What are the lessons from the Duke lacrosse case for those concerned about drinking culture on campus?
The Duke lacrosse rape case was a “false positive.” No rape occurred, and a rogue prosecutor fabricated a case against innocent students. But the huge publicity about the allegations called attention to a culture of heavy alcohol use among some students on the Duke campus. Only a minority of students appear to be part of this culture, but many were tarred by the same brush in the media accounts. The Duke case also illustrates the potential “soft costs” associated with college drinking — a major research university was painted in a very negative light by a case with international press coverage. Q: The former president of Middlebury College has organized a group of college presidents to argue for change in the 21-year-old drinking age. What do you think of this movement? A: I’m impressed with the ability of the Amethyst Initiative to bring attention to the issue of underage drinking. But the initiative set a low threshold, asking presidents to endorse a public debate about the policy a
Related Questions
- It looks as though the Health Campus proposals will reduce available Green Space. Is this the case and what is the Masterplan team doing to protect open space?
- The lacrosse incident raised questions about sexual violence. How does Duke handle such allegations on its campus?
- Whats the academic status of the three Duke students who were charged in the lacrosse case?
