For many students, beer is generally a part of the college experience. 

Between turning 21 and graduating, you’ll likely join the mug club at Illini Inn or ride the rail at Legends at least once. This semester, inside many of these campus bars, you will find new Coors Light posters with the Illini logo. 

The University signed a contract in August to make Coors Light the official beer of the University. We are now one of only a few Big Ten universities to have an official beer sponsor. 

But since a good portion of our student population is under the legal drinking age, the University says it does not want to market alcohol directly to students, and as indicated in the Chicago Tribune, University officials were “blindsided” by the billboards associating the University with Coors Light. Apparently artwork was approved only for alcohol-serving places such as bars and restaurants. 

However, we notice a little bit of contradiction in the University’s complaints.

Recently, University officials discovered the unauthorized use of University-affiliated logos on billboards near campus, which have since been taken down. University spokeswoman Robin Kaler told the Chicago Tribune last month that MillerCoors was instructed not to place alcohol-related billboards in Champaign-Urbana, yet billboards in Peoria and Chicago will go untouched. 

The University claims it doesn’t want to advertise directly to students, but if that’s the case, what’s the point of allowing the agreed upon artwork at campus bars? Aside from the occasional professor at happy hour, who do you think frequents these places? Answer: students.

While we think it makes sense that the University is trying to make a few bucks — and hey, we could use it if it makes tuition go down (though we’re not getting our hopes up) — the University is sending mixed messages in its response to the billboards. 

If the goal was to only promote alcohol to 21 and older, then it doesn’t make much sense to get in a tizzy about billboards and not posters or artwork in a bar, especially when the entrance age for campus bars is 19.

Alcohol abuse is an important issue on any college campus, and we appreciate the motives behind the University’s care and concern regarding their sponsorship with Coors Light.

At the same time, the issues they have upheld with the beer company regarding its art and advertising seem contradictory and don’t necessarily address the concern the University apparently has.