2008 Woodie Awards
Students get their say
During open forum, students pose questions to students, media, community, university leaders on problems of alcohol use
by Dannielle Higginbotham
Issue date: 3/20/08
Section: Campus News
While some students and people in the community think the social host ordinance and parental notification are direct results of the alcohol-related death of Amanda Jax, they might be surprised to know these ordinances were already in the works when her death occurred, said Mike Laven, city council president.
Laven and seven others answered student questions from an audience of about 65 at an open forum Wednesday sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. The discussion was meant to give students a chance to voice their opinions on the issue of binge drinking and its repercussions at both the university and community levels.
Joe Spear of The Free Press, was one panel member who admitted that Jax's death served as a wake-up call, and that some things, like the high -risk drinking summit in December and last month may not have happened.
"I remember The Free Press doing pieces on drinking back in 2006," Spear said. "The drinking issue has always been a problem. If you go downtown past 12, it's a totally different place. The death of Amanda Jax was the jump-start needed to start taking action on the issue."
SPJ members also posed questions to media representatives on their responsibilities.
"A few high-profile things happened that made the effects more reactionary," said Casey Carmody, MSSA vice president. "The prime point to start making changes would've been a few years ago when the riots occurred, but now that we've had a death, it got the lens focused on Mankato and we felt we had to do something."
Other panel members were Michael Cooper, director of MSU media relations; Bronson Pettitt, editor-in-chief of the Reporter; Wendy Schuh of Student Health Services; Tom Frederick, Jr., owner of Pub 500; Sandi Schnorenberg, associate deputy director of the Mankato Department of Public Safety; and Mike Laven, city councilman. During the hour-long question and answer session, the panelists answered questions regarding the social host ordinance, liquor moratorium and Kato Party 411, which panelists agreed is a good initiative.
"We don't know all the results of Kato Party 411, but it is changing students' attitudes on drinking," Cooper said. "Now we have some doubters among the students who don't believe that students drink on a regular basis."
Schuh agreed that students' attitudes have changed, but pointed out that there were other goals to accomplish.
"Kato Party is in its third year and, based off evidence-based programs, we have discovered that from the first year to the second student perception on alcohol use has changed," Schuh said. "But the important question after that is, 'does change in perception lead to a change in behavior?'"
Speaking on behalf of students, Carmody offered his opinions on Kato Party.
"I think that the actual events that Kato Party holds are fun, but the posters seem like they're everywhere, and they make me feel like I'm being lectured at. We should be engaging students more and getting them involved."
When the issue of the social host ordinance was brought up, Schnorenberg explained that it is just another tool for the police to use.
"After the ban on drink specials came into place, people would tell us that instead of drinking in bars, they would just throw house parties instead," Schnorenberg said. "It's just to make sure that if someone is hosting a party they make it their responsibility to make sure that minors don't drink."
When asked if someone of age who lives with a minor can get in trouble if the minor drinks without their knowledge, Schnorenberg said if police discovered during the investigation that the person was not aware minors were drinking, they couldn't be held responsible.
During a discussion after the forum, students and panelists expressed their feelings regarding the event and the issues they discussed.
"What's happened has already happened. I don't see much more being done," Frederick said. "Any solutions will come from students, so being here helped. That is what this country was founded on; small groups of people wanting to make a change."
One student believes that the talks are frivolous.
"It seems like people are trying to solve a lot of problems that no one has any real solution to," said aviation sophomore Jeremy Milstead. "I feel like we're just running in circles."
Some people believe the death of Amanda Jax is being put at the forefront of all arguments.
"I feel like they just focused on the death too much, and while that was a catalyst, they need to focus on the problem itself," said law enforcement senior Martha Fasteland. "There's nothing we can do about that now. The best thing we can do is show some respect and move on."
"I'm glad we finally got this opportunity to talk to the city council," Carmody said. "This situation affects all of us in some form, and as students, we need to be giving more ideas and taking ownership over it. The panel only got a taste of students' views, and we need to be engaged more."
Dannielle Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
Laven and seven others answered student questions from an audience of about 65 at an open forum Wednesday sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. The discussion was meant to give students a chance to voice their opinions on the issue of binge drinking and its repercussions at both the university and community levels.
Joe Spear of The Free Press, was one panel member who admitted that Jax's death served as a wake-up call, and that some things, like the high -risk drinking summit in December and last month may not have happened.
"I remember The Free Press doing pieces on drinking back in 2006," Spear said. "The drinking issue has always been a problem. If you go downtown past 12, it's a totally different place. The death of Amanda Jax was the jump-start needed to start taking action on the issue."
SPJ members also posed questions to media representatives on their responsibilities.
"A few high-profile things happened that made the effects more reactionary," said Casey Carmody, MSSA vice president. "The prime point to start making changes would've been a few years ago when the riots occurred, but now that we've had a death, it got the lens focused on Mankato and we felt we had to do something."
Other panel members were Michael Cooper, director of MSU media relations; Bronson Pettitt, editor-in-chief of the Reporter; Wendy Schuh of Student Health Services; Tom Frederick, Jr., owner of Pub 500; Sandi Schnorenberg, associate deputy director of the Mankato Department of Public Safety; and Mike Laven, city councilman. During the hour-long question and answer session, the panelists answered questions regarding the social host ordinance, liquor moratorium and Kato Party 411, which panelists agreed is a good initiative.
"We don't know all the results of Kato Party 411, but it is changing students' attitudes on drinking," Cooper said. "Now we have some doubters among the students who don't believe that students drink on a regular basis."
Schuh agreed that students' attitudes have changed, but pointed out that there were other goals to accomplish.
"Kato Party is in its third year and, based off evidence-based programs, we have discovered that from the first year to the second student perception on alcohol use has changed," Schuh said. "But the important question after that is, 'does change in perception lead to a change in behavior?'"
Speaking on behalf of students, Carmody offered his opinions on Kato Party.
"I think that the actual events that Kato Party holds are fun, but the posters seem like they're everywhere, and they make me feel like I'm being lectured at. We should be engaging students more and getting them involved."
When the issue of the social host ordinance was brought up, Schnorenberg explained that it is just another tool for the police to use.
"After the ban on drink specials came into place, people would tell us that instead of drinking in bars, they would just throw house parties instead," Schnorenberg said. "It's just to make sure that if someone is hosting a party they make it their responsibility to make sure that minors don't drink."
When asked if someone of age who lives with a minor can get in trouble if the minor drinks without their knowledge, Schnorenberg said if police discovered during the investigation that the person was not aware minors were drinking, they couldn't be held responsible.
During a discussion after the forum, students and panelists expressed their feelings regarding the event and the issues they discussed.
"What's happened has already happened. I don't see much more being done," Frederick said. "Any solutions will come from students, so being here helped. That is what this country was founded on; small groups of people wanting to make a change."
One student believes that the talks are frivolous.
"It seems like people are trying to solve a lot of problems that no one has any real solution to," said aviation sophomore Jeremy Milstead. "I feel like we're just running in circles."
Some people believe the death of Amanda Jax is being put at the forefront of all arguments.
"I feel like they just focused on the death too much, and while that was a catalyst, they need to focus on the problem itself," said law enforcement senior Martha Fasteland. "There's nothing we can do about that now. The best thing we can do is show some respect and move on."
"I'm glad we finally got this opportunity to talk to the city council," Carmody said. "This situation affects all of us in some form, and as students, we need to be giving more ideas and taking ownership over it. The panel only got a taste of students' views, and we need to be engaged more."
Dannielle Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
Be the first to comment on this story