UW-Madison's dean of students office plans to continue a pilot program intended to curb students' excessive drinking at Badger football games during the upcoming 2008-'09 football season.
Show and Blow,"" which launched in fall 2007, requires students with a previous ejection or citation at a home football game to blow into a portable Breathalyzer test before a game to prove their sobriety.
""We have lots of problems at football with large number of individuals who are disruptive due to intoxication,"" said Ervin Cox, an assistant dean in the Office of the Dean of Students. ""In trying to address that the university came up with this program.""
Cox said previously cited or ejected underage students need to blow a .00 for admittance, while those over 21 need to blow below the legal limit of .08.
""I would encourage [new students] that no matter what they've heard about Badger games ... they should reflect the highest ideals of being a UW-Madison student,"" Kevin Helmkamp, an associate dean of students, said.
Helmkamp said ""Show and Blow"" provides a second chance for ejected students.
""It is also a statement to the larger UW-Madison community - both students, faculty and staff - as well as the Madison community that behavior at football games is something that we are concerned about,"" he said. ""We think students should be held accountable for their actions.""
Cox said students cited or ejected at the 2008 season opener versus the Akron Zips should expect to be in the ""Show and Blow"" program for the rest of the year.
""Alcohol and Big Ten football seem to go hand-in-hand,"" University of Wisconsin Police Lt. Bill Larson said, adding that UWPD issues 10 to 15 underage alcohol tickets per game. ""The reason we give a ticket to somebody is based on the behavior that attracts attention to themselves.""
Larson said the involvement from the dean of students office at football games has helped decrease the total number of citations in each of the past two years.
""There was positive feedback that you can enjoy a football game without being intoxicated - that alcohol doesn't have to be part of the experience at all,"" Helmkamp said.
University officials will review the program over the summer to make possible improvements for the fall. Cox said student season-ticket holders will likely receive a reminder about ""Show and Blow"" sometime before the season begins.
