'U' forms binge drinking task force

Daily Staff Reporter

Heavy weekend partying may be a way of life for some in college, but University administrators are trying to decrease the number of first-year students who drink in the residence halls.

To help reduce the occurrence of underage drinking on campus, Vice President for Student Affairs Maureen Hartford has commissioned a binge drinking task force specifically targeting these first-year students who use alcohol in their residence hall rooms.

"We've come up with a group of rather stellar people to take actual steps toward lowering binge drinking," Hartford said, adding that representatives from the University Health Services and Housing Division also are involved in the small task force - the first of its kind at the University.

Alcohol and Other Drug Education Coordinator Marsha Benz said the University defines binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks on one occasion.

Hartford said the number of students who "drink to get drunk" has consistently been higher at the University - 37 percent of students, according to a recent survey - than the average number across the nation.

"We need to see if we're doing everything we can to educate these students, to see if we can limit drinking," Hartford said.

Benz said the task force is "extremely focused" and will meet monthly to talk about substance abuse problems.

"We're trying to look at what we can do that has been effective at other places," Benz said. "I'm hoping for fresh ideas in our meetings."

The formation of the task force coincides with Congressional approval of legislation allowing colleges to notify parents when students under 21 commit an alcohol violation.

Sean Esteban McCabe, assistant to the vice president for student affairs, said the University's plan for the binge drinking task force was in the works before the U.S. legislation was approved, but the task force will eventually "look at all the legislation" relating to underage drinking on college campuses.

McCabe said it is impossible to ignore the effects - both long and short term - of alcohol on students.

"Binge drinking poses a serious threat to the intellectual, psychological and physical development of ... undergraduate college students," McCabe said, citing a report from the Commission on Addiction and Substance Abuse stating that more undergraduate students will die from alcohol-related causes than earn a master's or doctorate degree.

McCabe said studies have repeatedly shown that students enrolled in higher education are more likely to binge drink than their non-college counterparts.

"The Institute of Higher Education recognizes this as a problem," McCabe said. "We need to discuss effective ways of addressing binge drinking on college campuses."

Hartford said the task force will focus on educating students about binge drinking, but also examine alcohol education programs at other major universities to come up with a plan that will make a noticeable impact on students.

"If I polled 50 students, 49 could tell me the dangers of binge drinking," Hartford said. "We need to ask, 'What can we do to change the culture?'"

Resident Assistant Sarah Pekarek, who works at Bursley Residence Hall, said her entire hall - composed largely of first-year students - thinks everyone drinks, although the residence hall staff consistently discourages underage alcohol consumption.

"Realistically, education won't help the problem too much but it is good to tell people about it," said Pekarek, an Engineering junior.

Pekarek said that although she thinks the task force is a good idea, many first-year students may benefit more from first-hand experience.

"I know a lot of people smuggle alcohol in to the dorms," Pekarek said. "You can tell them there are serious health consequences, but they do have the right to have fun."

Benz said the goals of the task force's first meeting, which will be held Oct. 12, include reducing drinking, having a time frame in which to implement their plans, conducting evaluation of their plans and making a list of sources for the upcoming plans.

"If a student wants to drink, they'll drink. We're not there to stop them. But we can try to get information out," Benz said.

Benz added that the University does not want to "throw money at something" that is not going to be beneficial in reducing underage drinking.

10-02-98