The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 3A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 3A
Health officials
weigh in on hard
liquor regulation
of students report academic
consequences from drinking
Greek life's decision
to only permit beer
at large parties well-
received by UHS
By AMABEL KAROUB
Daily StaffReporter
Fraternities will no longer
serve hard liquor at open parties,
and the University Health Ser-
vice professionals are on board.
On Jan. 19, the Interfrater-
nity Council implemented a rule
banning hard liquor at open
fraternity parties, effective
immediately. Under this dis-
tinction, any fraternity parties
larger than a mixer will only be
allowed to serve beer. If they do
not comply, they run the risk of
being sanctioned by the IFC.
UHS Director Robert A.
Winfield, the University's chief
health officer, said beer is pref-
erable to hard alcohol because
of the slower speed of absorp-
tion by the body. While beer has
similar intoxicating effects to
vodka, it takes 12 oz. of beer to
get the same alcohol content as
a standard 1.5 oz. shot. Due to
the significantly larger volume,
Winfield said people tend to
drink beer much slower.
"When you drink a shot, you
do that in about five seconds,
then you have alcohol in your
stomach, and it's all there to be
absorbed, so it's going to get into
the bloodstream faster," Win-
field said. "Now, if you drink a
beer, usually you'll drink a beer
over a period of time, which
means the alcohol will be put
into your stomach more slowly,
so it's going to be absorbed more
MARCH
From Page 1A
lations. l4erbert said this demon-
strated that the University was
only willing to change its policy
under threat of financial penalty.
She added that students might
not understand why the poli-
cy changed and suggested the
administration could do more to
educate students about the nature
of the new policy.
"These are real changes we
could make to make our commu-
nity safer," Herbert said.
The Student Union questioned
Michigan coach Brady Hoke's
involvement in the events sur-
rounding Gibbons separation
from the University. SUM alleged
Hoke knew about the permanent
separation, but created an alibi
when asked about Gibbons' status
at a Dec. 23 press conference prior
to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.
"We do not know how Brady
Hoke possibly could have not
known about the separation
before he called the expulsion a
'family matter,"' SUM wrote in
a statement. "We find the injury
slowly."
Winfield added that with
slower absorption rates, the
negative experiences students
may have with alcohol, such as
memory loss and alcohol poison-
ing, will likely decrease.
"With vodka, you run the risk
of drinking so quickly that you
could get way more intoxicated
than you intend," Winfield said.
"That's the kind of thing that,
in general, gets associated with
behaviors that people regret -
blackout, non-consensual sex,
vomiting, behaving in a way
that's embarrassing yourself."
Christina Gerazounis, health
educator for the Wolverine Well-
ness program, agreed that beer
is the safer choice, adding that
students tend to drink too much
vodka in part due to its wide
availability at Greek events.
"I think that access and avail-
ability is huge in this," Gerazou-
nis said. "Limiting liquor is a
must on campus."
While the new limitation will
not restrict football Saturday
pregame events, Gerazounis
said it is dangerous when stu-
dents drink early on a Satur-
day morning because alcohol
from the night before will likely
remain in their blood. Alco-
hol leaves the blood at a rate of
roughly .015 percent of blood
alcohol concentration per hour.
Gerazounis said there are many
myths on how to get sober - cof-
fee, water, a cold shower - but
sobriety only comes with time.
"Students say, 'I don't know
how I got so out of hand, I only
had two drinks,' but what we
recognize is that they went to
bed at 4 a.m. and they still had
alcohol in their system," Gera-
zounis said. "When they wake up
story suspicious."
University president Mary Sue
Coleman released a statement on
Jan. 30 stating that the athletic
department' "has no influence
over sexual misconduct investiga-
tions or the academic standing of
student athletes."
At a Wednesday press confer-
ence, Hoke said he could not dis-
cuss the matter and had not been
made aware of the student pro-
test. Similarly to past comments
by the University, Hoke said fed-
eral privacy laws preventing him
from discussingthe topic.
"Like I said before, I... can't say
anything," Hoke said. "You know,
I don't like that, but I can't."
Business junior Sumana Palle,
who deliveredcthe closing remarks
at Fleming, said she believes
administrators at the University
placed greater value on financial
factors than the safety of students
on campus.
"There's no way to right this
wrong, something has already
happened and there's no way to
right that," Palle said. "But there's
a way of moving forward in a way
that's productive for everyone
and they're not willing to do that,
at seven and
they keep
on drink-
ing, they're
adding on 599,O(
to already Colege
existing lvt,,, t
blood alco- 2ae5
hol." eachYea
Joy Pehl- ne
ke, a health alcoho
educator
for Wolver-
ine Well-
ness, said
another rea-
son vodka
causes much
more intoxi-
cation than
intended
is because
students do
not measure
exactly how
much they
are drink-
ing. Pehlke
added that,l
with fra-
ternity par-
ties limiting About 4 out of 5 c
hard liquor,
pre-gaming
these par-
ties might
become a lot
more com-
mon.
