reflect more accurately the realities of actual student lifestyles would put the issue on a proactive rather than punitive track. Isaac Asimov once said, "If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them." The Vane's article this week will create, or at least surface, a problem. Rather than continue a policy out of touch with reality, we need to embrace a community-wide acceptance of the fact that alcohol does pervade our student body.

Cheers,

Jake