Prevention File Spring 2000

SPRING 2000

Q&A With John Gardner Campuses and Communities Coming Together Finding Sober Fun Online There Should Be ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ one of its principles of student-athlete ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “When a Mexican goes to the United a Law welfare and leaves anti-hazing enforce- States, he is subject to U.S. laws, and In the aftermath of an ment to the discretion of member no one there would think of modifying investigation of a haz- schools. It says: “It is the responsibility that.” ing incident by the of each member institution to protect But Martínez says the “discretional University of Vermont the health of and provide a safe environ- powers” the law assigns to his office men’s hockey team, ment for each of its participating student allow him to take action such as Vermont Attorney athletes.” prohibiting the sale of alcohol to General William Forty-one states have antihazing laws, those who are still minors in their Sorrell said his office but what is permitted in one place may own country. would recommend be prohibited in another. Alfred Univer- Calling his order part of a “good- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ that the legislature sity defines hazing as “any activity neighbor policy,” the governor says the enact a new law to expected of someone joining a group “family values” he has promoted since deal specifically with that humiliates, degrades, abuses or en- taking office in 1998 are not exclusively P R E V N T I O hazing. dangers, regardless of a person’s willing- for Chihuahuenses “but for our neigh- In December former ness to participate. This does not include bors as well.”

Updates freshman goalie Corey rookies carrying the balls, team parties Tijuana, Mexico, has taken a different LaTulippe filed a with community games, or going out approach to lower alcohol-related crime federal lawsuit against the university, with your teammates, unless an atmo- and injuries in Mexico and the United charging that each freshman team sphere of humiliation, degradation, States. Now bars and discos stop serv- member was forced to drink warm abuse or danger arises.” ing drinks at 2.a.m., while cabarets and beer and perform degrading acts at ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ dance halls close service at 3 a.m. Prior an October initiation party. Drinking Age Raised to 21 South of to the new law, alcohol retailers in The hockey team captain is facing the Border Tijuana with a special permit could sell misdemeanor criminal charges of pro- Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and alcohol until 5 a.m. About 250 bars had viding alcohol to a minor, and more California U.S. youths under age 21 the special permit. alcohol-related charges are possible seeking a cold beer or a shot of tequila A similar law was implemented in against other upperclassmen. However, routinely cross the border into Mexico Mexicali, across the Arizona border. hazing charges are not possible because for a night of club hopping and drinking. the state has no laws prohibiting But Patricio Martínez, governor of Chi- U.S. Students Drink More hazing, Sorrell said. huahua, says bars in his state should Moderately Than Others His investigation found that hazing is stop serving liquor to foreigners who are According to a recent study of 120,000 pervasive at many levels of competitive minors. “There’s no reason Juárez should schoolchildren by the World Health Or- continue to be the cantina for El Paso, hockey. Since 1996 other UVM hockey ganization, U.S. students do not con- hazing parties have been held that were Texas’ minors,” he said in a statement sume as much alcohol as students in “arguably more dangerous and more released by his office. other countries. The WHO found that demeaning than the hazing that had Now no Texan, New Mexican, or any taken place” in October, he said. other American kid 18 to 20 years old 23 percent of 15-year-olds in the After a 1988 football hazing incident can be served beer or tequila at Ciudad United States said they drank beer, that resulted in the hospitalization of Juárez nightspots, even though in wine or spirits at least weekly, com- two students for alcohol poisoning, Mexico they are adults. Juárez is across pared to 53 percent in Wales, 52 Alfred University conducted a study the border from El Paso, Texas. percent in Greece and 47 percent in canvassing a random sampling of Martínez has been criticized for disre- England. 10,000 athletes from 224 members of garding Mexican law, which establishes The report also showed that the National Collegiate Athletics adulthood at 18. “I understand that the children in other countries smoke more Association. From that Alfred extrapo- governor is making a good will gesture. than U.S. youths. The United States lated that among the more than The problem is that the law of the land ranked 24th out of 28 nations for 325,000 NCAA athletes, 79 percent in Mexico is our Constitution, and it sets daily smoking. Greenland ranked were subjected to some sort of hazing. adulthood at 18 years of age,” says the highest. The NCAA addresses the issue only as Juárez Mayor Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar. Continued on inside back cover. Prevention File is a publication of The Silver Gate Group (Federal Tax ID: 33-0714724) PREVENTION FILE Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors or other sources cited and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of The Silver Gate Group, its editorial advisors, its officers, or its personnel. Contents Spring 2000 • Volume 15, Number 2 Publisher: Tom Colthurst Editor: Barbara E. Ryan Editor Emeritus: Robert Zimmerman Associate Editor: Angela Goldberg Orange County Editor: Kara Song Contributing Editors: Rodney Skager, Barbara Fitzsimmons Design/Illustrations: John Lane Production: J. Lane Designs Printer: Precision Litho Copyright 2000 by The Silver Gate Group. Permission to reprint articles is granted for noncommercial use and with acknowledgment. We would appreciate receipt of any publi- Drug cation carrying a reprinted Prevention File article. Wars COVER at a Prepaid domestic subscription rate: $25/one year, $40/two “THE WALL” Price years, $55/three years. Bulk order discount prices available by J. Lane Designs upon request. Canada: $29 USD/one year, Beyond: $39 USD/ one year. Address: Prevention File, 4635 West Talmadge

Drive, San Diego, CA 92116-4834. ○○○○○○○○○○○ ISSN 1065-3961 (National edition) ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ISSN 1065-3953 (Orange County edition) 2Q&A With John Gardner Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Address letters to Prevention File, 4635 West Talmadge Drive, Changing a thousand years of tradition ○○○○○○○○○○ San Diego, CA 92116-4834. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Internet: [email protected] 6 What’s to Do? Plenty http://silvergategroup.com

Scientific and Policy Advisory Board Freshmen get a new introduction to college life ○○○○○○○○○○ Thomas K. Greenfield, PhD ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Alcohol Research Group 12 Campuses and Communities Coming Together for Prevention Berkeley ‘

George F. Koob, PhD Town-gown coalitions making a difference ○○○○○○○○○○ National Alcohol Research Center ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ of Scripps Research Institute La Jolla 15 Campus Initiatives Against Alcohol-Impaired Driving

Kathy Kellermann, PhD Awards for promising programs ○○○○○○○○○○

Department of Communication ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ University of California, Santa Barbara 16 MADD Report Card Grades the States John Pierce, PhD Cancer Center

University of California, San Diego Nation rates only a C+

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Robert I. Reynolds Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation 18 Finding Sober Fun Online

Rockville Who says there’s nothing for students to do? ○○○○○○○○○○○ Christopher Ringwalt, PhD ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Research Triangle Institute Research Triangle Park Prevention Updates Inside front and back covers

Robin Room, PhD Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs Stockholm University Mary L. Walshok, PhD Extended Studies and Public Service University of California, San Diego Friedner D. Wittman, PhD, MArch Institute for the Study of Social Change University of California, Berkeley

