Day restriction lifted from Alcohol Initiative funding

“Lifting that restriction permits us to fund late-night activities more evenly throughout the weekend or at other times when students want more robust social alternatives without alcohol,” Dean of Undergraduate Students Kathleen Deignan said in an e-mail.

The Alcohol Initiative is managed by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and awards grants to projects and events that “address alcohol-related issues on campus including: education, alcohol abuse and social cultures independent of alcohol-related activities,” according the ODUS website, though the initiative does not plan or schedule events. In the past, it has funded activities such as rock climbing at the Outdoor Action climbing wall on Thursday nights, late Thursdays at the University Art Museum and the USG Lawnparties concerts. The Alcohol Initiative fund is a little more than $100,000, reduced slightly from last year’s budget because of the economic downturn, Deignan said.

In its report last May, the eating club task force suggested that the University begin sponsoring more alcohol-free events beyond Thursday and Saturday nights as part of its recommendations addressing campus drinking culture.

Most students seemed unaware of the recent policy change, but many spoke favorably about it, as the change may bridge the gap between students who drink and those who don’t.

“I’m all for it,” said Nick Pugliese ’12, a member of the eating club task force. “If the initiative sponsors something on a Tuesday night, I think you’ll have both students who go to the Street and don’t go to the Street. It’s a much healthier mix.”

“I could see myself going to an event on a Tuesday or Friday night,” Sam Thiel ’14 said. “But I don’t know about Thursday or Saturday.”

Regardless, most students interviewed were unaware of even the Thursday and Saturday night activities sponsored by the Alcohol Initiative.

“I had no idea they had rock climbing on Thursday nights. They don’t seem to advertise very well,” Neal McKenna-Donnelly ’14 noted.

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But many students were still optimistic about the effects the change would have on campus social life.

“I’m really excited about the change,” James Merz Ramirez ’14 said. “I personally don’t drink, so I’m excited to see a bunch of new activities taking place, especially on nights other than the typical going-out nights.”

Elizabeth Borges ’11, co-chair of the Alcohol Coalition Committee — which examines high-risk drinking on campus — also welcomed the change.

“I’m very supportive of President Tilghman’s decision to lift the restriction on AI events. I think these events will strengthen the campus community and hopefully build bridges between underclassmen and upperclassmen.”