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Colleges: Lower Drinking Age to Boost Alumni Giving

by Scott Ott for ScrappleFace · 59 Comments · · Print This Story Print This Story

(2008-08-21) — College presidents across the nation have signed on to an effort, dubbed the Amethyst Initiative, to lower the drinking age on campus to 18, a move some say could significantly increase donations to their institutions.

“When an alumnus comes back to tailgate and watch a game, why should he have to worry that the co-ed for whom he buys drinks might not be of legal age?” said an unnamed spokesman for the Amethyst Initiative. “Jailed alums don’t write endowment checks. Happy alums give more, thereby advancing our academic mission.”

The coalition of college presidents wants a national discussion on the drinking-age issue which they claim is crucial to ensuring that American maintains its competitive edge.

“Studies show a direct correlation between institutional giving and the aggregate blood-alcohol level of older alumni at Homecoming, as well as their feelings of self-worth spawned by the fawning attention of inebriated teenage girls,” the anonymous source said. “It’s simple. Lower the drinking age, and you increase donations, thereby making America smarter.”


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Tags: Education

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59 responses so far ↓

  • 1 gafisher // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:53 am

    As a resident of a college town I can confirm that this measure is strongly supported by our best and brightest undergrads as well as by every small business where alcohol is sold or dispensed. The Amethyst Initiative is the first initiative some students have ever shown.

  • 2 boberinyetagain // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:55 am

    Hic!

  • 3 Maggie // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:12 am

    Boberin re #2

    Who are you kidding? We all know you are not underaged :>)

  • 4 boberinyetagain // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:21 am

    maggie, I’m under some age…not 21 mind you but some age!

  • 5 RedPepper // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:10 am

    “Ve get too soon old, und too late schmart.”

    Trust me, regardless of what the laws say, they’re gonna party!

    What we need to do is lower the thinking age …

  • 6 mig // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:31 am

    Just in time for the election, have a kegger and vote.

  • 7 Hawkeye // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:43 am

    I’ll drink to that! :shock:

  • 8 upnorthlurkin // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:44 am

    I’m quite proud that two of our 3 local colleges (and the one 85 miles north that doesn’t count [heh, heh]) have firmly rejected the proposal! I’ve always loved the “we can’t stop the behavior so lets make it legal” way of solving tough problems!

  • 9 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 11:07 am

    Man, you guys just ain’t hip. Don’t ya know that college is for partying - not for larnin’!! Sheesh.

    With mommy and daddy, Stafford (as in loans) and scholarships galore, why would anybody think they have to work for an education? It’s all fun and games, baaaabeeee. :-)

    Had 4 young’ns go through myself and they had to work so hard to pay for it, they didn’t have time to worry about getting snockered.

  • 10 boberinyetagain // Aug 21, 2008 at 11:32 am

    c-a-t, I went one better and had mine sign up the the National Guard. That’s an education that she won’t soon forget…either one

  • 11 Shelly // Aug 21, 2008 at 11:44 am

    I think they should go one further and get rid of speed limits on college campi. Think of the money betting on drag racing could bring in!

  • 12 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 12:01 pm

    Shelly, you are brilliant. I mean, really. Of course, you DO realize that you are sounding like a liberal : “The lottery and horse racing will pay for education.” You could propose that drag racing income could pay for higher education!

  • 13 boberinyetagain // Aug 21, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    More like Libertarian…next thing you know personal responsibility will come into play and Lord knows we can’t have any of that. We couldn’t handle it!

  • 14 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    I am choking from hillarity - sorry, OT - but Susan Estrich has an article here entitled, “What’s In a Poll?” I guess nothing unless it can be used to say that a Democrat is ahead! How funny to come from these people who wave polls as gospel when it is useful for their own purposes.

  • 15 RedPepper // Aug 21, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    boberin #10: Ah, yes! The School of Hard Knocks! Been there, done that, got the sweatshirt …

    “But, on the other hand, Uncle Abner said that the person that had took a bull by the tail once had learnt sixty or seventy times as much as a person that hadn’t, and said a person that started in to carry a cat home by the tail was gitting knowledge that was always going to be useful to him, and warn’t ever going to grow dim or doubtful. Chances are, he isn’t likely to carry the cat that way again, either. But if he wants to, I say let him!” ~ Mark Twain, in Tom Sawyer Abroad

  • 16 Tinman // Aug 21, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    Beer makes you smart.

