[OutsiderFan]

45 years ago, the RA for my freshman dorm helped arrange for kegs and set up parties. Every party on campus had alcohol. Everyone knew it. Even President Lyman would come to the dorms for wine and cheese socials. Our RA had one rule: "don't do anything stupid." We policed ourselves pretty well. Stopped drunken dorm mates from leaving the building, stopped them from driving, etc. Our RA was very visible. Gave a lot of good advice. I followed him to Yale Med School, actually.

This is how it would be if you didn't have people like the parents of Katie Meyer suing schools for wrongful death because the injury lawyer industry has proliferated. I don't think schools like Stanford want to be so bureaucratic, but when operating in a litigious culture, measures must be taken to protect yourself.

Another option would be for schools to push state governments to pass laws that limit their liability for what students do. I mean how can anyone in their right mind hold the school responsible when students do dumb things? Have any student who is admitted sign a waiver that releases school from liability for whatever school wants that is within reason.

Then, have campus police enforce the laws that apply to everyone else in the county, as well as campus ordinances like you must be inside and not disturbing neighbors after 11pm or similar. The alcohol issue exists on every campus in the land, so there are plenty of ways to manage it without being heavy handed.

It's comical to me that a school would require students to apply for a party permit like Stanford apparently does.

[OutsiderFan]

45 years ago, the RA for my freshman dorm helped arrange for kegs and set up parties. Every party on campus had alcohol. Everyone knew it. Even President Lyman would come to the dorms for wine and cheese socials. Our RA had one rule: "don't do anything stupid." We policed ourselves pretty well. Stopped drunken dorm mates from leaving the building, stopped them from driving, etc. Our RA was very visible. Gave a lot of good advice. I followed him to Yale Med School, actually.

This is how it would be if you didn't have people like the parents of Katie Meyer suing schools for wrongful death because the injury lawyer industry has proliferated. I don't think schools like Stanford want to be so bureaucratic, but when operating in a litigious culture, measures must be taken to protect yourself.

Another option would be for schools to push state governments to pass laws that limit their liability for what students do. I mean how can anyone in their right mind hold the school responsible when students do dumb things? Have any student who is admitted sign a waiver that releases school from liability for whatever school wants that is within reason.

Then, have campus police enforce the laws that apply to everyone else in the county, as well as campus ordinances like you must be inside and not disturbing neighbors after 11pm or similar. The alcohol issue exists on every campus in the land, so there are plenty of ways to manage it without being heavy handed.

It's comical to me that a school would require students to apply for a party permit like Stanford apparently does.