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By Phyllis Hanlon
 From
September to May throughout the country, one hears the happy
shouts of college students echoing in the halls
and across campus-"Party, party!" Unfortunately, for many
young men and women, these social gatherings involve drinking,
which may, in turn, lead to some sort of risky or criminal
behavior. Government statistics are alarming-college students
spend $4.5 billion annually on alcohol; each year college
students consume an estimated four billion cans of beer-enough
for every college and university in the country to fill an
Olympic-size swimming pool. Experts agree the problem has
reached monumental proportions. Serious efforts to address
the issue have been sporadic and ineffective in the past.
However, a new resolve is building across the country, bringing
with it sensible, creative and more effective methods of
reducing college drinking and its grim after-effects.
Although for some time colleges and universities have had
programs and personnel in place to respond to the problems
associated with alcohol use and abuse, statistics showed
that "second-hand effects" of campus drinking remained alarmingly
high. By 1990, Holy Cross had a full-time counselor and a
peer-education program in place to combat the negative consequences
related to alcohol. According to the 1999 College Alcohol
Study, programs aimed at educating students and their parents,
as well as bridging the gap between perceptions and actual
drinking habits in the school environment, have now been
implemented at one in nine colleges. The study gathered self-reported
data from a survey of more than 14,000 students enrolled
at 119 different colleges in 40 states.
Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for student affairs
and dean of students, says that serious efforts to battle
the drinking issue began at Holy Cross when then-President
Rev. Gerard Reedy, S.J., established a task force on alcohol
in 1997.
"The task force made a number of recommendations after
completing its initial work," Peterson says-"one of which
was the creation of the Campus Advisory Board on Alcohol
(CABA)." This board continues to develop policies and strategies
aimed at reducing alcohol problems on campus. The task force
also mandated the formation of a judicial affairs office
as well as the implementation of more intensive, ongoing
educational programs. Other recommendations included the
establishment of a community alliance, the cooperation of
campus housing officials and more open two-way communication
between parents and college administrators, faculty and staff.
Mathew Toth, associate dean of students for student development
services and a 30-year veteran at Holy Cross, chairs CABA. "The
committee's goal is to understand and respond to college
drinking as a national and campus health problem," he says. "Every
constituency, from alumni and public safety to public affairs,
students and faculty, is involved in helping reduce the negative
impact of alcohol use. There is a need to sensitize everyone."
Since CABA's objectives are far-reaching, three subcommittees
have been formed to explore each area more effectively. According
to Toth, the "social norming" subcommittee attempts to address
students' misperceptions concerning drinking on campus. "Erroneous
perceptions have an impact on what and how much the students
drink," he says. "The percentage [of drinkers] is not as
high as they think."
Anne-Marie Matteucci, coordinator of Wellness Programs
and Alcohol Education, says the common thinking that college
is supposed to be "ultimate fun" and the "best four years
of life" needs to be challenged. Pointing out that college
sets the stage for future accomplishments, she says, "Four
years of college should be just the beginning." Before coming
to college, many students have a preconceived notion of what
their social life will involve; those ideas often include
drinking. "There doesn't need to be alcohol at every function
on campus," Matteucci says. "We are looking to challenge
the idea that there's nothing to do here on campus or in
Worcester, besides drink."
She is also looking to challenge the notion that drinking
has always been part of the long tradition of collegiate
socializing.
"The problem is more acute than it has been in the past," Matteucci
says. "A national trend-that is also being seen at Holy Cross-is
that students today drink in greater quantity than 10-to-20
years ago. The higher quantity of alcohol consumed leads
to greater impairment problems. These impairment problems
may include sexual assault, driving while under the influence,
vandalism, missed classes and compromised academic work.
Over 50 percent of our students have indicated that they
have done something they regretted while drinking. And an
alarming number of students have reported feeling depressed
as a result of their consumption and have admitted that they
are concerned about their level of drinking."
Parental involvement in the "social norming" process is
critical to its success. Holy Cross began its process of
re-orienting and creating dialogue between parents and students
in 1998, when organizers added a new component to the summer
orientation program. "Gateways" sessions bring parents, college
personnel and students together in a workshop setting to
focus on a number of transitional issues and openly address
the problem of alcohol on campus. During these orientation
meetings, parents and students complete surveys to identify
their perceptions on campus drinking. Sessions are held in
June, giving parents of incoming students two full months
to discuss the issue with their child before the start of
classes.
A second CABA subcommittee focuses on alcohol policy and
its long- and short-term effects. Holy Cross upholds state
laws prohibiting under-21 alcohol use. Students of legal
drinking age who choose to drink are encouraged to demonstrate
responsible behavior. Although the presence of an on-campus
pub may seem contradictory, Toth states that entry is strictly
monitored and violators are sanctioned. "The pub has been
here for years. It's one way of providing a controlled environment
for the students," he says. Advertising alcoholic beverages
on campus, at athletic events and in the school newspaper,
is prohibited, but occasionally a local bar owner will manage
to post "Happy Hour" signs in the cafeteria and in other
strategic places on campus. These notices are quickly removed,
notes Matteucci.
The tailgating issue has prompted formation
of the third subcommittee under the CABA umbrella. This tradition
has drawn mixed reviews from parents whose opinions fall
on both sides of the fence. According to Toth, many alumni
see this practice as an integral part of the school's athletics
programs, while others would like to see the custom eliminated
altogether. A new tailgating policy has been instituted as
part of the College's comprehensive approach to the drinking
issue. Under the new policy, no kegs, "beerballs," or large-quantity
alcohol containers are allowed on Freshman Field. Alcohol
is banned from the stadium itself and at game time, people
are asked to clear the parking areas and enter Fitton Field.
