Update from the Alcohol Task Force

Members of the Kenyon Community,

On behalf of the Alcohol Task Force (ATF) Steering Committee, I am pleased to share this update on the group’s activities and discussions over the course of the fall semester. On Friday, Dec. 8, members of the ATF Steering Committee will be in Peirce Atrium between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to answer questions and receive feedback about our work to date. We also encourage you to review the full Alcohol Task Force Report (PDF), which was submitted to President Decatur in March 2017.

The ATF Steering Committee was formed in early fall to ensure progress on the ATF Report, and includes representatives from those offices that are charged with further researching and implementing the recommendations, plus two students nominated by Student Council. The members include:

• Meredith Harper Bonham ‘92 (Chair)*, VP for Student Affairs
• Mike Durham*, Health and Counseling
• Robin Hart Ruthenbeck, Dean of Students
• Bob Hooper, Campus Safety
• James Jackson, Student Rights & Responsibilities
• Laura Kane, Student Engagement
• Jordan Potter ’18*
• Hannah Russ ’18
• Jillian Yoder, Residential Life
*also served on the original Alcohol Task Force

Our conversations over the course of the fall semester have focused on communication with campus constituencies, expansion of social options, clarification of the Good Samaritan Policy, and pursuit of bystander intervention initiatives.

In keeping with feedback that the ATF received from the campus community, especially students, the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) has pursued a number of initiatives to expand student options for socializing on campus. To that end, they have promoted use of the Peirce Pub as a late-night student “hang out” and entertainment space, encouraged student organizations to host alcohol-free events at the beginning of the semester through “Early Bird” funding, and planned Kenyon-sponsored events that encourage 21-and-over students who wish to drink responsibly. In addition, OSE has worked closely with interested registered student organizations in the piloting of Bring Your Own Beverage (BYOB) events. This pilot program, extended through the end of the Spring 2018 semester, provides an option for Greek organizations that could not host parties because Kenyon's alcohol policy conflicted with their inter/national organization's regulations. The OSE will continue to work on expanding social options, including use of third-party vendors, that will allow a broader range of organizations to host events with alcohol.

Last summer committee members distributed a survey to gather student feedback on the Good Samaritan Policy. As a follow up, committee members have met with Greek Council, Student Council, Kenyon Student Athletes Advisory Committee, the Department of Athletics and Residential Life. While we do not anticipate any significant changes to the policy language, we expect that these conversations will standardize our application and practice to emphasize care and concern, and promote understanding of the policy so students receive medical help when needed.

The committee is supportive of the College’s efforts to pursue Green Dot, a nationally recognized bystander intervention initiative that has been implemented successfully at many of our peer institutions to promote a safe campus culture. The Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Civil Rights/Title IX partnered to send 10 staff members from across the campus to a “train the trainer” program. More information will be available in the coming months as we seek to initiate Green Dot at Kenyon.

Finally, the committee discussed carefully the ATF recommendation that Campus Safety explore the use of breathalyzers for assessing students’ level of intoxication. We ultimately determined that breathalyzers would not contribute to the officers’ ability to determine whether a student requires additional medical care.

For next semester, the ATF Steering Committee will focus on those aspects of the ATF Report that promote Kenyon’s alcohol education efforts, including pursuing wellness programming, clarifying Kenyon’s alcohol policy language, and enhancing peer education efforts and training. We look forward to additional conversations with members of the community, and encourage you to stop by and speak with us in Peirce on Friday.

Sincerely yours,
Meredith Harper Bonham ‘92
Vice President for Student Affairs and
Chair, Alcohol Task Force Steering Committee

Read the March 2017 Report of the Alcohol Task Force (PDF).

Read the letter from President Sean Decatur that accompanied the March 2017 report.