CATALYST, Spring 2007 Vol. 8 No. 3
A Publication of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for
Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention
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Diversity on Campus: Implications for Prevention
Women and racial and ethnic populations increasingly are making up the
more than 17 million students enrolled in U.S. colleges and
universities, which once were enclaves of white men. According to the
National Center for Educational Statistics, in 1976 some 15 percent of
U.S. college students were other than white (non-Latino), compared with
29 percent in 2002. Much of the change can be attributed to rising
numbers of Latino, Asian, and Pacific Islander students. The proportion
of Asian and Pacific Islander students rose from 2 percent to 6 percent,
and the proportion of Latinos rose from 3 percent to 10 percent during
that time period. The proportion of black students fluctuated during
most of the early part of the period, before rising to 12 percent in
2002 from 9 percent in 1976.
In addition, the gender gap in higher education is widening among
certain student populations, but is most striking among white and Latino
traditional age undergraduates, a new gender equity study conducted by
the American Council on Education concludes. The gap is due primarily to
a larger female share among low-income whites and Latinos, which has led
to an overall decline in the male share of traditional-age students (age
24 or younger) from 48 percent in 1995-96 to 45 percent in 2003-04 (see
Gender Equity in Higher Education: 2006, American Council on Education).
Several studies, including the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey of the Core
Institute of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, have found use of
alcohol and other drugs among some racial and ethnic minority college
students to be lower than among white students. For example, at
historically black colleges and universities, about half the number of
students report using tobacco, marijuana, or cocaine compared with
students at predominantly white colleges. Variations in use rates affect
the nature and types of problems manifested in these different groups.
William Modzeleski, associate assistant deputy secretary of the U.S.
Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, said
that more research is needed to gain a better understanding of the
implications of racial and ethnic diversity when it comes to alcohol and
other drug abuse and violence prevention at colleges and universities.
"With increasing diversity at U.S. universities, there has to be
recognition that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to prevention.
Students from different cultures, backgrounds, and nationalities all
come to the campus with different understanding and perceptions of
issues related to alcohol and other drugs. Even their learning styles
may be somewhat different. We have to recognize that as we move forward
with the development of programs," said Modzeleski.
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health examined whether an
increased presence of students from groups in which alcohol is less
heavily consumed had a moderating effect on those students who "binge"
drink. For example, African-American, Asian, female, and older students
have lower rates of high-risk drinking than do white, male, and younger
students. It found that the presence of minority and older students
moderates the drinking habits of high-risk students at schools with
small, medium, and large enrollments (American Journal of Public
Health, Vol. 93, No. 11, Nov. 2003).
"The results may shed light on why fraternities, sororities, and
freshman dorms have particularly high binge-drinking rates and account
for a disproportionate (i.e., larger) share of alcohol problems on
campuses," said Henry Wechsler, Ph.D., director of Harvard's College
Alcohol Study. "These social and living arrangements tend to group
higher-risk drinkers together, with little chance of their intermingling
with those who drink less heavily."
"Although various interventions have been attempted to lower the level
of binge drinking, to our knowledge, colleges have not yet examined
housing and admissions policies, and student demographics to that end,"
according to the study.
"Student-body composition, as well as the value of diversity at the
college, organizational, and dormitory levels, should be considered by
colleges wishing to reduce their binge drinking problems. Encouraging
more older students to live on campus and in fraternity houses may be
one practical application of these findings; another may be decreasing
the heavy concentration of young, male, and white students in
residential arrangements," the study concluded.
In addition, when it comes to prevention, Modzeleski pointed out that
there are some approaches that cross all populations.
"It's the message we send out about what's going to be tolerated or
accepted on our college campuses. The consequences of alcohol use-
especially heavy drinking-are basically the same for all students,
regardless of ethnic background or sexual orientation. The message has
to get out about the consequences of academic failure. Heavy drinking or
other drinking that adversely affects behavior, and, in turn, learning,
affects students who are on the cusp of passing or not passing much more
than if you're an A student. An A student who is drinking a lot may
become a B student. But the consequences for the C student may be
academic failure. This message is for everybody," said Modzeleski.
Traci Toomey, Ph.D., director of the Alcohol Epidemiology Program at the
University of Minnesota's School of Public Health and a former member of
the Review Group of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education
Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention, agrees.
She said that new research supports implementing multiple environmental
strategies on and around campus that are aimed at the general student
population. Such strategies include controls on the availability and
promotion of alcohol, addressing the large amounts of unstructured time
many students have, consistent enforcement of laws and campus policies,
and changing student perceptions of heavy alcohol use (i.e., norms).
But the increasing diversity at colleges and universities may pose the
challenge of increases in the hate crimes that are associated with
intergroup conflict and bigotry. Oftentimes, the individuals who
perpetrate hate crimes are under the influence of alcohol or other
drugs, according to Jeffrey A. Ross, the late national director of
campus and higher education affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, in
"Fighting Hate on Campus: A Primer for Administrators" in The
Bulletin, the bimonthly magazine of the Association of College Unions
International (March 2001, Vol. 69, No. 2).
"Hate crimes, including vandalism, harassment, and violence, are
criminal acts that reveal evidence of animus based on race, gender,
religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability," said Ross.
"Although they are punishable by law as 'regular' crimes, it is
important to realize hate crime victims are not randomly chosen as is
the case of many other crimes. They have been targeted specifically due
to their affiliation with a particular group."
To address these types of incidents on campus, Modzeleski said that
colleges and universities need, at least, to have a policy about how
people treat each other as individuals, regardless of race, creed,
background, or sexual identification.
