American society is harmed in many ways by alcohol abuse and other drug use- decreased productivity, serious health problems, breakdown of the family structure, and strained societal resources. Problems of abuse have a pervasive impact upon many segments of society-all socioeconomic groups, all age levels, and even the unborn. Education and learning are especially impaired by alcohol abuse and other drug use. Use and abuse among college students inhibits their educational development and is a growing concern among our nation's institutions of higher education. Recent national and campus surveys indicate that alcohol abuse is more prevalent than other drug use and that institutions increasingly and that institutions increasingly are requesting community support and mounting cooperative efforts to enforce their policies.
As higher education entered the 1980's, there was clear recognition that alcohol and other drug abuse were major problems. Institutions responded by increasing disciplinary sanctions and educational programs. The higher education community, through various professional associations, also took action. In 1981, the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Issues was created. That Task Force, made up of representatives of various higher education associations, developed college marketing guidelines targeted at the sale and distribution of alcohol products on U.S. campuses. With the cooperation of colleges and universities in 1984, the Task Force created National Collegiate Alcohol Force created National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and established a model campus alcohol policy.
In 1986, Congress responded to the national problem by passing the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act "to establish, implement and expand programs of drug abuse education and prevention (including rehabilitation referral) for students enrolled in colleges and universities..." Unfortunately, colleges that attempt to institute model programs or effective strategies for coping with problems of alcohol abuse and other drug use will find sparse information available in the national data bases and no formal mechanisms for sharing information.
In 1987, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement responded to the higher education community's need for assistance by calling for a network of institutions willing to commit time, energy and resources to eradicate substance abuse on their campuses. The stated goals of the Network are l) to collect and disseminate research and practice-based knowledge about successful programs; 2) to Provide a forum and mechanism for continuing communication and collaboration among institutions of higher education; and 3) to identify areas and problems for further research and development.
With this purpose in mind, a group of 15 higher education administrators met to develop a set of minimum standards required for institutions to become members in the Network. This group represented a cross section of individuals concerned with campus substance abuse, and included chief student affairs officers, health educators, and legal specialists. The standards formulated at the meeting were reviewed, modified, and affirmed. In December 1987, William J. Bennett, former modified, and affirmed. In December 1987, William J. Bennett, former Secretary of Education, convened a select group of college presidents representing liberal arts institutions, large universities, military schools, and 2-year colleges. This group also reviewed, modified and affirmed the Standards. These Standards have been reviewed by professional higher education associations for their endorsement.
The Network seeks the participation of colleges and universities who have made a solid commitment throughout their institutions to:
Establish and enforce clear policies that promote an educational
environment free from the abuse of alcohol and use of other drugs.
Educate members of the campus community for the purpose of preventing
alcohol abuse and other drug use, as well as educate them about the use of
legal drugs in ways that are not harmful to themselves or to others.
Create an environment that promotes and reinforces healthy, responsible
living; respect for community and campus standards and regulations; the
individual's responsibility within the community; and the intellectual,
social, emotional, spiritual or ethical, and physical well-being of its
community members.
Provide for a reasonable level of care for alcohol abusers and other drug
users through counseling, treatment, and referral.
Network of Colleges and Universities
Committed to the Elimination of
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
The Standards of the Network of Colleges and Universities Committed to the Elimination of Drug and Alcohol Abuse define criteria for institutional membership in the Network. The Standards are organized within the four areas of policy, education, enforcement and assessment.
A. Policy
Network members shall...
1. Annually promulgate policy, consistent with applicable Federal, State
and local laws, using such means as the student and faculty handbooks,
orientation programs, letters to students and parents, residence hall
meetings, and faculty and employee meetings.
2. Develop policy which addresses both individual behavior and group
activities.
3. Define the jurisdiction of the policy carefully to guarantee the
inclusion of all campus property. Apply campus-based standards to
other events controlled by the institution.
4. Stipulate guidelines on marketing and hosting for events involving
students, faculty, staff, and alumni at which alcoholic beverages are
present.
5. State institutional commitment to the education and development of
students, faculty, and staff regarding alcohol and other drug use.