Cover Lithograph courtesy of the University of South SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 1 Carolina Archives. Q&A With JOHN GARDNER ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ John N. Gardner is the For years information ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ brought the European university model to the from the National Insti- New World. In addition, it has a great deal to executive director of the Policy tute on Drug Abuse’s do with factors fundamental to the American Center on the First Year Monitoring the Future Survey of psyche and character, particularly in that it College, which is funded by a grant from high school and college students gets played out in a very masculine environ- has shown that in high school col- ment that is influenced by male athletic, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and distin- lege-bound students drink less competitive rituals. Historically alcohol has guished professor of educational leader- than their non-college-bound fel- played a big role in all that. I also think that the high school culture ship, both positions at Brevard College in low students, but once they enter college, they quickly become is different from college culture because

Brevard, North Carolina. He is a Senior ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ heavier alcohol consumers than families have far more influence there. They Fellow at the National Resource Center for those who do not go to college. are connected to schools through communi- This seems to implicate in some ties and local school boards. And the high the First Year Experience and Students in way the campus culture as a factor school culture is not so overwhelmingly mas- Transition at the University of South in the amount and frequency of culine, in part simply because more women Carolina, where he is also distinguished alcohol consumption. What is it work in that culture. So it’s a combination of on the college campus that seems many variables, but I see them as painfully professor emeritus of the Library and to promote unhealthy and unsafe ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ rooted, historical and powerful elements in Information Sciences Department. drinking practices? this higher education culture, which date to A: That’s a very complex question. The colonial times, and were influenced by the answer has roots in a thousand years of his- medieval university. tory. American colleges and universities have some elements of the medieval university culture that was transported here as Europeans

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In the early 19th century, the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ How has the role of University of South dents, just as in the medieval uni- today. That wall has for me come to be a universities and colleges Carolina accepted versity there were drinking estab- symbol of our failure at attempting to change changed in terms of responsibility for lishments that catered to students. the culture. responsibility for their The college bar scene is a deeply In the 1970s a building inside the wall was students? students’ total entrenched cultural phenomenon being re-roofed. Roofers uncovered a shingle A: I’ll use the University of South development as that’s approximately a thousand that had the names of students carved in it Carolina as an example. In the human beings— years old. that said: “J.S. Boone, D. McD. McLeod, J.E. early 19th century it was like all In the case of the University of Crosland, S.W. Jordan, were on top of this col- other colleges in the United States. ethically, South Carolina, some students lege, Christmas, Dec. 25, 1844, all drunk.” When it accepted students, it ac- intellectually and got involved in very serious brawls This was approximately 26 years after the cepted responsibility for their total behaviorally. in which several lost their lives. At wall was built. My point is that even though development as human beings— the University of South Carolina the faculty told them they couldn’t go on the ethically, intellectually and behav- brawls were in- iorally. This was the norm of the American ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tensified by a gentleman’s residential college that continued into the code of honor based on duels middle of the 20th century. It was a concept as a way of settling personal that has come to be known in American differences. Of course, differ- higher education as “in loco parentis.” But ences were more likely to for the past 35 years we have been in the pro- arise between men if their cess of attempting to abandon that concept. I judgments were impaired by believe that that process has been a failure. alcohol. In part to deal with In the early 1820s the University of South the problem of dueling, com- Carolina had been open for students for only pounded by drinking and vio- about 15 years. The faculty, who lived with lence, the faculty decided to students in residence halls, were responsible impose stricter regulations for developing codes of conduct and adminis- about the movement of stu-

tering the discipline system. They noticed that ○○○○○○○○○○○ dents. So they had a wall the young men—it was a male-only institu- built around the campus to tion—at that time-were very fond of alco- clearly signify the point be- holic beverages. Students would leave campus yond which students could and go into the little town of Columbia, not go without permission. where watering holes catered to college stu- Remnants of the wall stand

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 3 model, barometer, or ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ My hypothesis is that in part the wide- metaphor for the spread drinking that we see today—particu- campus culture. larly abusive drinking—is possible in Essentially, they in- cultures where we don’t expect enough of troduce students to students. We’ve become enablers of this kind how social the cul- of behavior. We’ve lowered the consequences ture is or how intel- significantly. Students can still drink exces- lectual the culture is. sively and get through college. At the same time that most institutions Recently one university initiated a have eliminated requirement that high school stu- adults living with tra- dents coming for orientation and ditional-age college their parents would be required to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ other side of the wall, that did not reduce the students, we developed a whole sign a pledge to abstain amount of student drinking. Students were still new professional category of edu- from alcoholic bever- up on top of the roof and they were drunk, obvi- cators, called student affairs offic- For much of the past ages. Is that the way to ously taking very significant risks. This anecdote ers. They are the people who are 50 years the process of go? causes me to reflect on the nature of the chal- now responsible for the inculca- introducing students to A: In general I am opposed to lenges that older men have historically faced try- tion process for new students. asking people to take pledges ing to regulate, control, inhibit or prevent the They run orientation programs. the college culture has when there’s not a real prob- dysfunctional behavior of younger men. And most of them tend to be very increasingly taken on a ability they’re going to live up

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ young, youthful, energetic, en- more social philosophy to them. I don’t want to ask That bit of history underscores the thusiastic individuals. For much people to do something they and characteristic, traditions and expectations of stu- of the past 50 years the process of wouldn’t take seriously or dents arriving at college. What are introducing students to the col- which further would ignore or be dishonest your thoughts about how to interrupt lege culture has increasingly underscores the about. I guess it would depend those expectations? Can colleges use taken on a more social philoso- perception in White the orientation process to instill phy and characteristic, which fur- healthier and safer behavioral ther underscores the perception in culture that college is norms? White culture that college is a a place you go to have A: Orientation programs, for better or worse, place you go to have a blast. We a blast. intentionally or unintentionally, introduce stu- don’t do a very good job in most dents to the campus culture. What happens dur- orientation programs of setting ing orientation programs becomes a kind of a high academic expectations.

