Comments on: Underage Drinking: A Constant issue http://www.fpujournalism.org/theexchange/2010/04/01/underage-drinking-a-constant-issue/ A showcase for journalism at Franklin Pierce U. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:05:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: mendhamt http://www.fpujournalism.org/theexchange/2010/04/01/underage-drinking-a-constant-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-39 mendhamt Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:27:52 +0000 http://www.fpujournalism.org/theexchange/?p=1936#comment-39 Thanks, Heather, for your careful look at this controversial topic. Professor Ley has good reason to feel exasperated and even cynical about drinking on campus. However, I'd like to note that I am proud of Franklin Pierce and I think our students should be too. Still, I agree that the role of alcohol in our campus culture does not seem entirely positive. Of course, first we must check ourselves for moral panic--there's always some reason that we of older generations can latch on to work work ourselves into righteous indignation or worry about about "kids these days." That's not a positive place to work from. Next, are there any successful programs at other campuses, such as harm reduction approaches, that we can learn from and adopt? Let's operate from a place of respect--and affection--for our students and institution, no matter how egregious certain behaviors are. As concerned friends and community members, let's think about how we can start building a better place to live, learn, and socialize. Thanks, Heather, for your careful look at this controversial topic.
Professor Ley has good reason to feel exasperated and even cynical about drinking on campus. However, I’d like to note that I am proud of Franklin Pierce and I think our students should be too. Still, I agree that the role of alcohol in our campus culture does not seem entirely positive.
Of course, first we must check ourselves for moral panic–there’s always some reason that we of older generations can latch on to work work ourselves into righteous indignation or worry about about “kids these days.” That’s not a positive place to work from.
Next, are there any successful programs at other campuses, such as harm reduction approaches, that we can learn from and adopt?
Let’s operate from a place of respect–and affection–for our students and institution, no matter how egregious certain behaviors are. As concerned friends and community members, let’s think about how we can start building a better place to live, learn, and socialize.

]]> By: Douglas Ley http://www.fpujournalism.org/theexchange/2010/04/01/underage-drinking-a-constant-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Douglas Ley Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:09:21 +0000 http://www.fpujournalism.org/theexchange/?p=1936#comment-31 Personally, I always enjoy walking to 9 am class in Northwoods past the litter of empty beer cans and broken bottles, admiring all the sundry bottles of alcohol lined up in various windows. When I commented on it recently in class, some students complained that it is inescapable--people running drunkenly in halls, yelling outside, etc. etc. Here's my suggestion>> create the booze field, out near the wastewater plant. If you want to drink, go to the fenced-in area and drink to heart's content. Urinate, expectorate, and vomit all you want, but you've got to stay there for the night. Leave everyone else alone. Not a realistic proposal, I know, but this campus is NOT like others--far more fire alarms, far more constant damage, etc. Most animals don't "soil" their nests, but it seems some FPU students have no problem doing so. And faculty are often also complicit--little work assigned, little accountability afterwards. Finally, I think Admin is complicit as well--for all the talk of action outlined in article, little has changed since I arrived here 19 years ago, and it may even be worse. So take pride>> FPU: where many drink their way into oblivion, and climax their student career with graduation in a parking lot. If you want to change it, start to organize and act. Personally, I always enjoy walking to 9 am class in Northwoods past the litter of empty beer cans and broken bottles, admiring all the sundry bottles of alcohol lined up in various windows.

When I commented on it recently in class, some students complained that it is inescapable–people running drunkenly in halls, yelling outside, etc. etc.

Here’s my suggestion>> create the booze field, out near the wastewater plant. If you want to drink, go to the fenced-in area and drink to heart’s content. Urinate, expectorate, and vomit all you want, but you’ve got to stay there for the night. Leave everyone else alone.

Not a realistic proposal, I know, but this campus is NOT like others–far more fire alarms, far more constant damage, etc. Most animals don’t “soil” their nests, but it seems some FPU students have no problem doing so. And faculty are often also complicit–little work assigned, little accountability afterwards. Finally, I think Admin is complicit as well–for all the talk of action outlined in article, little has changed since I arrived here 19 years ago, and it may even be worse.

So take pride>> FPU: where many drink their way into oblivion, and climax their student career with graduation in a parking lot. If you want to change it, start to organize and act.

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