Speert addresses amethyst initiative

On most college campuses, alcohol flows like water. Liquor is a commonly used social lubricant for clandestine residence hall parties. Walking through campus, a set of attentive ears can hear snippets of conversations about "handles" and "jungle juice" from students recalling the previous evening's activities. Not all students drink, and many students who do drink choose to do so responsibly.

However, some students, already overwhelmed by the new-found freedom of college-life, take it too far when alcohol gets thrown in the mix. The trend of "binge drinking" among college students is a troubling one for university presidents across the country. To binge drink is to drink five consecutive alcoholic beverages for a man and four drinks for a woman. It is at this point of intoxication that judgment and memory can be impaired to the point of making careless, sometimes even dangerous decisions, such as getting behind the wheel or having unprotected sex.

"I believe the Amethyst Initiative is wrong minded..."

It is in response to these and other concerns that a group of presidents and chancellors from colleges nationwide have penned the Amethyst Initiative. The initiative, which gets its name from the purple gemstone which ancient Greeks believed possessed anti-intoxicating powers, is intended to open up a serious national debate on the rationale for a drinking age of 21. The group makes the case that 18-year-olds are legally allowed to sign contracts, vote and enlist in the military, and should also be allowed to buy and consume alcohol. They also claim that making underage drinkers use fake IDs to obtain alcohol "erodes respect for the law."

One hundred and twenty-nine university presidents and chancellors have signed the initiative, launched July of this year. In New Jersey, three colleges have signed: Montclair State University, Drew University, and Stevens Institute of Technology. William Paterson University's President, Arnold Speert, has not.

"I believe the Amethyst Initiative is wrong-minded. It's not the issue to be discussed today," said Speert in an interview. "I think it sounds like something to reflect upon and look at, but it's almost a red herring: The point isn't the minimum drinking age, the point is, 'What are the ramifications of drinking too early, or in a way that's unhealthy?' Those are issues for all college campuses, including William Paterson University."

Speert emphasized the practices already in place on campus.

All incoming freshmen and transfer students with 12 or fewer credits must utilize "Alcohol.Edu" software provided by the university. "Alcohol.Edu" is an interactive program designed to inform students of the dangers of alcohol abuse.

Speert said the most important issue for college campuses regarding alcohol should be the health of students.

"What I want to sign onto is to encourage further counseling and education on the proper use of alcohol. I'm not a teetotaler, I just don't believe that young people are prepared for the consequences of binge drinking or overindulgence, and I think part of the responsibility we have as a college is to not hide from those facts."