THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, May 21, 1996                  TAG: 9605210009
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A14  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

U.VA. DOESN'T CONDONE DRINKING, DRUGS

Professors William Willimon and Thomas Naylor mischaracterize the University of Virginia's stance on student alcohol use in their book The Abandoned Generation. The statement was contained in education writer Philip Walzer's recent Virginian-Pilot article on the book. Their report that university administrators hold ``no opinion'' as to whether or not students drink alcohol is grossly inaccurate. In addition to holding personal and professional opinions, we work with our student-run judicial system to hold students accountable to the University of Virginia's alcohol policy. We work closely with students regarding alcohol use and cultivate both prevention and treatment efforts. Also, students are an integral part of the effort to provide a safe community.

This is not to suggest that the University of Virginia is unique nationally or that we do not have an unhealthy student alcohol culture. Indeed, we face the same struggles as most campuses. And, not unlike the general public, there are those in our community who view college-student alcohol abuse as both a right and a rite of passage. This is not my view. As a university and as a society, we must work to change this.

As for the source of the statement in the Willimon-Naylor book that ``Our school has no opinion on alcohol,'' the authors had ready access to the official public statement of the University of Virginia. It is published in the Undergraduate Record, from the office of the registrar, and is accessible from our home page on the World Wide Web. The alcohol policy begins, ``The University of Virginia does not condone the illegal or otherwise irresponsible use of alcohol and other drugs.''

Beyond the accuracy of the quotes is the issue of how they were obtained. It is disturbing that the authors would include as fact information from an unnamed, unverified, unrepresentative source.

ROBERT T. CANEVARI

Dean of students

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, April 11, 1996 by CNB