Brigham Young University has lost its high status as one of the nation's most stone-cold sober schools.
And that's an affront for some folks around here. "We still feel that we're just as strong in that category as ever," said university spokeswoman Carrie Jenkins.No, BYU hasn't relaxed its Honor Code to allow the use of alcohol and drugs. And, no, this doesn't have anything to do with drinking at Provo's infamous nightclub, LeMar's.
In rankings released last week, the Princeton Review surprisingly left BYU off its list of the top 10 stone-cold sober schools. Last year, BYU was ranked the second-most-sober school in America, and some students were shooting for the No. 1 spot this year.
Instead, BYU, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is behind at least 10 other schools in terms of abstinence. The rankings have some students, faculty and administrators trying to figure out what changed.
"I don't think the partying has increased at all," said student body president Dallin Anderson. "I haven't noticed a change and I can't imagine there would be a significant change without the administration saying we need to correct the problem.
"I think we're just as stone-cold sober as ever." Anderson said BYU students take pride in shunning alcohol because that's what each one agreed to do upon entering the school.
While BYU didn't make the sober list, the Provo university did rank No. 2 for absence of hard liquor on a list called "Scotch and Soda, Hold the Scotch." The only school ahead of BYU on that list was tiny Deep Springs College of central California.
The Princeton Review annually sends questionnaires to thousands of college students across the country. The survey is not based on a scientific sample. Results are taken from students' own assessments of their peers.
BYU students' sobriety, rankings notwithstanding, apparently remains intact. Warner Woodworth, a professor of organizational behavior, said BYU students often question him after classes about religious principles. Students at other universities where he has taught, including Michigan and University of California at Berkeley, have different things on their minds.
"Those students are more likely to come up to you after class and say, `Hey, can we go get some pizza and beer?' "
BYU made several other Princeton Review lists this year as well. The school was ranked No. 2 behind Deep Springs College for campuses on which students are least likely to use marijuana. Also, BYU came in second for "Students Most Nostalgic for (Ronald) Reagan" and "Future Rotarians and Daughters of the American Revolution."
For the third time since 1994, BYU ranked as the most religious school in America. BYU also ranked in the top three for campuses on which students get along well with the surrounding community.
The top "party school" in this year's ranking was West Virginia University in Morgantown, followed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the State University of New York at Albany. The most sober schools were California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Grove City College of Pennsylvania and Wesleyan College of Macon, Ga.
The Princeton Review guide is published by a New Jersey company not affiliated with Princeton University.