To the Editor:

I am writing in support of the opinions expressed by Roger Low in his column “ExComm ought to leave well enough alone with alcohol policy” (1/26). Having transferred from a university at which the administration regulated students’ alcohol consumption stringently, I can fully attest to the senseless nature of restrictions aimed at curbing underage drinking on college campuses.

As a newly arrived sophomore at Yale last year, I was amazed by and appreciative of the trust that so characterized interactions between its administration and student body. Whereas during my freshman year I stealthily consumed alcohol with the fear of probation and/or suspension a constant, I soon discovered that at Yale one could drink freely without risking serious disciplinary action.

Over the past semester, however, Yale has taken a stance against underage drinking that is noticeably more restrictive than in years past, e.g., the regulation of undergraduate tailgates. Should such enforcement escalate, the harmonious administrator-student rapport that exists at Yale would likely deteriorate. Indeed, at my former institution, students’ contempt for the administration and its alcohol policy was ubiquitous and pervaded most every aspect of life at the college, rendering said policy essentially useless aside from its ability to engender further student scorn.

An overhauled alcohol policy at Yale would represent an intrusion upon students’ social lives that many would deem unacceptable and resist regardless of the consequences. This would surely hamper the spirit of cooperation and respect that permeates this university.

Damien Berliet ’07

Jan. 26, 2006