Issue: SDSU Students’ Association and administration, dealing with circumstances beyond anyone’s control, are working hard to ensure students have tailgating for the first home football game of the year.

Over the summer, due to issues of capacity and safety, SA and administration agreed to create a tailgating student lot directly north of the Coughlin-Alumni Stadium lot. Unfortunately, due to construction issues and weather, the lot was deemed unusable for the first home game on Sept. 18.

Upon getting the news that the student lot would not be used, the Students’ Association jumped into action, passing a resolution calling for administration to take action in securing a new location for tailgating. Vice President of Student Affairs Marysz Rames said she would make calls late into the evening to Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president, to get things figured out. The next morning a conference call was held among SA senators and important administrative figures, including Director of Athletics Justin Sell. It was decided that an area of the lot north of Frost Arena would be used for student tailgating.

We applaud the initiative and action taken by both the university and SA in looking out for students. They acted swiftly and with great concern for students’ tailgating experience.

However, while we think tailgating is fun, does not being able to tailgate for one game really warrant such an emergency-like response? It seems like the issue was blown out of proportion.

The tailgating policy has been a touchy subject over the years, but this is not a large policy change denying students the opportunity to tailgate. This is simply a case of things beyond control 8212; construction and rain 8212; getting in the way of one instance of tailgating.

While the solution was most likely a simple-enough remedy, it seems like there are more important things to be worrying about other than tailgating at one game. We’re not saying SA and the university should not have done what they did to solve the problem 8212; in fact we’re happy with the outcome. We simply wish more important things were given the same urgency and concern that tailgating was.

Stance: Not having tailgating for one game would not be the end of the world. We hope SA and the university act with the same passion, determination and urgency when it comes to more important issues.

Issue: SDSU’s Students’ Association passed a resolution in support of a state Good Samaritan alcohol law, which would exempt individuals under 21 years old from criminal prosecution if they contact law enforcement for another individual in need of medical attention.

Many college students under the age of 21 drink alcoholic beverages. It’s illegal. It’s unavoidable. It’s also dangerous when done recklessly.

More than 1,700 students ages 18-24 die from alcohol related causes each year, according to collegedrinkingprevention.gov.

Alcohol poisoning is deadly, and it is feared that individuals under 21 are hesitant to call emergency responders for a friend in need of medical attention because they are afraid of the legal consequences.

A Good Samaritan alcohol law exempts underage individuals who have been drinking from prosecution if they call for help. The Collegian supports such a law.

Good Samaritan alcohol laws encourage individuals to do the right thing and could be the difference between someone living a long, full life or dying tragically at the age of 18.

And while it’s incredibly selfish that a person would let another individual die because of his or her own unwillingness to take responsibility for their own actions, this scenario is real.

Some may be concerned such a law only encourages more drinking and is counter-productive in stopping underage drinking. We couldn’t disagree more. We highly doubt anyone will look at this law and decide to go binge drinking. Not many rational students see this as a free pass to drink.

And while this law will not stop underage drinking, it will stop one thing: the untimely death of someone’s child. Being realistic and passing a Good Samaritan alcohol law will save lives.

Stance: We support SA’s efforts in lobbying South Dakota State Legislature into passing a realistic, life-saving Good Samaritan alcohol state law.

Editorial Board

Tony Gorder

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Ruth Brown

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Drue Aman

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Hannah Baker

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Emma DeJong

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