WATERVILLE -- Colby College administrators have second thoughts about hosting an annual drinking event that continues to end in the hospitalization of multiple students.

Each year, many Colby seniors drink heavily in celebration of the completion of their studies in an event called Senior Champagne on the Steps.

The long-standing tradition compounded its infamy among local law enforcement agencies in 2006, when it culminated in various injuries, much intoxication and three arrests. Following this, administrators in 2007 partnered with students to police the event and found a measure of success, Colby College Dean of Students James Terhune said.

"We had reason to believe that progress would continue" at this year's event, he said. "And obviously, we were wrong."

Twenty students were treated for alcohol poisoning during and after the event. Seventeen of those went to the emergency room, according to Waterville Police Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey. Two received court summonses on charges of underaged consumption. There also were incidents of vandalism and property damage.

Campus rules of other area colleges, including Unity College, Thomas College and University of Maine at Farmington would prohibit such an event. Colby College itself does not technically sanction Senior Champagne On the Steps, Terhune said.

"In terms of justifying the event and the behaviors -- we don't," he said.

Still, the college hosts it, and students keep going to the hospital. But the emergency-room visits occur throughout the year as well -- averaging 40 and sometimes 50 trips per year, just for excessive alcohol consumption, according to Paul Berkner, the medical director of Colby's Garrison-Foster Health Center.

Compare that with three to four ER visits for Thomas College students, five at Unity College and eight to 10 at University of Maine Farmington.

At Colby, students' personal insurance pays for the trips.

"It's the largest single medical problem that I deal with," Berkner said.

Even taking into account Colby's larger student body -- about 1,600 students -- proportionally, it still has a far higher frequency of emergency-room runs than other area colleges. What are the factors that contribute to Colby's drinking problem?

"Drinking is more prevalent in New England; it's more prevalent in rural places," Berkner said. "And it's also related to money. Poor people don't tend to binge-drink as much."

Terhune and Berkner point to the fact that Colby's statistics are comparable to fellow schools that also are members of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, but both said binge drinking is still a problem.

Twenty students face possible disciplinary action, such as not being allowed to participate in various activities connected with graduation, Terhune said.

But there is a perception in the community that the college does not do enough to control its students. "Colby might discipline them? Ha." Waterville Police Chief Joseph Massey said in an interview in his office when told of the possibility. "I think they all got a six-pack and were sent to their rooms."

Some students during the 2006 senior celebration shouted at police and wore obscene anti-police slogans on their clothing. One was injured during his arrest.

Administrators at area colleges said that the event would not go over well on their campuses.

"It would never be accepted by the administration," said Ted Blais, UMF's head of public safety. "If the entire senior class came to me and said that's what they wanted to do, I would tell them that is public drinking, and that that meeting would serve as their warning."

Blais said if the event happened anyway, he would issue court summonses.

It wouldn't work at Thomas College, either.

"The champagne brunch is certainly not an event that we would sponsor," Thomas College Vice President for Student Affairs Lisa Desautels-Poliquin said.

Nor Unity College.

"Under our current policies, no, in that we don't allow alcohol consumption in public," Unity Dean for Student Affairs Gary Zane said. "We do have a student center on campus that has a liquor license. But we have a very strict policy."

Colby administrators are not explicitly ruling out nixing the event entirely, although they also are not elaborating on the likelihood of this.

"We will certainly be taking a close look at how the event is managed or what the future of the event will be," Terhune said.

"At this point, our emphasis has been on managing the fallout from last week."

Joel Elliott -- 861-9252

jelliott@centralmaine.com