Plan in works to slow campus alcohol flow

New policy gets backing from students and municipal officials.

By: Jennifer Potash
   While Princeton Borough officials have long struggled to deal with the problem of underage drinking at the Prospect Avenue eating clubs populated by Princeton University students, a municipal substance abuse coalition appears to have made great strides in developing a policy acceptable to both municipal officials and students.
   The Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance unanimously endorsed a proposal Thursday by an eating club representative that includes better training for club officers to prevent alcohol intoxication and underage drinking, first aid training, hiring professional security guards to check identification at the club entrances and always offering non-alcoholic beverages in the club tap rooms.
   Timothy Szostek, the interclub adviser to the eating clubs, said he would present the recommendation later Thursday to the Graduate InterClub Council, comprised of members of each club’s graduate board. It sets internal policies for the clubs.
   "It’s a good plan that I think will address 99 percent of the problems," said Bob Scharaldi, a member of the alliance and an alcohol abuse counselor at Princeton University.
   Beginning last year, the Princeton Alcohol and Drug Alliance has discussed the problem of underage drinking in the Princeton community and met with a number of representatives of Princeton University, the private eating clubs and other university groups.
   The alliance, comprised of volunteers from the community, representatives from local schools, substance abuse treatment centers and members of the two municipal governing bodies, will issue a recommendation in March on a proposed Princeton Borough ordinance that would permit police officers to enforce underage drinking laws on private property. Police officers could enforce the ordinance only if invited inside the property or if responding to an emergency.
   Princeton Borough Councilwoman Peggy Karcher said the Borough Council would not likely take up the ordinance until mid-April.
   Princeton Borough Police Chief Charles Davall, who had said he was frustrated by the lack of action by the clubs to clamp down on underage and binge drinking, was encouraged by Mr. Szostek’s plan.
   Thomas Wright, Princeton University vice president and secretary to the board of trustees, said the university should play a larger role in quelling underage drinking and will take a tougher stance against alcoholic-beverage infractions.
   While the university notifies a student’s parents of a drinking violation, that notification usually doesn’t occur on the first offense, he said. There is ongoing discussion in the administration about changing that policy, Mr. Wright said. Also, athletes with an alcohol violation would be required to sit out games, he said.