Tuttle's Thoughts on Alcohol

http://trinitydean.blogspot.com/2008/09/woe-is-we.html

Here are a few quotes:

The European model of drinking at all ages wouldn't work here because our culture glorifies alcohol and partying.

Students will get drunk and intoxicated and sometimes that is fun. Prohibition doesn't work and isn't educational.

What administrators fear most is meeting with family members of a student who has died senselessly because of alcohol.

This is a national issue, not just Trinity's.

It would be nice if students could sit in their dorm rooms and have a beer or glass of wine while enjoying a DVD from Netflix.

On some level, I think every freshman should get completely trashed and wake up with a killer hangover, just to see what it's like. Beyond that, I think the University's pretty hands off with alcohol enforcement. As long as you aren't being loud outside or in the halls, you're almost certainly fine. And I can at least empathize the Dean's concerns, especially given his history.

Focus:

(a) How do you feel about Tuttle's views? And (b) what, if anything, would you like to change about the way Trinity deals with alcohol?

Linking directly to my post regarding Mr. Tuttle's September second email, in his blog, Dean Tuttle mentions feeling "worn down by the rhetoric of a few, who passionately fight for their rights to drink" (Woe is We, September 8, 2008).

Mr. Tuttle's pejorative label of my "fight" epitomizes his tendency to respond to serious discussion with gibberish-- no matter how well intended. My "fight"-- to borrow Dean Tuttle's jargon-- was a factually supported argument critical of a glaring inconsistency in school policy. I find Mr. Tuttle's remark particularly disingenuous considering user dtuttle posted "thanks for sharing this with me Mr. Donahue! You are generally right with your take on hard alcohol"(2 Sep 2008 16:03). How did I go so wrong, so fast?

Curiously, in a 2006 writing Mr. Tuttle describes how, while not at Trinity, he missed working at a place "where students, parents, and employees were passionate about and involved in the affairs of the University" (Nightmare). Apparently, passionate involvement is great-- but not all the time.

Sadly, our dean says that he is "worn down" by this passionate involvement. According to its website, "the mission of the Dean of Students Office is to serve students as they manage academic, personal, social, and emotional issues and concerns, represent their legitimate needs to others, and represent the University's interests to them" (Dean of Students Website). Unless the Dean of Student's mission statement is a sham and a farce, Mr. Tuttle has an obligation to respond to the legitimate concerns raised by all members of the Trinity community. Rather than being worn down, one would expect a dean of students to be inspired and invigorated by the passionate involvement of the student body. It is this open, free, and robust exchange of ideas that is the basis of understanding, improvement, and maybe even change.

a)
I feel that Tuttle contradicts himself in what he espouses constantly, as he refers to the freedom of the student body to make our own decisions while at the same time imposing harsher penalties almost yearly for those who choose to disobey the policies.

I understand that his personal experiences with alcohol shape his views, but I think that he is making a large leap of logic in assuming that we will follow the same path he did. Moreover, Trinity's policies toward alcohol do nothing to deter alcoholism, because the basic premise of an addiction is that the addict will continue the habit regardless of possible consequences. If alcoholism is the real issue here, there are better methods of addressing the issue than vigorous prosecution of underage drinkers and anyone caught with liquor.

b)
I would like to see Trinity's policies toward alcohol be reshaped to recognize that prohibition doesn't work as a policy. While the school is obligated to have and enforce some type of alcohol policy, that policy does not have to impose harsh punishments or allow convictions without real evidence.

I realize that Trinity cannot just say, "Go ahead and drink underage... it's the state's problem, not ours." However, the implementation of an "innocent until proven guilty" standard of evidence instead of the current and horribly lacking "preponderance of evidence" standard would go far to reduce the number of ridiculous convictions on campus. Furthermore, empty alcohol containers should not be perceived as evidence of guilt, particularly when said alcohol could have been consumed by someone else or off campus. Finally, a sharp reduction in the penalties for alcohol violations would prevent the unnecessary harm which is caused to students by the current policies. When students are in fear of suspension merely for having 3 alcohol violations TOTAL, there is something wrong with the punishments' severity.

If Trinity could accept underage drinking for what it is (a cultural phenomenon which is here to stay), then perhaps the focus on prohibition could be toned down and more attention could be given to encouraging moderation-- not by forcing students, but by educating them. In the end, the alcohol policies of a school will not prevent a student from drinking so much that they endanger their life. Most likely, a student in such a situation couldn't care less about the possible legal penalties for his or her actions. A policy emphasizing education on the dangers of OVER-drinking, however, could go far in reducing students' propensity to endanger themselves... and without ever causing harm to students who decide to drink in moderation.

