College students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse held an open forum Tuesday to discuss the city's proposal to institute a public intoxication ordinance.
With eight drowning incidents in local rivers since 1997, the La Crosse City Council proposed an ordinance with fines ranging from $200 to $500 for people intoxicated in public — a penalty the council hopes will stop people from stumbling drunk into rivers.
Ryan Van Loo, UW-La Crosse Student Association president, said he presented the ordinances in small bits and allowed the people attending to express their general comments, concerns and ask questions.
"We understand what the city is trying to do," Van Loo said. "But we wonder if they could probably be doing something else."
Van Loo said students are trying to grasp an understanding of the ordinance and are currently divided between whether they are for or against the proposal.
Under the proposed intoxication law, individuals would receive a warning the first time they are cited for public drunkenness.
However, Van Loo said students still question whether issuing fines — even after a warning — would be effective.
"The first fine would cost a student $150 and the second would jump the fine up to $400," Loo said.
Though the ordinance is targeted at the downtown bar district, UW-La Crosse Police Chief Scott Rohde said his department supports the idea of trying to eliminate the problem.
"We do support anything to refrain from these deaths," Rohde said. "The city believes this is another opportunity to make sure people are not so intoxicated and can make clear decisions."
While none of the drowning incidents actually occurred on campus property, Rohde said the UW-La Crosse police were still involved with the city investigations by administering missing person fliers across campus.
As the city works to address the alcohol issue, Rohde said UW-La Crosse would continue to hold sessions — coordinated through the police department, dean of students office and counseling center — on alcohol-related issues in dorms and during freshman orientation.
Peer educators also provide a student perspective on alcohol issues and offer students further insight as to the severity of consequences from alcohol abuse.
"We engage in a zero-tolerance policy on campus," Rohde said. "We [issue citations] 100 percent of the time."
The La Crosse City Council will determine whether the intoxication law passes when they officially vote on the alcohol ordinance March 8.
