BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bridgewater College has been a dry campus ever since the school was established in 1880, but because room for growth is always welcomed, there needs to be a change in their policies surrounding alcohol.
I believe it is time to explore ways to get rid of this rule and here’s why.
College enrollment has been on the decline for a while now. This is due to many factors but ultimately comes down to lack of enrollment. With less students comes less tuition, resulting in an uphill climb for institutions to be financially stable.
This is where the idea of making the transition away from being a dry campus comes into play. Recent studies have shown that only about a third of colleges in the United States remain dry. The other two thirds are “wet” and are those that allow the legal consumption of alcohol on campus.
As it is no surprise, the overall enrollment at these wet campuses completely outnumber the dry ones. I feel that Bridgewater College’s enrollment would see a steady increase in years to come if they could successfully transition to be a wet campus. However, the road to becoming a wet campus may be a challenge itself.
A big reason is the college has an ongoing affiliation with the Church of the Brethren. This Christian denomination acts as a model for the college’s mission as it focuses on values such as equality, community, simplicity, service and peace. While there may be rules in place that prevent the campus from overturning this rule, there must be a way to make this rule change possible.
As an active Bridgewater College student, I am confident others would feel the same way.
“For me, it’s about balancing freedom with responsibility, while also making alcohol a choice rather than a frowned upon activity that can lead to risky actions,” said Nick Stavors, Junior on the baseball team. He brings up a good point, as it is not safe for students to sneak around when consuming alcohol.
As enrollment was mentioned above, I asked Stavros about it and he was quick to agree. “I do think enrollment would benefit,” said Stavros. “The school would be more attractive to students who are passionate about personal freedoms and a realistic approach to adulthood.”
All things considered, transitioning from a dry to a wet campus would be beneficial for the students as well as the college. It is a win-win for both parties and should definitely be looked at in the near future.
Just because the rule has been around 144 years does not mean it can’t change. Bridgewater College, it is time to drop the dryness!
