It is perhaps ironic that a country associated frequently with binge drinking and basement parties in the media is one of the few places with a drinking age limit of 21 — in effect prohibiting college students from consuming alcohol. Right here at Northwestern, we seem to be facing a tight clamp on any and all kinds of parties and events that include alcohol, with pressure from both the administration and Evanston threatening to take further action against alcohol-related activities. As we watch things unfold, the question remain unanswered: Are stricter laws really a means to a safer campus, and, if they’re not, what’s a better alternative?

The wet versus dry campus debate has existed for a while now, with the main distinction being whether universities allow students of legal age to drink on campus. Colleges are hotspots for alcohol consumption in the United States. According to research compiled by Johns Hopkins University, the average age for Americans to begin drinking is 16. The report also notes underage drinking is responsible for between 11-20 percent of the U.S. alcohol market. This data presents a formidable case for some sort of action, motivated by a desire to better safeguard lives and prevent reckless behavior.

The administration can either clamp down on alcohol-related activities with the goal of establishing a dry campus — what seems to currently be happening at NU — or it can admit campuses are inherently wet and strive to enforce better monitoring and accountability. I advocate for the latter.

A wet campus policy would solve many problems. For one, parties could happen in the open and be monitored more efficiently.

For example, Butler University in Indianapolis is developing its wet campus policy. With on-campus consumption allowed, it eliminates the incentive for students to go drinking off-campus unmonitored. This could also potentially salvage our relationship with Evanston by limiting noise complaints from residents. For all the fear-mongering that wet campuses produce more alcohol consumption, The Economist reported that according to a Harvard study, “fewer students on dry campuses drink, but those who do imbibe just as much as their counterparts at ‘wet’ places.”

There is an obvious conundrum though: What about minors? They would still be drinking underage. I respect the legal aspect of it — if the act is illegal and someone is caught, the law must prevail. What I am more concerned with is the fact that more parties this year seem to be going deeper into secrecy, with the opportunity for accountability diminishing. Although Greek associations seem to have felt the biggest brunt of this change, underage drinking is an issue for a variety of student groups on campus.

The truth remains, college students will drink and they will party. They will always follow that old Beastie Boys refrain, fighting for their right to party.

It seems the trust between administration and student groups is dwindling, and no matter how reasonable measures such as the Responsible Action Protocol may be, one must consider their effectiveness if a scared freshman is inundated with this culture. With a wet campus, people acknowledge realities and are able to directly confront alcohol-related issues with measures such as education and counseling even before problems occur. Problems can be contained on campus, reducing the need for students to travel — or worse, drive — off-campus for their alcohol and receive lasting penalties from the police that could affect their career prospects and others’ lives.

What I see happening on campus is a mismatch of problems and solutions. Underage drinking is a legal problem, but unsafe drinking is a more pertinent issue. If the school wants to truly help the student population, it is time to stop fighting realities and address the true matter at hand. We want to build a safe campus, not a fearful one.

Rovik Robert is a McCormick sophomore. He can be reached at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected].

The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.