No one representing a South Dakota college or university has signed on to the Amethyst Initiative, a controversial national effort by college officials to lower the drinking age as a way to reduce binge drinking among their students.

Kay Schallenkamp, president of Black Hills State University, said she has received information about the initiative, and her administration has talked to student organizations.

"I don't see that we have a problem on this campus," she said. "I know it's a topic of conversation nationally."

Schallenkamp said underage drinking probably happens at Black Hills State.

"Am I going to say we don't have any issues? No, I know better than that. I'm not going to pretend otherwise," she said. "But we are working with our students."

Richard Yoast, director of public policy and primary prevention for the American Medical Association, recommends college presidents not sign the initiative because the discussion the initiative proposes is narrow in scope. He said there's no discussion about enforcing or strengthening current laws.

The age barrier might cause some underage people to drink, he said, but not most.

"They basically drink because they like the effects of the alcohol," he said.

He said he is glad to hear South Dakota college presidents haven't signed the initiative, launched in July. The initiative says the problem of "irresponsible drinking by young people continues despite the minimum legal drinking age of 21, and there is a culture of dangerous binge drinking on many campuses."

The 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act imposed a penalty of 10 percent of a state's federal highway appropriation on any state setting its drinking age lower than 21.

The initiative points out that adults younger than 21 are allowed to vote, sign contracts, serve on juries and enlist in the military, but not drink. By choosing to use fake IDs, students make ethical compromises that erode respect for the law.

Robert Wharton, president of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, said he has discussed the issue with other college presidents statewide. He has not signed on but will support the Board of Regents' position on the issue, which has not been on the board's meeting agenda so far.

"We are all about teaching students and encouraging them to be responsible in behaviors, which would include drinking," he said.

A Mines student died several years ago in an alcohol-related incident, he said, and the university formed a coalition to raise awareness about alcohol consumption.

Not all college leaders were open to talking about the Amethyst Initiative.

Bob Otterson, executive assistant to the president of South Dakota State University, refused to discuss it or allow the president to be interviewed.

"He has no interest in talking about it," Otterson said. "It is not a topic on this campus."

But SDSU Students' Association president Chris Daugaard said it is. He said students representatives talked about the issue with President David Chicoine at an open forum last Monday.

"He said it's not an issue they're going to deal with or take a stance on directly," Daugaard said. Daugaard said the administration thinks the issue will be dealt with at a federal level, so the university doesn't need to take any action right now.

School of Mines students have differing opinions, and lowering the drinking age would be controversial on the campus, sophomore Erica Kjar, a student government member, said. She said binge drinking is not a problem on her campus, but she supports lowering the drinking age.

"I support it for no other reason than at 18, you are a legal adult," she said.

However, she said: "If it was passed, it would be harder for residence life to monitor the drinking in the dormitories, because dorm-age students would have easier access to alcohol. We would probably have to increase our alcohol awareness activities."

James Kliewer, a junior, said his school isn't known for its parties but doesn't think lowering the drinking age would be a good idea.

"The high school scene would turn into what the college scene is now, and I don't think we want that," he said.

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com.