|
   |
||||
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
|
|
Curbing Campus Drinking By Monica Brady-Myerov  Listen to story (Real Audio)
BOSTON - September 08, 2008 - As thousands of new college students settle into Boston, one topic on the minds of administrators is curbing college drinking. A decade ago, two dozen Boston-area colleges signed a pact to reduce underage and binge drinking. But college administrators admit the effort had little impact. Now Northeastern University, which led the inter-campus initiative ten years ago, is changing its approach to disciplining students for drinking on campus. WBUR's Monica Brady-Myerov reports. MBM: As part of Northeastern University's Husky Hello orientation freshmen are required to attend an introduction to the expectations around drinking alcohol. PROGRAM: Good afternoon everyone MBM: Instead of lectures about the drinking policy, the university presents a skit about what happens with you throw a party with drinking. PROGRAM: Be careful is he chugging? Woah, no MBM: The tone is lighthearted, but Northeastern's policies are anything but. In another room down the hall, these kids parents are hearing a stern lecture from Northeastern Police Captain Albert Sweeney who warns the school won?t tolerate underage student drinking. SWEENEY: They are going to be prosecuted, brought in and removed so your students can get the education they're paying for. MBM: Last year, the university received two federal grants to study its alcohol reduction programs and see whether they are in line with best practices. Valeria Randall-Lee Director for the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, says the review showed the university?s efforts weren't working. RANDALL-LEE: We were doing our own research with our own students it was coming out one, that our students were drinking above the norm and two that something really needed to be done and what we did on campus didn't feel like enough. MBM: In response they've adopted a more aggressive approach that the latest research shows works with young people. For a first time drinking violation a student will still be put on probation. But now the student must also attend a workshop about alcohol instead of just taking an on-line survey. Amaura Kemmerer, who heads the Office of Prevention and Education , will lead small groups in a discussion about the effects of alcohol. And Kemmerer says she will separate men from women because research shows their relationship with alcohol is very different. KEMMERER: The theory is that women drink in college to find relationships and that's very different then they reasons why men give more around bonding and parting and having fun. MBM: Instead of paying a hundred dollar fine, students can choose to write in a journal about their choices around alcohol. Randall-Lee says a counselor will read it. RANDALL-LEE: Because what we know is that if students have to respond to somebody about alcohol then they are going to be much more conscious about what they are doing and think about it more. MBM: The only other college that has used these methods has seen a sustained reduction in high risk drinking. These are researched based approaches that can work says John Kelly Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. KELLY: I think they are forward thinking. I think that because alcohol use and misuse is such a huge problem among young people that taking a responsible proactive stance like they are at Northeastern I think is the way to go. Because it?s teaching young people responsibility that this is harmful behavior not just to themselves but to other people in the environment. MBM: These changes come at a time when seven area college presidents, including Smith and Tufts, signed on to the new Amethyst Initiative. It calls for a public discussion around lowering the drinking age because they see it as responsible for problem drinking on campus. But the tough stance at Northeastern is applauded by parents. LAURA MANN: I was really glad it was hard core tough and I hope they are hearing the same message. MBM: Laura and Greg Mann came from Seattle to drop off their freshman son. GREG MANN: I was really impressed with their program they clearly spelled out the rules that kids under age aren?t even allowed to be in a room where there?s drinking. They aren?t even allowed to have empty containers. MBM: Elise Reuter is transferring from Union College in New York, where she says the rules around drinking are much more relaxed. REUTER: You could get caught 4-5-6 times before anything really serious happened. It's like a pretty big difference; we?ll see I?m hoping to stay away from any trouble that?s my plan. MBM: If she does get into trouble, her parents will find out. Northeastern notifies parents on the first violation of the alcohol policy.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sponsor |
