The list of America’s top party schools according to the Princeton Review again ranks the University of Iowa among the best for drinking beer and hard liquor. The Review lists 357 colleges in a variety of categories based on student feedback. The U-of-I ranks 5th in hard liquor drinking and 13th for beer. Iowa State and U-N-I didn’t make either “party” list. Stepping Up was formed at the U-of-I eight years ago after several alcohol-related incidents on campus, one that resulted in death. Co-coordinator Jim Clayton says the program works to provide students entertainment that doesn’t involve alcohol. Clayton says they offer alternative activities that don’t involve going downtown to a bar — keeping the fieldhouse open late on weekends, grants for student groups to put on alcohol-free events. He says the group also lobbies local leaders about enforcement efforts that could help the situation. Clayton acknowledges the U-of-I -does- have an alcohol problem, part of which he blames on Iowa City ordinances that allow 19-year-olds into bars. Alcohol, he says, is everywhere in our society. He says the image of alcohol is strongly tied to so many sports events and other forms of entertainment, “that’s a hard thing to fight. The culture is centered on alcohol. We’re not trying to abolish it, we’re just trying to put it in…its proper perspective.”
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