"It should not be only the administration saying, 'Here is our policy.'
It needs to emanate through student councils and student groups saying,
'Here's how we want to treat each other as a group on this campus
regardless of who we are or what we are.' "
"We can't tell people whom to like and whom not to like. What we can do
is demand that everybody is treated fairly and with respect. Guidelines
for how people behave should be developed and then be enforced," said
Modzeleski.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education's Projections
of Education Statistics to 2015
, the number of high school
graduates will reach a peak in the 2008-09 academic year at 3.3 million.
There will be record high enrollments at colleges and universities every
year from 2006 until 2015, according the Department's report /Condition
of Education Statistics 2006
. As
college enrollment continues to rise, responding to the needs of the
diverse student populations when it comes to alcohol and other drug
abuse and violence prevention on campus will be increasingly important.
Modzeleski said that for higher education, that means honoring the
differences of those groups when it comes to program planning and
implementation.
"We need to acknowledge that there are differences among groups and that
those differences make us stronger and better people," he said.
Prevalence and Problems Among Different Populations
When it comes to college students' drinking and other drug use behavior
and related problems, there are very distinct differences according to
ethnic background. To gain a better understanding of those differences
for this issue of Catalyst, the Core Institute at Southern Illinois
University, Carbondale, conducted a special analysis of its 2005 survey
data to describe those differences.
According to the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey, the highest rates for
alcohol use in the previous 30 days were reported by non-Latino whites
and Latinos, both at 75.3 percent, followed by American Indians at 73.1
percent. Lower rates were reported by Asian and Pacific Islanders (59.1
percent) and blacks (52.3 percent).
Heavy episodic, or high-risk (so-called binge), drinking-defined by the
Core Institute as five or more drinks in a setting-follows a similar
pattern, with American Indians (52.6 percent), non- Latino whites (50.2
percent), and Latinos (49.3 percent) reporting the highest levels, and
blacks (23.3 percent) and Asian and Pacific Islanders (33.7 percent)
reporting the lowest levels.
Although alcohol is by far the drug of choice for college students,
marijuana is the second most used drug. Annual use patterns for
marijuana were as follows: American Indian at 33.5 percent, Latino at
33.4 percent, white at 31 percent, black at 21.4 percent, and Asian and
Pacific Islander at 18 percent.
Because higher levels of alcohol and other drug use are associated with
greater risk for academic and social-related problems, those groups with
higher use rates also report higher rates-at least one in the past
year-of both public misconduct (such as getting into trouble with the
police, fighting or provoking arguments, driving while impaired,
engaging in vandalism) and personal problems (such as considering
suicide, being hurt or injured, trying unsuccessfully to stop using
drugs, engaging in sexual assault).
American Indians reported the highest rates of both public misconduct
(43.7 percent) and personal (36.8 percent) problems, followed by whites
(non-Latino) (39.1 percent and 25.8 percent) and Latinos (36.3 percent
and 23.7 percent). As with both alcohol and marijuana use, Asian and
Pacific Islanders (22.9 percent and 17.4 percent) and blacks (20.1
percent and 14.3 percent) reported the lowest levels of public
misconduct and personal problems related to their use.
For more information on ethnic differences in alcohol and other drug use
and related problems in the 2005 Core Alcohol and Drug Survey of 33,379
of U.S. college students, see Resources.
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Meeting the Prevention Needs of a Diverse Population
U.S. colleges and universities serve a widely diverse population of
students that includes large numbers of racial and ethnic groups,
foreigners, commuters, older adults, individuals with disabilities,
lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered individuals. The U.S.
Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention seeks to provide information and
assistance to institutions of higher education to address the needs of
these populations in making their educational experience both healthy
and safe. This article on meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) students is the first of several articles on
diversity and prevention.
Surveys indicate that LGBT students are more vulnerable to alcohol and
other drug problems than are students with a heterosexual orientation.
If a college or university does not support an organization or social
center for LGBT students, those students might gravitate to an
off-campus gay bar or club to find compatible company.
This proposition forms a backdrop for the rising concern in higher
education over the fate of LGBT students whose presence on campuses is
becoming more visible and more challenging to traditional attitudes
toward sexual minorities.
USA Today surveyed the emerging recognition of LGBT students on campus
in a story headlined "Colleges Grow Gay-Friendlier" (June 21, 2004).
More than 100 U.S. colleges have LGBT centers with paid staffs, and
other colleges are seriously considering creating such centers.
The success of gay-themed television shows, such as "Queer Eye for the
Straight Guy" and "Will & Grace," has led to more gay and lesbian
openness in general and may help account for a gradual lowering of the
age when young people "come out of the closet." The coming-out age today
falls in the midteens, compared with age 21 on average a generation ago.
This means there are more acknowledged gay and lesbian students in
freshman classes-and more issues with which staff and administrators,
concerned with student health and safety, must deal.
For young LGBT people who are not fully comfortable with their sexual
identity, alcohol and other drugs may be perceived as an antidote to low
self-esteem, feelings of alienation, and other barriers to social
interaction. The Pride Institute has estimated that as many as one in
three LGBT students has a substance abuse problem. The fact that alcohol
and other drug impairment is a factor in transmission of AIDS and other
STDs compounds other threats to health and safety that go with heavy
drinking and other drug use. Opportunities for alcohol-free recreation
and entertainment, therefore, can take on increased importance for LGBT
students.
