EDITORIAL: ALCOHOL POLICY

The Pub is acting in everyone's interest.

There is something about the alcohol policy that many Rice students do not understand. The cause of the misunderstanding might be related to arrogance or even ignorance. Simply put, the relationship between student consumption of alcohol on campus and the administration of this university is best described as tenuous. At any moment, the table cloth could be pulled off our banquet table like a bad magic act. The only disappearing act would be an alcoholic one, and no doubt there is an excess of would-be David Copperfields in this university's administration.

Here is an opportunity to be informed. Last Thursday evening, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission paid an unexpected visit to Willy's Pub.

Since then, there have been many rumors floating about campus. Maybe the Pub's student manager, in an attempt to control underage drinking, requested the visit. Perhaps the campus police or even the student center director called for it. Or maybe there was a bust in which over a dozen students were fined. Who said Rice students aren't creative?

Such misconstrued ideas or idiotic suppositions about the visit should be ignored. Only four students were singled out of the 450-plus visitors for violations of Texas law. This tells one important thing: The Pub is doing its job well when less than one percent of patrons are found to be breaking the law in the midst of a surprise visit.

What should also be counted to the credit of Willy's management and bartenders is the fact that none of the alcohol violations were at the point of sale. All offenses can be attributed to students irresponsibly passing alcohol to minors. This demonstrates that the misunderstandings of the alcohol policy lie with the students consuming alcohol and not the students serving alcohol. This is absolutely unacceptable.

There is no failure to educate Rice students about the alcohol policy. The failure exists in the few students that abuse the system. It will take but one person whose decision to behave irresponsibly at the Pub some random night will close the whole operation down. Grad students should also beware. That kind of move will take Valhalla down with it.

The message here can be easily summarized: Think when you drink. Don't whine when you get "roved" at the Pub or any other university-sanctioned event. Consider it a preservation of your future rights to serve or be served on this campus.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the January 24, 1997 issue.

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