Two Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators this weekend attended the inaugural New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Summit on Alcohol to share Tufts' experiences with the problem of underage drinking.
TCU President Sam Wallis and Senator Yulia Korovikov represented Tufts at the summit hosted at Connecticut College. The aim of the summit was to help participants gain a better understanding of underage alcohol abuse at NESCAC schools.
"The goal of the summit was to identify which problems all NESCAC schools face and how they've attempted to work them out," Korovikov, a sophomore, said. "We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do better as a group to work towards a better system?'"
Summit participants concluded that students abuse alcohol at dangerous levels and that shots of hard liquor pose the greatest risk to student health, Wallis, a senior, said at Sunday's Senate meeting.
Attendees formulated a resolution to address campus alcohol abuse, declaring that any solution to the problem would ultimately lie in the hands of students and not administrators, Wallis said.
"As students, we tend to say, ‘The administration needs to change this policy,' or ‘The Programming Board has to hold these events, and we will respond,' but the truth is we shouldn't be looking for the administration to solve our problems," Wallis said. "We need to pick up our end of the bargain."
Tufts revised its alcohol policy in the summer of 2009, imposing harsher sanctions on students found violating campus alcohol regulations. Students raised concerns that the new policy would have a dangerous effect, discouraging students from seeking medical attention.
Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman convened an Alcohol Task Force, composed of students and administrators, to evaluate the policy and formulate strategies to reduce binge−drinking practices.
The review process led to the announcement this past summer of a revised alcohol policy that is more nuanced and includes a forgiveness clause for offenders.
Both Korovikov and Wallis acknowledged that Tufts' alcohol policy is more forward−thinking than that of many of its NESCAC counterparts.
"Our policy is more holistic; it's not just a policy, but includes a social responsibility aspect," Wallis said. "In that sense, Tufts is leading on this issue."
The Senate was part of the extensive discussions on the university alcohol policy, issuing in November 2009 a resolution advocating for the creation of a social−norms marketing campaign to curb the perceived dangerous drinking culture on campus.
Korovikov in the fall started the campaign to reduce over−consumption of alcohol and to emphasize student responsibility.
Wallis said that the summit re−energized the Senate's efforts to engage in a campus−wide conversation regarding students' alcohol usage.
"We are looking with reinvigorated enthusiasm to find the best ways to get students involved and active in social life while practicing safe drinking habits," Wallis said.
One of the main topics of discussion centered on ways to engage upperclassmen in the responsible drinking conversation, so that they can serve as role models for younger students, according to Wallis.
Conversations with the other NESCAC school representatives made clear to Wallis that establishing an alcohol policy that both emphasizes student safety and respects federal law is a tricky undertaking.
"Tufts has been able to strike solid balance of staying within the law while making sure students aren't afraid to call for help," he said.
Korovikov agreed, adding that most students feel safe requesting medical assistance in the event of an emergency.
"Tufts has done an incredible job in making sure students feel safe and comfortable," she said. "There are other things that can be worked on, but we have an incredible starting point."
Wallis said that NESCAC schools plan to hold a similar summit next year, though the discussion may not focus on alcohol abuse.
