The University of Wisconsin Policy, Alternatives, Community and

Education project, aimed at reducing the consequences of high-risk

drinking, introduced a new Best Taverns initiative Tuesday at the

UW Foundation Building.

Aaron Brower, the principal investigator for the PACE project,

said PACE will work extensively with the Alcohol License and Review

Committee this semester to help propel PACE issues, especially for

finding alternatives to the cabaret law, which requires

establishments to have a $250 license in order to allow dancing at

the venue. Only one out of every five bars in Madison has the

cabaret license.

At present taverns cannot allow underage people in the

establishment past a certain time, even places featuring live music

and other entertainment. PACE is looking to help the ALRC create an

ordinance allowing taverns to serve liquor while allowing people

under 21 in the bar as well.

Susan Crowley, PACE project director, said the group will

primarily concern itself this semester with the topic of best

practices for taverns in the downtown area and with finding an

acceptable substitute for the current cabaret law.

“We are trying to make it easier for underage students to be at

events featuring live entertainment,” Crowley said.

The effort is part of PACE’s ongoing mission to combat high-risk

drinking on and around campus.

“One thing we have heard consistently is that there needs to be

more viable things to do in town rather than drinking,” Brower

said.

Brower said the Best Taverns initiative, which will aim to make

bars safer for students, will be much more difficult to tackle.

“This issue is more tricky,” Brower said, adding the group will

be basing its plans on research from comparable cities and

universities and then looking to address problems. “We don’t want

to put bars out of business.”

Brower said they will use research proven to make a difference.

They will also use the research as a way to help determine how to

keep students safe while drinking in the downtown area.

“We want to find ways to keep people safe so that drinking does

not result in problems,” he said, adding things like fights,

vandalism and sexual assaults happen more often than not as a

result of drinking.

Both Brower and Crowley noted the lack of students at Tuesday’s

meeting, which Crowley attributed to the noon hour starting time.

She said a forum will be planned especially for students allowing

them to add their input on the new initiative.