As the process to review Concordia’s policy for serving alcohol on campus continues, the president of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations has admitted he was wrong to declare that the university would probably prefer an alcohol-free campus altogether.
Aaron Green retracted the statement, which he had made to the Concordian in November, during ASFA’s Dec. 9 council meeting. His original declaration came after the university reprimanded the CSU and ASFA for advertising ”all-you-can-drink” events, such as cultural nights at Loyola, which are in fact a clear violation of regulations set out by the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux.
Green is now one of several student representatives working alongside the dean of students’ office and other branches of the administration to review Concordia’s current alcohol policy, which has been in place since 2002.
”It is very important that we, as an umbrella organization, encourage our member associations to abide by the rules of the policy because we are, after all, dealing with student lives here,” said Green last week. ”The university is not trying to create an alcohol-free campus, but rather trying to address the problem of the over-consumption of alcohol.”
The new policy should be implemented by the end of the semester, said the university’s media relations director Chris Mota in an email. She was unable, however, to provide specific differences between the current policy and the new one being developed as the review process is ongoing.
But Mota did indicate that putting the policy under the microscope at the present time was not a result of the university suddenly learning of the all-you-can-drink events in November. ”Policies are reviewed regularly to ensure that they reflect the present reality including, in this case, existing laws,” she said.
Although all the details have yet to be finalized, Green did mention that the education and procedures committees that operate under the policy will continue to exist. The former is geared toward a campaign tackling the over-consumption of alcohol, while the latter is responsible for ensuring that all groups who serve alcohol at an event have followed the proper guidelines.
Green has been assured that student representation will continue on both committees, and said that ASFA will do its part in the over-consumption campaign.
”It really is a small percentage of students who drink in excess, but they must be made aware of the negative repercussions,” he said, noting that excessive drinking has led to deaths at several other Canadian universities.
