The recommendations of the Veishea task force are yet another reflection of the times. They treat ISU students like children.

Just make the rules and punishments clearer, and the students will listen. And the predictable lack of student response to President Geoffroy’s acceptance of these recommendations will add credibility to this view of students as children. These are, after all, the same students who see no problem with being allowed to hold an M-16 or rocket launcher in Iraq while being told that they are not old enough to drink.

But, in these times, that hope is in vain. Moreover, it is not in the best interest of those under the age of 21 — especially those who will directly experience such treatment. Until and unless students begin to view themselves as adults and recognize such hypocrisy, they will be rightfully treated like children. But, to those “adults” who see no hypocrisy in what I have said, to you I would say grow up — if not for your own sake, then at least for the sake of those children who are dying for you.

By tying highway funding to a drinking age of 21, our nation’s president and Congress have spoken clearly on how they view students. Hopefully, at least President Geoffroy will give students the respect they deserve by temporarily rejecting the recommendations of the task force and by asking that the students themselves arrive at recommendations that will convince him that this treatment was warranted.

Peter Sherman

Associate Professor

Statistics & Aerospace Engineering