"The only
thing that
comes to -
my mind
as a stum- College B
b1inv oint
ocollege studet rink alcohol
inge Drinking Rates
INQUIRYof documents that the OCR is
INQ~iRYrequesting from the University,
From Page 1A including the University's poli-
cies and procedures regarding
report. sexual harassment from the 2011
The letter said the OCR will to 2014 school years, as well as
investigate Smith's complaint any changes to those policies.
"that the University failed to The department also requested
promptly and equitably respond complaints or reports of sexual
to complaints, reports and/or harassment made during that
incidents of sexual violence of time, as well as all communica-
which it had notice, and, as a tions between University staff,
result, students were subjected faculty, administration or the
to a sexually hostile environ- Board of Regents on this topic.
ment." Additionally, the OCR is
The letter also noted a sec- requesting the names of any-
ond complaint regarding the one involved in the University's
same issue, which the OCR will Title IX coordination, personnel
be investigating in conjunction who investigate discrimination
with Smith's. The source of the and harassment based on sex,
complaint is unknown. as well as a description of the
Another letter from the OCR role of law enforcement in deal-
addressed to Coleman was made ing with such cases. These were
public on the University's public only a handful of the 21 specific
affairs website. The letter details requests made in the letter.
the requests of the investigation, The OCR may also conduct
noting that the investigation of interviews with staff members
an allegation does not give merit and will make a campus visit if
to that allegation and the ORC is necessary, according to the let-
simply a "neutral fact-finder." ter.
The letter also includes a list
MEDICAL sity with conversations rather
FrmDC Athan numbers or quotas.
From Page 1A "We have diversity but it's just
not enough," Kolars said. "So
School, Kolars addressed why we're restless on how to do bet-
many people ask, "If the school ter and how to make sure we're
is doing so well, why do we need trying to have the right conver-
to change?" sations about that. To me it's not
Kolars' lecture responded just about satisfying numbers,
to this question with the sug- but what are the values that
gestion that conversations shift underpin that, and how can we
from romanticizing quantitative make sure that we're pursuing
successes of the past and instead those values and making for a
focus on creating a conscious much more inclusive environ-
student that can be an agent of ment?"
change. Cheryl Moyer, managing
"The first reflex to 'What director for Global REACH, a
should we be teaching?' is 'Well, program in the Medical School
what's on the test? What does that fosters its international
the board say?' And this is not research and education, said
necessarily a well-reasoned the Medical School must think
position in terms of what's foun- about how its curriculum can
dational and what we should be be geared to the bigger picture
working on," Kolars said. beyond individual patient care.
He added that an emphasis on "I think how we approach
test scores and placement rates educating medical students will
may blind educators to the evo- affect the type of doctors that we
lution of other relevant topics create, and so it's important to be
that should be woven into Medi- strategic in our education initia-
cal School curriculum. Kolars tives to make sure students have
said the impetus to create aswell- the best variance as possible
rounded curriculum stems from and come out of their time here
broader societal changes. extremely well prepared," she
"Society is asking for a dif- said. "I think there might be this
ferent kind of health system," 'misconception that the Medical
he said. "The public wants more School sits over here and does its
quality and value for their dol- own thing. Part of what we do is
lar, they want a system that the same as what every part of
is easier to work with, where this university does and that's
there's more access and one they turn out change agents, and we
can understand better when it need to consider how we can
comes down to making choices. create the leaders of the future,
This shouldn't just be based on the people who are going to
advertisements on TV or hype; make a difference in the world."
we should be able to help address Kolars' entire lecture can be
that." viewed online at the Medical
He added that the school must School's website.
address the importance of diver-
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U11g p01 Design t
is ... would Source:
people have this ne
game really hard," P
"I wouldn't want that
would happen. I also
because that means tl
be uncomfortable wit.
vious actions."
On Tuesday, The D
reported that the U
ment of Education Off
Rights will begin an in
into the University'sI
the Gibbons case. The
that they are followinj
specific complaints re
former Pathology P
Smith and another
individual, but thatth
tion does not necessa
on the validity of the c
However, Palle
believes the investigat
on the University's
respond to the sexual
gations in an appropri
"I think it reflec
accountability, transp
responsibility," Palle s
In her monthly fire
Monday, Coleman sai
ports the Universit'
sexual misconduct pol
"I am very comfo:
the process and what.