The newly created judicial affairs office serves to mediate
and resolve disciplinary problems, including alcohol-related
complaints. The office also continually reviews the effectiveness
of current alcohol policy. R. Thomas Clark, assistant to
the vice president of student affairs and judicial affairs
coordinator, supervises a 23-member board that oversees the
resolution of alcohol-related violations. After hearing testimony
and weighing the facts, the board determines appropriate
sanctions for offenders, with an emphasis on re-educating
and changing perceptions.
In addition to other sanctions, including probation, loss
of privileges, fines and suspensions, specially designed
educational programs may be prescribed as sanctions. Matteucci
teaches two different classes intended to bring students
through a self-discovery process after committing an offense. "Prime
for Life," based on a risk-reduction model created at the
Preventative Research Institute (PRI), aims to reduce future
and inherent problems. "By offering age-appropriate questions
and information, the class helps to identify students in
high- and low-risk categories," she says. "The four-to-five
hour class looks at individual tolerance, family history
and other risk factors."
Another segment of the educational component is the "social
responsibilities class." Matteucci sees this as an opportunity
to readjust a student's thinking regarding the campus culture
of drinking as well as support and promote a better alcohol-controlled
environment. "We want the student to learn from the problem
and move on. The information in the class challenges the
idea that alcohol is necessary at every school function," she
says. Matteucci solicits ideas from the students for alternative
alcohol-free programming.
Since only sanctioned students are required to take these
classes, their success rate is difficult to determine. Matteucci
would like to see the class offered to all first-year students
as a means of prevention. She does note, however, that her
debriefing sessions with students who have completed the
classes are generally positive. "Students often comment that
they found the class more interesting than they thought they
would," she says. Follow-up surveys show that 50 percent
of these students have made some behavioral changes. "That
is considered a major success," says Matteucci.
An on-campus peer education group, the Students for Responsible
Choices (SRC), acts as a resource for informed decision-making
related to all substances. To become an SRC, students undergo
a competitive process that includes a formal written application,
an interview with Matteucci, who serves as the group's advisor,
and interviews with current SRCs. "We are looking for students
who are interested in the topic and who have motivation and
ideas," Matteucci says. "Their example, as well as their
moral support, offers guidance and inspiration to other students." Twenty
students currently serve as SRCs.
Maura Nelson '02, who became involved with the SRC during
her first year at Holy Cross, cites the enthusiastic response
that has greeted some of the group's social programming: "We
had more than 100 students come to a midnight basketball
game." Nelson adds that the SRCs interact with the rest of
the college community on an informal basis and try to make
their peers comfortable. David Eskew '01 notes that his presence
in the residence hall as an SRC helps students make a smooth
transition to college life. Before classes begin each year,
students receive the names, room and phone numbers of the
resident SRC, should an emergency arise. Eskew emphasizes
that the SRCs do not exercise authority but act as a support
system when students feel there is a problem.
The campus schedules special activities for Collegiate
Alcohol Awareness Week but prefers to engage in ongoing education
that is both active (programs, speakers) and passive (flyers,
posters and pamphlets). Students Against Destructive Decisions
(SADD), formerly known as Students Against Drunk Driving,
maintains a chapter on campus. Its membership is more fluid
than the SRC's, according to Matteucci. "SADD has four-to-six
core members and 16 or so volunteers who highlight a special
program once a month," she says.
In 1999 the Chaplains' Office began sponsorship of a campus
chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The closed meetings
provide a comfortable setting in which students can connect
with peers experiencing similar difficulties. According to
Toth, students could not identify with the issues presented
at community AA meetings. "Students have to deal with blackouts,
broken relationships and hangovers, and sometimes life-threatening
situations. But they are younger and do not 'hit bottom' in
the same way." he says.
In an attempt to reach beyond the campus itself, Holy Cross
formed a neighborhood collaborative in 1999. The Holy Cross
Community Alliance (HCCA) meets regularly to address off-campus
issues and "reach deeper into the campus/neighborhood relationship," according
to Peterson. Homeowners, landlords, students who live on
campus as well as off, city officials, representatives from
the Worcester Police Department and various Holy Cross administrators
participate in an ongoing dialogue. "The alliance is currently
trying to develop a number of subcommittees to address off-campus
issues, neighborhood relations, community service and economic
development," says Peterson. Also on the local front, Clark
collaborates with the alcohol beverage control board to regulate
abuse with regard to area bar and liquor storeowners.
The attorney general's office has launched a program to
explore ways in which colleges throughout the state can work
together to promote a safer school environment for students.
Clark and Matteucci have been meeting with this group to
help achieve a consistent alcohol policy throughout the commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
"Through a collaborative and comprehensive effort, we hope
to push all campuses to another place," Clark says. "We are
drawing on the strengths of others."
Holy Cross is devoting significant time and effort to research
the issue of campus drinking and focus on how to change the
present culture. "We realize that these alcohol issues did
not happen overnight," Peterson says. "Clearly, there will
not be an overnight change. We are employing steady, consistent
efforts to change attitudinal behavior where alcohol is concerned." She
cites the multilayered approach that Holy Cross has adopted. "Legislation
and policy enforcement will not be the only instrument. Education
plays a big part," she says. "Partnership with parents is
another key element."
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