<p>The law in VA has been summarized correctly - if you are under 21 and have any alcohol in your blood-stream, you are guilty of minor in possession of alcohol (MIP). Once a student is arrested for a crime, and is guilty per the law, there is nothing that the W&L administration can do, nor do they try.</p>
<p>W&L has a “three-strike” system for alcohol offenses. Getting a MIP counts as a strike. The school requires the student to re-take the on-line alcohol education class, and charges a $100 fee. </p>
<p>It is a mistake to think that only “party-types” are at risk for being convicted. The enforcement is fairly random. Getting an MIP is frequently just bad luck, rather than the result of a drunken act. </p>
<p>About 100 students each year get either an MIP or a Drunk in Public(in Lexington or Rockbridge County), which works out to about 5% of the student body. If you factor in that many upperclassman are over 21 and that law students account for a low percentage of these charges, the odds for a freshman or sophomore is significantly higher.</p>
<p>W&L has a terrific safe driver program. I know of no other school in the country where such a high percentage of students use safe drivers to get home from parties.</p>
<p>W&L’s president is a supporter of The Amethyst Initiative - calling for lowering the legal drinking age. The new Dean of Students has a more pragmatic approach to this issue. The University’s approach may change over the next couple of years. </p>
<p>It is expensive and inconvenient to get an MIP in Lexington. However, Virginia law allows a first time offender to keep the conviction off of their record if they complete community service, an alcohol and drug class and do not get another conviction within a year.</p>