Further, LGBT students on campus may be a target of homophobic violence
and harassment. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
said its 2005 National School Climate Survey found that 75.4 percent of
high school and college students surveyed had heard derogatory terms
used frequently at their schools. More than a third (37.8 percent) said
they had experienced physical harassment at their school on the basis of
their sexual orientation, and nearly one-fifth (17.6 percent) said they
had been physically assaulted for the same reason.
The GLSEN survey also found evidence that students at schools with an
organization for LGBT students were more likely to feel safe, less
likely to miss classes, and more likely to feel like they belonged at
their school than students in schools without such an organization.
Making Colleges and Universities Safe for Gay and Lesbian Students, a
1993 report published by the Massachusetts Governor's Commission on Gay
and Lesbian Youth, contains dozens of recommendations for policies and
services that can help campus leaders deal with this challenge. A
summary of the report is available at the Web site of the National
Consortium of Directors of LGBT Resources in Higher Education
(http://www.lgbtcampus.org).
The report recommends that peer counselors and campus crisis hotline
volunteers be trained in sensitivity to sexuality and coming-out issues.
It also calls for diversity workshops to sensitize staff, faculty, and
administrators to homophobia and its potential threat to students and
said that issues relating to LGBT people should be integrated into
existing courses, and speakers on LGBT topics be invited regularly to
the campus.
Often it is heterosexual staff and faculty who are responsible for
making the college experience a safe and positive one for LGBT students.
Those with this assignment need appropriate experience, support, and
resources available to them to guide their efforts or interventions.
This need has led to the development on some campuses of a "Safe Zone"
program, which identifies "allies," those who are friends and supporters
of the LGBT community and can be identified by a symbol on the door of
an office or living space.
Typically, a campus figure becomes an ally by attending a training or
orientation, and his or her Safe Zone is a place where LGBT students can
go to seek support and openly discuss their needs and concerns. Offices
created to address issues for LGBT students at some universities
actively encourage the development of safe zones on the campus. Western
Michigan University's safe zone program includes a two-hour training
called an "Ally Retreat," while a Texas A&M program requires
participants to attend training and sign a contract before they can post
a safe zone symbol.
Ronni Sanlo, Ed.D., of the LGBT Campus Resource Center at the University
of California, Los Angeles, has pointed to the scarcity of research
about the day-to-day experience of LGBT college students, and the meager
mention of sexual orientation in such documents as the American College
Health Association's Healthy Campus 2010 ("GLBT College Students: What
Institutions Need to Know," On Campus with Women, Spring 2005).
"The gay, lesbian, and bisexual college student population is invisible
both on campus and in much of the literature," said Sanlo. Research
examining the lives of LGBT students over the course of their college
careers, she said, can help student affairs professionals develop a
welcoming and nurturing campus climate not only for LGBT students but
for other students as well.
The On Campus with Women newsletter containing the Sanlo article is
available on the Web site of the Association of American Colleges and
Universities, at http://www.aacu.org/ocww/volume34_3/index.cfm. Another
useful Web site is that of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network at http://www.glsen.org.
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Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
If you would like more information about the
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS),
you may visit the office's Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/OSDFS, and for more information about the higher
education initiatives from the OSDFS staff, please contact:
William Modzeleski
Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary
bill.modzeleski@ed.gov ; 202-260-3954
Charlotte Gillespie
Director-National Programs
charlotte.gillespie@ed.gov ;
202-260-1862
Richard Lucey, Jr.
Education Program Specialist, Higher Education Initiatives
richard.lucey@ed.gov ; 202-205-5471
Ruth Tringo
Program Specialist, Higher Education Initiatives
ruth.tringo@ed.gov ; 202-260-2838
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Message From the Center Director
The rich backgrounds and experiences that students bring to campus is
one of the great, not-so-secret elements of a vibrant educational
institution. Admissions committees work hard to identify and recruit
students to represent a broad and balanced range of interests,
abilities, and perspectives as well as ethnic diversity. So much of who
students are is a reflection of where they come from-their families,
schools, towns, and every other element that contributes to what we
call, in shorthand, their background.
It has become increasingly clear that this diversity helps a college or
university build a strong academic community. What we don't talk much
about is how understanding and appreciating this diversity can help a
campus build strong alcohol and other drug abuse and violence prevention
programs. The environmental management approach to prevention teaches us
that the best way to change the alcohol and other drug use behaviors of
students is to change the environment in which they make decisions about
alcohol and other drug use. Students are a central, crucial part of that
environment. Campus prevention professionals know that there is no
one-size-fits-all prevention program; neither is there a
one-size-fits-all student. The articles in this Catalyst issue explore
some of the different perspectives, assumptions, and inclinations that
come along with our greatly valued diverse student body. Weighing such
considerations carefully in designing a prevention program not only
produces a better program but also enriches students' experiences in
higher education.
As William Modzeleski, associate assistant deputy secretary in the U.S.
Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, said in
the "Diversity on Campus: Implications for Prevention"
article, "We need to acknowledge that there are differences among groups
and that those differences make us stronger and better people."
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Latinos: A Growing Presence on U.S. Campuses
A growing presence of Latinos in campus populations is creating the need
for greater skills in cultural competence among those designing and
carrying out alcohol and other drug prevention strategies. The time is
past when generalizations from the U.S. population could be made about
the likely response of students to efforts to reduce alcohol and other
drug problems and incidents of violence.
Latinos are the fastest-growing ethnic minority in the United States and
make up a growing share of total enrollment in U.S. colleges and
universities. The proportion of Latinos in the college population has
risen from 4 percent to more than 10 percent in the last two decades.
