[Editor's note: the time of the event was listed incorrectly when this story was originally published. The correct time is below.]
Webinar
Friday, December 12
1:00-2:00 p.m.
Six Mile Creek Room, Campus Center
The Amethyst Initiative, signed by 130 college presidents, recently ignited a firestorm of controversy in the media. It states:
"Our nation's legal drinking age of 21 is not working as well as the public may think. Its unintended consequences are posing increasing risks to young people. It is time for a serious debate among our elected representatives about whether current public policies are in line with current realities."
The presidents of Ithaca College, Cornell, and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) chose not to sign the initiative; however, President Tom Rochon supports discussion about underage drinking and said he is glad the initiative has sparked debate.
Alcohol abuse, problem drinking among young people, and drunk driving are part of a national crisis that cuts across demographic lines. However, colleges and universities are often a flashpoint for these issues, and alcohol presents a nearly universal challenge for the higher education community.
Institutions of higher learning stand at the very center of this debate, whether or not they've taken a public position. If initial media response to the Amethyst Initiative is any indication, this topic will grow increasingly difficult to avoid or ignore. It would be a true disservice to the public to allow media sound bites to outweigh thoughtful discussion.
This webinar is an opportunity to come together and sift through the evidence. The goal of the seminar, provided by MAGNA Resources for Higher Education, is to move beyond unsupported claims, emotional accusations and misleading science.
Seminar copresenters John McCardell and Brett Sokolow will:
• Challenge the perceived success of the 21-year-old drinking age
• Discuss the unintended consequences when colleges and universities strictly enforce this national policy
• Review the research on alcohol-related policies designed to cope with underage and problem drinking -- those that work and those that are failing
• Explain the reasons behind their shared belief that treating students as adults is part of the solution
John McCardell is president emeritus of Middlebury College and founder of Choose Responsibility.
Brett Sokolow is an expert in campus safety, security, and high-risk student health and safety issues. He is the president of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management (NCHERM), a national multidisciplinary risk management consulting firm.