4 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING BINGE DRINKING

John Gardner made the following observations and recommendations at the U.S. Department of Education’s National Meeting on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Violation Prevention, convened in Albany, New York, in November 1999: • As a campus, intentionally address students’ need to belong • Offer a rigorous and challenging academic experience • Maintain high academic standards for peer leaders and other student role models on what kind of an institution this was. If • Introduce first-year students to the concepts of managing freedom and accepting it was a religiously affiliated institution responsibility where it was a violation of religious • Create opportunities for adults to be present in students’ lives after 5 p.m. principles to engage in a certain be- • Take care that adult educators are serving as positive role models havior, then I would, perhaps, be • Create healthy rituals, ceremonies and celebrations more comfortable with having • Examine campus practices that unintentionally contribute to heavy drinking, such as students take such a pledge. But informal avoidance of Friday testing. I’m concerned about how far we should go in a public institution in trying to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ dictate and control the behavior of an individual. I constantly think about the role of government in the whole issue of creating either free- mission and purpose of the institution, to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ dom or order. What we are actually talking integrate student affairs professionals into the about is a fundamental tension between free- work of academic units, and to involve them number of leaders in the profession urged dom and order—a tension that every society in more partnership activities with faculty. their peers to look into every single student has to deal with. As an educator who has spent This is a major issue and concern among affairs function and to examine it in terms of most of his career in a public setting, I think student affairs professionals. Many leaders of its relationship to the institutional mission we have a right, first of all, to say you must that profession, are very aware that there had statement and the goal of increasing student obey the laws—whatever they are. Beyond been a kind of drift in their profession sepa- learning. In respect to orientation, the ques- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ that we have to make students aware of certain rating it inappropriately from the real aca- tion then becomes: What is the relationship consequences of certain behaviors to get them demic purpose of the institution. between how we orient students to how they to think through what is the appropriate way But, unfortunately, we developed a 40-year function academically and to how we intro- to behave here. plus tradition of autonomy where student duce the intellectual culture? A number of affairs folks felt they were supposed to go one orientation programs are trying to increase ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ How can orientation, which, as you way, and the faculty felt they were supposed to the amount of academic content in orienta- observed, has become more of a go the other way—and that the two should tion. So there is a corrective process under social acculturation to the campus never meet. We’re aggressively challenging way. However, faculty members need to start rather than an academic accultura- that in a lot of ways. I say “we” meaning showing a lot more interest in this and be tion, be turned around? many of us on the academic side, but many willing to not simply wash their hands of A: It is being addressed on a number of of those student affairs leaders are also chal- these elements of college student life. campuses. Just in the past few years there have lenging it. In 1994 they produced a compre- been increasing efforts to tie student affairs hensive statement of philosophy known as the professionals more closely to the academic Student Learning Imperative, in which a

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 5

WHAT’S TOPlenty DO?

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ FRESHMEN AT 13 PUBLIC ing freshmen feel more comfortable and more universities in Michigan no longer connected at school and less likely to pick up a have to ask the question, “What’s drink or a drug. Some schools, such as those in there to do besides drink?” Michigan, focus on the substance abuse preven- There’s plenty of alcohol-free fun, and, tion angle, while others seek an overall freshman thanks to a new program called Campus Con- comfort level through courses with names like The idea is to nections, there are sober upperclassmen to “The Freshman Year Experience,” “First Year Ex- empower show incoming students where the fun is — perience” or “Freshmen 101.” freshmen who and to introduce them to new, non-drinking There is good reason for schools to be con- friends. cerned about freshmen comfort levels. Statistics don’t want to drink “The idea is to empower freshmen who don’t show that 27 percent of freshmen at four-year by showing them want to drink by showing them they don’t need universities without any sort of orientation pro- they don’t need to to feel isolated on a campus with a drinking gram do not return for their sophomore year. culture,” says Jerry Anderson, campus liaison Statistics also show that FYE programs work. feel isolated on a for Michigan’s Prevention Network coalition. In a synopsis of more than 80 research studies on campus with a “It’s a mentoring program offered at the most FYE programs, the National Resource Center for drinking culture. critical time of the freshman year—the first the First Year Experience and Students in Transi- month on campus.” tion at the University of South Carolina found The program was started at Michigan State that in schools with such programs there are: University two years ago with a $5,000 mini- •Higher rates of freshman to sophomore grant from the Michigan Coalition to Reduce retention, especially among minority

Underage Drinking and was expanded last fall ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ students. to 13 of the state’s 15 public colleges by a state •Higher graduation rates. initiative. •Higher grade point averages. Michigan is not the only state to address the •More frequent out-of-class interactions critical freshman entry period. Between 1,500 with faculty. and 2,000 colleges and universities, or approxi- •More students involved in campus mately 70 percent of the four-year colleges and organizations. universitites in the United States, now have •More students using helping services on some type of program designed to help incom- campus.

6 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

FYE courses teach students how to man- ○○○○○○○ source Center for the First Year Experience age their time and how to study effectively, and Students in Transition. “We’ve found while also helping them learn their way that what really works is to keep them from around campus. They introduce students to feeling isolated—to get them to feel they are alcohol-free activities on and off campus, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ a part of something.” and they help students get to know other The University of South Carolina could freshmen who may be feeling the same probably be called the birthplace of the FYE insecurities. movement, for it was there in 1972 that a Some programs get students into class called “University 101” was started. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ community service projects to keep them That class now has 113 sections at USC, and focused and involved. is used as a model by colleges across the There’s a good reason so many schools country. In 1986 the National Resource Cen- have gotten involved in the First Year Expe- ter for the First Year Experience and Students rience movement: Statistics show that in- in Transition was chartered at USC and that coming freshmen are more likely to binge center now conducts research on the fresh- drink, more likely to withdraw from school, man year, publishes a journal on the first and more likely to have trouble with their year experience and offers conferences on FYE studies than any other group on campus. around the world. “It’s a vulnerable time,” says Dan “There are now between 1,500 and 2,000 Berman, co-director of the National Re- schools that have some type of FYE course,”

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 7 sibility,” Berman says. “We help them develop a sense of responsibility to the extent that they will be successful. We want them to achieve their potential—to become outstanding students.” A major component of that sense of responsibility is decision making. “When you’re first at school, you have more freedom than you’ve ever had before,” Berman says. “What are you going to do with that freedom? “We teach them that successful students take control of their own time and their own destiny. We help them see how every choice they make affects them. For instance, you might decide to put off something pleasur- able in order to achieve a long-term goal. Say you’re studying for an exam, and a friend calls and says there’s a great party going on. You can choose to go to another party at another time.” Decision-making skills and the sense of belonging that the class fosters help students to make better choices about drinking, ○○○○○○ says Berman. “There are a variety of ap- Berman says. In addition, the class has a proaches, but the goal of all of the courses is drug and alcohol component that directly ad- to intervene to help freshmen students dresses the issue. This component features a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ achieve success.” theatrical performance called “Risque Busi- Every freshman who enrolls in University ness,” which includes skits on peer pressure, 101 at USC is linked with a university staff binge drinking, drunk driving and alcohol- member who serves as a mentor. There are related violence. Following the performance, also junior and senior students who serve as peer leaders direct a group discussion. peer leaders for the class. In addition, those “The basic message is that anything you who take University 101 are most often placed do that causes you to lose control or focus in classes with students of the same major, so hinders your success,” Berman says.”We they have several classes in common. don’t preach to the students; we focus on be- “The central theme of the course is respon- havior.”

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○○○○○ The text for University 101 is a book called the myth that all college students drink, Transitions, which the center revises and while providing opportunities and support for republishes each year. The book includes a students looking for non-alcohol-related ac- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ section on drugs and alcohol. tivities . . . .One of the significant develop- We teach them that Other schools address the FYE issue in a mental tasks for first-year students is to variety of ways. Those schools include the establish a sense of belonging. Students at

successful students ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ following: Michigan State reported that they are more take control of their • The 13 Michigan schools that offer the anxious about their social transition to own time and their Campus Connections program, mentioned college than they are about their academic own destiny. We above: Michigan State University, Central transition.” Michigan University, Eastern Michigan Statistics backed up Neuman’s concerns. help them see how University, Ferris State University, Grand A 1996 survey of Michigan State freshmen every choice they Valley State University, Lake Superior State showed that 75 percent of them had con- make affects them. University, Michigan Technological sumed alcohol since arriving on campus, and University, Northern Michigan University, their top three reasons for consuming alcohol Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Michigan- Flint, and Western Michigan University.

