At the start of his second term, FUSA President Hutch Williams ’08 announced his plan to bring alcohol to more FUSA events next year.
“I will be working with Student Activities over the summer, planning next year’s [FUSA] events and we will have to apply for a floating liquor license,” Williams said.
FUSA Executive Director of Programming Christina Pires ’08 said that the logistics have not yet been planned out, but more solid plans will be set this summer.
“The idea is that alcohol will be served to of-age students at some events next year,” Pires said.
It is not definite which events would have alcohol served at them, which Pires also said would be decided upon over the summer.
While the expected costs are unknown, Williams said he thinks the cost should be manageably low since they will be using the Levee’s bar staff as well as FUSA personnel.
“It should be something like dollar drafts because with free alcohol you need to set a limit,” he said.
“Control is the key element of having alcohol at any event,” said Dean of Students Tom Pellegrino. “The question to ask is this: do those providing and taking responsible for the provision of alcohol have sufficient control over the distribution in terms of both insuring that those drinking are of-age, and in terms of the amount distributed?”
Pellegrino also said that the question of whether alcohol is the main attraction of the event is a pivotal factor.
“When alcohol comes to be the dominant element of an event, then I tend to scrutinize it more carefully,” Pellegrino said.
But Williams disagreed. “Alcohol is treated as this big, bad something, [while] FUSA promotes responsible drinking,” he said. “It is unreal to think they [students] won’t drink. As long as we work within the guidelines and the law, it [the plan] helps students grow.”
Pires also disagreed that alcohol would be a negative factor if added to FUSA events.
“I see this as being a positive because it may attract a new crowd of upperclassmen who would otherwise not go to that event,” she said.
Pellegrino said he worries about students becoming infatuated with their access to alcohol. “Administrative action is judged by how it aids or prevents access to alcohol,” he said.
According to Pellegrino, alcohol has become the dominant factor in various aspects of university life.
“Course registration and time codes are considered ‘good’ to the extent they allow sufficient time on Thursdays and Fridays to support partying on the nights preceding them,” he said.
Pellegrino also said that people who plan campus events avoid planning events on weekends in fear of competing with alcohol related events.
Williams said that lack of participation and attendance at events would reflect poorly on efforts of the plan. “I hope students prove they want this,” Williams said.
“If there is nothing more to our community than our relationship to alcohol, then I worry about what this says about us as an institution,” Pellegrino added.
Student opinions varied on the subject of whether they would attend the FUSA planned events if they provided alcohol.
Megan McLaughlin ’10 said that she feels more people, especially upperclassmen, would go to the FUSA events if they provided alcohol.
“The alcohol would definetely be a draw for many people,” McLaughlin said.
Katie Walsh ’07 agreed, “It would be a great way to retain involvement of juniors and seniors.”
Michael Morcone ’10, however, said it wouldn’t effect his decision. “The FUSA event would effect my decision.”
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