Published: Thursday, November 4, 2010

Updated: Friday, November 5, 2010 00:11

 

 

The effects and the presence of alcohol both at UConn and later in life were discussed at a "Choices" Program discussion held by Arthor Plitt, a Reiki Master Teacher and Sigma Chi alumni.  Sigma Chi sponsored the event.

 

The event had about 35 audience members, mostly Sigma Chi UConn students, who discussed the positive and negative effects of alcohol.

The negative effects seemed to be elaborated on the most. 

 

"Our chapter of Sigma Chi has had problems this semester from fighting due to alcohol," said Robert Stack, a UConn and Sigma Chi alumni. "One of my pledge brother's marriage went to hell because of drinking, as well as my own brother, who has problems with drinking."

 

In addition to Stack's examples of the long-term effects of alcohol another discussion member shared a story from high school concerning the more immediate dangers of alcohol consumption.

 

"One of my good friends had an older brother who liked to drink in the morning before school," said the UConn student. "And while he was driving to school with his sister in the passenger seat he flipped the car. He didn't have a seat belt on and he was flung from the car. His sister did have a seat belt, but she had to go through seeing that happen."

 

The economic aspect of alcohol consumption was brought up by Plitt. He said that since a person was not spending as much money on "tipping back a few drinks," that person could spend it on a new guitar or a concert.

 

The positive effects of alcohol mostly revolved around the fact that it is a social lubricant. "It makes you feel good and helps you loosen up," the discussion group said. "It is fun to play games and get drunk with your friends."

No consensus among the group was reached in regards to whether UConn has more binge drinkers or casual drinkers. A female student said that it is mostly binge drinking, while a male student said that it varies with the situation.

 

Sigma Chi is interested in promoting alcohol moderation because the fraternity is one of the few that allows alcohol to be served at  off campus fraternity events.

 "The fraternity believes that its members can appeal to higher standards in order to avoid dangerous levels of alcohol consumption," Plitt said.

 

The event was dedicated to Blake Hammontree, a Sigma Chi pledge who died in 2004 when he was put to bed after consuming too much alcohol and was later found dead when brothers came to his room in the morning.

 

"Choices" is a self-evaluation program which has student fill out a survey every couple of weeks to measure their growth as an individual.

 

From the U Conn Daily Campus newspaper