The Campus Connec- tions program was developed by Cathy Neuman, who was a prevention coordinator at Michigan State. Neuman, later describing the impetus for the program in a school publication, wrote that during her time as a prevention coordinator she had learned that, “During the first weeks of each academic year, we need to give students messages to counter

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 9 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

were: It helps me forget (69 percent); People their success in college,” Moistner-Bartlett my age drink (66 percent); and, I’m expected says. “Our main goal is to help students be- to drink (64 percent). In addition, Core Surveys come connected with the institution. We want administered in 1992, 1994 and 1996 showed them to be engaged, personally and socially.” Studies show that the that more freshmen than seniors were binge The class has a substance abuse prevention more time students drinkers. The Core Surveys also indicated that component, which includes a discussion spend in orientation, 25 percent of the students at MSU did not drink group and information about alcohol-free at all. events on and around campus.

the greater the chance ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Neuman chose to design the Campus Con- Besides participating in classes and discus- for their success in nections program for those incoming freshmen sion groups, Freshman Success students are college. Our main goal who desired not to drink at all. required to be involved in a community ser- is to help students The program is completely voluntary. Last vice project. Last year they helped revamp the fall 500 upperclassmen mentored 3,000 incom- library at a local elementary school. become connected ing freshmen at the 13 schools. The focus is In addition to the Freshman Success class, with the institution. We not on academics but on fun, demonstrating to USM has another effort geared toward fresh- want them to be new students that they can go to movies, go man accomplishment. Between the fourth dancing and attend alcohol-free events and and sixth week of classes, professors provide a engaged, personally have a good time. list of all freshmen who are having grade or and socially. • The University of Southern Mississippi, attendance problems. A specially trained which has a dry campus, began offering a group of upperclassmen is then dispersed to “Freshman Success” class last fall. Forty-five meet with these freshmen and help get them percent of the 1,268 incoming freshmen on track. Free tutoring is available to those signed up for the course. Kim Moistner- who need it. Bartlett, a former residence-life coordinator, Moistner-Bartlett says plans for next year created the program and is director of it. include the start-up of a freshman wellness class and seminar program designed to ad- “Studies show that the more time students dress all aspects of health. spend in orientation, the greater the chance for • New Mexico State University has offered an FYE class called “University 150” since the SAVE THESE DATES FOR THE 2000 NATIONAL MEETING early 1990s. The voluntary, three-credit The U.S. Department of Education’s annual National Meeting on Alcohol, course helps freshmen learn their way Other Drugs, and Violence Prevention in Higher Education is scheduled for around campus and teaches study and re- October 14-17, 2000, at the Hilton Pittsburgh and Towers Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA. search skills. The class includes a drug and The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is hosting this year’s meeting. Information alcohol component. will be posted as it develops on the web sites of the department’s Safe and Drug- “Our goal is to help freshmen connect,” Free Schools Program (www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS) and Higher Education says Debbie Hands, who teaches the class. Center (www.edc.org/hec).

10 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ SAM — SIMPLE, SMART, AND GOOD By Steve Geer “We want them to feel a part of the university and to have a successful start.” I’m a first year freshman at Eastern Michigan University. When I received all Hands says that NMSU recently added my registration packets, I noticed a form for something called the SAM (So- another new program aimed at freshman cial Activities and Mentoring) program. After I looked it over, I decided, why not? success, called freshmen interest groups. What could it hurt? In the SAM you get to meet new people and have new ways to Students who participate in these groups have fun without drinking alcohol. I filled out the forms and sent them in. Within a take an FYE class together and also are few weeks I got a confirmation letter telling me I was registered for the SAM clustered together in several other first-year program. I can say that I was rather excited. I was going to meet new people classes. This helps them to get to know one without feeling really nervous. another better. After moving in to my residence hall, meeting my roommate, and saying good- Berman, of the National Resource Center for bye to my family, I headed to the mailbox to see what I could see. Inside I found a the First Year Experience, says most schools newsletter for the SAM program and discovered that the first meeting would be in that adopt an FYE program have the same a couple of days. goals. Among those goals are the following: Being a college freshman can be rather nerve-racking. You don’t know anyone • To help students learn to balance their free- and you don’t know the area around campus. Getting to know other people can be dom with a sense of responsibility. hard. They hide behind their own barriers and are a little bit hesitant to talk to • To help students learn and develop a set of someone they don’t know. But the SAM program breaks down those barriers and adaptive study, coping, critical thinking, allows people to open up. The first event was a buffet style breakfast. I was all for logical problem-solving and survival skills. it — free breakfast, who can pass that up? • To help students make friends and develop a At that first event we got to meet our mentors and everyone else in our group. support group. We also mingled with all the people in the other groups. After breakfast we started • To involve students in the life of the university. the “barrier busting” activities. Everyone was “stuck” on their backs with the name • To provide students with information about of a celebrity. The idea was to figure out who you were by asking others “yes and health and wellness issues, including the use no” questions. Some were easier than others. I can attest to that. I couldn’t figure of alcohol and drugs. out who I was for the longest time, but finally got it right. I was Julia Roberts. If you knew what I looked like, you would laugh. While some school administrators may look The SAM program was offered for only one month to incoming freshmen like at FYE programs from the bottom line—as a myself. Other activities included tailgate parties for football games, pizza parties way to retain students—Berman says the pro- and casino night. The last activity was an awards dinner at the main cafeteria called grams must have a different focus. Dining Commons 1, a.k.a. DC. Everyone got an award and some got special awards “You never run a course like this for for “the most outgoing since coming to the program” and other things like that. It retention but for success,” Berman says. “Your was great ending to the SAM program. goal has to be to help them achieve their In the SAM program I met many, many people, (guys) mostly, girls. But, ladies, potential to become outstanding students.” don’t feel left out because many guys that you might find attractive were in SAM. The best part is that I will be a mentor next year, so there will already be one hot guy there.

