Choose Responsibility is a non-profit organization launched in April, 2007, dedicated to re-opening the public debate surrounding the legal age for drinking alcohol. Initiated by John M. McCardell Jr., who recently stepped down as president of Middlebury College, the program proposes a multi-faceted approach combining education, certification and licensing to enable 18-20 year-olds to consume alcohol and to promote a more responsible attitude toward alcohol nationwide.
After what seemed like endless deliberation, cacophonous meetings and misinformed rumors, it now looks like the class of 2007 will indeed be celebrating the end of their four years of classes with champagne on the steps of Miller Library at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 11.
Jim Citron, Director of Off-Campus Study, has joined forces with the Goldfarb Center to generate yet another opportunity to promote student civil engagement: JanPlan in Mexico. As described by Citron, this program will "combine Colby's commitment to and my passion for civil engagement with international education.
Despite another rough weekend in terms of student-security relations, student groups continue to work towards establishing more responsible drinking habits at the College. Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jim Terhune did not talk in specifics to the Echo or to Student Government Association President Tom Testo '07 or Vice President Michelle Starr '07 about last weekend, but did say that there were incidents between security officers and students over the weekend that went beyond "belligerent" and bordered on "dangerous.
Melissa Maclin '98 grew up reading Tom Clancy and dreamed of serving her country as an intelligence officer. After graduating from Colby in 1998 with a double major in Government and International Studies, she went on to work in Navy intelligence and served in Kabul, Afghanistan from September 2006 to March 2007.
At the Dec. 3 meeting of Presidents' Council, representatives passed the most recent proposal of an Honor Statement (not an Honor Code) that they used to test student interest in formalizing the College's commitment to responsibility and integrity. Responses are still trickling in, but few students ended up weighing in on the issue and those that did were mostly against it.
Several students in the College have succeeded in trying to bring an existing organization called AIESEC to campus. Colby's branch of AIESEC was approved by the Student Government Association's Presidents' Council last month. AIESEC is an organization founded in 1948 that is designed to give students leadership and internship opportunities.