Homecoming Drought and the Alienation of Alumni

SH ’16
TRINITY ALUMNUS
It continues to astound me how shortsighted the Trinity administration is when it comes to alcohol. Not only will Dean Joe DiChristina’s decision to ban alcohol from the Vernon lot lead to increased levels of binge drinking on Homecoming this Saturday, but will also have a plethora of negative implications for Trinity and their relations with young alumni.
It is impossible to go to a college campus in the United States and not find widespread drinking amongst the student body, no matter if they are of legal age or not. Trinity needs to realize that drinking will occur on Homecoming this Saturday, along with every Saturday, no matter how much red tape is put up. The danger that this ban creates is that students will now do their Homecoming drinking behind closed doors, out of sight from regulation or moderation.
By instituting this ban, Trinity will successfully make returning young alumni (anyone under the age of 30, as you must be from the class of 2006 or before in order to have a spot in the Hansen lot, where alcohol is allowed) angry at their once cherished home ‘neath the elms. The inability to have a beer with old classmates will result in a combination of anger and resentment amongst young alumni. Given that the school is in dire need of continued monetary support from alumni, creating a hostile relationship between Trinity and recent graduates will not result in donations. If the school genuinely believes that going up to alumni and proclaiming “You can’t drink that beer here!” will result in any kind of successful result, it shows how naïve the administration is.
Dean Joe, please do yourself a favor and think about all the negative effects that will come of this rash ban. Your shortsighted decision will do nothing more than alienate recent graduates from Trinity and place an unneeded strain on the future donations to the school.