Many Colleges Adopting New Alcohol PoliciesApril 18, 2002
Research Summary
As binge drinking among college students continues to rise, a number of colleges and universities throughout the United States are adopting policies that restrict alcohol beverages on campus, the Daily Universe, the newspaper of Brigham Young University, reported April 10.A recently released study shows that 1,400 college students are killed each year in alcohol-related incidents. Furthermore, alcohol contributed to 500,000 injuries and 70,000 cases of sexual assault or date rape among college students.
The study cited a lack of educational campaigns against college drinking for contributing to the problem.
As a result of the study's findings, colleges are beginning to enhance educational efforts. Southern Methodist University (SMU), for instance, has instituted a new "social norm" campaign. According to Jim Caswell, vice president of student affairs at SMU, the goal is to publicize that 60 percent of their student body does not drink heavily, as opposed to the 40 percent that does.
The strategy has been met with success at other college campuses. "It works because students get a more realistic understanding of what other people are actually doing," said Gordon Lindsay, department chair of Health Science at Brigham Young University. The university has prohibited consumption of alcoholic beverages since its founding in 1875.
In addition to establishing policies, Lindsay said other universities can decrease the growing number of alcohol-related incidents among college students through educational initiatives.
"If you put those two things together you are going to be much more successful," he said.
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