This year in an attempt to cut back on illegal drinking, the College has included students' birth dates on their bursar's cards. Students will be required to use their cards for positive identification at all campus parties.

But candidates said that these measures are too rigid.

"In getting accepted here, students have demonstrated their responsibility. Decisions about drinking should be left up to them as part of the learning process," said Randall T. Kempner '91.

Several candidates acknowldeged that the University must comply with the state drinking laws, but added that students still have ways of getting around the Massachusetts legal drinking age of 21.

"Students should be allowed to do whatever they want in their dorms, but they have to conform to the law outside," said William F. Crowley '91.

"The drinking age should only be enforced if student drinking interferes with the privacy and pleasure of other students or the community," he added.

"I think the policy is a good one because it absolves the University from any legal responsibility, satisfies the local authorities, and at the same time keeps the students happy," said Troy W. Norris '88.

Susanna L. Blumenthal '90 said, "The [alcohol] policy is a ridiculous one because the University has closed its eyes to the real alcohol problem that exists on this campus. They merely have chosen to handle the crisis in an easy but legal way."

Other candidates said University policy has little effect on student drinking practices.

"There are a lot of intelligent people on campus and those who want to drink will find a way to drink while those who don't want to won't," said Richard B. Cooperstein '88.

David A. Saef '91 said, "Students will drink regardless of what the University intends to do.''

Questioning the QRR

Council hopefuls also agreed for the most part that the QRR should be altered if not wholly abolished.

"The QRR is so superficial it doesn't teach students anything at all," J. Alden Millard '91 said.

"The QRR is a bogus requirement. Students study half an hour the night before the test, and half an hour after the test they have forgotten everything they learned," said David R. Korfhage '90.