Primary Points
- First and foremost, at CU-Boulder, we are deeply concerned about the health and safety of our students.
- Alcohol abuse and underage drinking are long-term societal problems that require long-term educational and social initiatives.
- For universities, each year is a challenge with a new wave of students coming to campus, bringing a new set of experiences and issues.
- CU-Boulder was one of the first universities to begin addressing the alcohol problem in a systematic way. We have taken a number of steps to deal with this problem (see below).
- We believe we are making some headway, as shown by the fact that binge drinking has shown a decline in recent years. However, we are committed to continued vigilance.
University Initiatives
- Mandatory Alcohol Education. Fall 2004 marked the first time incoming freshmen at CU-Boulder were required to complete a mandatory online alcohol education course before classes began. The three-hour “AlcoholEdu” course, created and administered by Outside The Classroom Inc., a private company, focuses on educating students to make informed decisions. Students must earn at least an 80 percent exam grade at the end of the course, and they must complete the program to be allowed to register for spring 2005 classes. More information about AlcoholEdu is available at .
- Tougher Three-Strike Alcohol Policy. Announced in April 2004, the tougher policy means students can be suspended after only their second alcohol violation. After the first offense, a student is put on probation for one year and is required to take a $100 alcohol awareness class and perform five hours of community service. Parents are notified of the first and any subsequent violations of the Three-Strike Alcohol Policy. If a student commits a second alcohol violation while already on probation, he or she can be suspended for at least one full semester in addition to other penalties. Suspension can cost nonresident students over $14,000 and resident students $6,000 in lost tuition, room and board. The previous Three-Strike policy, announced in August 2000, allowed for suspensions after three violations.
- Beer ban. In 1996, we banned the sale of beer at Folsom Field during football games, resulting in fewer safety and security problems.
- Matter of Degree program. We established an alcohol education and awareness program called “A Matter of Degree,” funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (nearly $1 million). CU-Boulder's program is one of 10 such programs at college campuses across the country. The program is designed to reduce the harmful effects of high-risk drinking on college campuses through:
* changing policies related to alcohol promotion, accessibility, and second-hand effects
* educational programs
* promotion of alcohol-free events for students
* major publicity and advertising campaigns that seek to communicate social norms in support of responsible use of alcohol
* promotion of good relations between permanent residents and student residents in Boulder.
- Enforcement and sanctions. If a student is cited for an alcohol-related violation, whether on or off campus, he or she is reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs which reviews the case. We take appropriate action if it is decided that the student violated the student code of conduct and threatened the health and safety of others.
- Restorative Justice program. We also have a program called the "restorative justice" program, which is an alternative to our student Judicial Affairs process. This is a collaborative project involving the Ombuds Office, Office of Judicial Affairs, the University Police Dept., Housing and the Office of Victim Assistance. We use this approach when students who commit non-violent crimes admit wrongdoing and both the perpetrator and victim are willing to meet. We bring together offenders, harmed parties, supporters of offenders, supporters of harmed parties, and affected community members to have a discussion.
- Diversion programs. We work to provide education on alcohol and other drug problems and to clarify values of CU-Boulder students around alcohol use and abuse. An example is our Diversion Program (an educational alternative to appearing in court) when a student has been issued a ticket for a Minor In Possession (M.I.P.) of alcohol.
- Alternative programs. We offer alternative alcohol-free programs during orientation and back-to-school week as well as finals week. The Student Recreation Center stays open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, as a substance-free alternative.
- Substance-free housing options. We offer substance-free living areas in residence halls for students.
- Greek commitment All the fraternities and sororities here have pledged to have alcohol-free events and activities, however, the Interfraternity Council has struggled with enforcement since the policy was approved in 1997.
- Neighborhood outreach. To counter drinking problems and disturbances in neighborhoods near campus, a special action group was formed with representatives from a number of concerned groups. Many new and formal links have been formed between the university and the community.