The College Drinking Series: The Campus Visit… Kicking The Tires Before They Enroll
The College Drinking Series: The Campus Visit… Kicking The Tires Before They Enroll
The Visit
We were in the midst of our fall tour of campuses?looking for our daughter?s new home for the next four years. We thought we finally found the perfect match. My husband fell in love with the campus and I was guessing my daughter had fallen in ?love? with the bright, cheerful young man who took us for the tour. We stayed at a hotel in the quaint New England town and were woken up during the night to the sounds of sirens.
The Investment
As the parent of a high school junior or senior, college life is looming on the horizon. You are about to make one of the largest investments your family will ever make. It is time to start investigating. The choice of what college your teens will attend may have already been made by default: grades, potential scholarships, athletics and/or, where their friends are going. And of course, financial considerations are at the forefront. When it’s time to “kick the tires” and start evaluating campuses, take the time to really get to know your potential purchase. Visiting is the best way to get a feel for the campus environment. However, taking the tour conducted by the Admissions Office simply scratches the surface. Look beyond the tour. You may find many other clues about one of the most influential issues on the campus – the drinking climate. The culture of drinking will have a direct influence on the quality of life for all the students. Many of the negative consequences associated with college drinking affect not only the drinkers but also the students who do not drink. These “second-hand binge effects” include a number of serious consequences, such as sexual assault, violence, vandalism, loss of sleep, and even the possibility of having to care for friends and roommates in life-threatening states of alcohol poisoning. All campuses face a variety of alcohol problems. The following suggestions can assist you in evaluating the level at which a campus may be confronting these problems and the level of success they may be experiencing in providing a healthy environment for your teen.
Key Personnel
When visiting a campus, arrange appointments with Key Personnel. Scheduling meetings may be difficult, but even fifteen minutes or a half hour will be worth the effort. Key Personnel include:
– Vice President for Student Life: In charge of Student Life issues including alcohol concerns.
– Dean of Student: Handles the day-to-day student problems that arise on the campus, in particular alcohol-related matters.
– Admissions Counselor: Tends to be the salesperson, selling the campus at college admissions fairs and/or visiting prospective students and families.
– Admissions Director: Coordinates decisions regarding acceptance and helps ensure the campus is the right match for your teen. This person faces the challenge of ensuring the right match while meeting a number of different campus quotas in terms of financial aid, scholarships, work-study, diversity, and athletics.
– Judicial Officer: Handles the adjudication of all violations of policies, including the alcohol policy.
– Director of Campus Police: Responsible for safety and security. Because of the nature of their positions and the fact that they deal primarily with policy offenders, Campus Police and the Judicial Officer tend to have a tainted view of alcohol issues.
– Coordinator of Health Education: Tends to have the most realistic view of the alcohol and other drug situation. The Coordinator conducts health-related educational programs.
– Students: May provide the best understanding of the alcohol situation. However, be careful. A heavy drinker probably hangs out with other heavy drinkers, resulting in the view that “everyone drinks.” Speak with students who drink as well as those who do not.
– Faculty and Academic Deans: Tend to have a limited understanding of the day-to-day challenges that students face beyond the classrooms.
Key Questions
Below are specific questions to ask during your visit. Answers to these questions will give you an understanding of how the campus is dealing with alcohol and other drug concerns.
Academics
– What are the class attendance policies?
– Is there support for students having academic difficulties?
– Are there Friday classes?
– Do faculty conduct tests on Fridays?
– What is attendance like in Friday classes?
Prevention Staff
– Is there an individual staff member whose job is specifically dedicated to alcohol and other drug education and abuse prevention efforts?
– If so, does the staff member have a high profile on the campus?
– Does the prevention specialist have a budget specifically allocated for education and prevention programming?
Residence Hall Policies
– What is the Alcohol Policy for residence halls?
– Is alcohol allowed?
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