Dr. Charles M. Vest, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, held a news conference October 1 and announced a plan to restrict alcohol use and build more campus housing. Dr. Vest made these points:
- Effective immediately, prohibition on the use of any Institute funds to purchase alcohol for events where students under 21 are present.
- Request everyone to follow the lead of the Interfraternity Conference and the Dormitory Council and suspend the serving of alcohol at all formal and informal events.
- Immediately begin the planning, design, and construction of additional undergraduate housing on campus, with the goal of occupancy within three to four years.
- Establish and fund a student-faculty seminar to study the psychological, social and physiological aspects of binge drinking among college students -- with the goal of producing effective educational programs and materials for use here and elsewhere.
- Focused discussions over the next month among students, faculty and staff throughout the campus. Goal: to develop a comprehensive assessment of the problem, and recommendations for more effective ways of preventing alcohol abuse. Report back to the community at the end of the month.
- During October, review the content and effectiveness of all Institute policies and educational programs regarding the purchase, serving and consumption of alcohol on campus.
