After marathon meetings that lasted until the wee hours, the Veishea task force is one step closer to making decisions about the fate of Veishea.

The recurring theme should surprise no one: alcohol. But the task force seems at a loss about what to do about it. Members have tossed around options from tightening current alcohol policies — including city regulations that keep minors out of bars, restrictions in the residence halls during Veishea week, and a dry Veishea policy that limits drinking opportunities on campus — to getting rid of them completely.

Wrong answer, task force.

Those policies, as hated as they are by the student body, were successful.

Riots broke out in 1985, 1988 and 1990. In 1992, a mob of 8,000 moved from campus into the streets of Campustown. Fights broke out. Parking signs were destroyed. Police used tear gas.

In 1994, it happened again, as police in riot gear clashed with students on South Franklin Avenue, ultimately arresting 38 students.

Then, in 1997, Harold “Uri” Sellers, a DMACC student in town for the weekend, was fatally stabbed on the lawn of the Adelante fraternity house.

Sellers’ death prompted the alcohol ban in 1998, and things were relatively quiet until last April, when police broke up a party on Hunt Street, and about 1,000 people took to Welch Avenue. Light poles were ripped from the ground. Windows were broken. Police again used tear gas. And Veishea’s reputation as a weeklong party resurfaced.

University officials have been tough so far. Veishea was suspended until 2006. Students were expelled or suspended. An enormous task force was assembled to do something about the “culture of riots.” The one word that has appeared over and over has been alcohol, but people are still unsure about its exact role.

Working group 2’s answer: Throw an option from every part of the spectrum at the task force without a specific recommendation other than “Do something about alcohol.”

The task force has done a great job so far, but the most difficult decisions are still to come. In that time, we’d like a few more specifics.

If that means more research, so be it. If that means going back and interviewing more students, more police officers, more Campustown residents — fine. Do it. Take your time.

There’s a lot at stake here — namely, an 82-year tradition that has turned into one of the largest student-run organizations in the country. But giving in and loosening (or eliminating) alcohol policies is not the answer.

— Drew Miller, a member of the Veishea task force, did not contribute to this decision.