By
Nick Zeckets
Most college campuses have several unifying elements, among them is drinking. Are college students really drinking too much, or does the term "binge drinking" have too broad a definition? The Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues feels it does. College students shouldn't be viewed as reckless alcoholics because administrators and researchers have expanded the idea of binge drinking. Our UA Health Promotions and Preventive Services has the right aim.
Twenty-one higher-education associations, UA included, have come together to urge university officials to discontinue the use of the term "binge drinking" on such a wide array of student drinkers.
Drew Hunter, executive director of the Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol, a peer education network, said, "Students, themselves, are getting tired of being portrayed negatively as a whole for the behavior of a few."
Labeling every college drinker as a "binge drinker" is extreme and alienates students from their respective administrations. A mere five drinks for men and four drinks for women in a row is considered binge drinking. Given differing tolerances and sizes, those numbers may not even affect many students.
Most studies that vilify students for drinking are derived from the Harvard School of Public Health, headed by alcohol researcher Henry Wechsler. Harvard's publications indicate as many as 44 percent of all college students are "binge drinkers." Despite requests from the Inter-Association task force to use research designed with varying levels of alcohol use - including high, harmful and low risk-Wechsler has held to his five-four system.
Harvard's "esteemed" researcher indicated that even if the term is changed, there will still be "the same amount of noise and vomit in dorms." He quipped, "I find it amusing - 'If we get rid of the words, things will get better.'" His not-so-amusing ignorance is cultivating an improper view of students.
Findings like those out of Harvard are damaging the way students think about their peers. The Education Development Center compiled data from 18 different schools and 300 randomly-picked students to measure student perception of alcohol abuse against the reality. Approximately 70 percent of students polled felt that their peers consumed more drinks per week than they actually do.
Students in the survey had an average mean alcoholic consumption of 4.73 drinks per week whereas they believed the average consumption of fellow students to be upwards of 9.01 drinks per week.
Statistics of party perceptions were even more skewed as 9 out of 10 students overestimated alcohol consumption amongst their peers by more than three drinks. American students are simply not aware of the truth, because the propaganda put out by schools like Harvard sells.
However, UA's Health Promotions and Preventive Services Department is working to change that mentality. College students drink and they are, often times, responsible. Carolyn Collins, director of health services department, said, "We've done surveys for the past 7 to 8 years and we know that, at any given time, most students report that they drink."
She went on to say that, "What we're trying to do is publish accurate information and tell what UA students are doing specifically."
For Collins, the term "binge drinking" isn't appropriate. "We've never really felt that it (the term 'binge drinking') reflects the situation," she said.
Instead, Collins and the health services department are working to educate UA students on the norms and realities. The key is to help students stay safe when drinking.
While studies on drinking habits can offer insight into campus culture and assist in promoting healthy lifestyles, misdirected studies can be more detrimental than helpful. It's almost a nationwide situation of libel against moderate drinkers. Denoting normal drinking habits as "binge drinking" isn't fixing anything.
UA researchers are doing a great service for the campus and its students. Reality, as any research designer will say, is critical to a legitimate study. Despite Harvard's reputation as a Mecca for excellent academia, Wechsler's terms are unrealistic and unfair.
College students are met with a barrage of conflicting data, classes, work and outside responsibilities. Fighting through this wall is hard enough without having to wade through misguided research. Drinking is okay, even if you are a "Harvard binge drinker."