The increase is even more dramatic in some states, especially those
attracting immigrant workers, and there are significant variations in
the ethnic composition of student bodies from one institution to
another. That is, the Latino presence tends to be greater in two-year
and community colleges than in institutions with a four-year program,
and it is greater on urban campuses than on those in smaller cities.
What does this mean for prevention? M. Lee Upcraft, Ph.D., a professor
emeritus and assistant vice-president emeritus for student affairs at
the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Pennsylvania State
University, offers advice for those tackling the issue of high levels of
heavy drinking on campus. "As institutions consider what they can do to
reduce student problems associated with alcohol, they must base their
policies and practices on a realistic picture of their students," he
said in a 2002 paper on the disappearance of the "Joe College" student
stereotype. "While national trends provide guidance on what to look for
in describing today's students, each institution must develop a profile
of its students and strive to create a good match between the students
they educate and the policies and practices they develop to combat
student alcohol problems" (see
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/SupportingResearch/upcraft1.aspx).
What is the effect of a rising percentage of Latinos on a campus? There
is good news and bad news in the sparse research on the subject. On the
plus side, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study
reported in 2003 that the higher the proportion of Latinos,
African-Americans, and other ethnic minorities on a campus, the less
likely that incoming freshmen will take up the heavy-drinking habits
seen among older students (American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 93,
No. 11, Nov. 2003).
Unfortunately, there are forces working in the opposite direction. Gina
Piane, Dr.P.H., and Alan Safer, Ph.D., of California State University,
Long Beach, found in a study of their campus that acculturation-the
merging of the minority Latino culture into the dominant U.S.
culture-has had an effect on rates of heavy drinking by minority
students. "As the acculturation level increases, indicating a greater
adoption of the dominant culture, heavy drinking and perceived drinking
norms on campus and among friends increase," they reported. Combating
such changes in perceptions of drinking norms as students acculturate
may reduce heavy drinking among certain racial and ethnic groups,
including Latinos.
Evaluation components of campus prevention programs can produce evidence
of what works and what doesn't in seeking to influence the drinking
behavior of Latinos and other minority students. A clue comes from a
study of the participation of students in an alcohol-free program at
Pennsylvania State University called LateNight-PennState (recognized in
1999 by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free
Schools as an effective campus-based prevention program) and another
alcohol-free venue called Coffee House. The study, as reported by
Dolores W. Maney, Ph.D., and her colleagues in the American Journal of
Health Studies (Vol. 18, No. 2/3, 2003), indicated that students of
ethnic minorities were more likely to attend the alcohol-free events
than were nonethnic minority students.
Why? The authors of the Pennsylvania State University study speculate
that the choice may stem from cultural values. "For example, the
LateNight programs, such as dance (especially hip-hop, ballroom, and
salsa), as well as Coffee House may be more fulfilling to cultural
appreciation of music, movement competence, and autonomous
self-expression. Second, researchers in the motivation profession
acknowledge that humans seek out opportunities to fulfill the three
basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness."
Another cultural factor appears to encourage alcohol-free recreation-a
belief among some ethnic groups that academic achievement is beneficial
to success in life, and that drinking is often associated with missing
classes, falling behind in studies, and doing poorly on exams. "Avoiding
or moderating alcohol consumption may be perceived as a method to
enhance academic performance," the Long Beach study concludes.
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Q&A With Dolores Cimini
M. Dolores Cimini, Ph.D., is the director of the Middle Earth Peer
Assistance program at the University at Albany, State University of New
York. As a licensed psychologist, she provides clinical intervention and
prevention services to university students and is currently the
principal investigator for over $3.2 million in federal grant projects
addressing high-risk drinking and related behaviors. She served on and
was cochair of the planning committee for the U.S. Department of
Education's 2003 Annual National Meeting on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
and Violence Prevention in Higher Education. She has published
professional articles in both national and international refereed
journals in the addictions field.
Sidebar:
Substance Abuse and Students With Disabilities: Little Known Facts
Did you know?
* Alcohol use is a major cause of disabilities for 20- and 21-year-olds.
* Alcohol abuse rates for people with disabilities may be twice as
high as in the general population.
* Forty to 80 percent of traumatic brain injury patients are injured
while intoxicated.
* Forty to 80 percent of spinal cord injuries are related to
substance abuse.
* Students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are at
elevated risk for alcohol and other drug abuse.
* Alcohol and other drug abuse significantly increases the risk for
HIV infection among
college students.
(Excerpted from http://www.med.wright.edu/
citar/sardi/brochure_facts.html
.)
Developed by:
Substance Abuse Resources & Disability Issues (SARDI)
http://www.med.wright.edu/citar/sardi
SARDI is funded by the Department of
Education's National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/
index.html
Q: When it comes to prevention, do we need to make a special effort to
reach out to students with disabilities?
A: Yes, there is definitely a critical need to reach out to students
with disabilities as we plan and implement our prevention efforts. This
is especially important because studies show that students with
disabilities may be more vulnerable to some of the problems we are
trying to address and prevent, such as relationship violence, hate
crimes, alcohol misuse and abuse, and sexual assault.
As we conduct our prevention work, we need to remain sensitive to the
needs of students with a wide range of disabilities and to be aware of
how best to present information to them. For example, students who are
visually impaired may be unable to read printed posters, and it,
therefore, might be helpful to have audio, Braille, or large-print
messages developed for them. For students with hearing disabilities,
print media may provide the greatest access.
