This summer, university officials took action to stem the rising tide of alcohol-related issues on campus.
On August 20, President Casey's cabinet approved new regulations regarding alcohol in the Student Handbook. The Alcoholic Beverage Policy for Students, pages 22-24 of the Handbook, has been revised and updated to reflect the changing alcohol culture on DePauw's campus.
These changes include limiting open, registered Interfraternity Council (IFC) events to three per fraternity per semester, increasing door security at on-campus parties, and limiting the amount of hard alcohol served at open events.
Dorian Shager, dean of campus life, stated that these changed policies are in direct correlation to data gathered in the last year.
"I want to make sure people know the 'why'. I don't want people to feel like these are just policy changes out of the blue," Shager said.
Far from being "out of the blue," these changes have hard basis in fact, according to Shager. The most recent figures from Student Organized Alcohol Research (SOAR) show an increase in the negative effects of alcohol use by students on campus.
In 2008, 13 percent of DePauw students reported doing poorly on a test or an assignment due to alcohol use, 23 percent of students said they missed a class because of alcohol, and 43 percent felt they had done something they later regretted due to alcohol. Last year, 21 percent of students had academic issues, 30 percent missed a class, and 53 percent felt they had done something regrettable, all due to alcohol consumption.
The blood alcohol content (BAC) of students has also been climbing steadily over the past few years. In 2009, of the number of students given medical attention, only three registered over a .3 BAC. Last year that number tripled.
"We've seen a shift in the culture over the last few years in which momentum's going in a direction that it shouldn't," Shager said.
He added that when alcohol begins to affect the two main focuses of faculty and staff on campus-students' academic success and engagement and their health and safety-it's time for a big change.
To that end, revisions to the Handbook were made, and contact was made with IFC, Panhellenic Council and other student organizations. PJ Mitchell, assistant director of campus life and coordinator for fraternity life, led the charge on informing the student body of the changes.
and coordinator for fraternity life, led the charge on informing the student body of the changes.
"I met with a group of students weekly all of last year and we looked at different ways to approach the issue," he said.
According to Mitchell, the goal of these policy changes is to enhance the safety and security of students on campus.
"We've highlighted some areas that we need to work on, including bring down BAC and working on some of the high-risk behaviors associated with pre-gaming," Mitchell said.
Both Mitchell and Shager stressed that these changes to the Handbook are meant to encourage intervention well before medical attention is required.
"DePauw students are often good at calling for help when it's needed, but I'd like to see more students intervening earlier," Shager said.
Shager said the goal of all of these changes is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all DePauw students.