It’s no secret the community of the University of Dayton is known for its drinking culture, and there is good reason as to why.
In May 2013, the Dayton Daily News published an article detailing the number of alcohol violations distributed at UD within a three-year period. According to the article, the news outlet found that more than 3,500 violations and referrals were issued between 2009 and 2011.
It has been almost 10 years since the article was published, and the numbers have dipped significantly. According to UD’s 2022 Campus Fire and Safety Report, there have been a total of 1,585 referrals between 2019 and 2021, which equates to less than half of the 3,500 recorded from 2009 to 2011. Since 2016, the number of referrals issued to students have been declining.
Although the alcohol-related referrals have been declining, UD still has an incredibly high number of infractions in relation to other universities known for their partying in Ohio. According to the data gathered from each university’s Campus Security and Fire Safety Report, UD is second only to the Ohio State University when it comes to disciplinary referrals.
The Ohio State University has over 60,000 students on its main campus, whereas the University of Dayton has a little over 11,000 students. Despite having less students, the student population has a much higher likelihood of receiving an alcohol-related referral.
“I’ve seen some students so drunk that they could hardly function,” Caleb Kiener, 22, from Cincinnati, said. Kiener is currently a Resident Assistant for the Marycrest Dormitory and has been an RA for three years. “It’s honestly a really scary thing.”
While the drinking culture could get out of hand, it can also harbor community, which is one of the main aspects UD tries to incorporate on campus. Some students say this drinking culture can bring students together to have fun and let loose for a change.
"I think that it’s a good stress-reliever for students from the busy life of college,” Jaicob Parks, 22, from Toledo, Ohio, said. “It is something fun that students know they’ll only be able to do once in their life.”
It is not uncommon for students to join their friends at the numerous establishments on Brown Street, such as Timothy’s Bar, The Fieldhouse or Rusty Taco. Even on the weekends, there are likely to be numerous house parties going on throughout the Student Neighborhood.
“I think it’s fun and, for the most part, brings the campus together,” Allison Herceg, 21, from Cleveland, said. “I also think it can get out of hand sometimes because people don’t know how to safely drink alcohol.”
The University of Dayton has a multitude of services in place in order to further students’ understanding of alcohol. Incoming first-year students are required to completed educational modules about alcohol and there are many AVIATE events regarding the use of alcohol. The Center for Alcohol and Other Drugs is located in the Adele Center where students can learn how to be safer with alcohol.
“As long as people are safe,” Herceg said, “it’s fun.”
Comments