It's also very important to make materials accessible to students with
"hidden" disabilities. For instance, we might aim our efforts toward
students with learning or emotional disabilities, including depression,
anxiety, or attention deficit disorder. This poses for all of us as
prevention professionals a call to action to address the needs of these
students as well.
Sidebar:
Resources
* Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (contains regulation and
technical assistance materials) http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/
adahom1.htm
* Deaf and Hard of Hearing AA 12 Steps Recovery Resources
http://www.dhh12s.com
* "Helping Deaf and Hard of Hearing Young People Deal with Alcohol
and Other Drugs" http://www.mncddeaf.org/articles/ youth_ad.htm
* Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/ocr
* Substance Use Disorder Treatment For People With Physical and
Cognitive Disabilities http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/ BKD288
Q: How are students with disabilities currently served when it comes
to prevention?
A: Many colleges and universities offer services for students with a
variety of disabilities, including learning disabilities and psychiatric
conditions. Such services may be offered through campus counseling
centers, health centers, health education offices, and disability
services offices, where professionals are able to deliver specifically
tailored individual interventions to students, whether they are
advocacy, support, advisement, counseling, psychotherapy, or medication
services. Some practitioners, in the context of delivering such
interventions, address prevention and health-related issues with their
students, broaching topics, such as sexual assault prevention,
prevention of alcohol misuse and abuse, and the development of healthy
lifestyles.
That said, it is incumbent on us to focus our attention to a greater
degree in the future on how we can make our prevention materials more
accessible to students with physical disabilities, such as sensory
impairments, hearing impairments, and visual impairments. We also need
to educate ourselves on the specific and increasingly more complex needs
of those students who come to us with coexisting physical disabilities,
mental health issues, and learning disabilities, and alcohol and other
drug abuse issues and concerns.
Q: How could students with disabilities be served better?
A: As prevention professionals, we might work to ensure that all of
our prevention efforts-whether they be workshops, media campaigns,
educational programs, or educational materials-be accessible to all
students. To accomplish this, we might ask ourselves: Can students with
hearing impairments benefit from what we are presenting? Can students
with visual impairments learn from the information we are presenting?
Does our information need to be presented in another way to best reach
all students? Most important, if we are unsure about how we might
present our prevention materials to best reach all of our students, I
would encourage us to ask them directly and involve them in both the
planning and implementation stages of our prevention work. Students by
and large know what they need. They can be invaluable to us in our
prevention efforts.
Sidebar:
SAISD-Substance and Alcohol Intervention Services for the Deaf at the
National Technical Institute for the Deaf*
Preventing alcohol and other drug problems among college students can be
a complex undertaking, and when those students are deaf or hard of
hearing, the complexity increases.
According to Substance and Alcohol Intervention Services for the Deaf
(SAISD) at the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in Rochester, N.Y., hearing-impaired
students may be especially susceptible for several reasons:
* Isolation: People who are deaf or hard of hearing may feel
"different" from the mainstream population that hears and may
suffer from a lack of social acceptance, even within their own
families. They also generally have unequal access to community
services and that can further their isolation.
* Cultural Issues: The deaf and hard of hearing
have their own unique culture, and it is one that places a stigma
on chemical dependency. The deaf community perceives addiction as
a personal weakness, not an illness.
* Communication Barriers: The deaf and hard of hearing face more
frustrations in daily life because of communication barriers, and
some turn to alcohol or other drugs as a means of coping with
those frustrations. Also, the communication barriers they face may
prevent them from receiving helpful information about preventing
substance abuse.
Jeff Rubin, director of SAISD, said that his department has most
recently used the social norms approach and environmental management in
working with NTID students.
In the social norms approach, the student's community is surveyed-in
this case, the deaf and hard of hearing student community-and data are
gathered about the use of alcohol and other substances.
"As in the hearing community, there is a misperception among deaf
students that more of their peers are using alcohol or other drugs than
actually are," Rubin said. It has been shown that 17 percent of hearing
freshmen have never drunk alcohol, while 34 percent of deaf and hard of
hearing freshmen have never drunk alcohol.
When presenting this information to a group, Rubin said he uses a visual
approach, asking those who have never drunk alcohol to stand.
Rubin and his staff also have begun to research where NTID students are
most likely to drink or use other substances. Alcohol and other drugs
are not allowed on the NTID campus, but there are local nightclubs that
deaf students tend to frequent. Those clubs are being approached by NTID
and asked to use responsible beverage service.
SAISD also offers presentations for hearing people on how deafness
complicates alcohol or other drug abuse problems and on what prevention
and treatment services are available to the deaf.
In addition, the SAISD staff provide lectures, group therapy, and
counseling in American Sign Language at the John L. Norris Addiction
Treatment Center in Rochester.
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Lessons From a Historically Black University-Elizabeth City State
University
by Anthony Brown and Beth DeRicco
Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) enroll 14 percent
of all African-American students who attend higher education
institutions in the United States. HBCUs are defined in the Higher
Education Act as accredited institutions of higher education that were
established before 1964 and have the primary goal of educating black
Americans. There are more than 100 HBCUs. Many are located in the South,
although Delaware houses one, Maryland has four, and Washington, D.C.,
and Pennsylvania have two each.
Sidebar:
HBCU National Resource Center
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities National Resource
Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Infrastructure Development
(HBCU-NRC) at http://web.msm.edu/hbcunrc is committed to:
* Establishing a national network among HBCU institutions to
facilitate collaboration among the more than 100 HBCU institutions;
* Supporting culturally appropriate substance abuse prevention and
mental health treatment, and student health and wellness needs on
HBCU campuses;
* Facilitating the design of course minors and majors and
undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are consistent
with state requirements and encourage student interest in
substance abuse and mental health.
