Saint Louis University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., recently commissioned an alcohol task force to look into the problem of alcohol abuse on SLU’s campus.

    “This is not just a SLU concern. It is, of course, a concern on college campuses all over the country,” said Julius Hunter, vice president for Community Relations and the chair of SLU’s new alcohol commission.

    “Father Biondi asked me to form a commission to look at the issue of alcohol abuse on the Saint Louis University campus and try to harness all our student, faculty, staff, administration, neighboring pubs and off-campus student residences to find ways of increasing awareness about the potential devastating effects of irresponsible binge drinking,” Hunter said.

    Red flags were raised among the student body when the commission was called a new alcohol task force, a SLUmor that Hunter was quick to falsify.

    “I have not yet seriously called it a task force,” said Hunter. “We have only assembled twice.

    “You’ll note that I am not trying to re-establish Prohibition…the university administration is not trying to impose Prohibition,” said Hunter. “We are trying to impress on those of legal drinking age the dangers of alcohol abuse and overuse.”

    At the first meeting, held on Aug. 8, Evan Krauss, a junior, joined the administration as a student interested in the increased alcohol awareness initiative.

    “From the first meeting, I was representing myself and of course other students, because I was the only student at the meeting,” said Krauss.

    Krauss said that the administration said it was pointless to continue without more student voices.

    “I tried to gather a variety of students: Greek and non-Greek, active students on campus, and even students that don’t participate in campus activities,” said Krauss. “I wanted it to be a very diverse opinion.”

    Hunter has met with and interviewed more than 30 people at all levels of the University to discuss the problem and brainstorm ways to elevate alcohol awareness and educate students about the implications of alcohol’s dangerous effects.

    “The week of Oct. 10 is being designated as Alcohol Awareness Week on the SLU campus, a period in which there will be some concentrated programs of education,” said Hunter.  “Our concentration on alcohol awareness will be a year-round effort in which we are asking all individuals and all campus organizations to help us save lives, bodies, minds, property, reputations and even careers.

     “I don’t want to see or hear about people who are passed out in the grass on campus. I don’t want to hear about students here being taken to the hospital because of binge drinking,” said Hunter.

    Fewer than five percent of college students are problematic binge drinkers. Binge drinking is a general term for five or more drinks in one sitting, but many factors come into play when distinguishing between kicking back a few on occasion, and drinking heavily more than five times a week.

    “It has something to do with the body weight of the person, frequency, the kind of alcohol and the behavior that follows,” said Hunter.

    Hunter elaborated that the state of Missouri has passed a law that will go into effect on Aug. 28, which provides for much more stringent penalties for possession and underage consumption of alcohol.

    According to the Missouri Senate Web site, http://www.senate.mo.gov, any individual over the age of 21 who provides alcohol or allows minors to consume alcohol is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

    The penalties for a minor in possession are a $250 drinking ticket, $100 in court fees and 20 hours of mandatory community service.

    “[It’s] not Hunter’s law, not SLU law, but the law of the state of Missouri,” said Hunter.

    At the last meeting, the commission divided into five subcommittees to research and devise possible routes for furthering awareness.

    “You’re kind of in a double-edged sword situation. If you educate students about alcohol, it looks like you’re condoning it,” said Krauss. “Its one thing to consume alcohol, it is another thing to be consumed by it. It’s about educating and making sure that all students are having the most enjoyable time and are staying healthy,” Krauss said.

    The commission will convene again on Sept. 16.