CEDAR FALLS - University of Northern Iowa President Benjamin Allen is among the many college and university presidents who said they do not support a recent petition urging Congress to study lowering the drinking age.

Presidents from about 100 of the nation's best-known universities have banded together in an effort to get lawmakers to consider lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18. The presidents, who coined the movement the Amethyst Initiative, say the current law encourages dangerous binge drinking on campus.

"This is a law that is routinely evaded," said John McCardell, former president of Middlebury College in Vermont who started the organization. "It is a law that the people at whom it is directed believe is unjust and unfair and discriminatory."

Allen said he applauds the effort to address the "perennial problem of underage alcohol use and the related problem of binge drinking," but he is not buying into the initiative.

"I would have felt more comfortable with the letter if it said we need to look at a myriad of solutions or possible solutions," he said. "As it stands, if you sign it, it is basically saying you think that the drinking age is too high."

University of Iowa President Sally Mason said in a statement she is not in support of the initiative.

However, not everyone agrees with Allen and Mason. Katherine van Wormer, a UNI professor of social work at the University of Northern Iowa and co-author of "Addiction Treatment: A Strengths Perspective," advocates for lowering the legal drinking age to as low as 16, but said "18 would make sense legally."

Van Wormer said the current legal drinking age has turned the drinking culture into a "drink-to-get-drunk" culture.

"To change the drinking culture, people need to learn moderate drinking from their parents. They need adult supervision," she said.

UNI has taken many steps toward reducing excessive drinking on the campus, including the recent formation of an alcohol task force that will address high-risk drinking and the associated negative consequences. The task force is under the direction of Terrence Hogan, vice president for student and educational services. Van Wormer is also part of that task force.

The committee is expected to examine research and assessment techniques on college campuses, assess prevention measures at UNI and across the nation and review relevant statistics and policies from UNI. They will then identify and assess needs for UNI and make a recommendation to Allen in February 2009.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact Emily Christensen

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