Campus/community effort recognizes top volunteers


Vol. 19, No. 8	Oct. 21, 1999

Campus/community effort recognizes top volunteers

Amy Kinch, of the V-8s, receives an award from Newark
Mayor Hal Godwin and President David P. Roselle.Robert Stozek

Community residents, students and officials from the campus and city gathered last week in Clayton Hall to celebrate the midpoint in ongoing efforts by the Building Responsibility- Campus/ Community Coalition to promote responsible drinking on campus and beyond.

Nine individuals and organizations were honored for their outstanding contributions to the University/community effort.

Halfway through a five-year program, funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Medical Association, organizers paused to evaluate what has been accomplished and what remains to be done.

Participants praised UD President David P. Roselle, who, for example, instituted a parental notification policy at UD, that led to reforms to the federal Higher Education Act. That act now permits all colleges and universities to inform parents or legal guardians about students under 21 who have violated laws about the use or possession of alcohol.

"Our campus-community coalition has been working to create long-lasting changes in the environment that support healthy lifestyle choices and discourage excessive alcohol consumption with its negative second-hand effects on others," Roselle told the gathering in his keynote address.

"To change a national college culture in which heavy drinking is not only a component, but often a goal, is a daunting task," Roselle said. "....Still, it was once thought that drunk drivers were just a part of life and that smokers had the right to smoke anywhere and anytime they chose to do so. Today, people are much more likely to speak out against drunk drivers and smokers because we now know the harm they cause others is not an acceptable price to pay for their behavior," he said.

"The UD/city of Newark project will be successful if individuals-particularly students-become willing to voice their disapproval of high-risk drinking when it adversely affects their lives and their community," the president said.

Roselle said UD has involved city leaders, law enforcement personnel, students, faculty and staff, parents, high school teachers and administrators, as well as PTAs and other members of the community in the project because the problem of alcohol abuse in not isolated on UD property.

Changes for the better

Project accomplishments to date, listed by Roselle, include:

Institution of harsher penalties, with stiffer fines and a "three strikes and you're out" suspension policy, and greater efficiency in the student judicial system. After these changes were put into effect, cases of alcohol violations increased from 655 to 857, cases of disruptive conduct increased from 325 to 733 and disciplinary probation sanctions more than doubled from 738 to 1,508.
A parental notification policy that informs parents when students are adjudicated for violations of campus policy. Parental response to this measure has been overwhelmingly favorable.
The Five-Star Greek rating system, which links the privilege of rushing first-semester freshmen to a chapter's academic standing and social conduct.
The formation of a volunteer group to reach out to six secondary schools that are primary feeders to UD, in an effort to combat underage drinking.
Deed restrictions from the city of Newark that prohibit alcohol from ever being sold on the three most recent retail construction projects on Main Street.
Referral to the University's judicial system of all students arrested in the community for driving under the influence, using false identification or for violation of the state's zero-tolerance laws.

The good news

In praising the efforts of those involved in the project, Roselle noted that media coverage of the University's efforts has extended from the campus newspaper, The Review, to BBC Radio in London.

He also praised an innovative poster campaign that has drawn positive response from the campus and as well as requests for reprints.

In other good news, the president reported that the number of upperclass students choosing to remain on campus is increasing and that more students feel comfortable admitting that they abstain from binge drinking. Vandalism is declining by 31 percent on campus and enrollment figures are increasing as higher percentages of better students are accepting offers of admission to UD.

Community support for various aspects of the initiative, such as enforcement of the no-tailgating-after-kickoff policy has drawn overwhelming support, the president said.

A look to the future

John Bishop shows off the special Town and Gown T-shirt.Harry Shipman

As the anti-binge drinking campaign continues, Roselle said the University will continue to urge parents to teach responsible use of alcohol before their students come to Delaware and UD will continue to work with fraternities and sororities.

"We need to reach out to the larger community," he said. "It is the alcohol industry's strategy to blame all of the negative consequences of drinking on the consumers of alcohol. Keep in mind that the tobacco industry was successful in doing this as well until recently.

"We need to get the message out to the larger community that the supply of alcohol in Newark comes from private enterprises, and we all need to become better informed and concerned about how those enterprises may contribute to our mutual problems and the solutions thereof.

"How do the suppliers encourage the use of alcohol? How do our laws enable the culture of heavy alcohol use to be sustained? What is the role of state and local government? How well is the Delaware Alcohol Beverage Control Commission serving the interests of the public?

"There is reason for optimism," Roselle said. "We can accomplish more if we stay focused on the public health aspects of the problem and continue to work cooperatively."

Honored Oct. 12 for their work on the project and for their dedication to the issue of reducing high-risk drinking were

Former Newark Mayor Ron Gardner, who, along with Smith, co-chairs the Building Responsibility Coalition. Gardner, involved with the project since its inception, continues to be an active supporter of the campaign;
The Rev. Cliff Armour, pastor of Newark United Methodist Church and chair of the project's Community Committee;
Linda Hastings of the Delaware Office of Prevention, for her role on the executive committee of the University Schools Alliance;
William Nefosky, captain of the Newark Police Department, for his role as co-chair of the Policy Enforcement Task Group;
Maureen Feeney Roser, assistant planning director for the city of Newark, for her role as chair of the Activities Task Group.

Also honored for their dedication to the project were the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress, the Resident Students Association, the Greek Council and the V-8s health education group.

-Beth Thomas
Photos by Duane Perry