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Time to rethink drinking ban at UNL?

May 13, 2011
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Entry into the Big Ten might be a reason to liberalize booze policies, some students say

Story and photos by Brandi Susnjar, NewsNetNebraska

Josh Peterson can vote for the next president of the United States. He can smoke cigarettes if he chooses. He can go down to his favorite local tavern and order a whiskey straight-up. But, at 22 years old and after a long day of classes, he cannot go back to his dorm room and crack open a cold beer.

“It’s weird because I’m 22, but I have to sneak it into my dorm room like I’m some freshman or something,” said Peterson.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a dry campus. Alcohol is not allowed anywhere on UNL property without permission. This applies even if you are old enough to drink. It also applies at collegiate games. In the 2011-2012 school year, UNL will be a Big Ten school. And with the move, some students think the university should make the switch to become a wet campus.

Indiana University, the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, Purdue University, Northwestern, and Penn State are dry campuses in the Big Ten. The University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan State University, by contrast, permit drinking.

“Well me personally I don’t drink. But I can see why people are angry about it because the university is putting them at risk,” says Kyle Wilt, a 20-year-old business major at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. “If the campus allowed drinking in the dorms, they wouldn’t have to drive anywhere. It would reduce the drinking and driving. And the fatalities that go along with DUIs.”

While many students echo that, some joke that liberalization would take the fun out of it. “You wouldn’t have to sneak around anymore,” says Trinidad Mascote, a psychology student now at the University of Wisconsin. “That novelty wears off.”

Mascote came to UNL for a year as a junior. She participated in the Psychology and Law for Research Experience for Undergrads program. She knew that moving away from her family and friends was going to take some time to adjust to.

“When I made the choice to go to UNL for a year, I thought it would be just like my school,” Mascote said. “I thought Nebraska was a wet campus. I had no idea.”

While Mascote was not able to drink on campus, she says she did have a great time in Nebraska. But she does think that in order to compete with the other schools in the Big Ten, UNL needs to make the move like the other universities.

“I think that in order to compete with the big dogs, they need to be a wet campus,” said Mascote. “They need to be able to compete on every level with the other schools in the Big Ten. They can do that by being a wet campus.”

Peterson agrees, noting that drinking already is common.

“I’ve been to numerous football games where people have beer or even hard liquor. And it’s not like people hide the alcohol when they drink it,” said Peterson. “There are cops around. It’s just understood that people drink at games.”

According to a study by Harvard University, one in three US college campuses have adopted the dry campus policy, even though two-thirds of the undergraduate students are legally able to drink. Colleges across the country develop dry campus policies to put a stop to binge drinking and the stigmas that revolve around going to college.

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Binge drinking is a pattern of excessive alcohol abuse. For men, this usually consists of five or more drinks in two hours. For women, it is consuming four or more drinks in two hours. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, college students, between the ages of 18 and 20, are the majority of binge drinkers and 90 percent of alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 is in the form of binge drinking.

Citing a study done on the nation’s drinking habits, CNN reported that binge drinking is on the rise. The study, Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, states that binge drinking has gone up in all groups of people, especially men. Researchers believe binge drinking is on the rise because of economy and high jobless rate.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), more than 44 percent of college students reported the only reason to drink is to get drunk. Binge drinking, or drinking to get drunk, can lead to alcohol-related deaths. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported over 1,800 college students died from alcohol-related unintentional injuries and that five percent are directly involved with police or campus security.

But binge drinking cannot only cause health issues, but it is directly connected to school performance. The CSPI reported that binge drinking students are 21 times more likely to skip class, fall behind in school work and get into trouble with campus police.

UNL developed the dry campus policy as a way to put a stop to the nation-wide binge drinking epidemic. By not allowing drinking anywhere on campus, students can focus on their studies and the university can help reduce alcohol-related deaths.

But many college students argue that they need to be treated like adults.

“Students are going to drink. I barely drink and I still think I should be treated like I am not in high school anymore,” said Peterson. “I’ve been in numerous dorm rooms every year I have been here where people have alcohol.”

