Committee member Judith F. Preston, the coordinator of Greek life at the university, said that students have the misconception that a decision has already been made to create a dry campus policy. But the committee has not yet reached any conclusions.

"I am just hoping that our students will under stand what we're trying to do," she said.

Stanley said that although students oppose a ban on alcohol, many favor tighter control.

Students feel that "alcohol is something that is a part of the college experience," Palmer said.

Senior James F. Amfpacher, the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, said that a recent student poll showed that students opposed a dry campus by a ratio of nine to one. The newspaper has editorialized against an alcohol ban.

"I just think that if there's really a problem, just telling students they can't have it isn't going to eliminate it. The real problem is enforcement of the current policy," he said.

Amfpacher said the newspaper gets about five to seven letters a week complaining about a possible dry campus.

"I think the kids that want to drink would still get their alcohol from off campus," he said.

But owners of one popular bar outside campus said that a change in the school's policy will not affect their stance toward the legal drinking age.

"We're doing a good job. We're serving the right people, and a dry campus won't really affect our business at all," said one of the owners of Ted's Restaurant.

He said that because Ted's checks IDs strictly at the door, the bar is not a source of alcohol for under-age students.

"Kids are going to try to get away with whatever they can," he said, citing the discovery last year of a ring of false ID production on campus.