Chancellor John Wiley expressed a stricter stance on student alcohol issues Wednesday, saying the university would support the plans of Madison’s Alcohol License Review Committee.

Wiley timed his comments to coincide with the committee’s completion of a study of alcohol issues in the downtown area but said the issue is important for the entire city.

Wiley said his concerns do not lie with underage drinking in itself, but rather the dangerous effects of binge-drinking.

The university might reverse its policy of notifying the parents of students who are taken to detox, he stated.

“We worry the threat of doing that will make students less willing to report on a friend in trouble,” Wiley said. “But if it becomes a problem, we may reconsider.”

The Harvard University College Alcohol Study, which is used as a basis for much of UW’s alcohol research, defines binge-drinking as five or more drinks in one sitting for males, and four or more for females.

Ross Johnson, owner of State Street Brats, 603 State St., said that definition is “a dubious way to analyze data.”

Wiley said he agreed the definition is vague.

“It’s not a definition I find terribly useful,” the chancellor said.

Johnson said he feels bars are not to blame for alcohol abuse.

“The problems are coming from house parties, because there’s no supervision, and you don’t want to get caught for anything,” Johnson said. “If you are at a bar and there is a problem, if you tell a bouncer the problem will get solved.”

Johnson pointed out that the one student drinking death last year took place at a house party. UW student Carlos Schwenn of Kenosha died a year ago Tuesday after falling from a second-floor balcony.

The chancellor said statistics show that excess drinking is largely a white male problem at and around UW.

“Many minority students I talk with consider this an amusing issue,” Wiley said. “They can’t figure out why white males think it’s so fun to drink so much they get drunk and fall on their faces.”

UW-Madison junior Jamie Wu disagreed.

“Alcohol abuse is a problem for every age, race and gender,” she said.

Certain bars, such as Luther’s Blues, 1401 University Ave., and Bucks, 802 Regent St., have been quick to show their support of the Robert Wood Johnson Project, which receives UW funding to produce findings on student alcohol consumption, according to Wiley. Others, such as Bullfeathers, 303 N. Henry St., and State Street Brats, 603 State St., have publicly denounced an elimination of drinking specials and drew criticism from the chancellor.

Those bar owners said drink specials are important for business.

“Running drink specials is a way to cover some of your variable cost,” Dick Lyshek, owner of Bullfeathers, said recently. “It is just a matter of trying to maintain cost and not lose so much money. You run a deep discount to get people through the door.”

Johnson said Wiley is going after taverns because it will make him look good and because it is convenient.

“A reason Chancellor Wiley is going after the taverns is because they’re an easy target,” Johnson said.

Wiley said dealing with downtown drinking problems has deterred policemen from enforcing other areas of the city.

“Cities get no effective police coverage, because all of them are dealing with drinking issues,” he said.

He commended both the university and city police departments and UW Greek organizations for their cooperation in the efforts of the RWJ project.

Johnson said he encounters few problems with the police.

“We’re willing to work with them, and we have,” he said. “We have a positive relationship with the police officers.”

Wiley also said the media too often criticizes his actions, while failing to offer proactive solutions.

“I’m disappointed with the reactions and inactions that other parties have taken,” he said. “The Capital Times editorials have been unsupportive. The Badger Herald [editorial board] thinks education will solve the problem, but I don’t believe that will be a complete solution.”