Notifying parents of violations treats students like children

On a mission to prove that it is serious about changing collegiate party culture, the University of Michigan recently instituted a new pilot program — effective for the class of 2019 — in which parents will receive a notification from the school after students receive two or more alcohol violations. The policy equivalent of tattletaling, the new program babies college students and assumes that they are incapable of making smart decisions without parents issuing their stamp of disapproval.

Though effective at face value, the program warps incentives, suggesting that students’ strongest deterrence to drink safely comes from the fear of parents’ retaliation, not from a sense of responsibility that parents have hopefully instilled by now. And though the university has insisted that the intent of the policy is not disciplinary, the flurry of the administration’s phone calls to worried parents paints a picture that increasingly treats undergraduates as children who need to be put in their place. Parents, of course, should be part of an open and honest communication with students. But when the school, instead of the student, initiates the conversation, it becomes more punitive and less constructive.

By intervening in a child-parent relationship, university parent notification can only be productive if the relationship is already open and supportive — but some parents may have abusive or controlling relationships with their children. And though it is commendable that the policy will be implemented on a case-by-case basis, which means notification could depend on the nature of the child-parent relationship in question, there is no way for the university to have full information about the private relationships between students and parents. Depending on the student’s home situation, a letter entailing alcohol violations could put that student in potential danger.

If the university is so committed to opening an avenue of communication about alcohol violations, a letter from the school detailing a student’s violation should not be the first time that the school talks to parents about alcohol. Just as students take alcohol education programs, so too should parents learn about encouraging students to make smart decisions — before that alcohol violation occurs.

It is admirable that the University of Michigan will take this decisive step to seriously reducing alcohol-related injuries, alcohol poisoning and the educational decline that could accompany binge drinking. But it could pursue these goals without treating students like children — the university could advocate for stronger alcohol awareness, consent education and immediate counselor feedback if binge drinking begins to affect academics.

Regardless, all eyes will be on the University of Michigan’s class of 2019 to see the administration’s implementation of the new alcohol violation policy. It will most likely be highly effective — parental disappointment is, for many, the most biting form of disapproval. But it comes at the expense of dispossessing independence from students and failing to fully prepare them for the post-college social scenarios in which parents won’t be constantly notified about drinking. Students should grow up, and parents — trust that your kids have grown up.

Sonali Seth is a sophomore majoring in political science and policy, planning, and development. She is also the editorial director of the Daily Trojan. “Point/Counterpoint” runs Mondays.