Dartmouth has followed the lead of three Maine colleges (Colby, Bates and Bowdoin) in making it illegal to possess hard liquor on campus in an effort to curb a myriad of problems brought on by drinking.

Dartmouth has even taken the move a step further by requiring a mandatory once-a-year education program aimed at curbing sexual violence.

Colleges all across the country have faced problems of sexual harassment and in some cases, rape, in recent years. Staff members are frequently criticized for their handling of these incidents, often appearing to sweep them under the rug, or hoping they’ll go away.

Dartmouth, already being investigated for how it handed an earlier sexual harassment and violence incident, is making an effort to change student behavior from this point forward.

Partying and college have gone together for as far back as most of us can remember. Fraternities have managed to earn a reputation for being party headquarters on some campuses, and sometimes stay just a step ahead of the rules to avoid sanctions. Others press their luck and are shut down completely.

When parents send their sons and daughters off to college, they expect it to provide a safe environment: dorms where rules have been established and are followed; and campus grounds that are safe at all times.

It must be heart-wrenching to learn that a daughter has been attacked or sexually assaulted while walking on campus.

While we all understand that college-age students are young adults, by the same token, we try to encourage them to seek safe places if they’re headed to college or even off to their first job away from home. It’s impossible to guarantee their safety, but parents always try.

That’s why it’s especially disheartening when we hear of incidents at well-respected colleges and universities. Young folks, many of them away from home for the first time, aren’t always “street smart” when it comes to drinking, especially drinking hard liquor. It not only affects their good judgment, but in some cases, can kill them if they consume too much.

While drugs are prevalent on many campuses today, we feel banning hard liquor on campus is a wise move by Dartmouth and other colleges.

We’re sure others will follow suit in their efforts to protect the nation’s young folks, as well as their own image.