Party Policies Re-Evaluated

Published 11-19-07
http://www.doaneline.com/2.7185/party-policies-re-evaluated-1.761349

Drunk driving is not acceptable, and soon, using the Doane vans for safe trips back to the dorms may not be either.

Currently, students may use Doane vans for school-sponsored events, with the recommendation of a faculty member. If students are going to an event where alcohol will be present, there must be a designated driver. However, students attending events where there is alcohol may soon be unable to use Doane's vans for transportation.

The change is coming after a recent review of Doane's policies.

"Our insurance company alerted us that if the passengers are intoxicated, then it becomes just as much of a distraction as the driver being compromised," said Julie Schmidt, vice president for finance and administration. "They [the passengers] can get a little rowdy and be doing all sorts of things, so they [the insurance company] recommended to us that we not allow the use of vehicles to any event where any of the participants in the vehicle would be involved in the use of alcohol."

Other schools, such as Nebraska Wesleyan University, use a different method of getting students home safely.

"I think our resources are a little more limited," chmidt said. "Wesleyan uses a local cab company, but I don't think Crete has one."

Wesleyan Wheels is a safe-ride program for students at Wesleyan, according to the school's Web site. If students find themselves in a position where they either shouldn't be driving or don't have a ride, they call a specific taxi company. The company picks the student up providing the student has his or her ID with them.

"We have a contract with a cab company, which is paid for by the student fee," said Kathy Shellogg, Wesleyan's associate vice president for student life. "Our student government association pays about $4,000 directly to the cab company for this service. It was created as a way to ensure students' safety no matter what situation they found themselves in. Certainly we do not want students drinking and driving."

Wesleyan Wheels runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and while the drivers will only take students to their dorms, it offers a way for students to get home safely.

Tuxedo parties may permanently be a thing of the past, as Crete's Parks and Recreation department will soon be voting on whether or not to ban alcohol from all city parks.

The idea of banning alcohol came up because of issues that arose during a softball tournament at Tuxedo Park two years ago, according to Aaron Steffensmeier, Crete's park supervisor.

"We had some problems with the coed softball team and the drinking, and they started a fight," Steffensmeier said.

The overall goal of both new policies is safety.

"When parents drop their kids off here, they have a certain level of trust that we're doing everything we can," Schmidt said. "It's just a matter of keeping our kids safe."