DUTV held its first student-faculty debate about the issue of DU’s on-campus alcohol policies Saturday. The debate was sparked by recent alcohol-related deaths at the University of Colorado- Boulder and Colorado State University.

Carl Johnson, director of student programs and Greek Life, and Dr. Andy Divine, a professor in the School of Hotel and Restaurant, Management. Divine teaches a wine-tasting course for 21 and over HRTM students.

The student panel included AUSA Senate Vice President Yusuf Malik, Clarion news editor Dan Martin and Jamie Grim, a resident assistant.

The event was moderated by DUTV anchor, junior Alden Schiller.

After the introductions, Schiller began by asking for an overview of DU alcohol policies from Johnson and Divine.

Johnson explained that the DU policies are designed “to maintain a sense of decorum and abide with state, local and federal laws.”

He also said that the administration was not there to stop kids from having fun but that the policies are in place “to have DU students be seen in the best possible light.”

When Schiller was asked what he thought of the policies “the law notwithstanding,” Johnson offered up the first of many analogies of the debate.

“I think it’s impossible to say ‘the law notwithstanding,'” said Johnson. “I’d love to drive 70 in a 35 ‘the law notwithstanding,’ but I can’t.”

Malik offered a justification for drinking by undergraduates.

“There is nothing to do on campus,” he said. “If there were more events on campus, undergraduates would not have to go out and drink off campus.”

Johnson was quick in his rebuttal, saying “There is nothing in our alcohol policy that requires that students get in their cars and drive down to Gaylord Street to drink underage.”

Martin agreed with Johnson, but also pointed out that there are schools, such as Colorado College, that sponsor on-campus events that include drinking.

“Underage students are going to drink and they are going to get drunk,” said Martin. “Schools like CC provide a necessary transition between being under your parents supervision and killing yourself with alcohol.”

Schiller then introduced a question taken from a DUTV student survey, asking “Where can I meet people who don’t drink? Everyone I know does.”

Divine responded to this question with a comment on the pervasiveness of alcohol in most of the cultures of the world, including that of the United States.

“With the holy sacraments,” said Divine, “even in church there’s some alcohol.”

This comment brought Grim into the conversation, who reminded the audience that she is a resident assistant and that she believes it is really hard for students that choose not to drink.

“Sitting alone on Thursday night when all your friends are out drinking is boring,” she said. “Even on the first days of school students are told where the house parties are they’re immediately introduced into a community of and alcohol.”

Schiller then asked both Divine and Johnson about their undergraduate college experiences, eliciting crowd-pleasing responses from both.

Divine responded truthfully, “I don’t remember.”

Johnson first described his undergraduate experience as “exceptional” and then admitted drinking and going to bars underage, but explained that the administration “wants you to make better choices than we did.”

When Schiller introduced the statistic that 92-precent of DU students drinking habits are not affected by DU’s alcohol policy, no one on the panel seemed surprised.

“When people are getting ready to go out they’re not thinking about the policy book,” said Grim. “They’re thinking about getting crunked.”

Although DUTV station manager Safa Samiezade’-Yazd was pleased that there was some turnout for the debate, she also expressed her frustration at the sparse attendance. Only two students attended besides media representatives.

“We picked an issue that literally everybody on campus has an opinion about and still hardly anyone shows up,” she said.

She is, however, about the future of DUTV as a new student media outlet.

Other upcoming programs are DU Cribs, a sports show, and Minority Report, a show about the minority experience at DU. Although the schedule has not been finalized, the airtime for the debate will be announced by DUTV.