With another incarnation of Bear Beginnings said and done, the new members of the Washington University community can now confidently strut around campus educated on our school’s policies, but maybe not ready for the day-to-day struggles of college life. “Our Names, Our Stories” tells of our various identities, “The Date” of sexual assault and violence, and “Bearings” of…well, not much.

The program created to replace the oft-maligned “Choices” smoothed out much of the cheesiness that made its predecessor memorable but failed to put forth vital information about the University’s policies, glossing over issues that require substantial discussion.

The short program includes a 17-minute video depicting the overwhelming nature of Wash. U. course work, mental illness and alcohol abuse while explaining the roles of various resources on campus. The following 45-minute presentation by Residential College directors includes introductions of various Residential Life and First Year Center leaders, an abundance of information about resources on campus and a brief mention of the University’s alcohol and drug policy as well as community standards.

Where “Bearings” fails is in its attempt to reconcile two competing views. The University wants to enforce Missouri law that the official drinking age is 21 and any activity of that sort is illegal. However, the administration seems intent on creating a large gray area within the medical amnesty policy by acknowledging campus drinking and condoning it to a degree. Written policy dictates that alcohol abuse will be met with a required—but nonthreatening—meeting with the RCD. “Bearings,” however, portrays these required meetings as penal and RCDs as unapproachable. In “Bearings,” abusive behaviors are remedied by a stern lecture—a portrayal that directly contradicts written policy.

What should have been conveyed is that RCDs are wonderful resources and are willing to work with students as much as possible. The First Year Center in part wanted to alter “Choices” in order to give a more united interpretation of the alcohol policy through the RCDs instead of each floor’s resident advisers. When the post-video debriefing, led by the RCDs, failed to reach a threshold of explaining the policy, many students were left confused and lost when it came to understanding what the University’s policy truly is.

“Bearings”’ mental health issue of choice—anorexia—also shows the program’s flaws, as a student’s serious mental illness is once again rectified by a stern lecture and a laundry list of resources. While time certainly is a constraint, trivializing mental illness and eating disorders in this degree sends the wrong message to students and undermines the school’s commitments to assisting in such problems in the long run.

“Bearings” has promise as an impactful part of the WU Life Series, but its flaws need to be corrected by next fall. The cheesy-but-charming dialogue should serve to make the program memorable—an area in which the old programming, “Choices,” succeeded. Policies and resources should not be glossed over, or at least should be addressed in full by the RCD in a debriefing period.

For a program so focused on making smart choices in college, “Bearings” was a massive misstep.