Some students agree that by banning alcohol on campuses, the universities are promoting drinking and driving. If they want to drink, they have to do it elsewhere, causing them to drive back to the dorms when they are done.

However, UNL does offer a safe ride home program for students. 475-RIDE is very popular program for students at the university. It’s a way to promote personal responsibility among students.

The safe ride home program was put together in response to a tragic death of a student, killed by a drunk driver. Now, more than 10 years later, the program is still going strong. All students have to do is show the driver a valid UNL identification card, between 10:30 pm and 3:30 am. In 2009, the program picked up more than 7,000 people, averaging out to about 34 people a day.

If UNL students decide to stay on campus and are caught drinking or having alcohol on the premises, disciplinary action is taken by the university. This year, UNL pitched a pilot program designed specifically to give students an opportunity to right their wrong.

The Campus Diversion Program is a project designed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department and the Division of Student Affairs. The CDP helps students address their problematic behavior with alcohol and marijuana.

The program offers first time offenders the chance to participate in the program. Students who complete the program would not have a court record of the incident. The CDP allows students to take educational programs that are specifically designed to college students and allows them to take the program that best fits with their college schedule.

If you choose to participate in the CDP, students must complete an alcohol and drug evaluation, probation and 24 hours of community service with a recognized campus, government or non-profit organization. Each student is responsible to complete the program within three months.

Jay Taylor wishes the Campus Diversion Program was around when he got in trouble with campus security.

“I would have made my life a lot easier,” said Taylor. “Not having it made the process a living hell.”

Taylor was a freshman living in Abel Residence Hall when he was caught in the presence of alcohol. A couple of his friends were “pre-gaming” in his room before they went out that night. Taylor says that the people who were drinking were starting to get loud, when he heard a knock at the door.

“The RA’s (resident assistant) came in and they checked all of our water bottles. When they smelled the vodka, they made us dump them out,” said Taylor. “After that, they asked for all of our N-Cards to write our numbers down.”

A couple of days later, he received a letter in the mail, saying he had to speak with the Resident Director of his dorm.

“My RD told me that it is unacceptable to be drinking on campus. He told me that if it happens again, I could lose my housing,” said Taylor.

Taylor had to do 24 hours of community service and had to take a survey about his drinking habits. If he showed signs of alcohol abuse and excessive drinking, he would of had to take a drug and alcohol class. If the Campus Diversion Program was a success this year, the old system of handling drinking on campus would be thrown out the window.

“I really think this program would benefit more than the one I had to go through,” said Taylor. “It is designed to work around the schedules of college students and I think that is very important.”

UNL is not the only university in Nebraska that bans drinking on campus. The University of Nebraska-Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Kearney are among the college campuses wanting to put an end to excessive drinking. Mainly, the public colleges in Nebraska are dry campuses. However, there are some schools in Nebraska that have a wet campus.

Nebraska Wesleyan is a private school that allows students to drink on campus, but only in the dorms. Students can declare their rooms “alcohol tolerant” or “alcohol free.” But in order to declare your room “alcohol tolerant,” you must be 21 or older.

Nebraska Wesleyan allows their of-age students to drink in dorm rooms as a way to cut back drinking and driving. Since it sits about 10 miles from downtown Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan offers a way, for those who are old enough, to drink without having to worry about getting back to your residence.

But if you are worried about your 21-year-old neighbor throwing a wild party on a school night, you do not need to worry. Wesleyan has a policy that states, “any gathering in an individual student room cannot exceed a safe and manageable occupancy for that room.” Safe and manageable occupancy means that you are allowed to double the amount of people who are supposed to be in your room, but no more is allowed. If you like in a four-person suite, then eight people are allowed in the room at one time.

Students at UNL agree that this type of policy should be developed for their dorm rooms.

“Students who are old enough should be allowed to drink on campus,” said Taylor. “If Wesleyan is a somewhat wet campus, then UNL should be too. Just because we are closer to the bars (and won’t have to necessarily drive back to the dorms) doesn’t mean anything.”