The HBCU-NRC was established through a cooperative agreement with the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Mental Health Services;
and the Cork Institute on Alcohol and Other Addictive Disorders,
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Morehouse School of
Medicine. The HBCU-NRC organizes the annual Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell
National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Conference .
In many ways, the nature of the social and academic culture at HBCUs
contributes to a lower risk for adverse consequences related to alcohol
use. HBCUs are dry campuses. Many attract first-time college goers in a
family. These students often receive a great deal of encouragement from
their home communities and families to succeed, with heavy stigma
associated with suspension or expulsion. For many, this added pressure
is a source of motivation to succeed. In addition, the expectation at
HBCUs is that students will adhere to existing policies and cultural norms.
Ongoing studies confirm that students at HBCUs and African-American
students in general drink far less and suffer fewer consequences than do
students at predominantly white institutions. This disparity in alcohol
consumption appears to be strongly related to factors such as HBCUs'
emphasis on character development in their institutional goals and their
enrollment of many students with strong religious values. As a result,
the atmosphere at HBCUs mitigates the "culture of drinking" effects
found on so many other college and university campuses.
At many HBCUs prevention efforts have focused on intervention,
treatment, and referral. The National Historically Black Colleges and
Universities Substance Abuse Consortium (NHBCUSAC), founded in 1993, was
established primarily to address the issue of increasing the numbers of
African-American and other minority professionals in the field of
substance abuse. The organization addresses issues related to substance
abuse intervention, prevention, education, research, treatment, and
funding opportunities. NHBCUSAC is composed of a conglomerate of HBCUs
located throughout the United States that have existing or are
developing substance abuse curricula, research programs, or both.
While this organization has been a great resource for HBCUs, many have
not focused on the continuum of services ranging from prevention to
treatment. On most campuses, substance abuse programs generally deal in
the area of treatment and intervention and are the responsibility of the
director of counseling or a member of health services.
HBCU Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is serious about responding
to alcohol and other drug problems on its campus. Located in Elizabeth
City, N.C., ECSU was founded in 1891 as a normal school for the specific
purpose of "teaching and training teachers of the colored race to teach
in the common schools of North Carolina," according to N.C. general
assembly house bill 383. It is now a constituent of the University of
North Carolina system and enrolls 2,470 undergraduate and graduate
students. Its interim vice chancellor for student affairs, the highest
ranking student services administrator, chairs the ECSU Campus Community
Coalition to address alcohol-related problems.
ECSU collects data through surveys and crime statistics to develop
evidence-based strategies that work. ECSU's drug and alcohol prevention
activities promote respect for laws and rules that prohibit illegal drug
and alcohol use. Its Student Code of Conduct includes behavioral
expectations and provides a mechanism for students to resist pressure to
use alcohol and other drugs by giving them an alternative. This is done
by differentiating between what is active or passive involvement with
drugs or alcohol use and allowing a passive bystander to avoid
disciplinary action by immediately notifying university officials of an
offense. Another category listed in the code of conduct addresses the
students' responsibility and separates student leaders who are in "good
standing" from those who are on "disciplinary probation." Any student
who is on disciplinary probation will not be allowed to run for or hold
office, participate in Greek organization intake activities, or play on
athletic teams during the term of the probation. Disciplinary probation
is just one of the sanctions administered to students who violate the
alcohol and other drug policies.
ECSU's campus community coalition is sponsored by the Collaboration
Alcohol Management Project for University Success (CAMPUS)and implements
CAMPUS goals. CAMPUS is a statewide initiative designed to assist
colleges and universities address high-risk drinking behaviors through
the formation of a campus and community coalition and strategic planning
based on an environmental management approach. The goal of CAMPUS is to
create a unified voice on alcohol policy and high-risk drinking
prevention within the higher education community in North Carolina. It
develops and reviews policies, procedures, and activities dealing with
alcohol and other drugs, as well as sexual assault issues.
Staff at ECSU conduct anonymous surveys of students, faculty, and staff
to identify the extent of the alcohol and other drug problems on campus.
For example, the results from the 2003 Core Alcohol and Drug Survey
found that while 85 percent of ECSU students said that the campus has
alcohol and other drug policies, 13 percent of students said that they
did not know about the policies. As a result of these findings, the
campus developed a poster campaign informing students about the campus
policies. Another policy developed as a consequence of survey findings
is the zero-tolerance policy, violation of which can result in the loss
of a student's housing privileges.
Sidebar:
HBCU Resources at the Higher Education Center
The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Web page on the U.S.
Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other
Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention's Web site contains a range of
information and resources, including a list of HBCUs.
It also includes a number of publications and links to other resources,
including a link to information on the 9th Dr. Lonnie E. Mitchell
National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Conference to address
substance abuse and mental health at HBCUs.
For more information, go to http://www.higheredcenter.org/hbcu
.
Like most HBCUs, ECSU is considered to be a dry campus. At ECSU the
chancellor is the only person who can give permission for events on
campus to serve alcohol. In addition, the interim vice chancellor for
student affairs notifies parents, either verbally or in writing, when
their child has been sanctioned for violating the alcohol and other
drugs policy.
