Editorial: Opening to the pub-lic

But some members of the class were not allowed to attend last Saturday’s event because they were not 21 years old. The policy of excluding underage seniors from pub nights has been in place for at least a decade. Traditionally, when pub nights were held in restaurants on Nassau Street like Triumph Brewery, the proprietors preferred to limit attendance to those of drinking age. The Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students has continued to apply this policy to pub nights run on campus. This is a mistake. Not only is it a detriment to the class as a whole when some members are excluded, it is also unfair for the class government to spend class money on events that all students are not allowed to attend.

Students can reap the benefits of attending such events even if they do not drink: Saturday’s pub night also featured food and nonalcoholic drinks, but even if this was not the case, the opportunity to socialize with classmates has value in itself. The benefits from this kind of class bonding are not linked solely to drinking, and underage students should not be precluded from joining in, especially since their money helped fund the event.

Some might argue that, for the sake of fairness, no University money should be spent on alcohol because not all members of the class can drink or choose to drink. But class money must be spent somehow. It is reasonable to spend it on events that will please many students, as long as all are allowed to participate in the event in some way. Eliminating events with alcohol would be regrettable, as, in addition to being popular, they encourage a more responsible drinking culture.

The concern that opening up events with alcohol to underage students would result in the University aiding underage drinking — as older students give drinks to their younger friends — is a legitimate one. But it has not been significant enough to prompt a University-wide policy to this effect. Several successful events on campus, including the previously mentioned ones in Mathey and Whitman, allowed underage students to attend and only gave alcohol to those of age with identification. Implementing precautionary measures like a wristband system can substantially limit the risk of underage drinking. The fact that Saturday’s pub night had a three-drink limit and had Safeguards on duty suggests it would have easily been possible to incorporate underage students safely.

Excluding underage students from senior pub nights or other events with alcohol does far more harm than good. Implementing precautionary measures in order to allow all relevant students to attend will improve events that are already a great part of campus culture.