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 11 CAMPUSES AND Coming Together for Prevention

KIM DUDE, DIRECTOR OF THE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ surrounding community to work out a Wellness Resource Center at the collaborative effort to change drinking University of Missouri at Colum- norms on and off the campus. bia, was frustrated after spending years in the Such town-gown coalitions are emerging field of prevention education. “We were telling as a promising way to approach student students to say no or to make good choices drinking problems that have commanded in- about drinking, and the environment around creasing attention in recent years. A land- them was telling them just the opposite.” mark study released in 1997 found that 44 percent of college students report engaging in binge-level drinking. This has been punctu- ated by incidents where heavy drinking has led to injury and even death on many campuses, while student fatalities in alcohol-related car crashes are disproportionately high. And new attention is being given to the “sec- ond-hand” effects of student drinking on academic pursuits of non-drinking students. The coalition now working for change on the Missouri campus has been picked as a model by the U.S. Department of Education. Meanwhile, the Robert Wood Johnson Foun- dation and the American Medical Association are conducting a seven-year, $10 million effort to explore various strategies for using collaborative efforts by campuses and their surrounding communities to deal with stu- All that began to change two years ago when ○○○○○○○ dent drinking problems. This “Matter of De- Chancellor Richard L. Wallace started a bold gree” program began with six participating initiative to deal with binge drinking by stu- campuses in 1996. Four more were added in dents on the Columbia campus. He convened 1998. ○○○○ an “Alcohol Summit” where administrators “Clearly, traditional approaches haven’t and faculty sit down with representatives of the worked, so we’re taking a new approach,”

12 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 COMMUNITIES ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ said Richard Yoast, PhD, director of the AMA dents who agree to be designated drivers and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ties in the city to work out a “Cooperative Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, avoid alcohol. Agreement” on how they would approach alco- which administers the program. “Like the title, The burden does not fall entirely on the off- hol issues involving their students. It was felt it’s not a matter of prohibition but a matter of campus community. Faculty members have the entire city would benefit if all these institu- degree—deliberate, heavy drinking is clearly a been urged to schedule more tests on Fridays, tions were basing their alcohol policies on cer- problem we can no longer ignore.” which can help discourage drinking parties on tain clear and consistent standards. The On the Missouri campus Kim Dude says the Thursday nights. It’s also been pointed out to Cooperative Agreement not only lays down poli- decision by Chancellor Wallace to confront the the faculty that making jokes about cies regarding alcohol availability binge drinking issue two years ago has had a drinking or accepting a hangover as and service within the campus com- It’s not matter of greater impact than anything else she has seen an excuse for a student’s poor perfor- munity, but calls for an increase in during her 17 years of work in prevention. The mance, contributes to an environ- prohibition but a communication and cooperation “Alcohol Summit” saw administrators, faculty ment that supports harmful matter of degree— between their institutions and the and student leaders sitting down with Columbia drinking norms. The university also surrounding communities. deliberate, heavy

city officials, business and bar owners, high ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ is making an effort to attract more A review of the activities under- school administrators and others. The summit students to reasonably priced enter- drinking is clearly a taken in the “Matter of Degree” pro- agreed on a host of recommendations, which tainment and recreation as an problem we can no gram shows the variety of the chancellor endorsed, and subcommittees of alternative to spending an evening longer ignore. approaches that town-gown coali- town and gown representatives have been as- in a bar. tions can foster. Cooperation be- signed to tackle their implementation. Dude says the Columbia campus tween the University of Iowa and the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Much of the attention has been on bars that has received a new grant from the Department local government in Iowa City led to strength- surround the Columbia campus. “My pet peeve of Education to establish what amounts to a ening of the ordinance allowing police to quiet is drink specials—they’re appalling,” says coalition on coalitions. Each of Missouri’s 12 loud house parties. The city of Newark, Dela- Dude. Some bars were advertising specials that state university and college campuses will be in- ware, agreed to use deed restrictions to control provided a $2 draw of beer for 25 cents. “We’re vited to send representatives to training sessions the availability of alcohol in a neighborhood not trying to get them to drop specials alto- to learn how they can work with their local near the University of Delaware campus. The gether but to make them more reasonable, like communities on cooperative efforts like those in University of Nebraska and its coalition in Lin- going half price for a special—not down to 10 Columbia. “Our hope is that each campus will ○○○○○○○○○○○○ coln worked to pass an ordinance banning off- percent.” A taxi company has agreed to provide come up with its own coalition,” Dude said. campus “bottle clubs” that attract students. $1 rides home for students who have been In Boston the coalition concept took a differ- Another common theme of coalitions was to drinking heavily, and some bar owners are ent form. The Boston Coalition, a city-wide anti- develop more alcohol-free recreational activi- promising to call a taxi when they see one is drug and anti-violence coalition, persuaded ties on and off campus to give students an alter- needed. Many bars are offering free soda to stu- leaders of the two dozen colleges and universi- native to drinking parties.

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 13 SCIENCE TELLS US — COALITIONS WORK ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ A new federal study has confirmed greater users than boys of stimulants such ○○○○○○○○○○○ for a Safe and Drug-Free Community in that community-wide prevention part- as methamphetamine, crack cocaine and Miami, Florida; the Nashville Prevention nerships can produce measurable declines in inhalants. The study, SAMHSA said, should Partnership in Nashville, Tennessee; the the use of alcohol and other drugs. This serve as a wake-up call to the prevention Bering Strait Prevention Partnership in makes it all but certain that prevention re- field, showing a need for developing and Nome, Alaska; the Regional Drug Initiative sources will be channeled increasingly into testing gender-specific prevention ap- in Portland, Oregon; San Antonio Fighting coalitions and collaboratives as the new proaches. Back in San Antonio, Texas, and the Troy ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ century unfolds. While demonstrating that community Community Coalition for Prevention of Drug “We now have proof that community partnerships work, the study also allowed and Alcohol Abuse in Troy, Michigan. partnerships can work to prevent substance SAMHSA to identify characteristics of suc- Leaders of the eight coalitions offered abuse,” said Nelba Chavez, administrator of cessful partnerships and suggest ways to suggestions that would help such commu- the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental match various strategies with particular nity efforts along. There needs to be a bet- Health Services Administration. kinds of communities. Successful coalitions ter understanding of the philosophy and The study supports a policy embraced by have a comprehensive vision that nearly nature of coalitions, by the public and by most public and private agencies funding everyone in the community can embrace. organizations providing funding for preven- prevention in the latter half of the 1990s. They begin with a strong core of committed tion. The public needs to know more about They have been requiring that community partners representing all segments of the factors that contribute to substance abuse, organizations pool their efforts if they ex- community. They resolve conflicts that and there is a need for more treatment fa- pect help in addressing their problems re- might arise over misunderstanding of the cilities, particularly for women and children, lated to substance abuse. Coalitions have ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ partnership’s purpose. They avoid too much in most communities. There should be more become the name of the game, including control by paid staff, which can limit the opportunities for professional development new efforts to bring “town and gown” to- feeling of participation and ownership by of coalition staff members. gether in collaborative efforts to deal with member organizations. SAMHSA in its study pointed to partner- substance abuse problems in college popu- Release of the SAMHSA study coincided ships in five communities that could serve as lations. with a report by Community Anti-Drug models for communities of various types, SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Coalitions of America echoing these find- ranging from large cities to small towns and Prevention began providing grants to com- ings. CADCA studied eight anti-drug coali- rural populations. The models included the munity partnerships in 1991. Beginning in tions noted for their strength and Community Coalition in Los Angeles, also 1994 CSAP began tracking substance abuse effectiveness and found they had certain cited by CADCA, and the Community Part- rates in 24 of the communities with preven- characteristics in common. They ensured nership of El Paso, Texas, both in large ur- tion partnerships and in 24 similar commu- that all community organizations with an ban centers. Cited at the other geographic nities that were making no comparable interest in substance abuse had a place at extreme was the Tri-County Substance collaborative effort. Data from all 48 com- the table. Most of them designated a “lead Abuse Prevention Alliance of Knox, Laurel munities was analyzed for the evaluation. agency” to handle administrative functions. and Whitley Counties in Kentucky, a poor Reductions in alcohol and drug use in They avoided seeking funds that were not rural region with a history of marijuana and partnership communities compared with use related to their stated mission. They pre- moonshine production. Other models cited in non-partnership communities were mod- ferred seeking support from foundations by SAMHSA were the Ozarks Fighting Back est but statistically significant, according to and corporations rather than the govern- Coalition in Springfield, Missouri, a town SAMHSA. Male substance use rates were ment for various reasons, among them that with a large population of college students, lower by about 3 percent on five of the six it’s easier to apply to private funds and meet and Lake County Fighting Back in a rural outcome measures used in the study. Inter- their reporting requirements. They based and suburban region of Illinois. SAMHSA estingly, rates for females remained un- their work on the partnership’s vision not said each of these partnerships followed “a changed, and use of illegal drugs even the availability of funding. All eight of the core set of desirable strategies that can be moved slightly higher for eighth-grade girls coalitions work with young people and have used by other communities.” in partnership communities. organized youth groups. The Center for Substance Abuse Preven- The SAMHSA report found food for The eight coalitions studied by CADCA tion is using the findings of the SAMHSA thought in the disparity between male and were the Boston Coalition in Boston, Massa- study as the basis for training recipients of female outcomes. It noted that rates of sub- chusetts; the Community Coalition for Sub- new Safe and Drug Free Communities part- stance abuse among girls were increasing stance Abuse Prevention and Treatment in nership grants. rapidly during the 1990s, and girls are now Los Angeles, California; the Miami Coalition

