When the future of Veishea was up in the air, it seemed everyone on campus had a different idea about how to “save Veishea” and curb underage alcohol abuse.

On his monthly radio address on WOI’s Talk of Iowa, President Martin Jischke mentioned another approach to stop underage drinking.

Jischke told a caller on the air on his Nov. 4 show that he feels large purchases of alcohol should be tracked and recorded.

Jischke said he wanted the records to be made available to the university so distribution of alcohol to minors could be curbed.

“I think it would be very helpful to the university and to the authorities if we knew who was buying 10 or 20 kegs of beer, so we would know where the problems were,” Jischke said on the show. “I think ultimately we’ve got to have ways to hold people accountable for that.”

Jischke’s suggestion of keeping records of alcohol purchases prompted some criticism from the Ames community, including a column lambasting Jischke’s proposal by Troy McCullough, a news editor for the Ames Tribune and an ISU alumna.

McCullough wrote in his Nov. 11 column, that “Martin Jischke doesn’t get it.”

“Holding students accountable for abusing alcohol is one thing,” McCullough wrote. “Keeping tabs on legal alcohol sales between private businesses and private citizens is quite another.”

Regarding his comments on WOI, Jischke said there is a “clear interest from the community, not just the university, to get a handle on [the problem of underage drinking.]”

Jischke said it is clear there is a lot of drinking on campus by students who are not of legal age, and said this drinking has created a disruptive and dangerous situation.

He said he speculates the majority of alcohol is purchased by students who are of age and then given to underage students.

“One approach is to try to determine how this alcohol is getting into the hands of these underage people,” Jischke said.

“It is my understanding that it is a matter of public record when significant amounts of alcohol are purchased, there are laws dealing with substances that track the purchase and sale [so that] it is of public record,” he said.

Jischke said although he believes tracking large sales of alcohol is legal, neither he nor the administration could ever implement this idea.

“It would have to be implemented by the government,” Jischke said. “The administration could not implement [this idea into law]. I suggested [the idea] to spur the thinking of those who are responsible for these laws, so we can better deal with this.”

Students have various opinions about this suggestion.

“Well, I think [tracking] is a good idea, but I don’t think it will solve the alcohol problem,” said Alice Fate, freshman in landscape architecture. “I think people would find another way to get around it.”

Another student said the idea would be an invasion of privacy.

“First of all, these people have their privacy,” said Cathy Heyderman, sophomore in mathematics. “Obviously, not a lot of underage people try to buy alcohol here because the laws around here are very strict, but even though they are underage, they still have their privacy. I don’t think they should go around tracking what people buy.”

Jischke said he thinks there are three solutions to curb the amount of underage drinking on campus — education, “alternative” ways for fun and strict punishment for those who are caught breaking the law.

Jischke said ISU administration is currently trying to expand alcohol education.

“We are trying to expand the education program, we are trying to work with the Veishea central committee, and we are trying to create the capacity to deal with violations and make sure discipline is [brought against violators of underage drinking laws],” Jischke said. “We are also adding additional security officers on the campus to ensure the campus is [safe].”

Jischke said Veishea Central Committee has preliminary planning for Veishea 1998 underway, and there will be no changes in the “alcohol free” decision.

Jischke said he remains optimistic that students will support the alcohol-free pledge.

“I hope that all the students who support their student leaders do everything within their power to fulfill the pledge that has been made,” Jischke said.

“I have every reason to believe that they will. I believe it is very important to the future of Veishea. I believe it is important to the reputation of this university. I hope these sincerely-made pledges are supported,” he said.

Jischke’s next radio address will be made on Dec. 4 on WOI.