Anheuser-Busch is planning to release Bud Light cans with university colors as a response to a decline in sales. Of course they say this campaign only targets students of legal age, but exactly how does that work? I doubt that seeing school colors on a can will make students eager to get more drunk, but this is a horrible idea.

Between 1993 and 2001, 18- to 20-year-olds showed a 56 percent jump in the rate of heavy drinking episodes. Underage drinkers consume 90 percent of the alcohol during binges, and underage drinking kills some 5,000 young people and contributes to around 600,000 injuries and 100,000 cases of sexual assault annually.

Here are even more statistics.

According to the article, the University of Michigan has threatened legal action if their school colors are used. I think all colleges potentially involved in this campaign (27 of them) should do the same; even if the campaign doesn’t lead to higher sales from college students, universities should make a firm stand against direct targeting.

In other news, Duke University changed their sexual assault policy over the summer:

The revised policy includes a clause requiring student-on-student sexual misconduct to be reported by University officials who learn of it. These people include faculty and staff, as well as students who represent an arm of the University, such as resident assistants and first-year advisory counselors.

Previously, University officials were only required to report faculty or staff sexual offenses against students. Now, when an allegation is filed, the Women’s Center and the Office of Student Conduct are notified. The Women’s Center will reach out to the victim with medical and psychological support and the OSC will automatically begin an investigation into the allegation.

Of course students can still report sexual assault to counselors or through the center, but this change gives students more channels to report crimes while also increasing chances that those responsible will be held accountable.