ART's last word

Months of discussion and debate by the University's Alcohol Response Team have drawn to a close. A "for comment" period sponsored by the committee to drum up student reaction and input on proposed changes to Penn's alcohol policy is over.

And the University has settled on the three main changes it proposed back in January, which call for more training, alcohol monitors and restricted areas at registered parties.

While the policy changes are mostly sound and reasonable improvements, it is a little disheartening that some of the student proposals did not find their way into the final plan, which was made official yesterday.

Virtually no alterations to the proposal emerged as a result of the comment period, thanks in part to an unfortunate lack of student suggestions.

The InterFraternity Council, however, was one group to step forward with a suggestion that deserved serious consideration.

The IFC plan would have extended the mandatory last call beyond the current 1 a.m. time to 1:30. While this is a seemingly minor change, it would make a positive difference.

When students leave parties in search of an open bar at 1 a.m. because alcohol is no longer being served, they are at a higher risk than if they are leaving later as bars are beginning to close.

More important than that half hour, though, is the message that would have been sent to the University community that ART was responsive and willing to meet students halfway with their ideas.

The process by which changes were made is in some ways just as important as the changes themselves. The committee, which included student representatives, obviously spent a great deal of time discussing the issues. But it would have been nice to see more effort made to solicit and discuss suggestions from the greater student body.

Interim Provost Peter Conn is right in his assessment that carrying out the policy's ultimate goal -- a safe campus environment -- is a shared responsibility, and student leaders have asserted that they will take a leading role in seeing that the policy is successfully implemented.

All students are stakeholders in this policy discussion, and responsibility on everyone's part is the only way the alcohol policy can be successful.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.