B. Education Programs
Network members shall...
1. Provide a system of accurate, current information exchange on the
health risks and symptoms of alcohol and other drug use for students,
faculty, and staff.
2. Promote and support alcohol-free institutional activity programming.
3. Provide, with peer involvement, a system of intervention and referral
services for students, faculty, and staff.
4. Establish collaborative relationships between community groups and
agencies and the institution for alcohol and other drug related
education, treatment, and referral.
5. Provide training programs for students, faculty, and staff to enable
them to detect problems of alcohol abuse and other drug use and to
refer persons with these problems to appropriate assistance.
6. Include alcohol and other drug information for students and their
family members in student orientation programs. The misuse and abuse
of prescription and over-the-counter drugs also should be addressed.
7. Support and encourage faculty in incorporating alcohol and other drug
education into the curriculum, where appropriate.
8. Develop a coordinated effort across campus for alcohol and other drug-
related education, treatment, and referral.
C. Enforcement
Network members shall...
1. Publicize all alcohol and other drug policies.
2. Consistently enforce alcohol and other drug policies.
3. Exercise appropriate sanctions for the illegal sale or distribution of
drugs; minimum sanctions normally would include separation from the
institution and referral for prosecution.
D. Assessment
Network members shall...
1. Assess the institutional environment as an underlying cause of alcohol
abuse and other drug use.
2. Assess campus awareness, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the abuse
of alcohol and use of other drugs and employ results in program
development.
3. Collect and use alcohol- and other drug-related information from
police or security reports to guide program development.
4. Collect and use summary data regarding health and counseling client
information to guide program development.
5. Collect summary data regarding alcohol- and other drug related
disciplinary actions and use it to guide program development.
According to the Network Standards, colleges and universities have a responsibility to promulgate policies consistent with the Federal, State, and local laws that apply to all members of the campus community, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and visitors.
Policies should be published in admissions materials, student and faculty handbooks, and materials for the general public. Published policies should be widely circulated to students and their families, faculty, staff, and administrators before any of these persons becomes affiliated with the institution. Alumni, visitors, and the general public also should be made aware of the alcohol and other drug policies.
Furthermore, the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires that institutions receiving Federal assistance publish and distribute a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace.
Comprehensive policies should:
Be consistent with State and local laws. Campuses should not be
sanctuaries where alcohol and other drug laws are unenforced; the Drug-Free
Schools and Communities Act provides specific standards. Furthermore,-
because all States prohibit persons under 21 years of age from
purchasing, possessing, or consuming alcohol, and because many students are
under 21 years of age, college policies should be consistent with State and
local laws.
Address both individual and group behavior and events.Students must know
precisely which policies govern their behavior and how each student
will be held accountable. Similarly, registered student organizations must
know precisely what policies apply to their events and activities and how
they will be held accountable.
Address both on-campus and off-campus behavior. All institutions must
assume full accountability for on-campus behavior with respect to alcohol
and other drugs. However, institutions may wish to develop different
policies for behavior off campus with respect to alcohol and other drugs
depending on the institution's mission, local community norms, and the
extent to which institutions are prepared to enforce their policies off
off campus. Generally, it is not advisable to have policies that the
institution is unwilling or unable to enforce.
Apply to all campus property and to events controlled by the institution.
The marketing guidelines developed by the Inter-Association Task Force on
Campus Alcohol Policy Issues, and subscribed to by the beverage alcohol
industry, can help institutions develop policies regarding the promotion of
alcohol on campus (see Appendix C for these guidelines).
Specify clear and unequivocal consequences for not complying with policies
Be reviewed periodically by legal counsel. The legal climate relating
to alcohol and other drugs is constantly changing; thus, risk management
becomes an ever-changing challenge for colleges and universities. Policies
should minimize the liability of the institution while asserting the
institution's fundamental right to regulate and control behavior relating
to alcohol and other drugs.
Source: "A Guide for College Presidents and Governing Boards: Strategies for Eliminating Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse on Campuses," U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, 1990.[37;0m