[Vision2020] WSU to Serve Hard Liquor

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (August 2, 2008) Seattle Post-Intelligencer at:

http://tinyurl.com/5qk7s4

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WSU to serve hard liquor
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PULLMAN – Washington State University, which once appeared on lists of top 
party schools, is moving to allow hard liquor sales at its student union 
building, golf course and before football games.

In March, school administrators changed a long-standing alcohol and drug 
policy to allow on-campus hard liquor sales at some new restaurants on 
campus. A section regulating alcohol sales on football game days was 
altered to allow liquor to be sold in the Hollingberry Fieldhouse adjacent 
to Martin Stadium, where only beer and wine sales previously were allowed.

WSU Vice President Mel Taylor said the move is not expected to produce 
problems.

"We're not opening up another college bar," he said.

Taylor said a quiet, well-controlled bar in the Compton Union Building 
would offer an alternative for students, staff and faculty who don't want 
to go to a rowdy college bar.

The University of Washington allows hard liquor sales only at the UW Club, 
which is primarily patronized by faculty and staff, spokesman Bob Roseth 
said.

In Pullman, the owner of an upscale restaurant under construction in the 
remodeled Compton Union Building has applied for a liquor license.

"We understand that we're under the electron microscope," said Greg 
Markel, of Kennewick, who owns the Dupus Boomer's restaurant. "But we're 
going to have zero tolerance. We're going to be very guarded about who we 
serve and what we serve and watching for the signs of intoxication."

Dupus Boomer's has a liquor license application pending with the state 
Liquor Control Board, as does Banyan's On The Ridge, a privately owned 
steak house set to open at WSU's new Palouse Ridge golf course. The board 
has received comments both for and against granting the licenses, 
spokeswoman Susan Reams said.

Campus police Chief Bill Gardner said university officials are sending a 
mixed message when they preach against drunken behavior, then opt to sell 
booze.

"Anything we do that reinforces intoxication is probably a bad idea," 
Gardner said.

Gardner was a Pullman police officer 10 years ago, when a drunken riot on 
campus garnered national attention and left the university with a public 
relations nightmare.

Markel said Dupus Boomer's staff will be trained to be vigilant in how 
alcohol is served. Ages will be verified electronically. Markel said he's 
invested about $3 million in the project, and doesn't want to lose his 
investment because of alcohol abuse.

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Seeya at Farmers' Market and Palouse Pride, Moscow (and leave the hard 
liquor at home).

Tom "If it wasn't for Budweiser, I probably wouldn't have breakfast" Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."

- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)


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