Chancellor John Wiley challenged students yesterday to produce tangible solutions to binge drinking on this campus, an issue that cannot be assessed as being any less than a real problem. While we strongly reiterate our opposition to a drink-special ban, which we believe is nothing more than a feeble attempt at window dressing, we choose to meet this challenge with the following solutions for students'and most importantly'from students.
University administrators have made no secret that they are a collective monolith when it comes to influencing the city's Alcohol License Review Committee. Instead of campaigning for proposals like drink-special bans, which will solve nothing, the university should advocate for more constructive measures. For example, if safety is truly a concern of the high and mighty on Bascom, administrators should push bars to require a higher ratio of bar staffers to be on hand relative to the fire-department-mandated patron capacity levels. On top of that, require higher levels of training for bartenders so they can recognize when not to serve a clearly intoxicated patron. These measures will ensure more supervision of college drinkers and will greatly cut down on overserving, a problem the administration says causes some of the downtown bartime unrest.
Also, when dealing with licensing, keep Luther's Blues, 1401 University Ave., in mind as an example of responsible administration involvement. The Luther's partnership with the Wisconsin Union Directorate is a prime example of the university taking a direct role in providing exciting and constructive alternatives to beer bongs and case races. The university should cozy up to other libation-oriented establishments and offer them an economic incentive to having alcohol-free or limited nights. Open mic nights, dances and the like will provide the university with its solution to binge drinking, while showing bar owners a good faith gesture that they are committed to downtown commerce. Just a tip, though: Do not advertise these events solely as alcohol-free nights, as that has the unintended effect of turning students off to such functions.
Furthermore, we know that many administrators and professors have been in Madison a long time. Many may recall a downtown Madison that was speckled with music and dance clubs, composing a vibrant downtown nightlife. Students today are offered few to no such luxuries and the result is more alcohol use. Administrators should support more music venues downtown. After all, a little more noise is better than one conveyance to detox.
The proposed drink-special ban is unlikely to solve the overconsumption problem it seeks to address. A \last-drink survey"" of detox patients may find that many often took their last drink at a bar with specials. But any student would suspect that a ""first-drink survey"" would find detox patients got started on house-party jello shots or tequila at home.
These recommendations should be heeded by the administration of the great state University of Wisconsin. The above proposals offer real solutions to the very real problem of binge drinking and do not pass the buck to an alcohol-licensing panel and empty proposals like the horrid drink-special ban.
