In a survey released last week to the faculty of the six colleges, the Claremont University Center (CUC) reported that "32 percent of Claremont Colleges students, in 1999, reported one or more episodes of binge drinking in the last two weeks." Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks in a row.

This statistic, however, is less than the national average of 43 percent, as determined by a 1997 survey of 130 colleges by the Harvard School of Public Health. The Claremont Colleges have declined to say whether or not they participated in the study.

Assistant Dean of Campus Life Frank Bedoya, who has not received a copy of the survey, said that he was not surprised by the figure, but added that he would like to see the detailed report.

Matthew Preusch Southard hears public comment.

"I think the numbers are pretty accurate," Resident Advisor Akshay Shah ’00 said. "RA’s know that a lot of binge drinking happens without regulation behind closed doors."

Laura Corliss ’03 agreed that heavy drinking at college is "a fact of life, especially when kids are away from home for the first time." She says, "The numbers aren’t that outstanding."

Dean of Students Ann Quinley expressed concern not for the statistics, but for the nature of drinking. "I worry most about people who drink in their rooms, rather than at parties, and people who drink hard alcohol, rather than beer," Quinley said.

"People basically drink as a social activity," one North Campus RA, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said. "But there’s a problem when alcohol becomes the top priority, especially because there can be so many other negative consequences."

The CUC survey indicated that "21 percent of Claremont College students reported missing class due to alcohol use, and 13 percent reported performing poorly on a test."

The Claremont numbers are again less than the national average. According to the 1997 Harvard survey, 30.2% reported missing class, and 23.2% reported falling behind in schoolwork.

In addition, 78.8% of students in the Harvard survey said that they had experienced at least one secondhand effect of binge drinking. The most common problems cited were having study or sleep interrupted (60.6%) and having to take care of a drunken student (50.2%).

"[Other people’s] drinking hasn’t affected me that much," Corliss said of her first year at Pomona. "It’s kind of frustrating when you run into people who can’t even stand, but as long as it’s not disrupting, as long as they don’t invade my personal space, it’s their business."

David Schwendimann ’01 and Ted Sheffield ’01, who both spent the fall semester studying abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, believe that the level of binge drinking at Pomona is relatively low.

"There was a lot more drinking in Scotland," Schwendimann said. "I lived in a freshman dorm, the kids were away from home for the first time, and they were of legal age."

Sheffield added that despite the amount of drinking in Scotland, it seemed more acceptable than it is at Pomona. "At Edinburgh, it’s a lot more regular, and it’s more social. There’s a real pub life," Sheffield said.

Like Quinley, Shah is most concerned for students who engage in private drinking. He admits that alcohol policies and enforcement are limited. "The people who binge drink will continue to binge drink. Because they’re not hurting anyone else, RA’s really don’t have the power to do anything. Only after someone gets hurt can RA’s come into the picture," Shah said.

Bedoya states that the administration takes an "educational" approach to the issue of alcohol on campus. "We have an obligation to the students to inform them about the negative consequences of large alcohol intake," Bedoya said.

"Alcohol is an individual choice. Our job is to provide a safe and comfortable residential environment for all students — those who drink and those who choose not to," Bedoya said, emphasizing the college’s dedication to training RA’s and sponsors.

"Our goal is to strike a balance," Bedoya said. "We realize that students are going to drink, but our hope is that they do it responsibly with respect for the people around them."