Coleman said. "We I
well-defined procedun
use."
by Shane Achenbach, Jake Wellins and Carolyn Gearig
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
ed to pre- Greek life is trying to make
ehlke said. informed decisions that will be
to be what healthy for the community, but
think that not unrealistic."
hey have to University spokesman Rick
h their pre- Fitzgerald said the University
supports SUM's right to protest
etroit News and draw attention to important
:S. Depart- issues for'students on campus. He
ice for Civil added that student organizations
ivestigation and resources such as the Sexual
handling of Assault and Prevention Awareness
OCR stated Center were founded in response
g up on two to similar student movements.
ceived from "Students drawing attention
'rof. Doug to sexual misconduct issues is a
unknown good thing," Fitzgerald said. "It's
e investiga- really important that students
arily reflect continue to bring these important
omplaint. issues to the attention of the Uni-
said she versity community."
ion reflects LSA sophomore Jake Rothen-
failure to berg said his primary motivation
assault alle- for attending the march was the
ate manner. need to promote campus safety.
tAs lack of As information about the Gibbons
arency and case surfaced, he said he felt the
aid. administration was not doing its
side chat on job of fostering a positive campus
id she sup- climate.
y's current "It just seemed wrong,"
icy. Rothenberg said. "Our adminis-
rtable with trators should be promoting our
happened," safety and they should be making
have pretty us feel comfortable."
res that we -Daily Sports Editor Greg
Garno contributed to this report.
CHANGES
From Page 1A
ber, the case will be investi-
gated by Human Resources,"
Lewis wrote. "If the respondent/
accused person is a student, the
case will be investigated by Stu-
dent Conduct."
The University of Wisconsin-
Madison employs a similar sys-
tem.
Luis Pifiero, assistant vice
chancellor for workforce equity
and diversity, Title IX coordina-
tor and director of the school's
Office for Equity and Diversity,
said its investigation process also
relies on multiple offices.
"We have a system that is
decentralized in some ways
because the student's issues go in
one place and the employee issues
go in another place," Pifiero said.
He added that the Division of
Student Life, which includes the
office of the Dean of Students,
investigates student-against-stu-
dent cases.
Within this division,. Pifie-
ro said a judicial affairs unit
enforces the Student Code of
Conduct, which sets standards
for student behavior. The Office
for Equity and Diversity investi-
gates allegations in cases such as
employee-against-employee and
employee-against-student.
He said that assigning only
one person to deal with the
entire spectrum of allegations
would not be effective with such
a large student body and campus.
Additionally, working with the
Division of Student Life ensures
Title IX requirements are ful-
filled.
"We work collaboratively with
them and we also provide them
advice to make sure that the way
they are conducting their inves-
tigation fulfills the expectations
under Title IX," Pifiero said.
In contrast, Michigan State
University's Office for Inclu-
sion and Intercultural Initia-
tives receives all allegations. At
the University of Michigan, the
Office of Institutional Equity
receives all claims.
While universities have an
obligation to investigate all sexual
harassment cases under the Title
IX guidelines, situations in which
a student survivor does not want
the university to pursue an inves-
tigation requires a case-by-case
analysis.
Paulette Granberry Russell,
Michigan State's senior adviser to
the president for diversity, Title
IX coordinator and director of the
Office for Inclusion and Intercul-
tural Initiatives, said if this were
to occur, the office would initiate
contact with the student.
"We will invite them to come
in and meet with us," Russell said.
"The student can then decide if
they are going to participate in
the process."
If the student opts to not par-
ticipate in the investigation pro-
cess, the office then evaluates
whether to continue the investi-
gation. At the University of Michi-
gan, there is a panel in place that
reviews the case and determines
how to proceed.
On Monday, the Department
of Education confirmed the OCR
has also initiated an investiga-
tion of Michigan State's sexual
misconduct policy after a com-
plaint was lodged.
At OSU, Lewis said it depends
on each case whether or not the
university will keep investigat-
ing depends on each case.
"The university will do a
case by case analysis,. weighing
the survivor's wishes with the
potential risk to the survivor or
others in the campus commu-
nity," he wrote. "In some cases,
the university will investigate
to the fullest extent. In others,
there may be opportunities for
informal interventions that will
meet the needs of safety, educa-
tion and Title IX."
While the Dear Colleague
Letter required universities to
revise their sexual harassment
policies, it also allowed universi-
ties to provide students, faculty
and staff with educational and
resource opportunities regard-
ing prevention and awareness.
"It has elevated the topic to
a level of prominence that has a
beneficial effect," Pinero said. "It
heightens the awareness."
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