The University of Iowa’s decision to ban alcohol at fraternity parties is ground-breaking news for universities across the country.

The decision came as a result of the Sept. 7 death of Matthew Garofalo, who died after a night of binge drinking at a fraternity party. Tom Thielen, Iowa State’s vice president for student affairs, said last week there will be pressure for ISU to implement a similar moratorium.

That’s unfortunate.

While Garofalo’s death is tragic, and certainly should not be made light of, banning alcohol at fraternity functions is not the answer.

For better or worse, alcohol is a part of college life. It has been for decades and will continue to be for years to come, ban, or no ban.

Drinking alcohol poses an inevitable risk to the consumer, just as there is an inherent risk in driving a car or competing in athletics. Banning alcohol at fraternity functions will not rescind that risk. If anything, it will heighten it.

If students can’t drink socially at parties, they will do so in smaller, more private groups with fewer people to care for those who drink too much.

That’s not to say that students should have a license to abuse alcohol and participate in binge drinking. But by preventing college students from drinking in a party setting, Iowa administrators and greek leaders may be opening themselves to a host of new problems, putting them right back where they started.