The Amethyst Initiative, a new petition backed by college presidents to reevaluate the legal drinking age of 21, has sparked campus controversy nationwide.
The initiative currently has just under 130 signatures, including the presidents of Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Texas A&M and Ohio State University.
Organizers within the Initiative were quick to note that it could help college administrators curb alcohol abuse among students.
"The situation that faces many college presidents isn't a good one. Alcohol abuse among young people is a serious problem," said Grace Kronenberg, assistant to the director for Choose Responsibility, the group responsible for forming the Amethyst Initiative.
However, other groups were unhappy with the proposed plan. Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an advocate for keeping the legal drinking at 21, challenged the initiative.
"We know 21 saves lives," said Chris Konschak, executive director for MADD Virginia and Washington D.C.
Konschak added that he had been in touch with the presidents of five Virginia schools to ask them to reconsider their signing of the initiative, including Hampden-Sydney College, Hollins University, Randolph Macon College, Sweet Briar College and Washington and Lee University. Nicole Nason, administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, echoed MADD's concerns about the initiative in a statement to the Collegiate Times.
"Minimum drinking age laws are among the most successful public health policy initiatives ever implemented, saving about 900 lives each year and an estimated 25,000 people over the past 30 years," Nason said. "We support the current law because more lives are saved."
Virginia Tech officials were mixed in their feelings about signing on to the Initiative. Zenobia Hikes, vice president of student affairs, was undecided on her feelings of the initiative.
"We're always interested in plans to serve in alcohol abuse prevention," Hikes said. "It's a problem people don't see as seriously as it should be."
Currently the university holds no official position on the initiative. Other university officials spoke out on the initiative.
"It's important that there's a discussion about it," said Steven Clarke, director of the Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center.
However, Clarke also questioned the effect any change in the legal drinking age could have.
"The main concern is how our students would react. Many students have proven they're not able to handle alcohol," Clarke said. In 2007 there were 280 liquor law arrests, up from 194 in 2005, while in 2007 there were 742 liquor law violation referrals, up from 563 in 2005, according to Clarke.
Students nationwide have been joining in on the Amethyst Initiative debate. On Facebook over 5,000 members have joined one of more than ten groups dedicated to supporting the initiative.
In comparison, there are only two groups against the initiative, totaling just over 30 members for both groups.