Yes

With all the talks of budget cuts, tuition hikes, and layoffs in recent years, it’s clear the University of Iowa could use some more money — to put it simply. As a way to generate more revenue in the university, Kinnick Stadium should allow venders to sell beer.

This past week’s announcement of the new contract that allows the UI Tigerhawk logo to be marketed along side Anheuser-Busch logos sends mixed messages about the university’s policies on alcohol. Then there’s the university policy allowing alcohol to be sold to fans in the luxury suites, which also adds to the mixed messages of a "dry campus."

According to the USA Today, there are now 20 major universities that now allow beer to be sold at their football games.

Rather then increasing the UI students’ tuition to pay for a certain new facility, program, equipment, you name it, beer sales from Kinnick could help lighten the heavy load on every student’s tuition costs. The university could implement the same "$8-a-beer" prices that are seen in almost every major arena or stadium at the professional-sports level. This student certainly wouldn’t purchase too many $8 beers, but other students and game attendees very well might. UI students: Think of how much money your house would rake in for a house party that sold cups for 8 bucks.

However, unlike students who would use the money generated from their party to just purchase more beer, the university could use that money in way that better benefit the UI community. Put the generated money toward funding a department, organization, or activity that seeks positive outcomes if those events listed at the top of this article aren’t your top priorities. Those $8 beers would sell much faster if consumers knew the money was going to help fund cancer research through Dance Marathon.

Having beer available for purchase at Kinnick may possibly detract students from partaking in the intense pregame activities that have plagued Iowa City football Saturdays for so long.

Better yet, the university could keep Kinnick’s beer selection to only Iowa craft beer to help support the local economy as well as small businesses — at least compared with the big brewing companies. Seeing cups of Millstream and Peace Tree beers in Hawkeye fans’ hands rather than Bud and Miller Lights would be a refreshing sight.

If the university is seriously looking for ways to generate more money, selling beer at Kinnick may be a good option to consider.

— Matthew Williams

No

Two words: Iowa City. Done, nothing more to say, I’m going to get back to my mojito.

No? You want more? OK, you asked for it.

Iowa City (the Sin City of the Midwest) is a mass breeding ground for future alcoholics and binge drinkers — you know, the 60s-esque socialites who drown their sorrows with vodka tonics and swinging with the neighbors. To give these people access to more beer at Hawkeye football games would be irresponsible. And as we all know, responsibility matters.

Now, I know certain UI officials who sit in premium boxes at football games have sort of unofficially donned alcohol as a more than acceptable Iowa City pastime (see Anheuser-Busch deal). But in the spirit of ignoring stupidity, I have chosen to pretend that there is not really a beer company funding alcohol prevention on campus.

Sure, it’d be easy to make a few extra bucks by selling Bud Light next to UI’s Tigerhawk. Everyone would be able to enjoy their favorite beer while watching their favorite team.

And not only would it make money, but it would take away the absolute hypocrisy in claiming that UI is a dry campus and then allowing drinking in the Presidential Box at football games. Bonus points.

But, at the end of the day, the glorious UI administration, in all its wisdom, should look not at the bottom line but instead at the well-being of the students.

It would be terrible to sell alcohol at Hawkeye football games. OK, so we’ve sold our soul for a few more dollars in marketing the UI logo ($114 million, actually), but that does not mean we should sell the whole store.

Hawkeyes get drunk before football games. Tailgating is huge on this campus (this dry campus), where there are designated parking lots where nostalgic alumni gather to relive their lackluster, drunken escapades from their college years. That should be enough.

Some people crack their first beer at 6 in the morning (don’t ask me why) and stumble into the student section to end up yakking by the second quarter. To provide them with more alcohol would be irresponsible — and, to quote our new sponsor, "responsibility matters."

— Benjamin Evans