Hey post #1, Barca, sounds like you know Dean Tuttle. Would you bring him this message from a recent grad? I'm impressed with the high quality of the discourse on the alcohol issue. I know a little of his history, but saying I've been that route, don't go it, is never going to work. How about something compelling & heart-felt? Tell the students what its like to talk with a mom or dad who lost a loved one, or what its like to lose your wife or kids to alcohol. Something real. Seems like he's trying to out-manuver the students thru argument. I'd encourage a change in technique; the ends are not justifing the means.

#4 I know Dean Tuttle only as well as any other student, which is saying very little. I've chatted with him a few times. I don't understand how he can think this policy will save lives. Anyone who wants to binge drink a major problem away won't be stopped. And politically, a case can be made that the school bears no responsibility for policing alcohol possession and consumption by students in their dorm rooms. Would you expect a landlord to ever search the room of an 18 - 20 year old tenant on the suspicion of alcohol? If students were all in off-campus housing, this wouldn't even be an issue.

Fourtwenty, I'd love it if Trinity said alcohol was just not their problem to deal with. But then there might be some freshman, just off a tight leash to mom and dad, who would go crazy with the new freedom, get drunk, and run someone over. Of course this could happen no matter how much education Trinity provides.

For better or worse, I loved learning about "The Optimal Buzz! :D" As a freshman. I took it as carte blanche to have two drinks at the start of a night, and one every hour after that, without hurting myself.

Donahue, you're completely right that the hard alcohol policy presents glaring inconsistencies with Trinity's "education centered approach." I would have thought the cognitive dissonance would be enough for Tuttle to push for a rewrite/repeal of that policy.

But, if you'll permit me one ad hominem attack and politically incorrect joke (please skip this if you are easily offended):

Politically incorrect joke starts here:

Tuttle also calls himself a serious Catholic (with a capital 'C'), so maybe he just doesn't get that kind of dissonance, or he's developed mechanisms to suppress it through many church services.

End of politically incorrect joke.

Excellent posts. Should be under a different topic, because we all know Tuttle's " thoughts on alcohol." But Pat D, you hit it out of the park in post #2! The Dean of Students has some explaining to do. Your points are worthy of a response from him.

I just sent Dean Tuttle an email. Hopefully he will respond shortly.

I don't know how rto be more heart-felt than sharing my story. I am not rtrying to get students to not drink because I drank to excess. It was a way to present alcohol issues in a different light.

The Alcohol Coalition, which I chair did recommend allowing hard alcohol but the institution decided not to, for some very compelling reasons.

Please offer up some policies from other institutions that the Alcohol Coalition can look into. pat has signed on and he would probably be happy to bring them forward. When we last revised the policy we did research other ones and found some language and concepts we liked. I have said it many times, the policy here is pretty reasonable. One would think from the posts that Trinity is the only University that has and enforces policies. I direct you to my blog for more information on studies and approaches to dealing with college drinking issues.

MORE PROOFREADING.


Also your blog lacks substance.

Dean Tuttle: good to hear your view-points. You have been quite prolific; however, you have totally ignored the serious matters raised in Pat's post #2, and I'd love to hear your response. Thanks.

For those harping on the hard liquor ban:

It is an executive order issued by President Brazil, not from ResLife or Dean Tuttle. I'm not saying whether or not Tuttle agrees with the ban (he can inform us himself if he wishes) but its irrelevant because the issue has been subsumed by the office of the president for the foreseeable future. Good luck emailing President Brazil and getting a response.

Personally I find the alcohol policy more of an annoyance than an oppressive fist.

A) It's not that hard to avoid getting a violation if you're smart about it.

B) Nothing ever ends up getting sent to the DA or Police vis a vis alcohol. Oh no you have a write up on your record! If you're trying to get employed somewhere where drinking in college is a deal breaker you probably shouldn't be drinking in college. I know some people use it as a conversation piece in job and grad school interviews (especially if the interviewer is a Trinity alumni) when asked about violations on their record if it even comes up at all.

C) Oh no, your parents might learn you drink! You're an adult, if you can't let your parents know you drink that's between you and them, not the school. Want them to not find out? Start paying for school on your own and that way you're the only one who gets the invoices.

I'm not saying I think the policy is the best ever written, however for the vast majority of people who get found responsible the impacts are negligible. $50-75 is the only thing I have a problem with for first time offenders.

Rude.

It comes with the territory of anonymous forums unfortunately.