I think the alcohol policy at NIU does more harm than it does good. When the administrators ban alcohol in the dorms, they force the students, who are going to drink anyway, to look elsewhere for a safe place to drink.

Greek Row is the most popular place for students to go on weekend nights. After a night of pounding beers, the student then has to find his or her way back to the dorms. Along the way, students are confronted by many other drunken students who are more than happy to help them home. This can easily lead to rape, assault or theft.

If, however, the student does get away from the “Greek Row crowd” and makes it to Annie Glidden Road, there are still more dangers. When students are drunk they do stupid things, like running in front of cars. This could become a big problem, since most of the drivers also are students who have just come from a party.

If the students were allowed to drink in the dorms, then they would not have to worry about how to get home. There would be less of a chance that someone would be hit by a car, attacked or be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Students are going to drink no matter where they have to go, so why won’t the administrators make drinking safer by allowing it in the dorms?

I would like to see statistics on rape, assault, DUIs, accidents, etc., on our campus compared to a school of the same size that allows drinking in the dorms.

John Heinel

Freshman

Pre-business