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news
Take a shot
-- drink responsibly
By Kimberly Pasquis
On-line Forty-Niner
A more responsible course of action is being taken for students
caught with alcohol, after a new alcohol policy was implemented
on all California State University campuses.
Last spring, the
Chancellor's Office issued a mandate asking all CSUs to review
campus alcohol policies and programs after the death of a
Cal State Chico student and other alcohol-related incidents.
In response to
this mandate, departments on campus are beginning to come
together on how their policies should be enforced.
Alcohol policy
had been handled through judicial avenues, and had not been
defined in the past explaining how to enforce any alcohol
issues. Steps are now being obtained to show the correct lines
of discipline that should be followed.
For those students
who live in the dorms, it is illegal to be in possession of
alcohol or any container containing alcohol. In past years,
there was only punishment attached to any action taken. An
educational component has been included to try and help students
understand that there can be serious effects to their drinking
practices.
"Not too much
is different, we just have a methodology to follow,"
said Stan Olin, director of Housing and Residential Life.
"Bad things happen and do. We are trying to keep a handle
on it."
If a student is
caught, they are required to attend a class sponsored by the
Student Health Center. Renee Twigg, director of Student Health
Services, is currently developing the educational component.
It will include
a class made up of students who have been recognized as having
an alcohol problem. The students are referred by a department
on campus.
Fraternity parties
will probably not be affected by this new campus policy due
to policies enforced by their national chapters. Fraternities
that are part of the Interfraternity Council must abide by
structured guidelines whenever alcohol is involved. Panhellenic
Council sororities are required to follow a similar set of
rules.
Student Life and
Development will be helping the national Greek organizations
enforce their policies, according to Brett Waterfield, assistant
director of Student Life and Development.
"The education
part is the hardest because you have to be creative,"
Waterfield said. "We are trying to turn the focus off
of drinking and promote other options for having a good time."
Social norming
and environmental management are two prevention methods. Social
norming stresses the idea that not all college students drink
to get drunk every weekend.
In fact, it is
a very low percentage. According to the CSULB Student Health
Center Web site only 7.1 percent of students say they drink
frequently. Social norming will be used to educate the truths
on drinking rather than having students rely on the myth that
is normal for every college student to get drunk.
Environmental management
redefines methods of intervention and action to come up with
a common course of action. An advisory council will be established
in the next few months to advise CSULB President Robert Maxson
to take more effective steps in the alcohol policies that
are made.
Any department
-- including the University Police, Housing and Residential
Life, Greek Affairs, Sports, Athletics and Recreation, Counseling
and Psychological Services -- that would be effected by the
enforcement phases will be included in the development of
the alcohol policy.
Other CSU campuses
are currently in the process of developing their own policies
that coincide with their school mission statements. Chancellor
Charles B. Reed has given every university a $25,000 matching
grant to help fund the process in any way. The Chancellor's
Office is taking the appropriate steps in making sure that
safe environments are created on CSU campuses.
"We don't
want to see any more deaths or near deaths," said Colleen
Bentley-Adler, director of public affairs for the Chancellor's
Office. "We aren't telling students not to drink, but
to do it responsibly and to take care of themselves and each
other."
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