14 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 Campus Initiatives ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ three-hour interactive “course” in responsible decision making, risk reduction, and Against Alcohol- moderation in alcohol use for students who violate campus alcohol policies. The Univer- sity of Redlands in California won its award for a multi-faceted program of campus events Impaired Driving called PRIDE, for Promoting Responsible and Informed Decisions through Education. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ THE PRESIDENT OF MOTHERS $1,000 awards for exemplary prevention Among the activities earning an award for the Against Drunk Driving (MADD) strategies on campuses in Southern Califor- University of California at San Diego was a ○○○○○○○○○○○ believes prevention workers must nia, Texas, New Mexico and Hawaii. In 2000 responsible beverage service workshop for stu- not only do more but do things differently if the program is embracing colleges and uni- dents called “Crash Course in Party Plan- the country is to achieve the goal of no more versities in those states as well as in Utah, Ne- ning.” A campus of the El Paso Community than 11,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities vada, and Northern California. College in Texas won an award for a series of by 2005. One thing it can do differently is put The awards have spotlighted originality in events focusing on the holiday season, in- more emphasis on the risks of drinking and approaches to the driving in campus-based prevention activi- drinking-driving ties. problem among stu- Studies are showing that not only is there a dents. At Texas A&M high rate of binge drinking among college University students students, but substantial numbers of students formed a non-profit drink and drive. The 1997 Harvard study of venture to charter campus drinking found that 36 percent of buses that would students who drink also reported drinking carry students at low and driving. This was up from 32 percent in fares between campus the 1993 survey. Students who engage in locations and enter-

frequent binge drinking have an even higher tainment areas in ○○○○○○○○ rate of drinking and driving—59 percent. nearby towns of Bryan and College Station. cluding a DUI prevention parade that circu- The Automobile Club of Southern Califor- The University of Texas at Austin operates a lated through the school and surrounding nia and the Higher Education Center for Al- similar taxi and shuttle service, supported community.

cohol and Other Drug Prevention have mostly by student fees and donations, provid- ○○○○○○○○○ For information on the winners of the teamed up to conduct an annual College and ing rides home for students who are too 2000 awards as well as how to apply for the University Drinking and Driving Prevention drunk to drive or cannot find a ride home 2001 awards, visit the website of the Higher Awards Program in western states. with a sober driver. Education Center at www.edc.org/hec. In 1998 and 1999 the program offered The University of New Mexico created a

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 15 MADD REPORT CARD GRADES THE STATES ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK Carolina, Florida and Utah received an A-. Mon- ○○○○○○○○○ MADD’s grading system is based on how states Driving (MADD) has given the tana and the two Dakotas were in the basement are doing in 11 key categories that range from United States as a whole a grade with a D+. The nationwide grade of C+ was political leadership on drunk driving issues to of no more than C+ in the effort to reduce barely higher than the C given to the nation in the actual trends in fatalities. Sixty percent of each alcohol-related traffic deaths. At the rate last report card issued in 1996. state’s grade is based on its fatality trend and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ we’re going, MADD warns, it is unlikely the In 1995 the National Highway Traffic Safety drunk driving laws. The remaining 40 percent is country can meet the goal for safe streets and Administration, MADD and other safety organiza- based on scores in such categories as regulatory highways set by safety experts for the year tions made it a goal to reduce alcohol-related traf- control of the sale of alcohol, prevention efforts, 2005. fic fatalities to 11,000 by 2005. While the number administrative policies and levels of enforce- MADD and the GuideOne Foundation has been declining throughout the 1990s, it stood ment. Among states with the greatest improvement compiled their “Rating the States 2000” ○○○○○○○○○○○ at 15,935 for 1998, and the rate of decline since report card to point out the relative strengths then appears to be inadequate to bring the death since 1996 were Colorado, moving from a C to a and weaknesses in the way various states are toll to 11,000 in five years. B, Delaware and Louisiana, going from C- to B, meeting the challenge of impaired driving, “Meeting the goal will require not only doing and Washington State, which went from a C+ to especially by underage drinkers. California more but also doing things differently,” said B. Washington, for example, adopted adminis- was the only state to merit an A, while North Karolyn V. Nunnallee, MADD’s national president. trative license revocation in DWI arrests, lowered its blood-alcohol standard from .10 to .08, and provided for use of ignition interlocks in cases of repeat offenses. Adoption of measures such as these is a major factor in determining a state’s grade. In taking stock of the nation’s progress in reducing alcohol fatalities, the MADD report noted some significant failures at the national level during the grading period. Legislation that would mandate a .08 blood alcohol concentra- tion (BAC) level as the limit for driving was supported by President Clinton and the Senate, but the House of Representatives refused to go along. Congress and the Administration also denied their support to an effort by MADD and many other prevention organizations to have alcohol included in the anti-drug media campaign currently being aimed at the nation’s

16 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 MADD’S REPORT CARD

Here’s how the states fared on MADD’s report card: ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ California A youth. The campaign remains fixed on ille- MADD points out that binge drinking North Carolina A- gal drug use, even though alcohol is the remains high among college students and is

