Drinking on Campus: Can colleges get it under control?

Alcohol-related deaths at several schools in recent months, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have prompted many administrators to take tougher stands on student drinking. The tragedies - often involving "binge" drinking - underscore how available alcohol is, even to students under 21, and how much drinking is a part of campus life, especially among fraternity and sorority members. School administrators say the nation's minimum drinking age presents them with two equally unappealing options: banning alcohol and running the risk of out-of-control off-campus parties, or looking the other way at underage drinking while trying to teach students responsible behavior. Administrators and health officials agree, however, that alcohol abuse is a communitywide affliction, not merely a campus problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]