WTHR |Anderson University students court trouble with bar trip

Anderson University students court trouble with bar trip

Jennie Runevitch/Eyewitness News

Anderson - Students at Anderson University are testing an old tradition. They're protesting the school's strict anti-alcohol policy.

Anderson junior, Graham Brown, is 21 years old.

"And I've never tasted alcohol in my life," Brown said.

That's how Anderson University wants it.

A school policy, rooted in religion, prohibits students (including those of legal drinking age) from drinking alcohol on or off campus. That includes drinking at bars, restaurants, even drinking during visits home. It's been that way for years.

"We're a faith community here and we have strong ties to our founding church, the Church of God," said University Communications Director Chris Williams.

But now, a debate is brewing on campus. Some students say it's time for a policy change.

"As a 25 year old, I can start a family. I can have kids. But yet the issue of me having a beer has become so huge," said junior bible and religion major, Chris Hunt.

"We just want to be able to do what normal people can do," added Brown.

To challenge the alcohol policy, about 25 students staged a public protest Tuesday. They went to a bar.

"We marched down to Krokerheads bar, which is downtown," Hunt said.

"They came in, there were about eight of them that drank. The rest of them had soft drinks or drank nothing. They had the ones that were under 21 stay outside," said Krokerheads bar manager, Brenda Stamm.

Now those involved will face consequences. In fact, university security followed the student protesters to the bar and took pictures of anyone drinking or purchasing alcohol.

"There most likely will be some disciplinary action for those students," Williams said.

Possible punishment includes counseling, probation, or even dismissal, according to the student handbook. Even those who didn't drink, but were at the protest, are considered in violation.

School policy affects students who are present where other students are possessing or consuming alcohol. Students involved say it's worth it. They also stress the protest was about much more than alcohol.

"The student body wants to have a voice in the policies that are being made on this campus," Hunt said.

"I hope we can encourage them to say well, maybe we can really think about this and maybe if something isn't sitting well with the students, we can do something about it," Brown said.

Including, they say, policies that regulate legal behavior when students are nowhere near school.

There was a campus-wide forum Wednesday night with students and university leaders on the alcohol policy. The goal was to open up a dialogue about potential changes. Despite comments from students, university leaders said the policy likely won't change.