According to The Minnesota Daily, drinking violations in the dorms rose about 40% over last year, though only eight citations have been given thus far. This figure likely has risen because the redefined alcohol regulations instituted by the U. which now include being in the room with someone who is drinking and having empty alcohol containers. The usual party patrol raids that take place the first week of school were offset by the RNC, which sapped most of the police force and saw ticketing go down as actual drinking increased.

Earlier this year, the underage drinking debate was sparked by a bill Rep. Phyllis Kahn brought to the table, and many students and faculty have been discussing the merits of lowering the drinking age. This is a debate that I think needs to continue. Despite the U's stiffer definitions of alcohol violations, there still is a legitimate increase in drinking amongst those 18-21. Kahn's bill seems to me to be a legitimate idea: Underage college students are going to find ways to drink, and if they're confined to do it in secret in their dorm rooms, they're going to be idiots about it. If the drinking age were lowered such that students could go to bars, their drinking habits would be much more controlled as they are in a controlled environment and they'd be surrounded by people who wouldn't allow them to be stupid.

This is college. I'd be a little disappointed in the new batch of students of alcohol consumption stayed the same. But I hope this finding helps to increase discussion of the topic of underage drinking rather than increase discipline or restrictions. College is the time to be drunk, but the very institutions that are attempting to solve the problems brought on by drinking actual help to aid them by making drinking seem tantalizing and enabling students to make poor decisions. I think it's time to bring this debate up once more.