Vol. 19, No. 30

May 10, 2000

Vice president on MADD commission

Roland M. Smith, vice president for student life, serves on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) College Commission, which includes college and university administrators and faculty from schools all over the country, students, public health officials, representatives from the Robert Wood Foundation, the American Medical Association's Matter of Degree Program and MADD directors. "Being invited to join the MADD College Commission is an indication of UD's leadership in combating alcohol abuse," Smith said. "Meeting with a diverse group of people and working with them has been helpful and useful in learning about other schools and programs in the country that discourage alcohol abuse and underage drinking on college campuses. "MADD has been successful in its youth programs for high school and younger students and now is becoming involved with college campuses," he said. The group will meet in Dallas this June to finalize its recommendations, with the goal of preventing and reducing college alcohol abuse and underage drinking and driving. Previous meetings have been brainstorming sessions and discussions of "best practices" on campuses. Some of the issues covered included stricter enforcement of underage drinking laws, not using alcohol sponsorship of athletic events, town/gown collaborative involvement, media advocacy to bring about change, increasing non-alcoholic activities, limiting alcohol outlets and raising taxes and involving parents at such events as freshman orientation. In the summary of its findings, the University of Delaware is cited for its "Party School" poster and ad campaign, and its "The Party's in the Stadium" campaign to end tailgating when the game starts. The University received a five-year, $700,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant in 1997 to reduce alcohol abuse on campus. The measures to revamp the judicial system, to toughen sanctions and fines, to implement a parental notification program and to enforce the tailgating policy have had an impact on the quality of life on campus, Smith said.