By now, we’ve all heard about Penn State’s recent decent drop down the party-school ladder (which is something to be proud of). But what you may not know is how the fall came to be. While it’s definitely a mixture of things, the administration’s introduction of new policies is definitely a large component.

We’ve already experienced the introduction of frat bouncers and heightened security on the infamous State Patty’s Day, and now we can expect to see even more deterrents to the crass drinking culture here.

According to the Daily Collegian, this year we can expect tougher sanctions on DUIs and public drunkenness from judicial affairs: no longer will violators receive a mere slap on the wrist, instead they’ll receive a probation. Students who find themselves in the hospital because of drunken shenanigans will be referred to BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students), an individual counseling program that has seen much success on other college campuses.

Along with these measures, the department of Student Affairs is looking into drinking- and tobacco-free dorms and the creation of a Student Alcohol Advisory Committee, which will be formed within the next few weeks. There have even been talks of Penn State becoming a completely “dry campus” by next year.

Keep in mind folks that these provisions aren’t to make ours live miserable, but to keep us safe and improve the image of our dear old alma mater (“May no act of ours bring shame”). Also keep in mind that many of these ideas were off-shoots of the provisions presented by our peers last April at the Presidential Leadership Academy’s discussion on high risk college drinking. With these new provisions, hopefully we can drop another three spots by next year.

About the Author

Caitlin Silver

Caitlin is from a small Pennsylvania town called Unionville, which is by West Chester, which is by Philadelphia. She is a sophomore in the Smeal College of Business and will probably major in accounting. Caitlin loves "How I Met Your Mother" and dougnuts.

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