The Effects of Alcohol on Campus

Alcohol on campus has always been a problem. Since the beginning of higher education, students have rebelled against the rules and laws of the university and the state. Underage drinking has become a nationwide pandemic. With the legal drinking age now at twenty-one, at least half of the college population is underage, leaving room for more students to engage in binge drinking at fraternities, athletic events, and dorm rooms. The fact that half the students are underage makes them more rebellious and wanting to feel above the law, often ending in underage drinking. The articles that will be reviewed and discussed in this paper demonstrate the importance of substance-free residence halls and a survey taken to analyze the effects of alcohol on campus.
Substance-free residence halls are a common piece of the university puzzle. In particular, many of the campuses are considered a “dry campus,” meaning that alcohol is not to be housed or consumed on campus, even if the person is of legal age, twenty-one. Alternately, a “wet campus” means that students who are twenty-one and over can house and consume alcohol within their dormitories. However, most wet campuses do not allow the consumption of alcohol on the grounds, that is, anywhere outside the dormitory facilities. Wet campuses also allow vendors to sell alcohol at university-sponsored events.
Finn brings up several points regarding substance-free residence halls, including the safety of all parties involved, the price of vandalism, and the ultimate purpose for university (1-6).
A significant number of students who attend a university are susceptible to an increased risk of alcohol abuse because a family member is an alcoholic. This does not mean that simply because a student c...

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...ses still remain wet campuses, are they really doing their students a favor by allowing the students to remain on campus to drink? Are they hindering the advancement of other students who do not choose to drink by allowing these activities to go on? There are parts of each side that are convincing, and demonstrate good value judgment and intention. I do not think that there will be a definite answer or resolution to this problem, as long as the goal is to keep students safe, while giving them a place to grow and learn.

Works Cited

Finn, Peter. Preventing Alcohol-Related Problems on Campus: Substance-Free Residence Halls. St. Paul: Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, 1995. 1-6. Print.
Weitzman, Elissa. Taking Up Binge Drinking in College: The Influences of Person, Social Group, and Environment. Publication. N.p.: Elsevier, 2003. Print.