At ECSU students are judged by their peers when there is an incident
involving alcohol or other drugs. The Student Court, which consists of
an elected student attorney general and two students from each class, is
convened to hear most cases that deal with alcohol or other drug
violations. It makes recommendations to the interim vice chancellor for
student affairs on what disciplinary action-if any-should be taken.
ECSU also has policies that promote campus activities that are drug- and
alcohol-free and offer healthy alternatives. For example, dances for
students are only allowed on weekends. Students can seek additional
funds for dances through the Substance Abuse Committee, which promotes
healthy lifestyles. ECSU has mandatory seminars on substance abuse for
students in the residence halls. In addition, parents and freshmen are
informed about alcohol and other drug policies during orientation and
the first week of classes.
ECSU has developed creative outreach programs that utilize the
community. For example, the Campus Community Coalition recruits local
alcohol retailers, including bars, to seek their involvement and makes
owners and managers aware of the campus's involvement with implementing
university policies. Every semester ECSU develops a listing of special
events, such as film fairs, panel discussions, simulations, and skits
that address issues related to alcohol and other drug use to generate
greater public awareness. Students and leaders also are provided with
alcohol and other drugs awareness training.
Anthony Brown, Ed.D., is the interim vice chancellor for student
affairs at Elizabeth City State University. Beth DeRicco, Ph.D., is an
associate director of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher
Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention.
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College Prevention on the Run: Commuter Colleges Are Faced
With Unique Challenges
Colleges and universities have certainly faced challenges as they
provide alcohol and other drug abuse prevention initiatives to their
students. But perhaps none has been more challenged than those
institutions whose primary population commutes to and from school.
The reasons are many. Some commuter students live an hour or more from
campus and aren't likely to stay on campus to attend any meeting to talk
about substance abuse issues. Many are typically busier than resident
students in that they have to juggle school, work, and family
obligations, in addition to a long commute. Many live in communities too
far away from campus to be influenced by any campus outreach. So, how
can campuses reach this population?
Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y., a Network member, has
developed some ways to deal with these issues. For years, it has worked
to reach commuter students-its entire population. One of the strategies
is for the college to work heavily in the communities where many of its
students reside. The college participates in a community coalition
designed to develop prevention programs and to bring together community
leaders to determine ways to prevent alcohol and other drug abuse. In
addition to representatives from Hudson Valley, the Rensselaer County
Underage Drinking Coalition includes representatives from the beverage
industry, liquor store owners, the public and private schools, and other
area colleges.
Another strategy is to reach the students before they enter college.
Hudson Valley and the community coalition provide prevention programs to
various "feeder" high schools in the area, whose students go on to
become a large portion of Hudson Valley Community College's population.
"You get a head start when you work with high school students who feed
into your college, and it is one way to reach the commuter students
early," said Janet Atwater, director of health services for Hudson
Valley Community College. "You certainly have a captive audience in high
school that you won't have with the same students when they become
commuter students."
Atwater is a huge proponent for working in the community because, she
said, it is important that the community is sending out the same
messages as the college in terms of prevention and responsible behavior.
If the community isn't involved in the effort, then, especially with
commuter students who spend more time in the community than at school,
it negates what the institution has tried to do on campus.
But sometimes working in the community isn't as easy as it
Sounds-especially if your community is New York City. For example, for
Network member St. John's University, the students' community could be
all of Manhattan Island and many parts of New Jersey, said Ruth DeRosa,
senior counselor at St. John's counseling center.
"It is really hard to work with the local community because there are so
many bars and other social options that we couldn't possibly be
effective. That's because the students can-and do-hop on the subway or
bus and socialize or live in a whole different community that we haven't
addressed," said DeRosa.
St. John's used to have only commuter students but now 2,500 of its
16,000 students reside on campus. Faced with the challenge of reaching
the commuter students, St. John's has held monthly alcohol and other
drug prevention events in which counseling center staff address
substance abuse. It also holds special programs to address various
issues, such as date rape, depression, or stress, which may draw in
commuter students and give the college the opportunity also to address
substance abuse as part of these programs.
Until recently, St. John's didn't address alcohol or other drug issues
aggressively because the campus basically shut down at the end of the
day and the problems occurred off campus. But that has changed, as has
the thinking at the New York City colleges that once believed they
didn't have a responsibility to address issues that happened off campus,
said DeRosa.
"Some high profile cases-such as three suicides in one year at New York
University that were related to drug use and the death of a female
student who was abducted outside of a bar in the meat packing district
and later murdered-got the schools to start realizing that they needed
to do something to prevent further incidents and to educate and protect
their students," said DeRosa.
As a result, it opened the colleges' eyes and now eight New York City
colleges meet to discuss alcohol and other drug issues and develop ways
to address prevention among their student populations.
One of the strategies St. John's employs is to require incoming students
to attend an orientation meeting to learn prevention strategies. Another
is to hold brief interventions when the opportunities present
themselves, such as at health fairs or workshops.
Hudson Valley Community College also hopes to reach students through its
faculty. It provides faculty training to help teachers recognize warning
signs of substance abuse and addiction. They also learn what to do when
they see such signs or when a student confides in them that he or she
has a problem. The college also provides an alcoholism counselor who can
do interventions and help students to get treatment.
One of the greatest challenges facing commuter colleges is the lack of
data about problems and what works and what doesn't. According to
DeRosa, when St. John's recently applied for a grant to address alcohol
and other drug use and problems there were little data on commuter
students. Both DeRosa and Atwater agree that more funding is needed to
examine better ways to reach commuter students, who constitute a large
portion of the university and college population. For example, community
colleges enroll 6.5 million students, most of who are commuters.
