THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606140604
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, Correspondent
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 76 lines
A group of leaders within the Virginia United Methodist Church wants to chastise three church-supported campuses for violating the denomination's historically strong policy against alcohol by allowing keg parties at the colleges.
Virginia Wesleyan College is one of three schools that would lose some church funding under a resolution that will be debated this weekend at the United Methodists' state convention, which began Thursday night at the Virginia Beach Pavilion.
The question of college drinking is among several controversial social issues that will confront some 3,000 church clergy and lay persons attending the four-day convention.
On Saturday, they will be asked to vote on a resolution that would reduce funding for three of the state's six church-related schools - Virginia Wesleyan, Randolph-Macon College and Randolph-Macon Women's College - by cutting church funds they receive by 10 percent. At the same time, it would increase by a like percentage the amount the church gives Ferrum College, Shenandoah University and Randolph-Macon Academy, a secondary school.
The penalty would mean that Virginia Wesleyan stands to lose $28,350 of the $283,500 it is slated to receive from the church. It would represent a small fraction of the college's $21 million operating budget for 1997.
This year's resolution is a watered-down version of one defeated last year that would have totally withdrawn support of the state church from its traditional institutions of higher learning.
Lee Shaeffer, director of the Virginia Conference's council, predicted Thursday that the resolution would again fail.
``There is a very small percentage of people trying to impose restrictions we don't impose on homes and churches. The colleges have outstanding programs on drugs and alcohol. We live in a society where kids did not learn (about drugs and alcohol) on campus. It's a `1' on the scale, but these people want to make it a `10.' ''
Alumni groups and students at the colleges ``have one or two keg parties a year,'' Shaeffer said. He added that there are those who believe it is better to allow drinking on campus rather than off-campus, because of the risk posed by driving back to campus.
Shaeffer said he did not know why the three colleges had been singled out for punishment since ``all of them use alcohol on campus - let's deal with reality here.''
He cited trustee dinners at the other institutions at which he said wine was served.
James Bergdoll, vice president of college relations at Virginia Wesleyan, said that he and other college officials would be distressed if funding was lost.
He said that there have been occasions when, with the proper licensing, ``we have allowed groups to have alcohol at their functions - fraternities, sororities.'' However, the procedure for obtaining a permit is a ``complicated one,'' Bergdoll said. ``It's a continuing discussion on a societal issue with no simple solutions.''
According to Methodist law as written in the ``Book of Discipline,'' the church stand on alcohol is one of ``long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol.''
The Rev. Alvin Horton, communications director for the Virginia Conference, said that the book defines the church's social principles.
``There have been periods in history when (the church) has stood out against alcohol - for example, during Prohibition,'' Horton said. ``We're not quite that strong today, but (the church) still takes a strong stance in support of abstinence.''
Yet, he said, many Methodists do drink alcohol, drawing an analogy. ``We also support fasting, though not everyone fasts.''
In 1992, the Virginia Annual Conference adopted a resolution that colleges discontinue ``the selling of alcoholic beverages on campus and do not allow its use in any form or place or by any personnel on campus.''
Last year, the conference passed a resolution encouraging its associated institutions of higher learning to ``continue an invitation to combat drug and alcohol abuse.''
KEYWORDS: ALCOHOL FUNDING VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE by CNB