YOU THINK? Disposable income, not many intellectual challenges, the world looks better through the bottom of a bottle.

"What we're trying to promote is a culture of caring for each other," said Thomas Tunks, associate provost and a task force member.

On the academic side, ideas include holding more Friday morning classes, to cut down on Thursday night partying. One study found that undergraduates drink more alcohol on Thursdays when they have no early Friday classes.

Others recommendations try to change the social atmosphere on campus.

The task force said students need more reasons to stay on campus and have fun – without alcohol. Ideas include keeping the student union open until 2 a.m. and having late-night events around campus, such as flag football and basketball games, all-night dance marathons and midnight movies.

Another proposal is opening a pub on campus that would serve beer to legal drinkers and food. Several campuses, including Rice University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, do so.

Fraternities, sororities and other student groups would also be able to serve beer on campus to students of legal drinking age. Parties could only happen Friday and Saturday nights, and student groups would have to hire bartenders and security. The thinking is that otherwise, a total ban on alcohol chases students off campus.

The university's motive intrigues. (Hint: midnight basketball is not a diversity initiative.)

The suggested changes come at a time when SMU is trying to raise its academic standing and recruit more high-achieving students. This year's freshman class has the highest average SAT scores ever, and the greatest number of President's Scholars.

What, a party-school gut-course image doesn't raise academic standings? Quelle surprise.