Classroom Opportunities
Student health is crucial to academic performance. Every year students do poorly, or even drop out of school, due to eating disorders, sexual assaults, unintended pregnancies or contracting a sexually transmitted infection including HIV, all of which are highly correlated with excessive alcohol or other drug use.
Whether you are a student or faculty member, the classroom presents many learning opportunities.
For students: Are you conducting research on alcohol or other drugs for a class assignment or planning a presentation? Interested in having more in-depth knowledge about alcohol and other drugs? Here are suggested resources.
Take an e-CHUG assessment and see what you learn about yourself.
We offer materials and tips for presentations at UHS Health Promotion and Community Relations.
Many departments offer classes in alcohol and other drugs. Talk to your Academic Advisor for options.
See also Resources for Alcohol and Other Drugs.
For graduate student instructors (GSI): As a GSI, you work closely with students, getting to know them through their coursework and classroom interactions. You may hear students talking about drinking or read about their experiences in assignments. If you have concerns about a student, you can contact UHS health educators for assistance. Call 734-763-1320.
For faculty: You can have significant influence over students' use of alcohol. Students look up to faculty and respect their position and influence. You can help change the "drinking culture" on our campus. Here are suggestions:
Think about how you talk about alcohol and other drug use in class. Do you reminisce about your own college days? Do you glorify excessive alcohol use? Be sure your comments reflect your interest in students making safe choices.
Are you teaching a class on alcohol or other drugs? Let Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program staff know! We have materials and ideas for assignments and other ways to assist you.
Would you like to incorporate an assignment about alcohol or other drugs into your class? Introductory classes such as English composition, psychology or communications can be great places to do this. You can use the following as class assignments:
- e-CHUG
- Choices, which uses a journal especially designed for UM students (contact Patrice Flax, UHS Health Educator, at 734-763-7808)
You can incorporate the social norms message that "Most (71%) of UM students have 0-4 drinks when they party" into your lectures. This means some students are abstaining occasionally or always, some drink lightly and some moderately. Students tend to think most students are drinking much more than this, which creates an atmosphere of tolerance for excessive drinking and sometimes a need to "drink up" to the perception.
Ask students to discuss the fact that 25% of UM undergraduates do not drink (source: UM Student Life Survey 2005).
Are you concerned about a student? Does he/she smell of alcohol or look hungover? Is there a change in the student's personal hygiene or in academic performance? See BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) or contact us for suggestions about how to address the student.
Faculty can publicly and officially support campus alcohol education and prevention activities. The faculty senate can be a bold voice for safe alcohol use by students. Faculty are welcome to become involved with these two groups:
For more information, contact the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Program at 734-763-1320.