“Being a wet campus isn’t a bad thing,” added Peterson. “It’s just normal and the way college should be.”

Students agree that being a wet campus would not only benefit them, but would also benefit the university and the state.

“With the addition of the new basketball arena in the next few years, I think a wet campus would only bring in more revenue, as well as fans because of the addition of liquor and beer,” said Peterson. “It’s really a win-win.”

Whether UNL decides to move to becoming a wet campus in the future, one thing is for sure: whether it is allowed or not, students are still going to drink on campus regardless.

“If you tell someone they can’t do something, there is some much more incentive to do it,” said Taylor. “College kids aren’t going to stop drinking on campus just because the university says not to. It would take a lot for that to happen.”

And many students say that even by getting caught drinking in the dorms, it is not going to stop them from doing it again.

“I know a bunch of people who have been caught drinking in the dorms. They still do it even though they had to do the diversion and community service hours,” said Taylor. “They may just be quieter when they do it and more sneaky. I mean, come on. Do the administrators really think it won’t happen again? I doubt it.”

And Peterson agrees that making the switch to allow of-age drinking on campus is a smart idea, but he doubts he will see it happen before he graduates in December.

So after a long day of classes and studying for finals, Peterson decides to stop at his favorite bar in downtown Lincoln with some friends for a cold one before he heads back to his dorm room. They talk about what their plans for the summer are and what classes they are taking next school year.

The debate about whether their beloved university should become a wet campus does not come up. Instead, Peterson thinks of the days when he will be able to drink in the comfort of where he lives, rather than spending his hard-earned money at the bars.



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Horseslaughter advocates push legalization


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Horseslaughter could be revived in Nebraska and nearby states

Story and photos by Stephanie Smolek, NewsNetNebraska

They inspire us with their power, speed and grace, remind of us of the legendary Old West and connect with us emotionally. That’s why critics say horses have no business on our dinner plates.

But efforts are afoot in Nebraska and several other states to change that. Nebraska Sen. Tyson Larson proposed Legislative Bill 305 to create a state meat inspection program in Nebraska, and is taking the first steps toward legalizing horse slaughter for human consumption in Nebraska.

The state’s horse owners have been at odds since Jan. 12, when the bill was read to open a state meat inspection program. It has since been amended to create a study that would determine how feasible the program would be, Larson said, and was placed on final reading on April 13.

Proponents of the bill are people who view horses as livestock, animals to be used through their entire life cycle. Opponents see horses as companions and consider them a man or woman’s best friend for life.

The bill was drawn up, Larson said, because a state as large and spread out as Nebraska could benefit from its own state meat inspection program.

“I saw Nebraska had a need for a state meat inspection program,” Larson said. “Twenty-seven states have it, and Nebraska is lagging behind their surrounding states.”

Of these 27 states, none slaughter horses, but many, such as Wyoming, South Dakota and North Dakota, are trying to push bills that would allow horse slaughter, Larson said.

“There are no promises this would open horse processing,” he said. “But that is what our study will look at, to see if it is legally possible to slaughter horses.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture believes exporting horse meat for human consumption is illegal.

“There is no possibility under the current law for a state-inspected meat plant to ship any meat, interstate or internationally, for human consumption,” USDA spokesman Neil Gaffney told the Lincoln Journal Star.

State meat inspection programs are possible through the Federal Meat Inspection Act, USDA legislative analyst Elizabeth Boody said, but they are required to be at least equal to government inspection and can only be used to inspect product that is produced and sold within the state.

“Thus, meat, including equine, products produced under these state programs cannot be shipped across state lines or internationally,” Boody said.

State meat inspection programs cannot export their meat, only meat inspected by the federal government can be exported, Boody said.

Larson said he is questioning this, and he would like to see exactly were federal law says shipping the meat is illegal.