    A herd of buffalo can move only as fast as the slowest buffalo, and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular attrition of the weakest members.
    In much the same way the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, we all know, kills brain cells, but naturally it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

    That’s why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

  • 17 boberinyetagain // Aug 21, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    OK Cliff, take a seat

    Red, that’s about it. If you do something and it hurts in some way you learn. If you don’t learn then thinning the herd is also a good way to clean up the gene pool. (not unlike the brain cells mentioned by Tinman/Cliff Claven

  • 18 Ms RightWing, Ink // Aug 21, 2008 at 2:07 pm

    We grew up being allowed to drink 3.2 beer in Ohio until you reached 21. At that time you could legally drink the hard stuff.

    From what I read in the local paper the 18 plus are still getting what they want, many times ending in DUI’s

    It may just be me, but if you can handle a gun in defense of our country, you should be able to have a cold 3.2 beer.

    When you turn 21, then you can make an educated decision about the legal substances you put into your body.

    That goes for cigarettes. If you are of age to partake in stinky, smelly, nasty cigarettes and dumb enough to put fire and smoke into your body-go ahead.

    Just don’t do it near me. Now the smell of a good cigar is not as bad, but do it elsewhere. My cat box is the only stinky thing I allow in the bunker.

  • 19 Hawkeye // Aug 21, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    Scott, the Sitemeter says you are getting close to 12 million visitors. Congrats!

  • 20 JamesonLewis3rd // Aug 21, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Ah, yes. 3.2 beer and watered down booze.

    It was much easier for me, as a young teenager to find someone 18 to buy for me than it was to find a 21 year-old.

    It was also nothing for me to go to those “cool” campus clubs and get served as a 15-16 year-old.

    All of which made it extremely simple to get drunk, get my butt kicked and/or end up in the juvenile detention center.

  • 21 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Rush says the Mayor of Denver has ordered the police to make no attempt to enforce cannabis (marijuana) laws while the DNC is in town.

    Rush added that they should also suspend prostitution laws for the duration of the circus.

    I imagine they should also suspend speed limits, alcohol, and “age of consent” laws.

    Democrats, by and large, feel the laws weren’t made for them anyway.

    B.O. STINKS

  • 22 Darthmeister // Aug 21, 2008 at 4:36 pm

    I’ll drink to that!

    Obamessiah and his sycophants are at it again. Does Obamalamadingdong really want to get in a fight over who owns more houses?

    Does a guy who made more than $4 million last year, just got back from vacation on a private beach in Hawaii and bought his own million-dollar mansion with the help of a convicted felon really want to get into a debate about houses? Does a guy who worries about the price of arugula and thinks regular people “cling” to guns and religion in the face of economic hardship really want to have a debate about who’s in touch with regular Americans?
    The reality is that Barack Obama’s plans to raise taxes and opposition to producing more energy here at home as gas prices skyrocket show he’s completely out of touch with the concerns of average Americans.
    –McCain spokesman Brian Rogers

    I think Brian Rogers hit a grand slam.

  • 23 Ms RightWing, Ink // Aug 21, 2008 at 4:47 pm

    I was just reading in the WSJ that Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius was a possible VP for the mess.i.uh, OB1.

    Boy wouldn’t that blister Hillary’s behind.

    I am on pins and needles awaiting the Anti-Christ Jr.

  • 24 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    Hannity said this morning that he will give $1000.00 and will start a donation site to give the money to Obama’s brother who makes $1.00 a month, or lives on that anyway. This ought to embarrass the heck out of B.O.bama. I started laughing when I heard this.

    B.O. STINKS

  • 25 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm

    MRW,I #23 - I’m still thinking that at the DNC’s circus, HillBilly, Inc. will play the Ace up her sleeve (like producing B.O.’s original birth certificate showing he was born in Kenya - but his birth was registered in Hawaii)

    She has plans to snatch the nomination away from him and according to Rush, she just may very well do it. Time will tell and with the “Recreate ‘68 gang there; it’s going to be one mell of a hess!

    B.O. STINKS

  • 26 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 6:22 pm

    B-uhh-rock has no experience, has no record of standing up for anything (except to kill babies that thwart the attempt to abort them) and has bumbled just about every question posed to him since he has been declared the dems new king. (Yet he caved to the Clintons on everything about the DimNatCon.) Now attacks J-Mac for being rich and out of touch (how many elections have we heard that charge against the republicans?) when he himself is considerably wealthier than the average joe on the street. This “attack” lacks credibility and substance and will not hit its mark.
    That is why I think the dems will realize this man cannot win, because he does not ever take a stand for anything. I doubt it will be a birth certificate that they use, but with the Clinton’s running their convention I suspect that Obooboo will be standing by the end of the Mile High party.