"We believe that what we are doing is effective, but we don't know for
sure. We know that many campuses are using social norms marketing to
correct student misperceptions about alcohol use. Some teach media
literacy. I think these things help, but we can't point to one thing and
say it is a successful strategy," said Atwater. "We need to work toward
more answers so that we can be more effective."
Resources for Meeting the Needs of Commuter Students
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
supports and promotes its member colleges
through policy initiatives, innovative programs, research, information
dissemination, and strategic outreach to business and industry and the
national news media.
American College Personnel Association Commission for Commuter Students
and Adult Learners' mission is to
provide a network of contacts and support for those serving commuter
student and adult learners; provide a forum for discussing and
advocating commuter and adult student needs and concerns; and promote
the generation and sharing of data, research, services, and programs
that effectively enhance commuter and adult students' development.
National Clearinghouse for Commuter Programs (NCCP)
is the only national organization that exists
solely to provide information, consultation, and assistance to
professionals who work for, with, and on behalf of commuter students. It
offers professional assistance in meeting the challenges of working with
commuter students in all types of colleges and universities. The NCCP
offers members practical publications, personal responses to questions,
access to extensive resource files, and opportunities to network with
other professionals with similar interests.
"Community College Presidents? Role in Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
Prevention"
This Higher Education Center six-page Prevention Update is designed to
guide presidents of community colleges and other senior administrators
as they focus on alcohol and other drug abuse (AOD) prevention. It
introduces environmental management and lists several environmental
management options appropriate to community colleges. The publication
also includes 15 proposals for effective alcohol and other drug prevention.
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Welcome New Network Members
Developed in 1987 by the U.S. Department of Education, the Network
Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Issues (Network) is a
voluntary membership organization whose member institutions agree to
work toward a set of standards aimed at reducing alcohol and other drug
(AOD) problems at colleges and universities.
The Network welcomes new members from across the nation, representing
all types of institutions of higher education, from community colleges
to universities. A list of new members who have joined since the last
/Catalyst/ issue was published is available here
.
The Network develops collaborative AOD prevention efforts among colleges
and universities through electronic information exchange, printed
materials, and sponsorship of national, regional, and state activities
and conferences. Each Network member has a campus contact who, as part
of the constituency of the region, helps determine activities of the
Network.
As of March 2007, Network membership stood at 1,590 postsecondary
institutions.
To learn more about the Network and how your campus can become a member,
visit the Network's Web site .
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
For resources on the changing face of college students, click on the
following publications from the Higher Education Center's publications
collection:
Alcohol and Other Drugs: Prevention Challenges at Community Colleges
Engaging the Nation's Community Colleges as Prevention Partners
Infofacts/Resources: "Alcohol and Other Drug Use at Historically
Black Colleges and Universities"
Infofacts/Resources: "Racial and Ethnic Differences in Alcohol and
Other Drug Use"
Prevention Updates: "Community College Presidents? Role in Alcohol
and Other Drug Abuse Prevention"
Catalyst "Research on Women's Drinking Patterns: Q & A with Wes
Perkins" (Winter/Spring 2000 Vol. 6 No. 1)
For more information on differences in alcohol and other drug use and
related problems among ethnic groups in the 2005 Core Alcohol and Drug
Survey of 33,379 of U.S. college students, click on the following links:
Executive Summary:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/2005-summary.pdf
American Indian:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/american-indian.pdf
Asian Pacific Islander:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/asian.pdf
African American:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/black.pdf
Hispanic:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/hispanic.pdf
Other Race:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/other.pdf
Caucasian:
http://www.campushealthandsafety.org/documents/core/white.pdf
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Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence
Prevention
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education
Catalyst is a publication of the U.S. Department of Education's
Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence
Prevention.
Editor: Barbara E. Ryan
Production Manager: Anne McAuliffe
Graphic Designer: Shirley Marotta
Center Director: Virginia Mackay-Smith
Other Staff: Olayinka Akinola, Kellie Anderson, Tom Colthurst, William
DeJong, Elisha DeLuca, Beth DeRicco, Jessica Hinkson Desmarais, Gloria
DiFulvio, Amber Dillard, Kathie Gorham, Rob Hylton, Linda Langford, Anne
O'Neill, Michelle Richard, and Helen Stubbs
Our Mission
The mission of the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education
Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention is to
assist institutions of higher education in developing, implementing, and
evaluating alcohol and other drug abuse and violence prevention policies
and programs that will foster students' academic and social development
and promote campus and community safety.
Get in Touch
The U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol
and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention
Education Development Center, Inc.
55 Chapel Street
Newton, MA 02458-1060
Web site: http:// www.higheredcenter.org/
Phone: 1-800-676-1730; TDD Relay-friendly, Dial 711
Fax: 617-928-1537
E-mail: HigherEdCtr@edc.org
How We Can Help
* Training and professional development activities
* Resources, referrals, and consultations
* Publication and dissemination of prevention materials
* Support for the Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other
Drug Issues
* Assessment, evaluation, and analysis activities
This publication was funded by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
at the U.S. Department of Education under contract number ED-04-CO-0137
with Education Development Center, Inc. The contracting officer's
representative was Richard Lucey, Jr. The content of this publication
does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S.
Department of Education, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial
products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.
This publication also contains hyperlinks and URLs for information
created and maintained by private organizations. This information is
provided for the reader's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education
is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy,
relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information.
Further, the inclusion of information or a hyperlink or URL does not
reflect the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to
endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.