Apparently there is more to the Fairfield University 2006-2007 Student Handbook than just a new color scheme.

Most notably, kegs have been banned from Fairfield’s campus, and students are not happy about it.

Matt Castillo ‘07 couldn’t believe it when he heard of the change.

“I think it’s b.s. because no one gets too out of hand,” said Castillo, arguing that kegs are not the real issue. Rather, the administration should be concerned with students who do not know their alcohol limits.

Castillo said he thinks the university “looked at rare incidents where public safety had to act” when deciding to enact the new policy.

He also said he sympathizes with those who are 21 years old, saying that their options are now limited on campus to the Levee and however many beers they can fit in their fridges.

However, Dean of Students Tom Pellegrino believes “the policy is, on balance, the right approach for the university community to take.”

Pellegrino emphasized that the concern lies with “high risk behavior.”

In a letter dated Aug. 3, 2006 to undergraduate students and parents, he wrote, “Our data from the past academic year show increases in the number of alcohol-related disciplinary cases, as well as health center and hospital visits resulting from intoxication.”

Also highlighted in this letter is the distinction that now exists between “high risk behavior” and “low risk behavior.” Pellegrino reiterated that the Dean’s office has “always maintained discretion when entering sanctions.” This, he said, allows them to “best address particular circumstances at hand in a given case.”

Lauren Callahan ‘08 questioned the rationale behind the policy change.

“Buying 20 cases of beer instead of a couple of kegs probably isn’t going to reduce high risk behavior,” she said.

The fines for alcohol violations have changed as well. According to the 2005-2006 Fairfield University Student Handbook, a first time offender who is caught drinking underage would be fined $50 while a second time offender would be fined $75. Alcohol Education is also required for both infractions.

However, the 2006-2007 Handbook lists the maximum fine for first time offenders as $100 in addition to a formal warning and Alcohol Education or Educational Activity. Second time offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $200, a letter to their parents, a formal warning and Alcohol Education.

Pellegrino cautioned though that the policy tables should be read in the spirit of the law, not the letter.

“The policy tables have always been promulgated as ‘guidelines’ with the caveat that the list is not exclusive or the maximum or minimum we [the Dean's Office] can take.”

According to Pellegrino, sanctions are levied at the discretion of the dean.

“We exercise discretion so that we can best address the particular circumstances at hand in a given case and be sensitive to any issues that would factor into our determination.”

Todd A. Pelazza, Director of Public Safety, supports the changes.

“Public Safety is still going to be vigilant with alcohol violations,” he said, adding that that they will concentrate on abusive behavior as well.

Asked if he has noticed any immediate impact as a result of the changed policy, Pelazza was unsure due to the infancy of the school year.

In the past, parties that exceeded 24 people without alcohol had to be registered with the Office of Residence Life and Housing. Parties of the same criteria with alcohol present not only had to be approved by the same office, but also had to have half of the house’s residents of legal age present for the entire party.

The university has now done away with this registration process. Music groups however, no longer need to register when they wish to play in a townhouse or apartment lounge.

Both Pellegrino and Pelazza acknowledged that this practice, while it had good intention, is no longer practical. In his letter, Pellegrino described the system as one of the “bureaucratic mechanisms that tend to contradict our commitment to treat our resident students as adults.”

Regardless, Callahan, who agreed with the university’s previous policy, said she still wishes it hadn’t changed.

“If you are living in a house and have the required number of people over 21 and are adults about throwing a party on campus, then it shouldn’t be a problem,” she said.