By Bill Zeeble
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-701077.mp3
Dallas, TX – Over the course of just a few months in 2 thousand 6 and 7, three SMU students died from alcohol and drug abuse, shocking those on campus, along with parents. So the President called for recommendations from a student and faculty task force, that would curb abuse, & improve behaviors.
The list of 38 items covers everything from extending overnight hours of the campus health center & adding substance abuse programs, to close monitoring of class attendance and building new housing, so older students can live on campus.
Some students, including Alexandra, who wouldn't give her full name, acknowledge the total ban on frat party alcohol may be tough to enforce.
Alexandra, SMU student: "I don't think its doable. It may be a stereotype, but it's usually frat houses that have them and not sorority houses that have them, and that people go to especially freshman year."
Advertising Department chair Patricia Alvey, who served on the task force, says no one realistically expects under age drinking to end.
Patricia Alvey, SMU faculty: "Students will be students & will sneak alcohol in, but even the national offices of the frats are saying no alcohol. allowed. I think if we can reduce consumption and model responsible behavior so the real problems exist when we have binge behavior. That's when students get into trouble and that's when we lose lives."
President Turner says many students, including fraternity and sorority members, realize that. He's counting on their partnership, knowing, as Alvey and others said, that a written policy won't completely stop students from drinking.
Gerald Turner, SMU President: "The idea of eliminating them wouldn't be realistic, but reducing the number and reducing the risk involved with them, and trying make students that are 21 and above have a greater sense of responsibility for their liability for what they provide for students 18, 19 and so forth, that's where we are. :20 It's a sense that we can do better here and students are the core. They must be involved with the changes, or nothing significant will happen."
Turner also rejected a campus pub. He said since nearly all on-campus residents are freshman, therefore under-age, so it would be irresponsible. But advertising student Caroline, giving no last name, thought Turner was missing an opportunity.
Caroline, SMU student: "If they had pub on campus with kids there more often, it would be a way for good drinking behavior to be shown intead of pushing all drinking off campus, & having blind eye towards what's going on."
She said if Turner wants older, legal-age students living on campus, an SMU pub might be necessary. Turner plans to build 12-hundred more rooms to accommodate older undergrads and graduate students.
Turner: "If one came back here some period out in the future, there probably would be pub here."
That's years away, he says 2, maybe 3 or more.
Bill Zeeble KERA news.