legal drinking age

The UT Vice President's Council recommended by unanimous decision Thursday that President William Powers not sign a controversial statement by university presidents from across the country calling for a reconsideration of the legal drinking age.

The Amethyst Initiative, led by former Middlebury College President John McCardell, is supported by 129 university and college presidents who agree that a culture of clandestine binge-drinking has formed on college campuses because "21 is not working.

UT President William Powers has not yet signed on his name to a controversial document urging a lowering of the legal drinking age.

He will not make his final decision without more campus discussion and input.

The Amethyst Initiative, which was launched this June by former Middlebury College President John McCardell, released the document Wednesday, which included the headline "Twenty-one is not working.