On School Policy II

Dear Mr. Storm,

You next query is founded on a fallacious assumption, but one which I cannot fault you for making. Publicly, the University must present a stance in opposition to the use of alcoholic substances while truly we have no concerns in the matter. Thus the conflict you described between our stated objectives and the activities of the administration does not exist.

Briefly, the shot glasses sold in the bookstore are for the benefit of students lacking such equipment. While we do have little interest in how students imbibe, we would not open ourselves to legal action by not supplying necessary safety equipment (sadly we had to stop the sale of beer steins as some students were unable to grasp that the drinking vessel should be inversely proportional in volume to the ethanol concentration).

As you pointed out, the fliers demonstrate how the school has an active drinking population which suffers little harm as a result of their actions. It is no small boon that those who do over-indulge are hardly presentable for use in these documents. Likewise, limited drinking is permitted on campus so that other students may make first-hand observations of the outcomes.

To forestall a new set of queries, I will summarize the primary benefits of our policy: First, 'casual drinking' has been determined to alter the dispositions of the people involved. For our graduates to be competitive in the work force, they must have a command of such situations. In some foreign nations, it is even customary that alcoholic beverages accompany business negotiations. It would never do for a graduate of our institution to prejudice a business partner against them though such a minor solecism.

Even if one guards themselves with utmost professionalism, It is quite likely that a situation will occur in which one must cope with another who has over imbibed. Most social education programs only trouble address the concerns of the drinking party. To rectify this exclusion, the University performs what services it can to educate our students in effective methods employable in such a situation.

Secondly, students who are able to excel in their scholarly pursuits despite chemical influences are no doubt of superior character. Sadly such test cannot be openly used or applied to all students (though we are slowly acquiring the distance from federal oversight necessary), but given that all forms of the alcohol carbon chain are toxic, we have assumed that the abstainers have already proven their academic abilities.

Sincerly,

Dr. Callid-Stult