December 30, 1994
The recent deaths of the Carnegie Mellon and Pitt students from alcohol overdoses is a continuing but avoidable tragedy.
But, as usual, following the shock and disbelief and hasty denials of blame from the fraternities comes the supposedly exonerating assertion from the university PR machine that instruction on alcohol abuse is part of freshman orientation. Such “instruction” is like telling a first grader to “stop on the red, go on the green,” without repeating this life-saving mantra over and over again until it becomes second nature to the growing child. But the ultimate in neglect occurs when the self-righteous university officials state that “alcohol use on campus is permitted, but the use of alcohol by minors is prohibited by university policy.” (PG, Dec. 13). The policy resembles: “It’s OK to go swimming, but don’t get your feet wet, kids.”
University officials have to be blind not to realize that fully three- fourths of the 18-to-21-year-old student body is under the legal drinking age. Ergo, no booze on campus, no bars, no liquor stores or beer distributors within a reasonable perimeter of the campus.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has laws governing liquor sales near elementary and secondary schools — why not for colleges? “Under 21” is under 21, whether it’s 9 years old or 19 years old.
If colleges really want to end college drinking and college drinking deaths, they might consider adding Alcoholics Anonymous 101 and 102 to the curriculum. Recovering alcoholics in AA know more about the subject than all the college professors in the world.
JACK O’NEIL
Sewickley