Drink up the taboo conversation

Students like discussing topics that they consider taboo, edgy or controversial. At times it seems like a fixation, especially if you read the Mess, listen to KSTO or follow discussion threads in other media.

Late last semester, I challenged a group of campus leaders to take an honest and critical look at what I consider the real taboo topic among students, which is their relationship with alcohol and their responsibility for their own behavior.

Last year, a student did a very provocative and effective piece of artwork called "The Elephant in the Room" which prompted discussion about alcohol use on campus. Tom Williamson, associate professor of anthropology, wrote an equally provocative piece which explored the topic even further, and the Board of Regents Student Committee used these for a report to the Regents on the topic. It was a healthy discussion that was interesting to follow, and was some of the most creative thinking on the topic at St. Olaf.

This year, however, we seem to have backslid, and community attention has shifted elsewhere. Further, the dialogue has largely gone downhill, and problems associated with alcohol abuse have not changed a bit.

Some examples of what I am talking about:

•    In the fall semester, 17 students were hospitalized for acute intoxication. Virtually all of these individuals got this way while in the company of friends. More than a few were simply left to deal with it alone, and were found by strangers.

•    About an equal number of students have been cited by Northfield Police for alcohol-related offenses, including underage drinking, noise violations, drunk driving and indecent exposure.

•    On Halloween, a Saturday night, the Northfield Emergency Room could not accept victims of a traffic accident on Highway 19 because the ER was full, mostly with college students who drank too much at off campus events, and most of whom were Oles. The injured traffic victims had to be transported to District One Hospital in Faribault.

•    We have received a number of complaints from neighbors of students who live off campus who are frustrated with student behavior in their neighborhoods. They talk of feeling intimidated, and how some can't sell their homes because of the negative perception of living near students.

This message is hard to hear, but can't be ignored, as students were hospitalized for alcohol abuse already this past weekend. 

I propose that students get engaged in the topic, because we are talking about your behavior and consequences that fall largely upon you. By this I mean:

•    Legal consequences for underage drinking or providing alcohol to others.

•    Answering questions in law school and medical school applications about violations of the law and college policy while a student.

•    Being the victim of a crime, such as theft, vandalism or assault, which are often related to alcohol.

•    Being put out or inconvenienced by the behavior of intoxicated roommates or neighbor.

•    Costs associated with a stay in the Emergency Room at Northfield Hospital.

•    Conflicts with residents of Northfield over student behavior in a neighborhood.
    There are a number of efforts underway, as I write, that suggest a change in thinking on the part of students:

•    Mess editors asked me to write this piece to begin a sustained discussion of the topic.

•    An e-mail to the student body will follow, as will a companion article for the Parents' Newsletter.

•    Lion's Pause staff have developed security guidelines to address student behavior at events.

•    A team of four key staff went to a national conference to develop a plan for addressing the highest-risk situations we face with alcohol in our community.

•    Ytterboe Hall Senator Jason Teiken has sponsored forums in his hall to discuss alcohol and its role in student culture and has taken this discussion to Student Senate.

•    A group of men is coming together to form an organization to address sexual assault and violence, most of which is fueled by alcohol.

•    A group of Junior Counselors have come together to urge college leaders to help address the issue.

•    A senior nursing student will be doing a companion survey along with our planned Health Survey this spring and do a project for distinction on alcohol issues specifically related to St. Olaf.

•    An SGA committee was formed and has been meeting since Interim to help pull together all of the efforts of student groups to make a coherent plan to look at the issue and make concrete steps to improve life at St. Olaf.

The key to all of this is understanding that there is no one single answer to the problem. Also, it is not someone else's problem. It belongs to each of us. We will get nowhere if we simply look to others to blame and then expect them to clean things up. This problem is driven by choices individuals make, and they are they only ones who can truly change their behavior.

We look forward to engaging everyone who is interested, and we will call on them to offer the best they have to sustain a healthy and respectful campus environment.

Greg Kneser (kneser@stolaf.edu) is the Dean of Students at St. Olaf College. He has worked at St. Olaf since 1989.