Cal
State
chancellor bans booze
By Molly Haupt
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Athletic events at all California State University campuses have been forever
changed with the recent prohibition of alcohol sales at all sporting events held
in university owned or operated facilities.
An executive order was handed down December 23, 2005 by CSU Chancellor Charles
B. Reed that not only banned the sale of alcoholic beverages at athletic games,
but also put limits on the advertisement of beer and wine.
The decision was made on behalf of the board of trustees of the CSU Alcohol Policy
and Prevention Program.
Created in late 2000, the program was established to address and strengthen policy
efforts to promote legal and responsible use of alcohol among CSU students. Its
policies were the first in the country to be adopted by an entire university
system.
The committee, appointed by Reed, includes CSU presidents, vice presidents of
student services, staff, students, faculty and alumni. It was developed after
the alcohol-induced death of a student at Chico State and alcohol-related incidents
at San Diego State, according to the final report made by the Alcohol Policy
and Prevention Program president John D. Welty.
The final report of the alcohol program was released in July 2001 and included
principles to help guide campuses in developing their own policies and programs.
One included the request that each campus maintain an alcohol advisory council
that would annually look at alcohol policies and programs and make pro-active
goals. These sub-committees are under the direction of the vice president of
Student Services, the report indicated. At Cal State Long Beach, that person
is Doug Robinson.
Robinson said CSULB has had only three alcohol-related incidents since The Walter
Pyramid’s establishment in 1994, but he still must enforce the prohibition
policy.
“
There will be some unhappy people,” Robinson said. “But that will
pass.”
Robinson also said the incident at Chico State, along with others, were “an
embarrassment to the CSU system,” but he was not in full agreement with
the new policy.
Back in 2001, Welty did not agree with a prohibition policy either. He stated
in the July 2001 report that alcohol abuse is detrimental to the health and success
of CSU students, but felt prohibition was not the most realistic step to solving
the problem.
However, in a press release issued by the Office of the Chancellor on Jan. 12,
Welty said, “I believe this policy is the logical and appropriate next
step for the CSU to take.”
Wetly said at a July 2005 CSU Public Affairs Board of Trustees meeting they don’t
claim to have solved the problem, but they have plenty of evidence these programs
are making a difference at our campuses, according to a summary of the meeting.
The summary also included a statement that CSULB reported a 14.7 percent reduction
in binge drinking while CSU San Bernardino had a 15.7 percent decline. CSU Monterey
Bay had a 13 percent drop in drunk driving incidents.
What it did not include was any evidence that tougher policies needed to be enacted.
“
It came as a surprise to me,” Mike Hostetler, Associate Vice President
of Student Services/Dean of Students at CSULB said.
“
The amount of alcohol abuse and serious trouble has gone down here and we are
proud of that.”
Hostetler does assume other schools have not been so successful, which may have
prompted Chancellor Reed to enforce the prohibition.
“
CSU is a 23 campus system and the Chancellor prefers unified rules,” Hostetler
said. “We’re just caught in the middle.”
Liberal studies student Johnny Brown feels like CSULB does not encounter alcohol-related
problems either. He attends basketball games on a regular basis, often enjoying
a beer or two while there, and has never witnessed public intoxication.
“
I think it’s wrong,” Brown said. “I’ve never seen anyone
out of control.”
Brown also said that the prohibition will not discourage his participation in
athletic events, but he was disappointed to hear the news.
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