By Chelsea Barger | @KyKernel

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UK president Eli Capilouto has created a new task force group to study the alcohol policies that are in place on campus.

The task force is called, “Work Group on Student Health and Safety,” and will have 15 members comprising of school officials and community representitives.

Capilouto said in a UK press release that the task force is in place to, “review and evaluate new evidence and best practices available to the University and community to prevent alcohol abuse and reduce it associate harm on and off campus.”

Being a large part of Lexington culture, UK is highly involved in the community.  However some Lexingtonians in outlying and close-by communities to campus have expressed concern.  Students who want to drink but cannot because of the alcohol policy go elsewhere around the city to do so.

Robert Mock is UK’s Vice President for Student Affairs and co-chair for the task force.

Mock told the Kernel via email that the task force would like to look into other institutions’ ideals and alcohol policies to create a policy at UK that is conducive to a healthier policy for everyone on campus.

“Through evidence-based research consistently revealing new information about effective means for facilitating responsible alcohol use and reducing alcohol consumption it is likely the workgroup will make some similar recommendations that other institutions have utilized,” Mock said.

Community members as well as many of Mock’s colleagues at UK will collaborate to create a comprehensive problem solving manifesto.

The task force’s 15 members will look closely at better ways to avoid alcohol abuse and create a healthier and safer campus.

“The plans are to explore and translate new knowledge into the creation and implementation of effective best practice policies to facilitate responsible alcohol use and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol misuse,” Mock said.

Mock says the task force will be addressing four key points.

– “Assess individual and environmental factors that contribute to the misuse of alcohol by University of Kentucky students on-and off-campus.

– Assess current campus practices and policies designed to promote responsible use of alcohol and prevention of alcohol abuse with reduction of associated harms.

– Review and evaluate new evidence and best practices available to the University and community to prevent alcohol abuse and reduce its associated harm on-and off-campus.

– Provide summary evaluations about alternative strategies at the individual, campus, and community level designed to prevent alcohol abuse and its associated harm on-and off-campus and mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of such strategies for the purpose of continuous quality improvement.”

President Capilouto has expressed no bias towards either eliminating or keeping the current policy.

In an interview with CN2, he did express concern about the overall health and well-being, as well as the legalities of drinking on campus.

“It’s about responsible consumption of alcohol,” Capilouto said.