Author: The Occidental Weekly Editorial Board
The ratio of alcohol-related hospitalizations to dances in the first two months of the academic year is not a figure the administration should be willing to accept without seriously considering changes to its alcohol policy. On the day that happens, President Veitch and other administration officials need look no further than nearby Claremont, where Claremont McKenna College implements a policy that, while admittedly imperfect, creates a campus culture that is safer and more mature than Occidental’s.
The key to Claremont’s success is continuous discussion and compromise between students and administration officials which creates an atmosphere that keeps students safe. Drinking is an open topic of conversation at Claremont. These efforts create a culture of trust and freedom while Occidental suffers from a culture of defiance and constraint as a result of its stringent policies and enforcement practices.
After the media coverage of the Splatter dance, Occidental created an ad hoc discussion panel regarding the management of large events. While this is a start, it seems born out of a panic-stricken situation, rather than an acknowledgement of the current policy’s shortcomings, and it is not yet clear whether that panel will discuss the alcohol policy specifically. And while the administration cannot prevent some students from making poor choices, it should not blame the recent hospitalizations on a few students because sound policy and discussion will create a more healthy culture on this campus in the long term.
As exhibited by ResEd’s recent Facebook posts, which call debate on the matter “pointless,” it seems the administration as a whole already holds a dismissive attitude on the issue. The administration’s choice to use the law as an easy deflection from the effort it would need to exercise to establish a more open, understanding culture at Occidental stands in the way of any potential progress the college may make. Should the administration abandon its loyalty to the outdated and unrealistic policy, Occidental will likely avoid future media embarrassments, angry neighbors, and, most importantly, hospitalized students.
The answer to this problem is not a single, swift administrative one-size-fits-all solution. Nevertheless, the imperative created by twelve hospitalizations after two dances means that the administration must reevaluate its policy, initiate more open communication with the student body and act before the school wakes once again to the local news broadcasting its Sunday morning walk of shame.
This editorial represents the collective opinion of the Occidental Weekly Editorial Board. Each week, the Editorial Board will publish its viewpoint on a matter relevant to the Occidental community.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
