Low turnout at polls provides opportunity
The recent student government elections saw an increase in voting numbers, which would normally be commended. However, that number only increased to about 50 percent of the student body.
In national elections, this percentage is considered a norm. But on a small liberal arts campus that prides itself on close community and heavy student involvement, that number is more than disheartening.
Voting on e-services takes minutes, if that. Those not voting, in effect, made a statement.
But the 50 percent that didn't vote creates an opportunity for Sara Suclly and Mark Fadel, newly voted student body president and vice president, who promised during their campaign to reach out to students. An increase in voting next time around would be an easily measurable success and a testament to their work.
We'll hope to see better numbers next time.
Excise more negative than positive
This semester, the Indiana State Excise Police has become a common presence on campus, issuing tickets for underage consumption, along with other charges.
In Ferbruary and March, 36 tickets were issued in Greencastle, although not strictly to DePauw students.
Excise has stated that it finds its methods successful in stopping underage drinking, although they have no concrete evidence that underage drinking has in fact decreased. And, will use these numbers to reapply for the state grant that provides their funding at the end of this school year.
We should also point out that it took our news editor over two weeks and several voicemails to receive a report on Excise's activity. The numbers - how many students had been cited at DePauw - were not readily available. The April numbers aren't in yet.
Angela Nally, director of Public Safety, stated that if any excessive drinking is decreased excise and its initiative is, indeed, successful. And we agree with that, as that is the ultimate safety concern and end goal.
However, perhaps excise's tactic isn't quite on point with ceasing underage consumption of alcohol.
Lurking on street corners and issuing tickets almost at random may not stop underage drinking - it may only make students more wise in ways to avoid excise and, thus, an arrest or a ticket.
Although we hope heavy underage drinking - and excessive drinking in general - is decreased for the safety of our peers, the state of Indiana may find it more fruitful to use hard, concrete evidence, research and facts to determine the reasons and the ways of such hard drinking and attacking the problem from another angle instead of just writing a ticket.