He called for the university to be proactive in its attempts to change attitudes to alcohol, at a presentation yesterday.
"I'm proposing the university spends time and money creating a culture, versus trying to control one," he said.
The talk, titled "The Way Forward", was attended by about 100 people, including university college heads, Otago University Students Association (OUSA) representatives, and Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull.
Mr Thomson shared the latest results of his alcohol survey of first-year students which showed, overall, there was more awareness about the harm alcohol could cause.
However, the "liquor industry is doing a phenomenal job of creating, and spurring on, a drinking culture".
The Dunedin City Council, and particularly OUSA, had to "bear the brunt of dealing with this issue", while the university's response had been "predominantly reactive".
Campus Watch and the Code of Conduct were "reactionary measures to a dire situation", while the code was also attempting to create change through fear, he said.
Spending $5.1 million on buying two student pubs to create extra study space was also a poor move.
"I think study space is a good thing ... but I'm not aware of students complaining about a lack of study space.
"There is a lack of floor space to socialise in. There are very few venues for youth in this city.
"The university is putting a lot of money into its university plaza ... I'm not sure people will be dancing down there on a Thursday night."
The "elephant in the room" was student spare time and a "recurrent phrase" was "there is nothing to do in Dunedin".
"If alcohol-centred recreation is the default, what is the university going to do about that?"
No amount of study space or removal of pubs was going to affect the amount of alcohol being consumed, Mr Thomson said.
"I think we need to do something with student spare time and I think it needs to be relevant and feasible."
That was where Scarfie Card came in, as it not only offered students something to do, but introduced them to Dunedin's attractions and surroundings, and dealt with a "disconnect" between students and residents.
"This is about getting students out of the ghetto to see some of the things around Dunedin," he said.
A 10-week trial of the scheme, which matched willing students to residents in need of a voluntary hand, in return for rewards, revealed the city could benefit from $300,000 worth of volunteer hours.
The next stage was to secure funding and Mr Thomson had his eyes on the DCC and university to pay the bulk of the $100,000 needed to run it for a year.
He wanted the two parties to pay $25,000 each, OUSA to pay $10,000, $20,000 would come from advertising, and the rest from the Department of Internal Affairs.
University vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said, with the advent of volunteer student membership, the institution was "actively exploring" ways to combine resources with OUSA to "enhance the campus experience" for students.
The university had not yet made a final decision about helping fund Scarfie Card.
Mr Cull said the card "addressed a genuine issue" but in terms of the council helping fund it, it was "watch this space".
