Three years ago few people knew who Chancellor John Wiley was.

That all changed when the then-provost dared to challenge that sacred student institution — downtown drinking. One of the first high-profile examples of Wiley’s commitment to involving the university in all licensing decisions was Luther’s Blues.

It is now two years later and Wiley’s position is more powerful, but his commitment to combating Madison’s drinking culture remains intact. While we disagree with him on several tactics — such as banning drink specials — we share his desire for weekend options other than binge drinking.

One alternative we have suggested — and that Wiley endorsed in a recent interview — is encouraging entertainment venues to admit students of all ages while still allowing those overage to, if they choose, have a beer while they enjoy the show. This would prevent “splitting the crowd”, where non-alcohol shows attract only under-agers and those serving alcohol are forced to compete with bars for the over-21 crowd.

A perfect example of the new format is tonight’s show at Luther’s featuring Liars & Saints. All ages are invited, and if you are over 21 you can get a wristband and drink. The benefits are obvious — students under 21 have an entertainment option; students over 21 do not have to choose between alcohol and a show; and Luther’s can draw from the entire student population, not just half.

Nights like tonight were part of the deal then-provost Wiley negotiated with Luther’s in exchange for supporting their application for a liquor license. We are pleased Wiley shares our enthusiasm for such venues and we hope he encourages the city to devote more time to making increased entertainment options such as Luther’s a reality.