SGA Beer Bill Tabled Until Further Research is Conducted

Author: Thomas Drescher

The Student Government Association (SGA) tabled a proposed amendment to Middlebury College's alcohol policy on Sunday night, postponing the vote until some details have been worked out. The resolution, designed by SGA President Sam Rodriguez '05 and Press Secretary Andrew Carnabuci '06, would allow students of legal age to drink single containers of beer in lounges around campus.

According to a draft of the proposal, "Middlebury students of legal drinking age should be able to consume single containers of beer in dormitory lounges." Section one states that "any such amendment to the alcohol policy must be cautious and strict."

Rodriguez explained that the legislation was constructed expressly to avoid undermining current alcohol regulations. The amendment would allow an of-age student to consume one container of beer in a lounge, provided that the number of people in the room does not exceed seating capacity, the student is seated and has in his or her possession both a MiddCard and a government-issued identification card. The stringent stipulations of this resolution are, in Rodriguez's opinion, necessary to avoid disrupting current policy.

Section four of the proposal reads: "It is the belief of this governing body that such an amendment to the Middlebury College Alcohol Policy will promote only moderate, responsible drinking among those students of legal drinking age."

The "Rationale" section explains, "It is in the interest of the College to promote responsible consumption of alcohol among those members of our community. This amendment to the Alcohol Policy will promote such activity."

Regarding this justification, Rodriguez said after the meeting, "TV lounges are TV lounges, not silent study lounges. I am confident that, were this bill to pass, the only real effect would be that more people would take advantage of these spaces. That's a good thing. It builds community. I do not think that these spaces would become especially raucous. Middlebury students are capable of drinking responsibly."

Rodriguez's presentation of his proposal and the rationale behind it elicited a variety of reactions at Sunday night's meeting. Cook Senator Siddhartha Rao '04 spoke up in support of the proposal, while Junior Half-Year Senator Susanna Gorski '05.5 expressed serious doubts regarding the positive and negative implications of such a policy amendment. "The lounges on smaller halls, which tend to be quieter, will be changed from quiet study areas into loud lounges," said Gorski. "I do not feel that the appropriate amount of research has been made in order to make this resolution feasible and practical."

Gorski added that she would consider supporting the resolution if certain changes were made. "I would like to see [the proposal] modified with a detailed list of which lounges qualify," she asserted. Gorski added that she would also like to see how the College's definitions of public and private spaces affect the proposed amendment, an issue raised by Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson.

Hanson pointed out that the amendment would be redundant if current alcohol policy defines TV lounges as private spaces, a matter that is currently being researched. She also advised SGA members to consider the effects of this amendment with respect to Vermont State Law and possible encounters with the state liquor inspector.

Of the results of the SGA Senate meeting, Rodriguez said, "As far as I am concerned, the Senate simply exercised healthy caution. Dean Hanson made some very helpful suggestions, and they all deserve our attention. This will require further research. Thus, although gratification will be delayed, I am very optimistic about the future of this agenda item."