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Alcohol abuses down; campus programs still fighting binges

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Philosophy junior Jose Ramirez (left) and comunication graphics junior Sean D'Addamio enjoy some beers at The Buffet, 538 E. Ninth St. The two frequent the Tucson bar two to three times a week.

Sending a child away to college can lead to a lot of sleepless nights for parents.

Academics, health and safety are all issues that parents have been concerned about for generations. But a trend that has recently gained national attention can hold more danger than any of the others.

Binge drinking is still a major concern among university officials, even though campus organizations have found that the majority of UA students do not drink as much as once perceived.

Melissa Vito, the University of Arizona's dean of students, said last week that students drink about the same amount as students in the 1960s.

The only difference is that today's students are more likely to drink to the point of intoxication, Vito said.

Officials from the UA's Campus Health Services said they have noticed the trend and are attempting to curb the problem.

"The campus has been aware of heavy drinking for a very long time," said Koreen Johannessen, director of health promotions.

In 1994, UA Campus Health Promotions started a campaign to inform the campus about how much the average student drinks.

Stacie Hudgens, research specialist for the group, said the purpose of the campaign was to inform students about what is considered a normal amount of alcohol consumption.

Health Promotions employees interviewed students to find out how much they drank at an average sitting. The organization discovered that 69 percent of UA students have four or fewer drinks in one sitting.

But some students said they disagreed with the survey's findings.

Jacob Sutton, a media arts junior, said he thinks binge drinking is a problem with a lot of students.

"It's such a social norm in school," Sutton said. "It's college - you're away from home."

Health Promotions made posters relaying these facts and displayed them in residence halls, greek houses and classrooms. The group also advertised these statistics in the Arizona Daily Wildcat.

Johannessen said incoming students often have misconceptions about how much others actually drink.

"People come in thinking students drink a whole lot," Johannessen said. "I think people want to fit in. If they think college students drink heavily, they'll most likely drink heavily."

University police spokesman Sgt. Michael Smith said reports of excessive drinking cases have decreased over the years.

"The really severe drinking, with excessive BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) or hospitalization - they have gone down," Smith said.

Although excessive drinking is on the decline, alcohol violations on campus are still common.

Veda Hunn, UA assistant dean of students, said offenders are usually sent to the university's diversion program for alcohol violations.

Students diverted for an alcohol violation have to attend an alcohol and drug education class, complete a varying number of community service hours, be placed in a probationary period and pay a fee to enter the program, she said.

The Dean of Students Office also began a new policy this semester to help deter students from drinking illegally.

As a result of recent federal legislation, the dean can notify a student's parents if they are under 21 and have committed a violation of campus policy.

Previously, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 prevented the release of such information.

Hunn estimated that the office has sent out 160 notices this semester and expects to issue about 640 more by the end of the school year.

"I think that anything that will assist with the (binge drinking) problem would be helpful," Smith said.

Smith said the department is trying to do its part to protect students by informing them about the dangers of excessive drinking.

"Our crime prevention unit, (officers) Reinhardt and Hogan, have been on numerous talks in residence halls and sorority and fraternity houses," he said. "We're out there in support of the university."

Bonnie Wyckoff, a science sophomore, said the promotions do not help to prevent binge drinking.

"Whoever does it (binge drinks) is not going to stop because of a poster," she said.

But Wyckoff said she doesn't know what else the university can do to reduce the problem.

"I don't know how much the university can do because drinking is such an individual thing," she added.

Jose Mata, a finance freshman, said the university is doing a lot to educate the UA community about the dangers of binge drinking.

"It seems so because you see a lot of posters and commercials, plus the university policy (regarding alcohol) is pretty strict," he said.