University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 32, May 22

          New sanctions announced for student alcohol abusers
     
     Beginning this fall, students who violate the
University's alcohol policy will be subject to stricter
sanctions, and repeat offenders will receive fines and there
will be parental notification and judicial actions leading
to suspension from the University.
     The changes in sanctions for alcohol policy violations
will apply to all sophomore, junior and senior students,
including those who live off campus. Sanctions for freshmen
will differ from those for upper-division students.
     Vice President Roland Smith, student life, explained
that current alcohol abuse sanctions have been in effect for
the last five years. The new sanctions are the result of a
two-year process involving efforts by student task forces
and staff committees, all of whom provided input and
information.
     The Student Affairs Committee as well as the Student
Alcohol Use Committee, which is chaired by John Bishop,
counseling and student development, also reviewed the
changes and have endorsed the new sanctions.
     "We have received complaints," Smith said, "from
students, staff and members of the community that the
current sanctions are not meaningful and amount to a slap on
the wrist of those individuals who repeatedly use alcohol
abusively."
     The University's involvement as one of four
institutions nationally involved in the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation-sponsored project to address this issue of
alcohol abuse also contributed to the decision to increase
the sanctions against student violators.
     One of the objectives of these new sanctions is to make
the punishment associated with alcohol abuse clear and
understandable to all students, Bishop said.
     "We hope this is going to paint a clear picture for
students about what is expected of them," he said, "and
where we stand regarding alcohol abuse on campus and in the
community. This is an area that needs to be addressed and
taken seriously."
     In his role as director of UD's Center for Counseling
and Student Development, Bishop said he and his colleagues
are very aware of the variety of negative results of alcohol
abuse. A number of complaints about the abuse he said, come
from the students themselves.
     "A lot of the impetus for what we're doing comes from
the concerns that students have expressed to us," Bishop
said. "They are affected by the small number of alcohol
abusers. The most likely victim of this activity is another
student, for the problem drinker affects his or her peace
and, in some cases, commits vandalism and more serious
crimes, and then this concern carries over into the general
community. But, if you look at the people most negatively
affected by alcohol abuse, it is other students, and they
often pay the steepest price."
     Bishop said the new sanctions are an important step to
protect students who don't want to suffer the consequences
or deal with the effects of alcohol abuse.
     Smith said the University's approach, in keeping with
the objectives of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
project, is to treat alcohol abuse as a health issue. He
compared it to the beginning of the anti-smoking campaign in
this country about 15 years ago. The intent is not to
abolish one's right to drink, but to have those who drink do
so in an appropriate fashion that does not have a negative
impact on others.
     "One of our major goals," Smith said, "is to reduce
society's acceptance of alcohol abuse. We want to
deglamorize it on our campus."
     The new sanctions will be explained to incoming
freshmen and their parents during New Student Orientation.
Plans also are being made to insure that the details also
will be provided to returning students in the fall so they
are aware of the changes when they arrive.
     The revision of the sanctions does not change the
current alcohol policy. As stated in the University of
Delaware Official Student Handbook, the policy prohibits the
unauthorized (including underage) possession, use,
manufacture or distribution of alcohol on campus.
     Essentially, this means:
      Students under the age of 21 may not possess or
consume alcohol on campus;
      Students of legal age may possess and consume
alcoholic beverages on an individual basis in the privacy of
their residence hall room;
      Possession of an open container or consumption of
alcoholic beverages in any other area other than individual
rooms is forbidden; and
      The possession and consumption of alcohol may not
infringe upon the privacy and peace of other individuals. In
all such situations, the consumption of alcoholic beverages
will be considered as aggravating rather than mitigating the
situation.
     A major revision to take effect this fall is that
offenses will be cumulative, therefore, upperclass students
who already have code of conduct violations may receive more
severe sanctions. Sanctions also may be increased based on
the severity of the behavior and the negative impact on the
community.
     As an example, current residence hall sanctions for
dispensing alcohol to minors on the first offense results in
a meeting with the hall director followed by a letter of
warning.
     Under the fall 1997 sanctions, the same first-time
offense for upperclass students includes disciplinary
probation for one year, enrollment in an alcohol education
program, a $50 fine and parental notification.
     A second offense will result in deferred suspension
from the University for one year, a substance abuse
referral, a $100 fine and parental notification. If a third
instance occurs, the student is suspended from the
University for one year.
     Under the new sanctions, on- and off-campus, upperclass
students will be treated in the same fashion. Local law
enforcement authorities will inform the campus judicial
system of any alcohol-related violations committed by
students who do not reside in campus housing. The upperclass
alcohol abuser will not be able to skirt the new University
sanctions by living in off-campus housing, Smith said.
     Bishop said the University believes that students who
are suspended from the campus will not remain in the
community. So the University is not passing off its problems
to the city, he said.
     The University has received input from city of Newark
officials through the Town and Gown Committee on this issue,
Bishop said. He added that the new sanctions are part of a
collaborative approach with the city to address alcohol
abuse and that benefits should be seen both by those living
on campus and those who reside in the surrounding community.
     After reviewing the new sanctions, Newark Mayor Ronald
Gardner reacted positively, particularly praising the
stiffer sanctions for the first offense, parental
notification and suspension from the University.
     "I've always believed," he said, "that if parents are
made aware of some of the unacceptable behavior of their
children, then that would result in positive changes.
     "Our concern in the city is controlling unacceptable
behavior. Most of the complaints by residents against
students can be traced to parties where there is excessive
use of alcohol and that results in noise and property
damage.
     "If these changes, which include sanctions against
individuals and student organizations, can reduce that kind
of activity, they will have a positive effect on their
neighbors, be they students or full-time residents."
     According to Tim Brooks, dean of students, "The changes
in alcohol policy sanctions send a clear message to students
that alcohol abuse and related problems will not be
tolerated on campus or in the City of Newark. The University
has done a number of research studies that indicate alcohol
abuse by students contributes to a number of significant
problems for students on and off campus. It is hoped these
sanction changes will help reduce the negative impact of
student alcohol abuse.
     "The new policies also define sanctions for recognized
student organizations, including fraternities and
sororities," he added. "A first alcohol offense leads to
disciplinary probation and a $300 fine. The second offense
results in deferred suspension and a $600 fine. A third
means that the group loses all campus privileges and is not
allowed to bring in new members for a minimum of 1 year.
These sanctions are designed to reduce large parties
sponsored by the groups where alcohol is illegally furnished
and where there is disruptive behavior."
     Cynthia Cummings, director of residence life, said,
"The implementation of the new sanctions should compel
students to think before they drink illegally or
irresponsibly. The knowledge that guilty findings for
alcohol policy violations may result in suspension from the
University should serve as a deterrent. Furthermore, the
fact that we will be notifying parents when students are
found guilty of alcohol violations will encourage parents
and students to discuss drinking behavior and should result
in students modifying their behavior."
     She said student resident assistants (RAs) will have a
variety of responses to the new sanctions, which are now
stiffer than they had expected.
     "The professional staff will work closely with RAs to
instill the confidence and conviction necessary for them to
take action against students who violate UD's alcohol
policy.
     "We will work hard with the RAs to help them understand
that the only person to blame is the one who has violated
the policy repeatedly," she said.
                                               -Ed Okonowicz