By Erin McCusker
Arizona Summer Wildcat
August 26, 1997

UA parties hard - but doesn't make top ten

Despite the fact Princeton Review's top 10 party school list released last week excluded the UA, alcohol-related arrests at UA are nearly four times those of the top-rated party school, West Virginia University.

In 1996, the University of Arizona logged 284 liquor-law violations while WVU reported only 58. Although WVU's student population is approximately half the UA's, the numbers still suggest that UA students party harder than the review's number-one school.

"We party whenever we can. We're always looking for a party," Jake Frye, a media arts sophomore, said while attending a party Sunday night.

However, the survey's runner-up, University of Wisconsin, boasted 412 alcohol violations, suggesting that the survey might have been inconsistent.

West Virginia University Police Officer Randy Friend said his school was not worthy of its new title and the results were inaccurate.

"We pride ourselves on having a good, safe campus and a good student body," Friend said.

The Princeton Review questionnaire was handed out to West Virginia students the night before a big rival football game, which Friend believes may have tainted results.

"I think their (student) answers were greatly influenced by that," he said.

The survey tracked thousands of students nationally at more than 311 schools, asking questions concerning alcohol and drugs, hours of study each day, and popularity of the Greek system.

Many UA students believe the UA's student body parties as much as those on the top 10 party school list.

"We just know how to hide it better. We're an underground party school," Mara Upenieks, an anthropology junior said.

Although some students believe they take partying to the extreme, the majority of students on campus drink in moderation, said Stephanie Ives, health educator for Student's Health, Alcohol, and Drug Education.

Last spring, SHADE conducted a random survey of students living in residence halls, fraternity and sorority houses. Results indicated that 64 percent of UA students have four or fewer drinks at a party.

"For a small percentage of students, heavy drinking (five or more drinks) is a problem," Ives said. "But most students show healthy, moderate behavior when it comes to alcohol consumption."

Some students partying Sunday night said school takes priority above drinking.

"We don't drink if we have to study," Frye said.

Over the weekend, UAPD cited several minors on alcohol violations and university-area convenience stores reported an overall increase of sales; although they could not calculate the total number.

UA's Greek population is one of the largest in the West and comparable to populations of top 10 schools.

But some non-Greek students dislike fraternity and sorority parties.

"People at those kind of parties always say the same things: 'What's your major? Where are you from?' It's so repeated," Upenieks said.

She said she likes small parties because they are more personal.

"Smaller parties are cool when you know people. They're more social than bigger ones," Frye said.

One transfer student at Sunday night's two-keg party on North First Avenue said he enjoys bigger parties.

"It's fun to be anonymous at parties," Anthony Brown, an undeclared sophomore said.

Top Ten Party Schools

1. West Virginia Univ.

2. Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison

3. SUNY Albany

4. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder

5. Trinity College (CT)

6. Florida State Univ.

7. Emory Univ.

8. Univ. of Kansas

9. Univ. of Vermont

10. Louisiana State Univ.-Baton Rouge