Spring Break
URI alcohol guidelines still bring controversy
Justin Oswald
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
04/28/09 - When Robert L. Carothers became president of the University of Rhode Island in the summer of 1991, he had no intention of revamping the university's alcohol policy. After a few years of dealing with alcohol related sexual assaults, fights and vandalisms Carothers decided campus culture warranted change.
When he looked to change the policy in 1995, there was opposition coming from several directions and there are still those that disapprove of the policy today. Changing the guidelines was not just about banning alcohol, but revamping the image of the university, Carothers said.
One of the lowest points for the university came in 1995, when Playboy Magazine and the Princeton Review named URI the No. 1 party school in the nation. Princeton Review also named the university No. 1 in 1993 and 1994. Since then, Carothers has received awards commending his progress on campus and his stand against alcohol and drug use. In 2005, Princeton Review deemed URI a "college with a conscience."
"We changed who the students were," Carothers said. "We made the degrees more valuable than just getting them from a 'party school.'"
Statistics from 1996 on, one year after the policy was implemented, showed an overall increase in alcohol related violations. Student Life has kept records of violations and the numbers show an average increase in violations over the years.
In the '96-'97 academic year, there were a total of 489 cases completed that involved alcohol. In the '00-01 academic year, that number rose to 631. Since 2000, the number has not dropped below 540 in '02-'03. Cases involving alcohol reached their peak last year when 1,313 cases were completed.
"There has been a significant improvement in quality of student life since we changed our policy," Vice President of Student Affairs Thomas Dougan said. The increased violations, Dougan said, "show that students are not having issues getting alcohol."
Despite a different reputation brought to the university, some believe it is time to revisit the policy again, especially with a new president slated for next year.
When he looked to change the policy in 1995, there was opposition coming from several directions and there are still those that disapprove of the policy today. Changing the guidelines was not just about banning alcohol, but revamping the image of the university, Carothers said.
One of the lowest points for the university came in 1995, when Playboy Magazine and the Princeton Review named URI the No. 1 party school in the nation. Princeton Review also named the university No. 1 in 1993 and 1994. Since then, Carothers has received awards commending his progress on campus and his stand against alcohol and drug use. In 2005, Princeton Review deemed URI a "college with a conscience."
"We changed who the students were," Carothers said. "We made the degrees more valuable than just getting them from a 'party school.'"
Statistics from 1996 on, one year after the policy was implemented, showed an overall increase in alcohol related violations. Student Life has kept records of violations and the numbers show an average increase in violations over the years.
In the '96-'97 academic year, there were a total of 489 cases completed that involved alcohol. In the '00-01 academic year, that number rose to 631. Since 2000, the number has not dropped below 540 in '02-'03. Cases involving alcohol reached their peak last year when 1,313 cases were completed.
"There has been a significant improvement in quality of student life since we changed our policy," Vice President of Student Affairs Thomas Dougan said. The increased violations, Dougan said, "show that students are not having issues getting alcohol."
Despite a different reputation brought to the university, some believe it is time to revisit the policy again, especially with a new president slated for next year.
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