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Presidents'
Message on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Every year, young people die as
the result of alcohol and other drug abuse in campus
communities. The freedom and independence of college life means
students are making their own choices, often for the first time.
Sadly for some, the first time is the last time! Don't let your
life become a sad statistic.
Dear Students:
One of Winthrop University's top priorities is to maintain a
safe and supportive environment for its entire community of
learners.
The harsh realities of recent alcohol-related deaths of students
are a vivid reminder that we can never overlook the threat that
alcohol and drug abuse pose to such campus communities. These
are tragedies of the first order, tragedies that took the lives
of young people standing on the brink of adulthood. But worse,
much worse than that, is the fact that they didn't have to
happen.
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Micah Villarreal, 24, and Kelly
Young, 24, Colorado State University, died July 9, 2005.
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Christopher Raspanti, 21,
Pennsylvania State University, was found April 24, 2005.
-
Jason Reinhardt, 21, Minnesota
State University, was found March 16, 2004.
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Samantha Spady, 19, Colorado State
University, was found Sept. 5, 2004.
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Rachel Payne, 18, University of
Delaware, was found Sept. 12, 2004.
-
Lynn Gordon Bailey Jr., 18,
University of Colorado, was found Sept. 17, 2004.
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Jason Bannick, 19, Fort Lewis
College, died October 24, 2004
While we have been free of such tragedies at Winthrop, incidents
like these leave those of us who put our hearts and souls into
the task of helping students learn and grow feeling absolutely
frustrated, angry, and powerless. For a university
administrator, there is no more painful a duty to do than to
tell parents their son or daughter has died in an accident. It's
not the kind of responsibility one imagines ever having to take
on. And it's not a role that one can prepare for. For a student
leader, it can be equally devastating -- the loss of a peer,
perhaps even a friend.
Many students feel as though the
administration, in particular, is unaware of student activities
involving alcohol. What administrators [and student leaders
alike] do know is that academic failures -- and much worse --
are directly related to excessive or “binge” drinking. We know
students tend to suffer silently rather than confront the
misbehavior and risk being labeled as “not cool.” And 'bingers'
often feel the purpose of drinking is just to get drunk -- to be
rowdy and obnoxious; to get physically ill; to provide an excuse
to have casual sex -- often with no regard for the impact this
behavior has on themselves or others.
As a student, you may not
realize that you are a victim of alcohol abuse if you have ever
had your studying interrupted, felt unsafe when others are
drinking, had personal property vandalized, or had your
enjoyment of other activities compromised by someone else's
alcohol abuse.
Please understand the purpose in
writing this letter. We at Winthrop are in a position to help
you reach your dreams -- not to listen to your parents and
friends grieve your untimely death.
I challenge you to make the
CHOICE not to abuse alcohol and join Winthrop in making our
campus free from alcohol abuse. Let's work together to make
certain that a tragedy like those that have hit other campuses
never occurs on ours.
Anthony DiGiorgio
President
Problems Faced by College Alcohol Abusers:
Collected data continues to indicate
that students who drink are:
- Less likely to complete their
academic course of study.
- More likely to become
involved in:
o disorderly conduct - becoming disruptive in class, the
library, or in the residence halls;
o conduct dangerous to others - fights, vandalism, and verbal
abuse; and
o health issues - sexually transmitted diseases, depression,
kidney complications,
cirrhosis of the liver,
and unplanned pregnancies.
What
You Can Do:
- Keep yourself informed. Know
the rules about drinking on campus and understand that we will
enforce those rules.
- Promise to spend an evening
socializing without drinking, while observing those who are
drinking to excess. Note their behavior and try to image what
you look like when you overindulge.
- If you drink, resolve to do
so legally and only in moderation. Do this primarily for your
own well - being but also for your classmates.
- If you are being compromised
by someone else's drinking, speak up. Work with your R.A. and
others in our campus community, especially in the Division of
Student Life, to change the situation.
- Help spread the word to other
students about the following resources available to them on
campus regarding alcohol:
o Wellness Services in the Department of Health and Counseling
Services.
o Students Have A Responsibility to Educate (SHARE) Team,
which uses the power
of peer influence to
educate students through programming both on and off campus.
o Upcoming Greeks Advocating Mature Management of Alcohol
(GAMMA) and
Boost Alcohol
Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students
(BACCHUS) chapters,
peer education programs focusing on alcohol abuse
prevention and other
related student health and safety issues.
o Your residence life staff and professionals in the Division
of Student Life who
exist to help you or
refer you to those who can.
o Red Flag 3 and simulated drunk driving courses offered by
Campus Police.
o ACAD 101 course curriculum detailing alcohol and other drugs
education.
o Physical and Health Education classes with part of the
course curriculum focusing
on alcohol and other
drugs related education.
o Residence hall programs offered by Residence Life staff,
other Division of
Student Life staff and
community agencies based on alcohol and other drugs
related education.
o Campus wide programs presented by nationally recognized
alcohol and other
drugs speakers.
o Sexual Assault Awareness Week events.
o Residence halls bulletin boards based on alcohol and other
drugs related
educational
information.
o The Residence Life Resource Guide (can be found:
http://www.winthrop.edu/reslife/PDF/2003%20resource%20guide.pdf)
o The Student Handbook Alcoholic Beverage Policy (can be
found:
http://www.winthrop.edu/handbook04.pdf)
o Alcohol, Choices and Education, by Outside The Classroom, is
an extracurricular
course taken by
students in violation of Winthrop University’s alcohol
policies.
o The Drug Education program, led by the Wellness Services
Coordinator, is an
extracurricular course
taken by students in violation of Winthrop University’s drug
policies.
o CHAMPS/Life Skills Program offered to student athletes.
For
more information, contact the
Division of Student
Life, 323-2251.
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