Lydia Laythe |
This year, alcohol is being integrated into more and more UP-run events. These events include Pilots After Dark, events hosted by Haggerty/Tyson Halls and a trivia night hosted by Fields Hall. The integration of alcohol into these smaller, isolated events is part of a larger discussion in Student Affairs to create a safe environment where of-age students can learn about appropriate alcohol consumption. These discussions include preliminary conversations about the possibility of creating an on-campus bar or pub sometime in the future.
Although this shift seems sudden to students, Director of Residence Life Chris Haug said the shift is a product of thoughtful planning and recent changes in leadership. According to Haug, these changes represent an attempt to find a middle ground between overindulgence and the complete absence of alcohol.
“I think some of it has to do with the paradigm of the leadership, how we think about and how we wish to respect our students,” Haug said. “There’s a willingness and openness to explore it now at the University of Portland. It’s kind of been a philosophy in the making.”
According to Haug, these events provide a safe space to learn about appropriate and responsible alcohol use for students who are of age. For him, this learning opportunity is the most important goal of this shift in UP’s attitude towards alcohol.
“If the students’ only experience with alcohol in college is at an off-campus party with keg stands, beer pong and thirst-skies they are not going to be prepared for the world after college,” Haug said. “I, as an educator, feel like I would be doing that student a disservice if I don’t find opportunities for them to learn what it is like to drink responsibly among your peers.”
There are already some events where alcohol is served. Dance of the Decades is an event where alcohol has traditionally been served to of-age students. Rock the Bluff recently added a beer garden to their setup. And the newly reintroduced, end-of-the-year event Anchors Away will offer alcohol to of-age students this year.
Experimenting with alcohol
Alcohol has recently been served at a few on-campus events, such as events through Pilots After Dark (PAD), Tyson and Haggerty Halls and Fields Hall.
Bon Appetit bartenders served beer and wine during the Pilots After Dark event at The Cove on Friday, March 21. According to Eric Luke, late night programming coordinator, the event was popular, but the alcohol sale was not.
“In terms of sales, we have a joke: we sold the same amount on Saturday that we sold on Friday … and it was only available on Friday,” Luke said.
Beyond a lack of advertising, Luke said surprise and the age of PAD attendees were factors in the lack of alcohol sale.
“I wouldn’t even consider it really a fail because it’s so new and for some I think it just caught them off guard,” Luke said. “I think it’s a shock at first, like ‘wait I can actually drink a beer at the Cove?’”
Luke said the audience they were appealing to was another factor, as a majority of students who attend PAD events are underage. According to an assessment PAD performed last fall, only one third of over 300 PAD attendees surveyed were juniors and seniors. Serving alcohol at the Cove was one topic of the survey, and this first trial run of alcohol at a PAD event was a result of this assessment.
“It was a pretty resounding ‘yes,’ said Luke. “The kicker is though that of those that said ‘yes,’ many of them were not of age.”
Tyler Hale, Haggerty/Tyson Hall Director, hosted events such as tailgating before a soccer game, Oktoberfest, a “Teach a Friend to Brew Day” event, and a Christmas cocktail party where alcohol was served.
Hale said respect and trust were two important values included in this shift.
“Our goal was to treat Haggerty and Tyson students like adults,” Hale said. “If you trust students, and you expect the best of them, usually you get that or pretty close to it.”
Currently, Hale is planning an end of the year event, where he hopes to invite new, incoming Haggerty/Tyson Hall residents and serve alcohol to the students of age.
“We’ve got a good culture going,” Hale said. “People in Hag/Ty now know how to interact with alcohol. They know what it means to be appropriate around it, and they’ve demonstrated that. So (we want) to pass that on to next year’s group.”
Fields Hall Director Sister Susan Bruno held a Trivia Night March 28 where alcohol was sold. For Bruno, the policy and permission form Student Affairs requires for events with alcohol helped her prepare in ways she hadn’t thought of herself, such as supplying clear glasses for the alcohol served.
“I found I had to do a lot more in preparation,” Bruno said.
Although the process involved lots of rules, papers and meetings, Bruno said she appreciated the thoughtfulness administration took in approaching the event.
“If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right,” Bruno said.
Christie Hall Director Joe Burke is planning and has attended campus events where alcohol is served. For Burke, teaching responsible drinking for students is an important part of transitioning into adulthood.
“I would hope (these events are) received in a way where students recognize ‘Hey, this is a part of growing up and this is a part of our education,’” Burke said. “Whether it’s a work function, a social function, even going out to a baseball game; you’re moving into adulthood. Alcohol is not the primary focus, but it is a component.”
Raising the bar?
As more on-campus events include alcohol, Vice President of Student Affairs Fr. Gerry Olinger says Student Affairs will begin to consider the possibility of creating an on-campus bar or pub.
“(We will) probably pilot a few other (events) over this year and into next year,” Olinger said. “It may eventually reach a point for a bar or pub (that) serves alcohol.”
But according to Olinger there are no definite plans or time frame for implementing any permanent institution for serving alcohol, and some ideas are no more than on-going conversations.
These discussions for a bar or pub are preliminary, and will not become definite until they can assess the success and popularity of events with alcohol, raise the funds and resources necessary and ensure that other campus needs are addressed.
Despite the excitement an on-campus bar might provoke, junior Connor Snashall believes most upperclassmen stay off campus for reasons beyond the lack of enough alcohol on-campus.
“I think there’s kind of a stigma about coming back on campus to do stuff,” Snashall said. “So maybe it would (bring older students back to campus).There’s potential for it if you spun it the right way.”
Broader conversations
While staff in Residence Life and Student Affairs are working to acknowledge the maturity of students, there is still some awkwardness around this change. Olinger is confident that students will become more comfortable over time. But as these events continue, Olinger acknowledges that not every student over 21 will decide to drink alcohol.
“What we want to do is respect the choices the people who are of age are making,” Olinger said. “This is not at all saying ‘You should drink.’ I have a lot of respect for people who make the decision not to drink – for a variety of reasons. We want to make sure we respect those decisions.”
According to Olinger, these changes are representative of changes happening even further beyond the topic of alcohol., For Olinger, the integration of alcohol is part of a larger change Student Affairs is making across the board.
“(We) started to think very thoughtfully about the philosophy of student formation and development that happens through student affairs,” Olinger said. “Responsible use of alcohol is one piece of it, but it’s also about forming leaders, faith development in the halls, all sorts of pieces. This is a piece of that larger conversation.”
WANT TO PLAN AN ON-CAMPUS EVENT WITH ALCOHOL?
Go to http://www.up.edu/campuslife/default.aspx?cid=9554 and click on the link “University Event with Alcohol” to find the University policy on serving alcohol on campus and the permission form required to do so.
FUN FACT:
ASUP, campus and Hall funds cannot be used to purchase alcohol. Neither can Bon Appetit meal points.