In 2006, the United States had three horse slaughter plants that slaughtered nearly 105,000 horses for human consumption in a year, Tadlock Cowan, a natural resources and rural development analysts said in a congressional report. Most of this meat was shipped to Europe and Asia.

Then in 2007, animal rights groups, such as the Human Society of the United States, lobbied against horse slaughter on a state and national level, Larson said. Court action closed the two plants in Texas, and a state ban closed the plant in Illinois.

Even though horse slaughter had stopped, animal rights groups continued to lobby in Congress for a more strict policy against horse slaughter, and in 2009 Congress took a step to prevent horse slaughter from occurring again by banning funds for horse meat inspectors, which are required to sell meat for human consumption, Cowan said.

Larson is proposing a study to learn if a fee-for-service meat inspection program for beef, poultry, horses, buffalo, elk and other animals would be possible and beneficial in Nebraska.

Slaughtering horses is “a sticky topic” said Lori Jaixen, professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Owners, veterinarians and educators alike debate whether horses are companion animals or livestock.

“We’ve chosen in the United States to make the horse more of a companion animal where in India the cow is,” Jaixen said. “So, it just really depends on the different views of the people.”

Now horses are being packed into trailers and shipped to Mexico and Canada to be slaughtered, and these countries do not have the regulations of the Food and Drug Administration, she said.

Once horse slaughter was banned the horse market fell under, Jaixen said.

“There was some unintentional backlash that people couldn’t have foreseen,” she said.

It became expensive to get rid of unwanted horses. Originally many adoption facilities took in horses, Jaixen said, but these facilities became saturated and many became bankrupt. Now people are trying to give horses away, she said.

It is expensive to keep a horse, and impossible to compare the expense of keeping a 1,000-pound horse versus keeping a 100-pound dog, Jaixen said. “It is really just like comparing apples and oranges.”

Some of the blame for the poor horse market falls on horse breeders, Jaixen said. There is an overabundance of breeders because they are all breeding for “quantity instead of quality in order to get their big winner,” she said.

Opponents of the bill do not think horse slaughter will help the horse industry.

“Slaughter is just a Band-Aid to help the immediate issue of the over population of horses,” Lincoln, Neb., horse owner and horseback riding instructor Peg Fairfield said.

She believes that horse owners brought the problem on themselves. Breeders are completely unregulated, she said. They can breed as many animals as they want and then ship the less desirable animals off because they only want the best animals.

Breeders are intelligently selling horses without training to naive and inexperienced people who cannot handle them and soon have to get rid of them, Fairfield said.

“We need to get the breed associations to make some regulations for their breeders,” she said.

A solution, Fairfield said, would be to only allow a mare, or female horse, to be bred every other year, cutting numbers in half. It would be better to use resources to give better care to fewer horses, she said.

“You cannot even imagine how much agony it is for people that love horses to have to even consider horses going for slaughter once again,” she said. “If we allow slaughter to happen and breeders to go unregulated we are perpetuating a very inhumane situation.”

PhotoShipping sick horses to slaughter riles horse-lovers

There is no humane way to haul horses to a slaughter house that is in bad shape and kill them, she said. “Unlike cattle, horses become terrified from the smell of blood,” she said.

“It’s unethical, it’s immoral and it’s abusive,” Fairfield said. “How can we be down to laws and money? We’re talking about living breathing animals.”

The horses traveling to Canada or Mexico for slaughter are not transported in humane ways, and the sheriff’s departments, state patrols and police cannot help because they do not have the facilities, budget or equipment to handle unwanted or illegally transported horses, she said.

These officials stop to inspect trailers of horses going to slaughter, but do not understand the information included in each horse’s registration and health papers, both of which a person must have to travel with a horse, Fairfield said.

Horse events can draw tourists, Fairfield said, and promoting good care for animals, the horse industry and tourism is a good way to paint Nebraska.

“It seems much more intelligent to promote horses in Nebraska instead of trying to cash in on their misery that humans have created,” she said.

