As colleges continue their transformation from centers of education to daycare centers for grown children, one taxpayer-subsidized university in California is now taking action to require the availability of alcohol breath testing at on-campus parties.
Last month, the Interfraternity Council at UCLA updated their Risk Management Policy for student fraternities and sororities to include a requirement that the organizations provide breathlyzer testing for students during on-campus parties that they host.
According to The Daily Bruin, fraternities and sororities will be required to offer the breath tests by also employing a “risk manager,” whose job will be to assess the behavior and drinking habits of various party attendees and determine if they need to have their B.A.C. checked.
Interestingly enough, students will not be forced to blow into the breathalyzer if someone feels they have had too much to drink. Rather, they should know they have the “option” of checking to see how drunk they really are. According to students at UCLA, not requiring students to blow essentially defeats the purpose of having the testing present at parties.
“It gets really dangerous, especially with all the underage drinking,” said Jordan Arnett, a fourth-year psychology student at UCLA. “But I feel like if it’s just asking them (to take the Breathalyzer test) and not forcing them, they might not agree.”
In addition to the fact that most students will likely refrain from being tested, there is also concern over revealing an individual’s excessively high B.A.C. to a crowd of other students who have been drinking and may be more likely to engage in questionable decisions. While a number of students have raised concerns over the potential of testing to create risky situations, members of the student government say the UCLA IFC needs to be more clear in their policy.
“I am wary of the power dynamics that could be fostered by potential college-aged men who are entrusted to Breathalyze party attendees,” said Bella Martin an Undergraduate Students Association Council general representative. “It is not the student body’s responsibility to interpret the bylaw, but, rather, IFC’s responsibility to be clear from the beginning.”
John Patrick (@john_pat_rick) is a graduate of Canisius College and Georgia Southern University. He interned for Red Alert Politics during the summer of 2012 and has continued to contribute regularly.
