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03/28/2024 07:07:45 am

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Dartmouth Bans All Alcohol, Aims for Major Cultural Transformation in Campus

Drunk Students

(Photo : Reuters) A driver uses a breathalyzer inside a police car as traffic police takes his breath sample to read his blood alcohol content during a night spot check in Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk November 16, 2014. REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin (RUSSIA - Tags: LAW SOCIETY TRANSPORT)

Life of American college students is marked by alcohol consumption, sex, drugs and party, which explains the growing incidents of rapes like what happened at Vanderbilt University.

To address this issue, Dartmouth College President Philip Hanlon said on Thursday that hard alcohol would be banned for all students inside its campus in New Hampshire, both drinking and possessing, which covers all ages. The aim of this drastic policy is to achieve a major cultural transformation, reports Washington Post.

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The liquor prohibition is the result of a brainstorming that Hanlon initiated in April with students, faculty and graduates to battle rising incidents of sexual molestation, risky drinking and other headaches, leading to a hard-partying reputation the college has.

Ahead of the alcohol policy, Dartmouth revamped in 2014 its policies on sexual misconduct that would lead to deep and thorough probes and compulsory expulsion of students proven to be responsible for the grave offenses.

For their part, fraternities and sororities in the college had voluntarily offered to put in place changes such as a stop to requiring new recruits to go through a probationary period called pledges that often includes hazing rites.

The academic institution defines hard alcohol as beverages with 30 proof or higher.

"We do not need hard alcohol at Dartmouth. In fact, many students have suggested it shouldn't be here," Hanlon said.

The college president said the school will no longer serve hard alcohol at events open to the public, whether the event is organized by the college or by student groups.

He said penalties for students found to breach the ban would be increased, including those who buy and sell any alcohol to underage students. The ban takes effect in March.

There are at least four other colleges in the state with similar alcohol bans. These are Colby, Bowdoin, Bates and Providence.

Dartmouth would also require all students to go through a four-year sexual violence prevention program.


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