The campus police department recently issued a survey to students living in the Cutler Apartments regarding their drinking habits and past Spring Fests (also known as Case Day) in an effort to determine how to cut down the number of alcohol-related incidents.

The questions asked about binge drinking, which is defined as consuming five or more drinks in less than an hour. Of the 184 surveys sent out, students returned 34. The results showed that 91 percent of respondents had consumed alcohol on campus. About 44 percent drink more than one drink at least once a month. They reported drinking on Case Day mainly to relax, and said that other people's drinking interfered with their lives in a negative way. The problems they reported experiencing over Spring Fest were loud noises (29 percent), vomit in halls elevators or floors (22 percent), and fighting (13 percent).

Syrilyn Tong, who frequently coordinates alcohol awareness events, put out the survey in an effort to reevaluate efforts by the Police Department and Residence Life to curb the incidents related to alcohol. The program was funded in large part last year by donations from the community. Results show that the programs have made little to no impact on the number of drunken incidents on campus. As in past Case Days, the police had to intervene in six to eight instances.

Tong said the lack of change confirmed her views about "missing the mark" in reducing harmful drunken behaviors on campus.

"The goal is not to ruin Case Day," Tong said. "The goal is to curb problem behavior. Most of the residents are reasonable, responsible adults, and it can be a successful event even with alcohol if people are over 21 and responsible."

Tong said there were cases no alcohol poisoning last year, and she thinks that is due to people being cognizant of the consequences.

Some respondents felt that the most effective solution would be tough punishment.

"If you cause a problem…not tolerance, and you're gone. It won't fix things this year, but it might calm things down next year," one respondent wrote.

Others agreed that the situation was out of hand. "There were hundreds of drunk students in SAC last year. It was the most outrageous and out of control situation I have ever seen and experienced."

Others who responded to the survey offered many solutions to the problem to make Spring Fest safer. "I think what you should do is post signs such as 'If you think your friend has drank too much and is showing these signs, here is a number to call,' one survey said.

Another discouraged drunk driving: "Maybe a program where people trade in their driver's licenses for a day for tangible rewards. Or their keys would be better. I think this would be more effective than Lottanobooza, which attracts few people who wouldn't be abstaining already."

Many students held on to the belief that chaos is inevitable, and the most practical thing is to embrace it.

As one survey put it, "Everyone simply needs to calm down, point the drunks to their beds and let bygones be bygones."