John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont, is leading a grassroots movement to lower the drinking age to 18, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Some AU students remain skeptical about whether he would make much of an impact on current drinking practices.
McCardell proposed the plan to Denver citizens last month, which would give people between the ages of 18 and 20 the opportunity to obtain a drinker's license, similar to a driver's license except granting permission to obtain alcohol. Those who wanted a license would need to successfully complete alcohol education classes, according to the Chronicle.
McCardell's reasoning behind the education classes was to bring parents and educators to the forefront of setting responsible drinking habits for students. His hope was that the threat of losing their ability to drink would make them abide by the law, according to the Chronicle.
Alan Ridenour, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, said he was doubtful a license could be an indicator of whether someone would be able to handle the pressures of drinking.
"The college environment doesn't promote social drinking like with adults," Ridenour said. "It's more of a party atmosphere."
Ridenour said he remained unconvinced of the potential effectiveness of the license.
"Lots of people have driver's licenses, but not all of them drive safely," Ridenour said, following McCardell's analogy.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, binge drinking among college students ages 18 to 20 remained at a steady rate from 2002 to 2005. Also, almost 60 percent of those surveyed said they drink underage and 40 percent of those who consumed alcohol were binge drinkers.
Binge drinking, as defined by the survey, is drinking five or more drinks either at the same time or within hours of each other.
After years of dealing with alcohol problems on Middlebury's campus, McCardell said he felt the current drinking age restriction encouraged risky and secretive drinking practices among younger students. He told the Chronicle that when problems arise from drinking, administrators are often strapped into choosing between carrying out policy and helping students.
"[Changing the law] would eliminate criminal activity for younger ages," Nigel Franklin, a sophomore in SPA and the School of Communication, said. "I think the stigma would still be attached to it, though."
Currently, the Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services enforces AU's dry campus policy. JAMS consists of students trained in mediation skills, according to the university's Web site.
Students caught with alcohol go through a judicial hearing, during which the punishment is decided.
Because some students see a drinking trend among their classmates, they say they do not feel the law will be effective.
"I think that lowering the drinking age could make people more likely to drink, though not by a significant amount," Marlene Stapinski, a junior in the School of International Service, said. "Basically those who want to drink are going to find ways to do it"
