UGA PARTYING NOT PROMOTED

When I saw the Constitution's partial quote of me in the story on the
Princeton Review's inclusion of the University of Georgia in the party
school rankings, I regretfully knew we would have misunderstandings such as
that reflected in the letter from a parent printed Thursday ("UGA party
ranking nothing to bark about," Aug. 23).

In addition to the quote printed in the paper, I told the reporter, "If
we're talking about alcohol and drug abuse and rowdiness, of course the
University doesn't condone that. But if we're talking about our students
having a rewarding social life in connection with an excellent academic
experience, then of course, that's a good thing."

These so-called surveys aren't worth the paper they're printed on. They're
designed to promote the publication they represent by generating news
stories, letters to the editor and casual conversation. Clearly, the
Princeton Review has succeeded in that goal.

Parents can rest assured the University of Georgia takes seriously its role
in educating young people about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. The
institution has well-established programs in that regard.

TOM JACKSON