Most students grow up in a culture which equates the consumption of alcohol with having fun, relaxing, making social situations
complete and reducing tension. Drinking alcohol has become a rite of passage for some young people in this country, and many students
come to college having learned to drink during their high school years.
Students' decisions to use alcohol are strongly affected by environmental and peer influences, which combine to create a culture of
drinking. This culture actively promotes drinking, or passively promotes it, through tolerance, or even tacit approval. The alcohol
beverage industry aggressively targets young adults through advertising and program sponsorship such as MTV programs and sports events
(Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, Georgetown University, 2002). The use of alcohol on campus has created a culture of beliefs and
customs, entrenched in every level of college students' environments. These beliefs and customs, combined with the expectations they
engender, exert a powerful influence over students' attitude and behavior toward alcohol use.
Parents also play an important role in their students' decision to use alcohol. Young adults are influenced by parents' attitudes
toward alcohol use as well as the drinking behavior they have been exposed to as children. Reminiscing about drunk college experiences
in a positive way contributes to students' belief that drinking is an expected and appropriate activity in college. Parents can
positively influence students by clearly stating their values about underage alcohol use and discussing the academic and legal
consequences. Keeping lines of communication open while the student progresses at UM is also very helpful and supportive.
Unfortunately, harmful alcohol use can produce serious outcomes. In 2002, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
(NIAAA) announced findings of a large scale research project. This study found that 1,400 college students die each year from alcohol-
related injuries, 500,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are injured while under the influence of alcohol, and more than 600,000
students are assaulted by another student who has been drinking (A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S.
Colleges, NIAAA, 2002).
What are the definitions of binge and harmful drinking? How do these terms relate to
alcoholism?
Binge drinking is currently defined as a discrete number of drinks on a single occasion. The generally agreed-upon numbers are 5 (or
more) drinks in a single episode for men, and either 4 or 5 (or more) drinks for women. At UM, we prefer the criteria of 4 (or more)
drinks for women because it accounts for the physiological differences between men and women. Further, this gender-based criteria allows
us to compare our data with other post-secondary institutions.
Binge drinking is particularly problematic because significant quantities of alcohol are being consumed in a short period of time. As
this happens, the body's blood alcohol content rises dramatically. As decision-making abilities decrease along with reaction time and
other motor functioning skills, the probability of negative consequences from alcohol consumption increases dramatically.
Although the term "binge drinking" is currently popular, we prefer the term "harmful drinking." Harmful drinking is defined as any
alcohol use that engenders a high likelihood of negative consequences. The notion of harmful drinking clarifies that any alcohol use can
result in negative social, interpersonal and legal consequences. By definition, binge drinking is harmful drinking, but some harmful
drinking occurs regardless of number of drinks consumed. Harmful drinking also includes drinking done by alcoholics.
While it is true that a subset of students who chronically engage in harmful drinking behaviors will-or already have-become alcohol
dependent, we are equally concerned about the much larger percentage of students who experience lasting consequences from episodic harmful
drinking. Excessive alcohol use affects not only the individual who is drinking, but also friends, family and the community as a whole.
Many students come to campus already having experimented with alcohol. One of the strongest predictors of alcohol use in college is
the student's social life in high school (Bucholz, 1990; Jacob and Leonard, 1994). The latest national statistics (Wechsler, 2001)
indicate that overall 44% of undergraduate college students have had a binge in the past two weeks (binge drinking defined as 4 or more
drinks for women and 5 or more for men in the course of one episode). On the UM campus, these rates are higher with 52% of undergraduate
students having engaged in binge drinking at least once in the past two weeks (Student Life Survey, Boyd and McCabe, 2007).
Consistent with national research, students report primary and secondary consequences associated with alcohol use. For instance, 20.5%
of undergraduate students who consumed alcohol in year prior to the survey reported driving a car under the influence, and twenty-nine
percent experienced a blackout. Additionally, 69% of all undergraduate students reported having to take care of someone drunk in the
past year and 28% reported having their property damaged by someone drunk.
UM takes the problem of excessive alcohol use very seriously and will continue to be proactive in its education, prevention and
treatment efforts.
Does the University have policies and laws that govern alcohol use on campus? What happens
to students who are caught using alcohol?
All faculty, students, staff and campus visitors are subject to prosecution if they engage in illegal use, possession or distribution
of alcohol or other drugs on the UM campus. The University is governed by federal and state laws and also enforces Ann Arbor city
ordinances, though state laws supersede city ordinances if they are in conflict. The
Department of Public Safety (DPS), a full service
law enforcement agency, has jurisdiction for all activities on University-owned property.
UM has a campus-wide Alcohol and Other Drugs (A/OD) Policy,
which
fulfills the federal mandate for all institutions of higher education to have an A/OD policy and distribute this policy annually to all
employees and students. This policy outlines the University's prevention, education and intervention efforts, and consequences that may
be applied by both the University and external authorities for policy violations. The law also requires that individuals be notified of
possible health risks associated with the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and sources of assistance for problems that may
arise as a result of use.
When students are cited for legal or policy violations, they are subject to sanctions through the University's student conduct
process. The Statement of Student's Rights and Responsibilities is the policy document that governs student conduct. It is administered
by The Office of Student Conflict Resolution (OSCR).
Sanctions for policy violations may include: counseling, education and community restitution. For more severe violations or repeated
offenses sanctions may include suspension or expulsion.
UM Division of Student Affairs staff who work closely with students, whenever feasible, urge them to involve their parents when
challenges arise. Along with students, parents are always welcome to serve on university committees that address alcohol and other drug
issues.
On a more programmatic level, there are several avenues that are used to communicate with student's parents and family members:
Parent orientation includes presentations on issues relevant to your
student's health and wellness, including alcohol use.
A website for parents which contains important information and resources
related to campus life.
What research related to campus alcohol use does the University conduct?
UHS in collaboration with researchers from the Institute for Women and Gender conduct the Student Life Survey biannually to assess many factors related to student alcohol and other drug use.
UM Institute for Social Research (ISR) administers an annual national survey on adolescent use of alcohol and other drugs. See Monitoring the Future.