Florida A- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Utah A- drug of choice of a majority of young people rising among high school students. “Youth are Illinois B+ and accounts for far more harm than the still over-represented in fatal crashes compared Virginia B+ use of other drugs. to the older population, and the rate of fatal Louisiana B Oregon B MADD said the advancement in the na- crash involvement is greater for youth than for Oklahoma B tional grade from C to C+ was due mainly adults,” says the MADD report. Georgia B to the decline nationwide in alcohol-related Data gathering and analysis for the MADD Kansas B Colorado B fatalities. The rate of that decline has been report card are supported by the GuideOne Washington B leveling off in recent years, and MADD warns Foundation established by the GuideOne Michigan B that without more aggressive political lead- Insurance Co. GuideOne provided seed money Wisconsin B Delaware B ership and passage of key legislation, there for creation of MADD in 1980 and remains one Arizona B- may be little or no further progress. of its major supporters. Alabama B- New York B- New Mexico B- The Higher Education Center for Alcohol Ohio B- and Other Drug Prevention Indiana B- Arkansas B- Funded by the U.S. Department of Education since 1993, the Higher Education Center Idaho B- provides support to all institutions of higher education in their efforts to address alcohol Maryland B- Iowa B- and other drug problems. The center also receives financial support from the Robert Missouri B- Wood Johnson Foundation. Mississippi B- The U.S. Department of Education established the center to provide nationwide sup- Hawaii B- Vermont C+ port for campus alcohol and other drug prevention efforts. The center is working with Minnesota C+ colleges, universities and proprietary schools throughout the country to develop strate- Nebraska C+ gies for changing campus culture, to foster environments that promote healthy Tennessee C+ Kentucky C+ lifestyles, and to prevent illegal alcohol and other drug use among students. Maine C The Higher Education Center provides technical assistance, develops publications and New Jersey C conducts training workshops. It also provides support for the Network of Colleges and West Virginia C South Carolina C Universities Committed to the Elimination of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. You can find out Pennsylvania C more by contacting the Higher Education Center directly at: Texas C Rhode Island C- The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Dist. of Columbia C- Education Development Center, Inc. New Hampshire C- 55 Chapel Street Wyoming C- Connecticut C- Newton, MA 02158-1060 Nevada C- Alaska C- • Phone: (800) 676-1730 Massachusetts C- • Fax: (617) 969-3440 South Dakota D+ • E-mail: [email protected] North Dakota D+ Montana D+ • Web: www.edc.org/hec

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 17 Finding Sober Fun O ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ WHO’S PLAYING AT THE MO money, and I have no car, so I might as well Java Cafe tonight? Is there any- drink.’” where to play a game of More than 1,000 miles northeast of Lin- paintball? Where’s a close place to get good coln, in western Massachusetts, another orga- ○○○○○○○ Chinese take-out? ○○○○○ nization is challenging similar notions. The Students at the University of Nebraska at Health Education Department at Smith Col- Lincoln can get answers to these questions lege has created a website that also promotes and more by sober fun: www.chilipeppers-live.org. clicking on a I think it’s the nerd The site lists everything from website that swing-dance lessons, to free movies, was designed factor; the to Haiku writing workshops, avail- just for them: students think if able to students who attend school www.NUtodo.com. it’s alcohol-free, in what is known as the Five-College What the stu- Consortium. The consortium in- dents may not it’s nerdy and they cludes Smith College, Hampshire realize is that don’t want to do it. College, Amherst College, Mt. this site features Holyoke College, and the University only activities ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ of Massachusetts at Amherst. that are alcohol- “We’re not prohibitionists, but we free or at which alcohol is feel students should have options,” says served responsibly. Busi- Connie Peterson, coordinator of health edu- nesses that promote cation for Smith. “Even the student who may “Bladder Busters” and be a drinker, perhaps we can get him to an other such unhealthy alcohol-free event where he’ll have fun.” drinking events are The two fledgling websites are the latest barred. weapons in the “There’s-Nothing-Else-To- Says Linda Major, project Do” war on college binge drinking. The hope director of NU Directions, is to not only offer a smorgasbord of fun ac- the organization that cre- tivities but to make it easy to use in a format

ated the site, “We wanted ○○○○○○○ familiar to college students—the Web. to challenge several no- Major says she hopes the NUtodo site will tions: ‘There’s nothing to eventually be the first Web page to appear on do, I have only so much every University of Nebraska computer when

18 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 ○○○○○○○○○○ ONLINE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

it makes an Internet connection. In its first few months of operation in the fall of 1999, the site received 32,000 hits. The organization that created the NUtodo site, NU Di- rections, is a campus-community coalition funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The group’s mission is to reduce high-risk drinking among NU students. The coalition is made up of more than 35 community ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ leaders, students, parents, administrators and faculty who share the same commitment to improving the environment at the university. Each fall NU Directions sponsors a “Back to School Bash” that lets students party the night away at the movies and at a pancake cookout. The organization works with other campus groups, such as PartySmart and Project CARE, to make sure students throughout the campus know how to use alcohol safely. It also works with alcohol vendors, helping them create safe environments where students can have fun without the dangerous secondary effects of over-consumption. NU Directions received a $10,000 donation from Pepsi to start the website. Despite this financial assistance, Ma- jor says building the site has been a challenge. Student Web designers have been used, “Which gives us great student perspective, but also means a lot of turnover in staff,” she says. Major has also found that recruiting businesses to advertise on the site is rewarding but time-consuming. Businesses don’t have to pay to take part but must be alcohol-free or willing to sign a pledge to uphold a set of responsible business guidelines. About 100 businesses in the Lincoln area are now involved, and NU Directions hopes to involve another 100. NU Directions recently

SPRING 2000 PREVENTION FILE 2119 SOME STUDENTS HAVE HAD ENOUGH—AND THEY’RE NOT TAKING IT ANYMORE While some websites offer college students alcohol-free ways to have fun, a website run by the Center for Science in the Public Interest has a different twist.

CSPI’s www.HadEnough.com is part of a media and advocacy campaign focused on sup- porting student involvement in reducing binge drinking on campus. Partners in the effort include Cornell University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Univer- sity of Arkansas at Little Rock. Rather than focus on influencing individual student behaviors or perceptions, the HadEnough project promotes fundamental change in the campus drinking environment. The project seeks to empower students to spark a campus dialogue on the role of alcohol in college life and support practices and policies that reject and discourage the self- destructive, wasteful and potentially dangerous excessive use of alcohol. “Plenty of students have been bothered or disturbed by drunken behaviors and the effects of heavy drinking — such as being insulted, intimidated, threatened, inconve- nienced, or just plain DISGUSTED!” says the message on the website. “But they’ve felt isolated and alone, and didn’t feel like they could speak up. After all, people seemed to accept the heavy drinking scene and take it for granted ... just something we had to put up with as part of college life. No more! HadEnough gives voice to the many students who want to get the most out of their college years and supports student action for ○○○○○○ change.” The site encourages students to get involved in changing social attitudes toward binge Bureau and had Frisbees, sticky-notes and drinking in much the same ways that social attitudes about cigarette smoking were

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ pens decorated with the chili pepper logo.

