COLUMBUS – With St. Patrick’s Day and the first weekend of March Madness colliding like a perfect party storm, university officials in Ohio are taking steps to reduce the amount of dangerous binge-drinking on their campuses.
At Miami University in Oxford, officials are offering alternative activities and increasing police patrols in preparation for a decades-old tradition of celebrating with green-dyed beer on the Thursday before spring break.
University of Dayton officials, meanwhile, are warning students to not engage in harmful behavior as they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and an NCAA tournament berth.
In advance of Green Beer Day, the campus community is changing education and safety after several recent drinking-related problems.
Fewer places will open early this year and fraternities won’t serve hard liquor at parties.
Campus and city police will also conduct joint police patrols. Campus police will distribute water from their cruisers and an alcohol awareness campaign is ongoing.
More than 20 students were hospitalized in one weekend after drinking. Another student died and had a blood alcohol content of .347. Ohio’s legal limit is .08.
University of Dayton Police Chief Rodney Chatman met with both the dean of students and president of the student government association for a press conference to outline expectations Monday. School officials are reminding students that all laws and school conduct rules will be enforced.
Visitors are banned from residence halls from March 16 to March 19. School officials are urging students to make responsible choices with alcohol. Campus police will also increase their presence.
The school has had issues with the holiday for decades including a riot in 2013 where students damaged cars, threw glass bottles and yelled at police.