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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSA
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
A SHOT OF REALITY
Part1: Life and death of Jason Wren
Part 2: Examining alcohol use on campus
VOLUME 120 ISSUE 147
Part 3:
Are KU's policies sufficient?
"This is too big of an issue to simply ignore."
ASOBERING CONVERSATION
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Students gather around an unhinged door in McColum Hall Saturday night to play beer pong. In residence halls, students often find ways to sneak alcohol into their rooms and bypass University policies about alcohol consumption on campus. Resident assistants also find it difficult to enforce the rules about drinking because they say students don't take the threat of punishment seriously.
University struggles to address complexities of alcohol policy after student's death
BY BRIANNE PFANNENSTIEL
AND LAUREN HENDRICK
bpfannenstiel@kansan.com
and lhendrick@kansan.com
It's Wednesday night in Oliver Hall and the deskies know that means it's Dollar Night at The Hawk
They know it means that at about 2 a.m., students will begin stumbling back to their rooms in a drunken haze, some with bottles of alcohol hidden in their clothes or bags. They know it means bathrooms splattered with vomit and dorm room doors taken off their hinges to be used as makeshift beer pong
tables. They know it means
another night of alcohol-fueled arguments, parties and blackouts.
"I remember that happening at least once a month, at least," she said. "I think it not only says something about the system
They know it all and yet, under the University's current system, they say there is little they can do to prevent it.
"I saw a lot of alcohol use and it was frustrating because there's not always a lot you can really do about it," said Rachel Ward, a former resident assistant at Oliver Hall.
"Maybe if they were aware,someone would have called for help that evening instead of the next afternoon,when it was too late."
Ward, a 2008 graduate from Ventura, Calif., said she remembered frequently having to call paramedics to deal with students who showed signs of alcohol poisoning.
but it says something about the student body"
JAY WREN Jason Wren's father
Ward's frustration is echoed by others, including Jay Wren, father of 19-year-old Jason Wren, who died of probable alcohol poisoning last month at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house after a night of heavy drinking. They say the University needs better alcohol education, clear and enforceable drinking policies and more highly publicized treatment programs for students who need or want help.
Wren's death has pressed KU officials to consider revising the school's policies on releasing students' records to parents, but there has been no public discussion by administrators about making changes to global policy.
enforcement or treatment options.
ALCOHOL EDUCATION
If Wren had been a student at a school such as Texas Tech University, the University of Colorado or the University of Missouri, he would have participated in an alcohol education program as an incoming freshman.
AlcoholEdu and other freshmen alcohol education programs have been adopted at five of the Big 12 universities. The programs are designed to promote safe drinking behavior and to increase knowledge about college alcohol consumption.
AlcoholEdu is split into two sections. Before attending the university, students complete the first section, which teaches them about the ways alcohol influences their behaviors and bodies and informs them about how to recognize and respond to alcohol-related emergencies.
Jan Childress, associate vice president of student affairs at Texas Tech, said the AlcoholEdu program was the most basic way to ensure all students came to the university with a fundamental understanding of alcohol-related issues and safety concerns.
Jay Wren said his son might still be alive had Jason's friends been better educated about the signs of alcohol poisoning. He said students needed more effective education to recognize dangerous situations.
"Maybe if they were aware, someone would have called for help that evening instead of the next afternoon when it was too late." Wren said in a comment on The University Daily Kansan Web site April 9.
During a panel discussion about alcohol at the University on April 9, panelist Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success, said the University was considering conducting a pilot study of a program similar to AlcoholEdu in wake of Jason Wren's death.
SEE A SHOT OF REALITY ON PAGE 6A
For more coverage from this series, visit Kansan.com.
@KANSAN.COM
KU officials answer questions and explain the ins and outs of alcohol policy at the University.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT KU POLICY?
POLICIES
AT BIG 12
SCHOOLS
See alcohol rules at other schools close to the University.
POLITICS
Doles to speak at Lied Center
BY MICOLE ARONOWITZ
maronowitz@kansan.com
Jonathan Earle, associate director for program ming at the Dole Institute, said he thought the interview would focus on the Doles' unusual political partnership and how they
Former senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole will give a joint interview for the Dole Institute of Politics' "2009 Dole Lecture: Unlimited Partners," at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Lied Center.
Bob Dole
are one of the few political power couples.
Earle said the Institute's goal was to get as many students as
possible to
attend. He said
the Doles were
a great example
of people who
had dedicated
their lives to
public service.
Elizabeth Dole
"The idea is to try and bridge the
generation gap and talk about the importance of public service because that really is the glue that holds their relationship together." Earle said.
SEE DOLE ON PAGE 5A
Bill Lacy, director of the Dole Institute of Politics, has known the
ACTIVISM
Group hosts discussion march about abortion
BY DAVID UGARTE AND
BETSY CUTCLIFF
dugarte@kansan.com
bcutcliff@kansan.com
The rain had stopped and the lace hour of sunlight lit Wescoe Beach when about 30 members of KU Students for Life gathered in prayer before marching to Lawrence's Planned Parenthood at 27th and Iowa streets Wednesday night.
At the end of the march the members held a prayer vigil. They were met at Planned Parenthood by members of the Commission on the Status of Women, who passed out literature to educate participants on the opposing viewpoint of a woman's right to choose.
Emma Rothbust, a member of KU Students for Life, said she felt that having opposition present at their events was helpful to their cause and the issue.
SEE ABORTION ON PAGE 5A
index
Classifieds. ... 5B Opinion. ... 9A
Crossword. ... 8A Sports. ... 8A
Horoscopes. ... 8A Sudoku. ... 8A
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2009 The University Daily Kansan
OBAMA CELEBRATES 100TH DAY IN OFFICE
The President held a press conference Wednesday to discuss his progress so far. NATIONAL 14A
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