A year after the University implemented drastic changes to the alcohol policy, there is little evidence that it has had a significant impact on students' drinking habits. The number of students needing medical attention because of intoxication and the number disciplined for drinking violations have remained relatively stationary over the last year, although Tufts no longer fines students who require a TEMS visit.
Tufts will review the policy again over the summer.
The new alcohol policy has not affected student behavior because many at Tufts pay little attention to the disciplinary consequences of drinking, according to Dean of Students Bruce Reitman. "It's not clear to me that any change in policy has much influence on people's drinking patterns. I think it's a more peer attitude about drinking that changes, rather than policy," he said.
One major change to the policy was the elimination of the $50 fine, which was thought to discourage students from calling Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS). But calls to the student paramedics have not risen this year.
Armand Mickune-Santos, coordinator of the Alcohol and Drug Education Program, counsels those who have received TEMS assistance, and has also not seen an increase in clients. "For me, the work remains the same. I work with students who are required to meet with me as a result of being hospitalized for alcohol poisoning - those numbers have remained the same," he said.
"I don't think the fine is useful, but I don't agree with the changes that they made. I do recognize the need to change the policy, but it's a stupid policy overall," one resident assistant said. "I don't really think [the policy] stops people from calling TEMS."
A female sophomore, whose friends called TEMS for her one night, said she was never hospitalized and so didn't deserve disciplinary action. "It's really a pain in the ass. I've had to see the alcohol guy (Mickune-Santos), I've had to go see [Assistant Dean of Judicial Affairs] Veronica Carter, I'm on probation," she said.
After her experience, the sophomore said she is less inclined to call TEMS for her friends. "People know the police are going to come with TEMS. Students should be able to call and not feel they're going to get punished," she said. "I'd be more hesitant to call."
But Mickune-Santos has not heard any complaints during his counseling sessions. "Students that I work with aren't students who necessarily feel that the policy is a result of how they ended up in my office," he said.
Representatives from TEMS defend their response procedure. "As students and as a student organization, we must all abide by the rules set forth by the administration," said Jessica Cintolo, executive director of TEMS.
"TEMS has continued to deliver care to the Tufts Community in accordance with the high standards of our organization and the regulations of the state."
The Dean of Students Office does not know if additional changes will be made to the policy after the summer review. "I'm certainly open. I think what we want is something people think is meaningful," Reitman said. "It has to be legal. There's not an option to do something that's not within the constraints of the law."
The one place where the modified alcohol policy did have an effect was the Greek system, as those on disciplinary probation could not accept bids this year. "One difference pointed out to our office is that the [Greek] system designs eligibility on rush," Reitman said, so some pledges were excluded.
Earlier this year, the Inter-Greek Council (IGC) decided to amend these rules to allow students on level one disciplinary probation to pledge, effective next year. But it will still prohibit pledging for those on academic probation.
The alcohol policy, revised at the beginning of the fall semester by the Dean of Students Office, employs three levels of disciplinary probation instead of the previously imposed fines. The first offense results in level one disciplinary probation, a drug/alcohol consultation, and residence hall probation for one year. The second offense results in level two disciplinary probation for a year, another consultation, parental notification, and placement on deferred residential separation, meaning that any further residential life policy violation would result in the loss of campus housing.
The third violation results in mandatory medical leave for one year. Carter deals with all disciplinary action involving illegal drinking.