  • 27 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    They cannot hide the lack of a record that OB1 does not possess. The POTUS has to be a person with a verifiable backbone, not someone that has repeatedly demonstrated that he avoids making tough decisions. As POTUS you do not dodge issues. Oyukyuk is not a leader, he does not have that capability within him, he will not be elected.

  • 28 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 6:38 pm

    But he IS rich, as demonstrated by his words at the Saddleback Forum where he put a dollar figure of $150,000 on “rich”. Therefore, his is the case of the pot calling the kettle black -er - is that racist? :-)

  • 29 Darthmeister // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:09 pm

    Fred, it looks like Obamessiah doesn’t want to change his brother’s address. This is just as infuriating as when the multi-millionaire slum lord al Gore complained about how government wasn’t taking good enough care of his mother in her declining years! Just like a collectivist libtard … a freakin’ millionaire but apparently unwilling to help their own kindred since in their own warped mind it’s the government’s job to do that!

    The London Telegraph documents the story here about how Obamessiah actually met with his half-brother in Kenya, only hung out for a few minutes and then did absolutely nothing to change George Obama’s circumstances. And then to add insult to injury, the jerk Barack then writes about his brother in his autobiography while admitting they were half-brothers. What a worthless piece of … (Father forgive me!)

    From the AmericanThinker:

    The cloak of media invisibility is slowly beginning to lift from Barack Obama’s most important administrative leadership experience, helming an expensive educational reform effort in Chicago that failed to produce any measurable academic gains, according to the project’s own final report.

    I bet THE ONE would like to change the reality but don’t think for a minute his boot licking sycophants are going to change their mind about their failed messiah.

  • 30 Darthmeister // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:10 pm

    … push.

  • 31 RedPepper // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:39 pm

    Fred S. #24: I for one will be delighted to make a contribution when Hannity sets up a donation site : especially since the potential exists to make a fairly large difference with a relatively small effort.

    And besides, any debts I once owed for my education were paid off long ago. Time to move on, if you ask me!

  • 32 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:44 pm

    Perhaps the $150,000 figure only applies if you are an evil white person? Perhaps for a person of color to be rich it requires around 20 times the evil white threshold…

  • 33 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    How about this slogan:

    Obama/?????? (to be named later)
    The Quickest Way To Neuter America

  • 34 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    MKK, are you saying that it’s like the Olympic gymnists and there are differing “start” values? Intelllesting.

  • 35 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    or:

    Obama/??????
    Gravitas Is Overrated

  • 36 camojack // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    “It’s simple. Lower the drinking age, and you increase donations, thereby making America smarter.”

    Nah…it only seems that way, after too many drinks. ;-)

  • 37 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    Income views through the lenses of Affirmative Actionites…

  • 38 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    Sobriety=Superiority. I once was young and dumb, it took less than a year to see that I was on a collision course with disaster, abstaining has numerous rewards. I know that the Holy Spirit intervened in my life and prevented me from becoming a scapegoat for the sins of two other “friends” that I had during the time of my “wilder days”. Looking back on it now I know that it was not myself that prevented the situation from ruining my life. It was not my flesh that resisted what I should not have been willing to resist, and even though I was recently saved, it was not my quest to remain righteous that prevented it. It happened over 25 years ago and it was only recently that I realized what was really going on that one night. One night was all that it would have taken to mess up my life. I thank God for his hand of protection. Wisdom = Sobriety. God is merciful beyond our comprehension.

  • 39 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:38 pm

    Looks as though Darth is being moderated…I suspect that in a little while his words of wisdom will break through.

  • 40 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:42 pm

    RE#26 The last line should say that I suspect that he will not, I repeat, not, be standing by the close of that party.
    I should not have omitted THAT word!

  • 41 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:14 pm

    The appointment to see urologist must not have had a rush or urgent tag. Just got call this aft. Appointment is for 9/11. The lack of urgency and/or anxiety on the part of the uroligist and my Doctor is somewhat encouraging.

    “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; …..” (Rom. 15:30)

    IN GOD WE TRUST

  • 42 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    (:o)

  • 43 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:19 pm

    How do I find out about my email serve types? I am trying to email Lt Gov Bolling of Virginia and It asks for the incoming and outgoing server types and even with the helps I can’t figure it out… my ISP is bresnan, but I only use yahoo for email. Can anyone help this ignorant hillbilly?

  • 44 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:23 pm

    9/11…could be a bad omen, if I believed in such a thing. We will be praying for you Fred. At least I don’t need to know any techno mumbo jumbo to get on-line with God! Amen.

  • 45 JamesonLewis3rd // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:38 pm

    mkk~~
    The outgoing server would be SMTP-something or other.