Val Hinderlider of Break Heart Ranch Horse Rescue agreed. This bill comes down to money and attacking the Humane Society of the United States, she said.

“There is a vendetta in Nebraska against the HSUS and our horses are going to pay for that,” she said.

At least 75 percent of Nebraskans do not want horse slaughter in Nebraska, Hinderlider said.

“There is no humane slaughter for horses,” she said. “and when you get into a business you’re cost effective, and cost effective and slaughtering horses do not go together.”

Hinderlider has worked for 10 years in horse rescue to prevent horses from starving and suffering. She said people need to be responsible with their horses.

“When we’re not responsible then we come up with a bill like LB 305 that says we’re not responsible enough to take care of our animals so let’s kill them and make money off them to boot,” Hinderlider said.

Hinderlider said she would help find a better solution, but she said no one wants to, “they want the easy way out.”

If you would like to learn more about Val Hinderlider and Break Heart Ranch Horse Rescue click on the play button.

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Larson disagreed and said this bill was good first step to change the situations of a half a million starving and homeless horses.

Larson said the bill focuses on improving Nebraska’s economy and keeping Nebraska’s agriculture industry competitive among surrounding states with a state meat inspection facility.

The bill was made to create a slaughter plant that would cater to the niche markets in Nebraska, such as grass fed cattle, so people in western Nebraska would not have to travel as far to sell their animals, Larson said.

Horse meat is still used in the United States as zoo meat despite the slaughter ban, Larson said. This meat is shipped back to the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.

“It is not a facility for someone like Tyson or IBP to use, but for the smaller guy,” he said.

The bill is focusing on the Nebraska economy, Larson said. This would create money for Nebraska because trucks would be entering the state needing gas and spending money, he said.

Nebraska could benefit from the bill through economic growth to communities and uptake in revenue in communities and the state, Larson said.

Opposition to the bill claim people do not want to eat the old horses that are slaughtered, but people in other countries prefer horse meat that is older, a minimum of 12 years old, Larson said. Older horses have more tender meat with less fat and smaller bones, he said.

Isolated incidents are used by opponents to show slaughter as inhumane, Larson said, but slaughter can be done right and done properly no matter what type of animal.

“We take great care in this state to make sure animals are treated humanely throughout the entire process,” he said. “And this is true for horses too.”

The number of horses slaughtered before slaughter was banned is similar to the number slaughtered after the ban, according to United States Department of Agriculture figures. Now horses are just transported to Canada and Mexico before being slaughtered.

During the committee statement of Larson’s bill, 14 people represented proponents of the bill, and 4 people represented opponents.

Horse slaughter is a necessary evil, is part of being a good steward to these animals and is better than costly euthanasia and carcass burial or rendering, proponents of the bill said at the hearing.

“Only in politically correct America can thousands of dollars be spent on an animal that should have been slaughtered,” Darrel Eberspacher, president of the Belgian Draft Horse Registry Corp. said at the hearing.

Opponents of the bill expressed their concerns during the hearing that young useful horses would be slaughtered for profit purposes. Derry Mayfield of Seward, Neb., said that does not happen. He has been running a horse buying operation since 2007 and buys large numbers of horses to be sent to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.

“I will not send a good horse to slaughter,” he said. Mayfield usually receives 15 cents per pound of horse meat, and a usable horse can sell for much more, he said.

Horse owners like Chad Hermelbracht love their horses, but say there comes a time to say goodbye.

“When a horse gets past its prime the most humane thing to do is to send that horse to a processing facility,” Hermelbracht said. “There is a certain point in its life when there is not a lot of utility left in it and the most humane way to deal with it is through horse slaughter.”

Larson said he believes the bill to create a study determining the effects and possibilities of a state meat inspection program will pass, but that “it’s a shame certain animal rights groups dictate what happens.”

The debatable future of horse slaughter in Nebraska is dependent on this bill. People consider horse slaughter inhumane and other people consider it necessary, but both groups may soon be able to appreciate these graceful animals and order them on a dinner menu too.



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