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Antonio R. deVelasco Cory Birdwhistell
Editorial Page Editor News Editor
Caroline A. Wolfe Susan Allen
Editor Features Editor
Drinking policy a concern
Underage drinking occurs at Guilford.
From loud parties in Bryan Hall to quiet
evenings sipping bourbon in English Hall
and everything in between, students from
all walks of life often willfully violate state
laws and campus regulations so that they
can savor the pleasure of their drink of
choice.
Not only do they violate laws, but many
put themselves as well as others at risk .
The evidence does not lie. Alcohol in
creases the risk of sexual assault, car ac
cidents, and long-term damage to the hu
man body.
With this in mind the drinking policy
revision for the student apartments must
be looked at closely.
Presently Guilford students 21 and older
are allowed to drink inside their rooms.
Apartment residents who are of age may
also drink on their porches. Other than
these areas, students may only drink "in
designated areas where an approved event
has been scheduled" (Guilford College
Student Handbook, p. 16).
The new proposal seeks to change this.
It designates a common area encircled
by the student apartments where "all apart
ment residents and their guests 21 years
or older may consume alcohol" (Proposed
Drinking Policy Revision for the Student
Apartments, Sec. 1).
We believe such a change could create
problems for Guilford.
A relaxation in the drinking policy at
this school is not in line with the assertion
that "as a Quaker college, Guilford advises
all students that the use of alcohol is dis
couraged as a part of student life" (GCSH,
pl 5).
®f)e 4£utlfortrian
Cbitorial poarb
Editor in Chief. Caroline A. Wolfe
Adviser. Jeff Jeske
News Editor. Cory Birdwhistell
Editorial Page Editor Antonio R.
deVelasco
Features Editor. Susan Allen
Sports Editor. Amy Leacy
Layout Editor. Matt Chamblin
Senate/Club Correspondent...Luisa Constanza
Personnel Manager. Kiley Holder
Copy Editors Rebecca Chamberlin,
Wende Doolittle
Circulation! Subscription Kinsey Gimbel
Advertising/Business Teddy Kolev,
Brian Lane, Noelle Molinaro
Photography Editor. Katie Haddox
The proposed change is in direct con
flict with this belief because it allows con
sumption in a large area frequented by stu
dents. Alcohol will, therefore, creep fur
ther into "a part of student life" if we in
crease the area in which it is acceptable to
drink.
This concentration of drinking would
also make the area an eyesore with bottles,
cans, cigarette butts, vomit, and the like
collecting among the trees and shrubs.
If one behavior is allowed in one area
of the campus and not in another, it is logi
cal to conclude that such behavior will
flourish in that one part.
Based on this conclusion, the most
pressing concern of the proposed policy
is safety and security. With students con
gregating and drinking, we risk an area
where the safety of students is at risk.
The question also arises as to who will
enforce the guidelines of the proposed
policy so that safety may be fostered.
There are presently three Resident Co
ordinators who arc assigned to ninety-six
apartment residents. Any enforcement
would entail carding those who drink as
well as discerning whether they arc either
a resident or the guest of one. To ask any
one student to do this puts an excessive
burden on both the individual and Secu
rity.
We believe that these concerns regard
ing institutional integrity, aesthetics, and
safety must be addressed more thoroughly
before this policy becomes law.
As a school, we must put these concerns
at the forefront of this issue and realize
the possible negative impact of such a
change.
Opinions expressed in editorials and
letters to the editor do not necessarily re
flect the views of the staff and editorial
board.
The editors reserve the right to edit all
submissions for length, style, and taste.
I Submissions
The Guilfordian encourages submissions.
Typed articles and letters are due by 7:00
PM., Sunday. Letters are limited to 250
ivords or less and should be on disk if
possible. They must include author's name,
phone number and P.O. Box. Write to:
Editor
P.O. Box 17717
Guilford College,
Greensboro, NC, 27410.