    Incoming would be POP-something or other.

    Your ISP has the specifics on those and your email client would have its own instructions for setup.

  • 46 conserve-a-tip // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    MKK, are you going through the state website?

    If you go here and then look below the phone numbers, you can click on the email address and a window opens to type in and then all you have to do is “send”. Hope that helps.

  • 47 JamesonLewis3rd // Aug 21, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    mkk~~
    Look at #1 here.

  • 48 Darthmeister // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    Fred, what I can’t figure out is why the ever compassionate and sen-so-tive Obamessiah didn’t bother to change the address of his half-brother George Obama. The guy still lives in a hut and makes only a buck a month, Obamessiah visits him all of couple of minutes while in Kenya and then writes about his encounter with his half-brother in his book! What hubris.

    Here’s his own flesh and blood (half-siblings are your flesh and blood) living in squallor and the arrogant and filthy rich Barry Hussein Obama doesn’t even try to give his brother George a handup … and this from a Donk who believes in HANDOUTS … which he doesn’t do either! Hey, Barry, why didn’t you slip your brother George a couple of thousand bucks (or whatever equivalent currency exists in Kenya) when you last saw him? Some hotshot brother you are.

    This pathetic affair reminds me of the slum lord and multi-millionaire al Gore who complained about how the government wasn’t properly taking of his mother! Well, Al, she’s YOUR mother and shouldn’t you be taking care of her with all the money you have? Sheesh, typical collectivist limousine liberals.

    But don’t let these revelations keep you moonbats and trolls from voting for your new messiah.

  • 49 mindknumbed kid // Aug 21, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    Thanks for the help, I should be able to get it now.

  • 50 Fred Sinclair // Aug 21, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    Several have asked about the term Heirborn Ranger that I use, so this is mainly for them and those who wondered but didn’t ask.

    “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Eph. 1:1-5)

    “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom. 8:17 )

    Heirborn Ranger

    We are God’s children chosen by him before the foundation of the world; predestinated (i.e.- born to be heirs = heirborn.)

    So we are in the Army of the Lord (”Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war…” / “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” - etc.)

    Now any soldier worth his/or her salt strives for “Ranger Rating”. Witnessing (personal evangelism) at Denny’s, Bob Evans, Steak and Shake, Dr.’s and Dentist’s waiting rooms. i.e.- everywhere. We are on the front lines as Rangers.

    Now, admittedly there is a ‘play on words’ with Airborn and Heirborn, as they are pronounced exactly alike. But it’s a rank any Christian can wear with pride.

    Besides it beats the heck out of:
    Fred Sinclair, Bank Manager; or
    Fred Sinclair, (CPA)

    IN GOD WE TRUST-Fred Sinclair, Heirborn Ranger

  • 51 Coyoteloco // Aug 22, 2008 at 1:19 am

    Old enough to SERVE.. old enough to BE SERVED! http://www.cafepress.com/coyoteloco/5896969

  • 52 Fred Sinclair // Aug 22, 2008 at 4:20 am

    CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE

    I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
    What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
    What if we flipped through it several times a day?
    What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
    What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
    What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?
    What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
    What if we used it when we travelled?
    What if we used it in case of emergency?
    This is something to make you go..hmm. Where is my Bible?
    Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don’t have to worry
    about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
    Makes you stop and think ‘where are my priorities?’
    NO REJECTED calls!

    IN GOD WE TRUST

  • 53 mig // Aug 22, 2008 at 8:26 am

    Happy Birthday Maggie, Here’s a drinking to your health.

  • 54 conserve-a-tip // Aug 22, 2008 at 8:52 am

    Happy Birthday Maggie! I hope that your day is extra special!!

  • 55 onlineanalyst // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:00 am

    Make that a ringing endorsement. Happy Birthday, Maggie!

  • 56 Ms RightWing, Ink // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:12 am

    Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. Tis sweet to wish you a happy birthday!

    I wish I was 32 again like you :-)

  • 57 Beerme // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:55 am

    Maggie,

    Happy Birthday, Cuz!

    In the spirit of Scott’s post, I’ll drink to your special day anytime!

  • 58 Beerme // Aug 22, 2008 at 9:57 am

    Carrie Nation stole my post!

  • 59 Bookmarks about Drinking // Jan 3, 2009 at 11:30 pm

    [...] - bookmarked by 1 members originally found by glent16 on 2008-12-03 Colleges: Lower Drinking Age to Boost Alumni Giving http://www.scrappleface.com/?p=3056 - bookmarked by 6 members originally found by LoganCallen on [...]

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