The Manitoban - University of Manitoba Student Newspaper - Feb 21, 2000

Students take booze rules into their own hands
Eight men, no women wooing student voters

By Bryce Meister Toban Staff

Angry with a University of Manitoba committee for making recommendations regarding alcohol service on campus with little or no student input, a group of students has struck their own committee to address the issue.

The Student Task Force on Responsible Drinking says it will address some of the changes proposed by an Orientation/Alcohol Review Committee that had first met in November. That committee, according to meeting minutes obtained by the Manitoban, is recommending granting security personnel the authority to issue fines to disorderly students under the influence of alcohol. It also suggests forbidding fraternities and sororities from recruiting on campus on the grounds the groups are "a common source of initiation and alcohol-related problems."

Some members of campus sororities and fraternities say they're concerned they've been unfairly stereotyped by members of the Orientation/Alcohol committee. Amanda MacDonald, a member of the new student committee and member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority says committee members are misinformed about groups like hers.

"My sorority is not allowed to have anything to do with alcohol when recruiting," MacDonald said, adding that "risk management forms must be approved by the international [sorority] months in advance of a function serving alcohol." MacDonald says most of the events sponsored by sororities and fraternities are alcohol free.

Staff members of the committee that made the original recommendations met again Feb. 5 - this time with students. Garth Wannan, the director of Housing and Student Life, was reluctant to comment on issues addressed at the meeting. He said he couldn't remember what was discussed or who was present. Wannan did indicate the meeting was somewhat informal and that "the next meeting on February 21 would be of more importance."

Kevin Toyne, senior stick of St. John's College and the chair of the student task force, maintains that students - not staff - should be enacting policy regarding alcohol.

"Administration is here to serve our needs, not vice versa," Toyne said. "Contrary to seemingly popular belief, students are adults and recognize that neither a dry campus nor irresponsible drinking are acceptable options."

Toyne says he has invited the administration to present their proposals to students and give them an opportunity to decide the best way to proceed.

The new student committee says it will organize public meetings to determine students' perspectives on campus alcohol policies.

The committee is comprised of Toyne, Melnychuk, MacDonald, the Residence Students Association's Scott Kemp and Mike Daciw, the programmer for the Commerce Students Association.