Your concerns are valid. Zach Dunlevy, A Limestone College freshman, died recently from “acute alcohol overdose” after attending a “liquor only” party — a party that requires guys to bring a bottle of liquor for admission. What, if anything, can be done to prevent future alcohol- and hazing-related deaths on campuses?
When a student dies of alcohol poisoning, drinking on campus is no longer an etiquette issue. It’s a safety issue.
Whenever there is a safety issue like alcohol poisoning, suicide, drug overdosing, or anorexia/bulimia and cutting, the administration of the institution has a responsibility to put a two pronged plan into place.
The first prong is education. Even in places as brainy as Harvard and Yale, there is a lack of knowledge and education on these subjects. Parents, faculty and administration have to be educated about the warning signs, what to do if you are affected, what to do if someone you don’t know is affected and what to do if someone you do know is affected. Who to notify and what the notifi-ees should do, at all of these points along the way, have to be made clear.
The second prong is enforcement of safety and health measures. Because most college students are not minors, they are supposed to police themselves. However, they’re new adults and they’re experimenting, and they’re away from home where their support system is — all problems for self-enforcement.
It would be wonderful if the universities took it on themselves to set up university rules for alcohol on campus. How much, how often, how it’s enforced — and CONSEQUENCES!
It’s hard for a lot of people, sadly, to stand up and take responsibility, but when there is a death that could have been prevented, it’s time to take account.
