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By Dave Curtin
August 12, 2004
Aurora - The University of Colorado is trying to shed its image as the No. 1 party school in the nation by imposing tougher alcohol policies, including a required Web class on alcohol abuse for freshmen.
The school's Board of Regents on Wednesday also debated pulling illegally displayed CU logos from liquor- store promotions and protesting liquor-license applications near campus.
CU is still smarting from being ranked the top party school in the nation last fall by the Princeton Review magazine. Also, two federal lawsuits claim sex and booze were used at CU to entice high school athletic recruits.
Wednesday's newly announced drinking policies were first discussed before allegations about CU's football recruiting practices were made public in January. But they are designed to address a runaway campus culture that fostered the scandal.
Students must earn an 80 percent on the three-hour, noncredit alcohol-education course to register for next spring's classes, vice chancellor Ron Stump said.
About one-fifth of the 5,548 incoming freshmen have already completed the course. All are encouraged to take it before the start of classes Aug. 23, said Robert Maust, director of CU's alcohol-education program.
"Some students felt offended by the requirement, that it implied they had a problem with alcohol and we expected them to cause problems on campus," Maust said. "But after taking the course, they realize that it's intended to inform, not discipline."
In addition, the school's "three strikes and you're out" alcohol policy was toughened to allow for suspension on the first or second alcohol violation. Penalties also were stiffened for each offense.
"If it's egregious enough, it could result in suspension on the first strike," Stump said. "We found that some students thought they had three shots at this thing."
An egregious violation could include physical or sexual assault or destruction of property. It could also include endangering the health or safety of someone else, CU officials said.
Parents will now receive a letter after a student's first drinking violation. Some parents complained they weren't learning of the problem until the second occurrence, Stump said.
Regent Jim Martin suggested an immediate phone call from CU to parents on the first offense.
"A phone call to the parents from the university would be a wake-up call and raise the consciousness level one degree," Martin said.
An alcohol violation is defined as any number of student-code violations including underage drinking or drinking in nondesignated areas on campus. A violation does not necessarily require police action, CU spokesman Peter Caughey said.
Students can contest violations before the campus judicial-affairs hearing board and can appeal a decision.
Students can also be prosecuted criminally.
CU also announced more detailed plans in direct response to the football scandal. A 14- member faculty-dominated advisory board was named to propose athletic-department policy on admission standards, recruiting practices and hiring.
Also, Stump will now spend half his time working on athletic-department issues such as team discipline, addressing allegations of sexual harassment and violence against women, and overseeing compliance with recruiting policies.
Lisa Simon, spokeswoman for Lisa Simpson's attorney, had no comment on the new policies. Simpson is one of three plaintiffs in the federal lawsuits who claims she was raped at an alcohol-fueled off-campus party in 2001.
Peggy Lamm, co-chairwoman of the commission that made recommendations for change after investigating the scandal and CU culture for three months, was unavailable for comment on the new policies.
Efforts to fight campus alcohol abuse may not stop with Wednesday's new rules, regents said.
Regent Cindy Carlisle suggested stripping Boulder liquor stores of the CU logo used in advertisements. Use of the logo without permission is illegal, CU attorneys said. Carlisle also said CU should be more aggressive in protesting liquor-license applications before the local liquor licensing board.
CU cracks down
New sanctions for alcohol/drug offenses at the University of Colorado at Boulder:
First offense
- Parental notification
- Five hours of community service
- Attendance at alcohol awareness class costing $100
- Probation for one semester - student is on notice that more serious penalties are forthcoming with additional violations
- Can include suspension depending on severity
Second offense
- Parental notification
- Ten hours of community service
- Referral to the city of Boulder's "2nd Offender" program at a cost of $400
- Suspension for one semester if on probation for first offense
Third offense
- Parental notification
- Suspension
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