Mirror - Vol. 15, No. 14 - February 07, 1991

              The
FairfieldMRRORV Volume 15, No. 14 Thursday, February 7, 1991 The Image Of Fairfield
University Warns Students to
Find Solutions or Lose Kegs
Ann Marie Puckhaber
Editor-in-Chief
Unless the student body
comes up with reasonable alterna-tives
for controlling alcohol abuse
on campus, the administration said
it will ban kegs in the townhouses
before the fall semester.
This decision was based on
the recommendation of the Alco-hol
Task Force established in
November of 1989, which con-cluded
in its final report this past
fall that there is a significant alco-hol
abuse problem on campus.
"We are sitting on a disas-ter,"
said William P. Schimpf, vice
president of Student Services. "The
task force has appropriately identi-fied
a problem and it is one we
must act on."
The administration has sent
the report from the task force to the
FUSA Senate and to the townhouse
association. Suggestions from
these student organizations may
be the possible solutions the ad-ministration
seeks.
So far, Schimpf said, he has
received no response other than a
statement from the Senate saying
that it opposes the banning ofkegs.
"The ball is in the students'
court," Schimpf said. "I want
something in place by next fall, but
that does not mean if I see more
cases (of alcohol abuse) I will wait
that long."
Schimpfcited an incident last
semester where a female student
was found unconscious, face down
near the townhouses. He said many
townhouse residents feel an obli-gation
to provide social entertain-ment
and alcohol for under age
students.
"When kegs were banned
from the dorms several years ago,
the townhouses were exempt,"
Schimpf said. "However, it was
the assumption that the townhouses
would not become a place to go to
drink."
The recommendations in-cluded
in the Alcohol Task Force
report were as follows:
* kegs should be prohibited
in the townhouses.
* if kegs are not prohibited,
townhouse residents should be
required to register the number of
kegs for their parties and that
number should be gauged by a
formula based upon the attendance
at the party.
* a violation of this policy
would result in a ban of kegs for
that townhouse for the remainder
of the year.
* any freshman apprehended
with a keg should lose their resi-dence
hall privileges.
* any sophomore who vio-lates
this policy will be assigned
150 hours of community service
and will lose their lottery number.
* a completely dry floor
should be provided to freshmen
who are not of legal age.
Also among the task force's
suggestions were to convert the
playhouse into a student-run dance
club and to provide a variety of
new programming not presently
available on campus.
Members of the Senate,
IRHG, and FUTA met Sunday and
Tuesday and are working to come
up with a proposal to present to the
administration.
"We have to get it together
soon," saidjunior Charles Malone,
IRHG secretary. "Like Schimpf
said it's a time bomb and he could
do something at any time."
"We're torn," said junior
John Tedesco, Senate president.
"We can't argue - the law is 21,"
Tedesco said the administra-tion
is not focusing on the right
source. "The major drinking goes
on in the dorms," he said. "No
abusive alcohol use goes on in the
townhouses." Tedesco said under-classmen
drink hard alcohol, such
as grain and vodka, in the resi-dence
hall and then go to townhouse
parties after already becoming in-toxicated.
Tedesco said the group made
up of FUSA, FUTA, and IRHG
members is working on a compre-hensive
plan to present to the
administration by mid- February
(continued to p.2) -
Yellow Ribbons for U.S. Troops
Christina Hennessy
News Editor
Nearly thirty students from
the Gonzaga Resident Hall Gov-ernment
and the College Republi-cans
expressed support for the
troops fighting in the Persian Gulf
last Friday, as they tied yellow
ribbons around the trees and
lightposts on campus.
"We originally wanted to
show support through the mail with'
letters, however, there's been a
backup so we decided this was a
better way of showing our sup-port,"
said Miffy Lanosa, presi-dent
of the Gonzaga Residence
Hall Government.
Many students either had
relatives or friends fighting in the
conflict and wanted to express hope
for peace, according to Lanosa.
"We were really happy with
the turnout, because it was many
more than we expected," she added.
The Gonzaga RHG financed
money for the ribbons, posters,
flyers and the party to end the
event.
"There's so much anti-war
messages with all the peace pro-tests
and we just wanted to steer
clear of any messages and just
express peace and support to the
troops," said Rob Miani, an RA for
Gonzaga and a participant in the
event. Ribbons were also placed in
various buildings and on doors.
"I have a friend who is over
there, and I know others have
friends who are also over there
who are relying on letters and
messages from us," said Lanosa.
"These ribbons are a visible
support and it reminds others that
people are fighting over there and
regardless of where you stand,
they should be honored," said
Miani.
New Co-Chairs
Lead Freshman
Year Program
Christina Hennessy
News Editor
Colleen Lane and Mike Bonelli jump into the newly created
positions of Co-Chairs for The Freshman Year Experience this week,
as the program expands and improves to meet the needs of the
incoming freshman class.
"Right now, we are trying to revamp the program so it's better
run for the Class of '95," said Lane, a junior communications major.
Both co-chairs will work with Gwen Vendley, director of the
Freshman Experience Program.
"I give Gwen a lot of credit, in that she wanted to know what was
wrong with the program this year and once she got the feedback, she
made the improvements," said Lane.
"I got involved with the program for next year because I saw
some shortcomings in the program this year and I though it would be
better if I got up and tried to improve the experience instead of sitting
around complaining," said Bonelli, a junior history major.
Lane, of Washington Township N.J., and Bonelli, of Blooms
field N.J., are currently interviewing the applicants for Freshman Fa-
The tree in front of McAuliffe Hall wrapped with a yellow ribbon to express troop support.
photo: Chris Hennessy
cilitators, as well as creating a manual with suggestions and plans for
meetings for the 90 new Facilitators.
"The Co-Chairs are the big communicators and will be involved
in decision making, program design, and providing information for
the other Freshman Facilitators," said Vendley.
The difference in the program this year will be the mixture of
lectures, speakers and movies, for example.
"I want this program to be fun for the freshmen, because that will
draw the ones who may not have come this year," said Lane.
"The freshmen that did get involved with the program got a lot
out of the program and got closer to each other by the end of the
semester," she added. "By the end, my group and I could sit and be
comfortable with one another and talk about anything."
The meetings with Facilitators offer a forum for issues and
problems which may not normally be brought up until it's too late,
according to Lane.
"The program is coming to the students and ultimately it will
serve to confront and chip away at problems that some students have
trouble talking about," said Lane.
"In light of the freshman floors, the program allows better
interaction between the classes," said Bonelli. "Basically, I'm hoping
the program develops community building among the campus popu-lation."
The Facilitators visit the campus this summer to meet with their
groups over the June orientation program in order to participate in "
discussion groups and give tours," said Vendley.
The Facilitators will be picked by April 14 and will continue on
to a training day which will aid them in adopting plans and programs
In the works is a course for next year focusing on group dynam-ics
and processing. Facilitators may sign up for the course and receive
credits towards their elective requirement.
"I'd like to get the program accredited for the freshmen to
increase participation and for the facilitators because of the huge time
commitment," Bonelli added.
"This experience will afford real bonding" between the facilita-tors
and their groups, said Vendley. Faculty advisors will also be
invited to participate in activites with their group during Orientation
and throughout the year.
(Editors Note: Emily Okenquist, staffwriter contributed to this
article).