Three years ago, the University of Delaware and the city of Newark received a five-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to take a leadership role in a national effort to curb the high-risk drinking of alcohol on college campuses. Named “Building Responsibility,” the local project differs from past efforts in that it identifies high-risk drinking as a public health issue, with an emphasis on the right of the community to establish an environment that does not tolerate the negative consequences often associated with such behavior.

While this project has received a great deal of media attention over the past three years, the goals and strategies of the project are sometimes still misunderstood by members of the community. People still ask, “What does the Building Responsibility Coalition want to see happen?” or “What do you want to change?” or “What is your vision of the future?”

In response to these and similar questions, it might be helpful to consider the following as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project “Wish List” of what we would like to see happen as a result of our efforts:

• Acts of violence, including sexual assaults, related to heavy drinking on the part of the assailant, the victim or both would decline.
• Less damage would be visited on personal and community property, especially by those who have had too much to drink.
• Accidental injuries or fatalities related to high-risk drinking would not happen.
• Fewer hospital admissions and visits to emergency rooms related to alcohol poisoning would occur.
• Unwanted sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies among students would be reduced significantly.
• Students would seldom miss class, fail to complete assignments or experience academic failure, especially as a result of drinking alcohol.
• Students would not drink alcohol simply for the expressed purpose of getting drunk.
• An increasing number of social opportunities would be created on and off-campus where students can interact with each other in more positive and comfortable ways without including excessive use of alcohol in the experience.
• The Greek letter organizations on our campus would be characterized by their traditional values, rather than functioning as organizations that sometimes emphasize alcohol.
• Students would learn to recognize and manage the various stressors in their lives without using alcohol to diffuse them.
• Students would feel safe and supported in opposing the harm caused by others who act irresponsibly.
• High school students and their families would value the University of Delaware for its academic excellence and growth opportunities, not applying if they are interested in a “party school.”
• The Newark community would develop greater concern about accessible and affordable alcohol.
• Public policy-makers would enforce the responsible use of alcohol.
• Residents of Newark would have fewer disruptions to their lives due to high risk drinking.
• Drunkenness would be an unacceptable excuse or alibi for behavior that violates the rights of other people.
• All members of the campus and surrounding area would develop a respectful sense of community.

As has been noted many times, it is not the intent of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project to bring back a form of prohibition of alcohol or to assume that the use of alcohol is morally incorrect. Instead, the goal is to have the students who choose to use alcohol do so legally and in a responsible fashion.

The quality of life at the University of Delaware and in the city of Newark will be further enhanced if we are successful in achieving our goals.