On first glance — earlier Friday classes to curb thirsty Thursday's as well as more rigorous Winter Terms — the administration's alcohol report seems so not frat.
But we give the administration props for acknowledging the hazard that DePauw's serious binge drinking poses to a campus that knows how to have too much fun. With 22 hospital visits last year due to over consumption, it sometimes seems students are toeing the line that marks the difference between party school and serious injury.
DePauw's administration is being realistic by not attempting to halt dangerous drinking, but to at least curb it as well as promote responsible consumption. This is worth students' notice.
The report's nature isn't combative, isn't fashioned to "crack down." It's to keep us safe. We encourage students to take the report seriously and contribute to the effort honestly.
At the same time, we believe some of the suggestions to prevent partying on campus aren't exactly student-friendly.
Creating a schedule that starts classes earlier in the morning won't prevent students from partying; it will only punish those who stay up late studying or participating in sober extracirricular activities. Exhibit A: student journalists up in the PCCM until 1 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. We're already are way behind on our sleep quota.
Also, it seems that time has been wasted finding common knowledge to students. A large committee found that first-year students view their RAs as harsh when upholding the rules. They found that students have more hard alcohol in their rooms because it is easier to hide. They found that excessive drinking happens over Winter Term.
These simple findings could be significant of a bigger problem, a rift of meaningful communication between students and administration.
In the end, we hope that the research leads to productive action (but not fun-sucking, of course). Let's find a common understanding — that administration will always be working to keep students safe, and students will continue to push the limits.
Thumbs up: New Lacrosse coach rewards expanding program
DePauw's athletic program, with an exciting new Athletic Director and teams with winning records again has something new to boast about: a new men's lacrosse coach Carl Haas.
The team has been a successful club — even as a student-led group up against established competitive teams with a coach and big budgets. We're excited to see what the guys will be able to do as an official DePauw varsity sport next year.