On Sunday, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate passed a resolution suggesting reform to Tufts' current alcohol policy. The changes would mean that instead of being placed on probation one (pro-one) after their first offense, students would be required to take an alcohol education course. This is an attempt by the Senate to combat certain alcohol-related problems on campus through positive, proactive means, as opposed to relying on the threat of punishment as an empty deterrent.
This resolution is a direct response to concerns that this semester's current drinking policy discourages students from calling Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS) when the need arises. Despite the fact that TEMS calls have not decreased this semester, as the Daily has reported, this newspaper still supports the Senate's resolution, in large part because it helps push Tufts in the direction of dialogue and promotes normative education over punishment as the primary catalyst of change.
The Senate resolution promoted not only a scaling back of the school's punitive measures, but also the implementation of more peer mentoring for both freshmen and older students. It stated that "the TCU Senate advocates for a fully supported and comprehensive social norms marketing campaign with regards to alcohol consumption and perception on the Tufts University campus."
If Tufts is serious about combating dangerous drinking, policymakers need to look into the causes of the trend. Many students, men and women alike, use fraternity parties and other alcohol-centric social events to let loose and have a good time, but also to find potential hookups or potential significant others. Alcohol has become an integral part of the culture of romance at Tufts.
Simply educating Jumbos on the effects of alcohol and promoting health consciousness among the student body is not going to provide students with a more mature, less intoxicated means of pursuing romantic interests. Similarly, students will continue to drunkenly attend frat parties until it becomes feasible to meet people in other ways. There is currently an enormous force pulling students toward binge drinking. It is more the norm than the exception for students to "hook up" while drunk. For many, it would even come as a surprise to hear that a friend had been sober when he or she "made the first move."
The Daily feels that the only reasonable way to counter this is with an even greater force enticing students toward more creative, fun alternatives for social activity. Most importantly, these alternatives must bear the promise of meeting new people.
