Dartmouth College is banning hard liquor on campus and will introduce a mandatory four-year sexual violence prevention and education program for students. The steps are part of Dartmouth President Philip Hanlon's plans to reform social life at the Ivy League college.
"Colleges and universities across the country face the issues I've detailed today," Hanlon said in a speech today. "We are not alone in facing them, but we will take the lead in saying, 'No more.'"
Reporter Allison Quantz tells our Newscast unit that Hanlon is expanding on changes already under way within Dartmouth's fraternities and sororities. She says:
"The Ivy League college in New Hampshire has made news for allegations of extreme hazing and racism. Dartmouth is also one of more than 90 colleges under federal review for apparent mishandling of sexual assault cases. The hard liquor ban adds to a spate of reforms already proposed by the Greek system itself."
Dartmouth Senior Taylor Payer told Quantz she hoped the Greek system would be banned altogether.
"It's going to promote sexual assault and binge-drinking as long as it exists and no amount of banning hard alcohol is going to solve any of that," she said.
In his speech, Hanlon said if major changes to the Greek system weren't enacted within several years, the college would re-evaluate the future of Greek life on campus.
The ban on hard liquor – which is being defined as anything 15 percent or more – will take effect March 30, when the Spring term begins.
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