E-mail: Guilfordian@rascal.euilford.edu
Cbttorial#
Letters to the Editor
Responses to an editorial on the
Community Senate electoral system:
The Community Senate's electoral system
was designed to allow for maximum repre
sentation of students. Just because spaces are
not always filled does not mean they should
be eliminated. Yes, a vote is often a rubber
stamp rather than a "mandate"; however, Guil
ford is a small liberal arts college and not the
U.S. Senate. Lack of massive competition
allows students who are interested in Senate
a chance to actually BE a senator and partici
pate in Senate. Lack of platform requirements
for non-executive senators allows first-years
and transfers to participate in Senate - and it
is often this participation that leads to new
ideas. A breathing body is a thinking body,
and the more of those involved in Senate the
easier it is to represent the interests of ALL
the student body.
The chance of a David Duke type destroy
ing Guilford as we know it is quite slim, es
pecially considering the lack of David Duke
types at this school and the fact that Senate
makes its decisions by consensus. And the
implication that anyone at this school would
be incompetent and unable to make Senato
rial decisions is an insult to the student body.
Besides, those who doubt their abilities or
aren't interested don't run for Senate.
Remember the "elections" held at your jun
ior high and high schools? 1 low little uue
leadership ability had to do with who got
elected? How does one judge leadership abil
ity of a person without leadership experience,
anyway? Before I capie to Guilco, I hadn't
been a member of many clubs, much less lead
ership in one. Now in my second year here,
I'm co-clerk of GCRO, on the Budget Com
mittee of Senate and on an Executive ticket.
Competition may breed excellence, but it also
breeds ill feelings, denied opportunities, lost
confidence, and generally un-Quakerly elit
ism. The egalitarianism and inclusiveness of
Guilford and its Senate have given many be
sides myself opportunities they never would
have had in a competition-oriented, who's
"equipped to govern "-asking student govern
ment. College is not the real world. By help-
ing students develop the needed skills and
confidence, college prepares them for the real
world.
Respectfully,
Laura Davis
This was written by Richard Ewell the
President of the Community Senate. It was
placed on the Senate bulletin board under
a list soliciting students to fill vacant Sen
ate positions. The last such position was
titled "Guilfordian Rep." and the require
ments were " You are not named 'Antonio
de-anytliing" The following was written
underneath:
Note for the humor-impaired: The Guil
fordian Rep. position and the eligibility re
quirements are a joke! The humor is de
rived from a combination of the following
facts: 1) It is ridiculous to assume that we
could appoint one Guilfordian representa
tive because they are already allowed to rep
resent Senate in any manner they choose;
2) Antonio de-anything could be a Senator
(if he was really nice for three days in a row);
3) The real eligibility requirements of such
a representative would be much more strin
gent and reflect the normal standards of ap
pointed senators which include, but are not
limited to: knowledge and practical experi
ence in advanced calculus, the ability to
accurately reflect the informed opinions of
at least 200 students in a consistent and
timely manner, the ability to be as articu
late as William F. Buckley, the strength and
guile of Jean-Claude Van Damme, and at
least three complete proposals for the solu
tion to the national debt.
Obviously, the only reason that the Sen
ate Executives have not had time to write
out these eligibility qualifications more thor
oughly is that we tend to spend so much time
working instead of just commenting on other
people's work. But if the students demand
it, we will remedy the problem and apply
for the position of Editorial Editor. We
wonder, though, if even the Executive of
ficers of the Senate would be that highly
qualified to pass the strict eligibility require-
1 Ztaii
4.
Lauri Burdelski Beth Norwood
Fabio Camara Meier Santos
John "Ricky" Carbaugh Cam Skeat
Kevin Faria S. Scott Spagnola
Heather Glissen Kandra Strauss
Daphne Lezvis Wade Tomlinson
Paige Mcßae Chris Weber
Rob Mirchin Joe Wallace
Staff meetings are held weekly in the
Passion Pit, second floor, Founders Hall,
Monday evenings at 9 o'clock.
All are welcome.
Jf ebruarp 10,1995
Please see LETTERS page 5