Comments on: THE SEVEN PER CENT SOLUTION http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/ E AHO LA'ULA Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:25:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Bryan http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-726 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-726 You left out tobacco, although it is not quite as accepted as it used to be. You left out tobacco, although it is not quite as accepted as it used to be.

]]> by: Dave http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-727 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-727 College-age kids are going to drink to excess, because that's what kids in our society (with its strange laws against alcohol consumption by young adults) do. By banning alcohol outright or by making it harder for students to drink, colleges drive partying underground, where there is a much higher risk of injury, alcohol poisoning, and rape. Rather than trying to eliminate alcohol on campuses, colleges should create policies which encourage responsible and safe drinking. Here at Illinois, alcohol is banned from most Greek events (all others are BYOB), so students who want to drink must do so in the campus bars (which are well-policied and cannot by law serve to clearly-inebriated patrons). Public transportation to and from campustown is available. What cheapens a college degree is not the amount of partying, but rather dumbing down classes so that students who would rather party than study can still pass. It's possible for some students to do both - and students should be encouraged to balance work and play in a healthy way - but students who can't cut it (regardless of the reason) need to be shown the door. That's the main distinction between Harvard and U of I (I transferred from the former to the latter my junior year). Harvard makes it very difficult for students to drink legitimately, but allows even the worst students to graduate with a B average. U of I leaves students free to plan their own social activities, but tosses failing students out or forces them to switch to easier majors. I would claim that U of I graduates are both better-adjusted than Harvard grads, and (in fields where both universities' admissions standards are competitive) better-equipped to start their careers. College-age kids are going to drink to excess, because that’s what kids in our society (with its strange laws against alcohol consumption by young adults) do.

By banning alcohol outright or by making it harder for students to drink, colleges drive partying underground, where there is a much higher risk of injury, alcohol poisoning, and rape.

Rather than trying to eliminate alcohol on campuses, colleges should create policies which encourage responsible and safe drinking. Here at Illinois, alcohol is banned from most Greek events (all others are BYOB), so students who want to drink must do so in the campus bars (which are well-policied and cannot by law serve to clearly-inebriated patrons). Public transportation to and from campustown is available.

What cheapens a college degree is not the amount of partying, but rather dumbing down classes so that students who would rather party than study can still pass. It’s possible for some students to do both - and students should be encouraged to balance work and play in a healthy way - but students who can’t cut it (regardless of the reason) need to be shown the door.

That’s the main distinction between Harvard and U of I (I transferred from the former to the latter my junior year). Harvard makes it very difficult for students to drink legitimately, but allows even the worst students to graduate with a B average. U of I leaves students free to plan their own social activities, but tosses failing students out or forces them to switch to easier majors. I would claim that U of I graduates are both better-adjusted than Harvard grads, and (in fields where both universities’ admissions standards are competitive) better-equipped to start their careers.

]]> by: Mark Hasty http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-728 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-728 Dave: Iowa State's been trying that, and it didn't work. And nobody would accuse ISU of being a 'gut' school academically. The genie's out of the bottle. Dave:

Iowa State’s been trying that, and it didn’t work. And nobody would accuse ISU of being a ‘gut’ school academically. The genie’s out of the bottle.

]]> by: Dave http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-729 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-729 What has ISU done? What has ISU done?

]]> by: Mark Hasty http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-730 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-730 Similar to what Illinois has done, plus they've banned alcohol from the VEISHEA celebration. It still didn't prevent rioting this year. Similar to what Illinois has done, plus they’ve banned alcohol from the VEISHEA celebration. It still didn’t prevent rioting this year.

]]> by: Dave http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-731 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-731 What were students rioting about? Did ISU win something? What were students rioting about? Did ISU win something?

]]> by: Mark Hasty http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-732 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-732 The Ames police broke up an off-campus party at about 3 in the morning. When the crowd failed to disperse, the police used tear gas and the game was on from that point. The Ames police broke up an off-campus party at about 3 in the morning. When the crowd failed to disperse, the police used tear gas and the game was on from that point.

]]> by: Dave http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-733 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-733 When police break up a party here, they start ticketing and arresting people. It disperses the party pretty quick, and nobody has to pull out the mustard gas. Perhaps what you have is a problem with your police, and not with the college students? When police break up a party here, they start ticketing and arresting people. It disperses the party pretty quick, and nobody has to pull out the mustard gas. Perhaps what you have is a problem with your police, and not with the college students?

]]> by: Mark Hasty http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-734 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-734 It was something like their third or fourth time trying to disperse the crowd. I don't think that's the police's fault--more like a problem with hearing comprehension. It was something like their third or fourth time trying to disperse the crowd. I don’t think that’s the police’s fault–more like a problem with hearing comprehension.

]]> by: Jon http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-735 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 http://markhasty.com/archives/2004/05/27/the-seven-per-cent-solution/#comment-735 I think one of Dave's points is that the 21 yo drinking age works against the binge drinking problem. If the drinking age were 18, more students would drink in controlled environments, such as bars or campus sponsored parties, and not in uncontrolled environments such as frat houses. I think the problem with alchohol in our society is that we don't "teach" young adults how to handle it. We give them all the freedoms of the world at age 18, yet we tell them not to do this one thing. Well, of course they are going to do it then. A better way would be to lower the drinking age back to 18 and let them learn by paying $2 for a beer. I think one of Dave’s points is that the 21 yo drinking age works against the binge drinking problem. If the drinking age were 18, more students would drink in controlled environments, such as bars or campus sponsored parties, and not in uncontrolled environments such as frat houses. I think the problem with alchohol in our society is that we don’t “teach” young adults how to handle it. We give them all the freedoms of the world at age 18, yet we tell them not to do this one thing. Well, of course they are going to do it then. A better way would be to lower the drinking age back to 18 and let them learn by paying $2 for a beer.

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