Tickets debate drinking

It's always an issue at IU, but in light of drunken dorm porn and a party school image, alcohol has become even more of a concern on campus. With elections on Tuesday, IU Student Association's Action, Crimson and Unity ticket members have different approaches toward student drinking.\nLaura Walda, Action ticket presidential candidate, said the presence of alcohol on campus will endure regardless of laws or student codes, but the image myth might be a problem.\n"I see alcohol as a part of every college kid's life no matter what people will say otherwise," Walda said. "Unfortunately, we're seen as a school with a bunch of students that don't care. It becomes a big deal because that's the way the state sees us, because it might think about reducing funding because we're a party school."\nCasey Cox, Crimson ticket presidential candidate, said the administration's concern with image has produced fear in the student body.\n"I don't think we've seen a rise in student drinking, but arrests have risen because they've been cracking down more," Cox said. "I think a lot of students feel targeted."\nThe party school ranking, dorm porn publicity and an increased zeal to arrest students were isolated incidents that could have happened on any other campus, Cox said.\n"The administration is trying to prevent anything like that from happening again, which is fine, but over-targeting is unnecessary," he said.\nStudents who are of age should be allowed to drink in their homes, whether home is a fraternity, sorority or certain parts of a dorm, Cox said.\nLorenza Jara, Unity's vice-presidential candidate, said fraternities provide a safe environment for people to drink.\n"If it's a safe atmosphere, I think that's good for the students," Jara said. "We shouldn't put them out where it's not safe."\nFraternities and sororities are unfairly singled out, Walda said.\n"Just looking at how many we've lost in the last couple of years says a lot," she said.\nAaron Radez, Unity's presidential candidate, said the prevalence of alcohol on IU's campus differs very little from any other campus, but a stronger stance from the administration has caused some students to worry about walking IU's streets at night.\n"I don't think its right that students should fear safely walking home," Radez said. "If you're publicly intoxicated that's one thing, but if you're minding your own business and getting back to where you stay, I think you should feel safe without getting into a car and potentially harming someone else."\nSome students are afraid to walk home because the police will automatically stop them and they could get into trouble twice, Walda said.\n"I know a lot of people who are afraid they will go to court and go in front of the 'J' board," Walda said. "I think a lot of people have misconceptions of the IUPD and BPD."\nAction has two executives acting as members of the Campus Community Commission on Alcohol, and this experience will allow Action to thoroughly address alcohol issues, Walda said.\nCox questioned the intentions of the IUPD and BPD and added an idea to help students get home without problems.\n"This is what the students are telling us: they feel unsafe," he said. \nRadez advocated cooperation to keep the alcohol issues fair to students.\n"It is the law, but we advocate a safe and fair alcohol policy in cooperation with the IUPD and the administration to advocate student concerns and let our voice be heard," he said.