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President wins national recognition for leading efforts to curb alcohol abuse on campus

Congratulating President David Roselle on his Presidents Leadership Award are U.S.Sen. Joseph R. Biden (left) and U.S. Rep. Michael Castle
4:21 p.m., March 11, 2004--Citing his ground-breaking action to rein in alcohol abuse on campus, a health problem that claims the lives of 1,400 American college students each year, the Education Development Center’s Center for College Health and Safety presented University of Delaware President David P. Roselle with its Presidents Leadership Award during a ceremony Wednesday, March 10, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Roselle has been an active and vocal supporter of alcohol prevention efforts at UD and in the community, and has made substance abuse prevention a priority.

Under his leadership, UD instituted the nation’s first parental notification policy in 1996, a “three strikes and you’re out” alcohol policy, a rating system for Greek organizations and a stringent tailgating policy.

UD also overhauled the student judicial system, increased enforcement of campus alcohol policies and launched an educational campaign.

UD is one of 10 universities funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s A Matter of Degree program, through which it has developed a broad-based campus and community coalition to address the problem of high-risk drinking on campus and in the surrounding community.

The organization also honored Robert Carothers, president of the University of Rhode Island, who has banned alcohol from all social events on campus, including at fraternity and sorority functions.

William DeJong, director of CCHS, praised Roselle and Carothers for “having the courage to address the issue of alcohol problems on campus.”

College administrators can no longer afford to stand by and allow alcohol abuse to destroy lives but should follow their lead in changing the campus culture and creating an environment that is safer for all students, he said.

As part of the awards presentation, DeJong announced the results of a soon-to-be-published national survey of 32 college campuses, which found that a majority of students support stricter alcohol control policies.

“College presidents should not assume that students will be opposed,” DeJong said. “The bottom line is that the majority of today’s college students want something done on their campuses about out-of-control drinking.”

U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), the former chairperson of the Senate Judiciary Committee who has written key national drug and alcohol policy legislation, praised Roselle for his early interest and strong stand on “what is a genuine health problem for young people.”

Biden said the tough stand is part of Roselle’s overall work to make the University of Delaware one of the nation’s best public institutions of higher education. Under his leadership, more than two dozen new buildings have been constructed and the quality of both professors and students has improved greatly. “But,” Biden said, “without putting this last piece in place, it is hard to be the great university you aspire to be.”

“As is characteristic of David Roselle, he took this issue by the horns,” Biden said, adding, “I truly appreciate what you have done for my alma mater.”

U.S. Rep Michael Castle (R-Del.) noted it is interesting that the two smallest states are leading the way on an issue of great national importance.

Castle said Roselle “has the gumption to take on anything that comes along,” adding that the president has “made a vast difference” and that “this award is richly, richly deserved.”

Although Castle said a parental notification policy would certainly have gotten his attention as a student, he believes Roselle’s “most courageous act” was implementing a new football tailgating policy because that affected students, alumni and friends of UD.

Attendance at Fightin’ Blue Hen football games has increased every year since the policy went into effect, Roselle said.

Roselle explained that UD made waves when it instituted the parental notification policy, through which parents are informed when students run afoul of campus regulations, because it was widely assumed it would lead to legal action under the Buckley Amendment privacy statute.

“The parents have leverage,” Roselle said. “They have the checkbook and the car keys.”

He said he believed too many college administrators were “hiding behind the Buckley Amendment” to avoid confronting a vital health issue.

Today, Roselle said, about one-half of the nation’s colleges and universities have parental notification policies and he believes eventually all of them will.

Keynote speaker for the event was Mark Goldman, associate director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, who said that student alcohol abuse “is the most significant social problem faced by higher education.”

It not only leads to 1,400 deaths per year but also spawns an increased incidence of violence, vandalism and sexual assault, he said.

Article by Neil Thomas
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson

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