changed. ○○○○○○○○○ hired a part-time worker from Pepsi to start, ChiliPeppers-live was Those items were given away. Despite that ef- to bring in more businesses. born from a position of “What can we do with fort, Peterson says the site received fewer than Students who log on to the site have a vari- little or no money?” says Connie Peterson. 1,000 hits during the fall semester. ety of alternatives to choose from, ranging Her department wanted to make students in “I think it’s the nerd factor; the students from music, to movies, to sporting events, to the five-college area aware of alcohol-free think if it’s alcohol-free, it’s nerdy and they ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ museums. Activities are broken down by cost events, but didn’t have the funding for a mar- don’t want to do it,” she says. — anywhere from free to over $20—and by keting push. Still, there are plans to expand the site and distance from campus. Peterson and her colleagues recruited a advertise it further with weekly contests. Stu- To market the site, NU Directions placed student designer, who created a dancing chili dents who win will receive free movie passes, ads in the student newspaper and had pepper logo and designed the initial pages for dinners and other prizes donated by the NUtodo.com mouse pads made for all of the the site. Another student serves as Webmaster, Amherst Chamber of Commerce. school’s computer labs. It plans to stage uploading new activities each week. “It may not be as popular as we’d like, but giveaway contests in the future. To market the site, Peterson won a grant every little step in the right direction helps,” While NUtodo.com had a financial boost from the Massachusetts Highway Safety says Peterson.

20 PREVENTION FILE SPRING 2000 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Continued from inside front cover. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the percentage of students who commit The change would be most noticeable such infractions would be lowered by for students living in a fraternity or soror- Coordinated by the 4 percent overall. For example, with such ity. Core surveys showed they have about WHO, the Health Be- a price hike the percentage of students six more drinks a week than students haviors in School-Aged who get into trouble with police and who live off campus and five more drinks Children (HBSC) Study campus authorities drops from 12.3 to a week than students living in a residence looked at 11, 13, and 11.7 percent; who cause property dam- hall. 15-year-old children’s age, from 7.5 to 7.1 percent; who fight, Beer costs less now than ten years ago. attitudes and experi- from 31.2 to 30.2 percent; and who are A noteworthy increase in the price of beer ences concerning a involved in sexual misconduct, from 14.3 occurred in 1991, when the federal gov- wide range of health- to 13.8 percent. ernment raised the sales tax on a 24-can

related behaviors and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ And what seems like small differences case of beer from 64 cents to $1.28. But lifestyle issues in 26 adds up to a large number of students. adjusted for inflation, Grossman said, “the European countries According to Core Alcohol and Drug Sur- real price of beer has fallen by about 10 P R E V N T I O and regions, Canada, veys of College Students, about one-third percent, mainly because the federal excise and the United States. of the 14.5 million students in U.S. col- tax has remained the same.”

The U.S. component ○○○○○○○○○○ The same is true on the state level. The

Updates leges and universities will be involved in of the study was some type of campus crime or violence variation in state taxes on beer remains funded and coordinated by the National this year. According to Grossman and as wide as it was in 1985, when the per- Institute of Child Health and Human Markowitz, having to pay just 10 percent case tax ranged from $2.04 in Alabama to Development. A copy of the report is more for beer could potentially keep just 8 cents in New Jersey. posted on the WHO website at 200,000 of them out of trouble. ✁ www.ruhbc.ed.ac.uk/hbc.

Raise the Price, Lower the Costs ○○ STAY CURRENT Economists at the National Bureau of Economic Research say that raising taxes Subscribe Now! on beer will help keep college students Subscribe to Prevention File today and join a growing out of trouble and at the same time raise national audience advocating for public health and safety. money for states. Prevention File is available at both individual and bulk subscription rates. A detailed analysis of data conducted Our bulk subscribers distribute Prevention File in their communities as a way to stimulate informed by economists Michael Grossman, PhD, response to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug problems. and Sara Markowitz, PhD, suggests a SINGLE COPY USA 1 yr/$25 2 yrs/$40 3 yrs/$55 straightforward cause-and-effect associa- Canada 1 yr/$29 Beyond Canada 1 yr/$39 tion between the price of beer and student misbehavior: BULK QUANTITIES (USA only) Quantity/quarter Cost per copy($) Annual Price ($) • Alcohol consumption increases the 100 1.38 550 250 1.25 1,250 likelihood of mayhem on college 500 1.10 2,200 campuses. 1,000 1.00 4,000 • Beer is the alcoholic beverage college students are most likely to drink. Name ______• Imposing a tax hike on beer to raise Organization ______the cost of each glass, six-pack or keg Address ______will reduce consumption. City/State/Zip ______Email ______• Fewer drunken students mean less vio- PAYMENT. Prepayment required on all orders under $500. All prices include shipping lent and nonviolent campus crime. and applicable sales tax. Make checks payable in US dollars to: THE SILVER GATE GROUP. A small increase in the cost of beer has a SEND TO: Prevention File FEDERAL TAX ID: 33-0714724 big payoff. The researchers say that for The Silver Gate Group 4635 WEST TALMADGE DRIVE WEB: http://silvergategroup.com every 10 percent rise in the price of beer, SAN DIEGO, CA 92116-4834 EMAIL: [email protected] PREVENTION FILE BULK RATE 4635 West Talmadge Drive U.S. POSTAGE San Diego, CA 92116-4834 PAID PERMIT #1 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED SAN DIEGO, CA

Ten Years Ago in Prevention File (Vol. 5, No. 2, Spring 1990) WOMEN WHO DRINK—WHAT THE RESEARCH REVEALS ○○○○○○○○○○ Alcohol researchers are awakening to ○○○○○○○○○ turning up in greater numbers in alcohol treat- Greater numbers of women are working outside an embarrassing information gap. ment programs, and the average age of women the home and encountering drinking situations There’s a scarcity of studies of the special na- in treatment appears to be declining. once the exclusive domain of males. And recent ture of alcohol problems affecting fully half of Young women are making up a greater pro- years have seen a highly visible effort by alcoholic the population: women. portion of defendants in drunk driving cases. beverage companies to convince women that For reasons perhaps more attrib- drinking is part of a successful utable to social history than male and enviable lifestyle. chauvinism, most studies and sur- Some fundamental questions veys dealing with alcoholism and are being raised. Are more women other alcohol problems have looked today experiencing alcohol prob- primarily at the masculine side of lems—or are their problems sim- society. Men have outnumbered ply coming out in the open? Or women in treatment for alcoholism, both? Is it possible that the num- in court for drunk driving, in arrests ber of women who drink has re- for public drunkenness. Treatment mained the same, but more of centers and the courts and jails tra- them are engaging in heavy ditionally have provided most of the drinking that leads to trouble? subjects for alcoholism research. What are the implications of the Not until the 1960s and early rising number of younger women 1970s did many research projects experiencing alcohol problems? begin to focus on women and how their drinking patterns and involve- Editor’s Note: Alcohol abuse and ment with alcohol may differ from women is one of several general assumptions based on studies of a extramural program priorities predominantly male drinking at the National Institute on population. Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The need for additional research For additional information on women and alcohol has become visit the NIAAA website at evident at a time when women are www.niaaa.nih.gov.