With the interests of University of Wisconsin students under assault by Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., some student leaders are now considering secession from the powerful local interest group. The State-Langdon Neighborhood Association has been part of CNI since 2005 but has had seemingly little substantive influence on CNI?s policy proposals. We believe the time has come for CNI and the State-Langdon organization to part ways.

Indeed, CNI politics have consistently neglected student interests, and common sense has often been a casualty as well. Convinced that downtown Madison faces a crisis stemming from alcohol consumption, the group has used its influence to promote policies that would discourage students from drinking downtown. These policies include the logically deficient Alcohol License Density Plan, which is now city policy, and new proposals to increase the beer tax and double citations for underage drinking.

While tightening the taps may well have an impact downtown, any benefit would be purely cosmetic, as students will be driven to house parties in more sparsely policed areas. This would only render students more vulnerable to criminals who have shown a penchant for preying on drunken college students.

None of that seems to matter much to CNI, whose stance on these issues makes it clear their primary concern is promoting a more quaint downtown culture. Make no mistake about our motives. Student safety and free-market principles ? and not some irrational love of liquor ? drive our antagonism toward CNI?s alcohol policies. It is an undeniable part of our culture that many UW students are going to drink. And when they choose to make that decision, it is our hope they are as safe as possible.

State-Langdon surely agreed to join CNI in 2005 under the assumption it would have some influence over its agenda. In the wake of a string of policy proposals disregarding the will and best interests of the student population, it is clear the current strategy has failed.

The overriding question now is not whether students can become a formidable lobbying force outside CNI?s confines ? though that is a pertinent concern. Instead, it is whether a student group should claim membership to an organization that consistently disregards its interests. We firmly believe the answer is no.

But an independent student neighborhood association can only stay relevant by recruiting interested students to attend meetings and City Council hearings. Student Ald. Eli Judge, District 8 and the Greek community on Langdon Street must play a large role if this group is to maintain long-term efficacy. If student leaders can form a robust organization that ?extends beyond just State-Langdon,? as Mr. Judge suggests, perhaps students will finally have a way to counteract the influence of CNI on City Council policy.