NYU Comes Out Against Underage Drinking

Try to hold back your laughter: NYU, aka "Las Vegas and Sodom rolled into one," told a Community Board 3 meeting last week that the school is interested in working with community and government officals to curb underage drinking. The school, an offical told the board, wants "a community partnership that includes local bar operators to devise a framework of 'education, responsibility and safety' regarding students and nightlife."

According to the Villager, the school's intentions were met with mixed reactions. On the one hand doing anything is better than doing nothing, hence the unanimous support of the idea by the CB3 State Liquor Authority Committee. On the other hand the reality is that actually stopping underage drinking just isn't going to happen - which is why there are some very good arguments to return to the drinking age to 18. One big problem is that there is little real punishment for underage drinkers. As Sutra Lounge owner Ariel Palitz told the Villager:

“We’re working ferociously to keep them out, but if they’re caught they’re just not admitted. We feel that if Suzy winds up in Rikers for two days it would make a big impact on other students,” Palitz said. “It’s unfair that bars are the only ones penalized for underage drinking. Having fake I.D. is a crime and it should have criminal consequences,” she said.

We don't know about two days in Riker's, but we certainly understand the sentiment. Do you think that NYU needs to crack down on underage drinking? How would you go about doing it?

Washington Square Arch by LaTur via Contribute.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in News on September 23, 2006 3:04 PM

Comments [rss]

gail

You have no idea what you are talking about. You dont think its a crime to bring a fake id to a bar and drink and booze it up? Right you get a slap on the hand and go home.While the bar owner having to deal with a large fine and possibly closing and losing business. We are fighting this right now in court. And this time we will file criminal charges against the underage drinkers bringing in fake ids, since they are over 18. Stifer fines should be made

college kid example #2

I'm an nyu undergrad, too. I'm a proficient speller.

college kid

I am a NYU undergrad/ underage student. I get drunk. So does every other student. Concentrate your efforts on making what we do leagal instead of punishing us for something that will be leagal for us anyways in a matter of years/months (depending on everybody's brithdays) This is rediculous. Whens the last time anyone read a headline about a NYU student killing someone in a drunk driving accident?

Stevennnn

College and underage drinking? what?

Nice way to waste money.

College students will ALWAYS find a way to get wasted. It's just the college way of life.

NYU student

Let's be honest, a number of bars in the east village depend on NYU students- legal or otherwise- to make money every weekend. How much co operation do you think they're going to provide?

In absentia of frat houses, NYU kids will find somewhere to behave as college kids will, and it's a whole lot safer to have them at bars or in the dorms than in private apartments. No one is driving, and, as 5 pointed out, the relative ease of obtaining alchohol only makes the students less likely to abuse or binge.

NYU seems to always get a bad rap for it's students being drunks, drug dealers, and depressive- suicides, but non of these issues are absent in any other college in america. NYU gets crapped on because everytime a kid gets busted for dealing it's in the post, whereas a dealer bust at Syracuse (for example) might only make the front page of the student newspaper.

NYU kids are college kids. They'll find a way to get drunk and take drugs. Period. So why waste everyone's energy with this when the City has real problems to solve?

so there

I can't believe, with all the other problems in this city requiring attention, that such resources are being allocated for this. Who gives a shit, especially at a place like NYU (where you're not going to be drinking and driving)? These idiots don't realize they're just making booze more enticing to the 17-20 year olds...and what do you think happens when they finally get their hands on some, knowing they might not have access to it again for a while?

If they knew they could have it whenever, they would be less likely to abuse it. Maybe you could even offer tasting workshops, so they'll learn HOW to drink.

I'll never understand why it's OK to risk your life for your country, yet not legally be allowed to have a beer before shipping off. Or the fact that you can be married, yet not legally eligible for a champagne toast?

Max.

Skip it. Make the drinking age 18.

Jerky

Oh yeah, locking up underage drinkers is a *really* good idea. Such brilliant ideas have similarly worked so well in the "War on Drugs" Maybe the CB3 should declare a "War on Underage Drinking".

Kojak

I dont agree with your 2nd and 3rd points all.

I agree there should be tougher sanctions for underage drinking, but the school should only get involved when it’s a particularly serious offense that happens on school grounds, or something else involving the school.

College is also about independence, but not being the nanny.

allkindsoftime

Put it to law enforcement - have the NYPD put special agents as bouncers of joints known to be popular with the NYU kids, and start arresting kids for fake IDs. Work it out with the school so that 1st offense is a week's suspension, 2nd offense you're booted for a semester, 3rd offense find another school, something like that.

You don't put in some kind of strong punishment measures, the kids are just going to keep doing it, anything less is a slap on the wrist.

At the end of the day, the kids are still going to find ways to put booze in their bellies, though. All we can do is change the way they get it.