Colby students have taken their last shots—with the college's approval, that is. On April 20, Colby joined the growing list of institutions that have banned hard alcohol from their campuses. Colby's hard alcohol ban was instigated due to its high number of alcohol transports.
Assistant News Editor for the Colby student newspaper, the Echo, Michael Brophy '12 said, "I think the biggest thing that sparked the change in our alcohol policy was the amount of hospital visits we've had in recent years."
"I don't know the exact numbers, but I know last year we sent roughly 50 kids to the hospital and this year we have already passed that number," wrote Brophy in an e-mail to the Orient.
According to Brophy, the change was recommended by the Campus Culture Working group, which was formed after the long-standing tradition of champagne was ended.
The tradition of seniors drinking champagne on the library steps had become an "excuse for members of the graduating class to consume excessive amounts of alcohol and to flout community norms," according to Colby's website.
Brophy said, "The last time [champagne on the steps] happened in 2008, Colby students flooded the local hospital with alcohol poisoning."
"According to our health center, 100 percent of our alcohol-related hospital visits are the result of hard alcohol...the Board of Trustees and the Administration decided that we had to try something," added Brophy.
-Compiled by Melody Hahm.