Re: ‘Another drunken Saturday’

When reporter Nathan Brown asked to publish a story illustrating the reality of IU’s binge-drinking culture for many students on campus, a practice that is notoriously encouraged during tailgates, I was sold.

That idea formulated into our front-page story, “Another drunken Saturday.” We knew the story would raise questions and hopefully encourage people to reflect on their own decisions.

Since the piece appeared in print and online, my inbox has been flooded with email — several supporting the story, and others calling it a direct attack on IU’s greek community. Then the IDS’ Twitter feed filled with #FollowThisGreek tweets.

Amanda, whose last name was not published to protect her from punishment, is in fact a member of the greek community, but that is not the primary focus of the story. As a student at an American university, she is part of a culture of dangerous alcohol consumption, where 37.4 percent of college students say they binge drink.

This culture of beer bongs and keg stands exists not only in greek houses, but also on Kirkwood Avenue, in off-campus house parties and in residence halls. No one social group can be excluded, and that includes the Indiana Daily Student staff.

Our intention with printing the story was to illustrate how frightening our interactions with alcohol can be, and we succeeded. Speaking in hushed tones, IU students often discuss how wasted they got the night before, laughing off their memory loss and aversion to loud noises. When such behavior is laid out in print, and when you realize someone else’s life mirrors your own or someone’s you know, it hits home.

Amanda is not alone, and we hope our story helps our readers put their actions into perspective before our community is plagued with another alcohol-related death or injury.

Some believe the IDS will do anything to soil the name of the greek community. Our actual priority, however, is to tell stories objectively.

Though “Another drunken Saturday” can be perceived as negative coverage, it was not an indictment of the greek system. Moreover, the story is one among dozens from this semester concerning the greek community. These stories include the Interfraternity Council’s training to recognize and intervene in situations of sexual assault, Big Man on Campus coverage and greeks’ involvement in IU Dance Marathon.

As the semester progresses, we will continue reporting the news — not as a public relations firm, but as an objective news source that delivers readers information they need to know. In the meantime, tweet #FollowThisGreek, and we’ll pay attention.

­— mkeierle@indiana.edu
Follow Editor-in-Chief Mark Keierleber on Twitter @mkeierleber.