It seems as though all the major student leaders have decided to be alcohol-free over Veishea, but only time will tell if they speak for their constituents.

Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said he was encouraged to hear students were willing to give up alcohol in order to continue the Veishea tradition.

But Ballantine said he thinks the number of off-campus parties will increase.

Ames Police and the Department of Public Safety agree that even though alcohol consumption may decrease on campus, the law enforcement agencies have no plans to let up on security.

Ballantine said there is no guarantee that all 26,000 Iowa State students will abide by this pledge. And if it is decided that Veishea will become alcohol-free, it doesn’t mean students will stop drinking alcohol.

If students aren’t allowed to drink alcohol in the residence halls, on campus or at fraternity houses, the only option left is to go off campus, he said.

It seems as though local law enforcement officials have realized the pledge will not eliminate alcohol from Veishea.

It may seem like a big decision, but the only change they seem to see in an alcohol-free Veishea is a change in location.

Perhaps we students should take the focus off alcohol and put more emphasis on Veishea and the celebration it is supposed to be.

The pledge for a dry Veishea really is not a revolutionary pledge.

We know alcohol is a problem, but the attempt at eliminating it only seems to make it more desirable. Perhaps we should be accentuating the things that Veishea is supposed to be about instead of what it has become.

If we make everyone take that pledge, maybe Veishea will return to an event in which we can take pride.