Published: December 02, 2008 11:43 pm      

Binge battle

Gibralter wants help

Give credit to Frostburg State University president Jonathan Gibralter. He is meeting the university’s chronic battle against binge-drinking head-on.

Not only that, he is bucking many of his peers. While presidents of more than 100 colleges called on lawmakers last summer to rethink the national drinking age of 21, Gibralter is ratcheting up his school’s effort to reduce student drinking.

The campaign is getting a lot of attention. Last Sunday, the Times-News published an Associated Press article written by the wire service’s national education reporter, Justin Pope. The story was carried in countless newspapers across the nation.

In September, Gibralter was honored by the American Council on Education for his leadership on the issue.

Frostburg State, like quite a few other universities, has had a long-running problem with students who overdo it while drinking. The problem has caused headaches for police and residents alike. Worse, it poses a serious danger to students — and can even lead to death from alcohol poisoning.

Gibralter’s zero-tolerance policy will take on an even-broader aspect next week. He has scheduled a meeting for 11 a.m. on Dec. 11 at the university. Invited are liquor board members, school representatives and area bar owners. The idea, of course, is to take a whole community approach to binge-drinking.

While many schools have alcohol task forces like the one at FSU, few include neighborhood landlords and business groups like Frostburg’s.

Police are seeing fewer repeat offenders. “We’re not seeing the three-and four-time losers,” the city’s public safety commissioner, Bob Flanagan, said.

“Maybe students who are coming to college for the sole purpose of drinking will think twice about coming to Frostburg,” Gibralter said.

That would be a good thing.