Learn new strategies to combat student binge drinking

Madison, Wis.—February 17, 2009 — When you combine students, drinking and parties in off-campus neighborhoods, you’re bound to have difficulties. And that was certainly true at Frostburg State University (FSU), which had a reputation for being a party school.

During the first week of Dr. Gibralter’s first semester as president of FSU in the fall of 2006, a student assaulted a local resident – an older man on his way home from work. The student got a $100,000 fine and two years in jail. The following week, 86 students were issued citations for underage drinking.

Two years and countless hours of hard work later, Dr. Gibralter won a national award for his work to reduce binge drinking on campus. He created unique partnerships with local and state law enforcement, community officials, neighborhood groups, bar owners, his faculty senate, and others to identify issues and come up with solutions.

During his online seminar, Dr. Gibralter and co-presenter Dr. Ketterman shared their strategies, policies, sample letters, and advice with more than 50 colleges and universities. Polls taken of the of audience members revealed that the majority do not collaborate with the constituent groups who contribute to FSU’s task force.

Polls also indicated that leadership from the president on this issue is relatively rare. Only nine percent of the audience said that their alcohol abuse prevention efforts were lead by their presidents.

During this fast-paced, 90-minute presentation, the presenters demonstrated how you can:
• Initiate a top-down program of culture change.• Build partnerships with local law enforcement and your state liquor control board.
• Develop attractive alternative programming for students.
• Engage local landlords, neighborhood associations, bar owners and alcohol distributors.
• Effectively address the roles and attitudes of fraternities, sororities and athletic departments.
• Engage parents in prevention efforts.

If you missed the seminar and would like to purchase it for your institution, you can order the program in CD or print transcript format, both of which include the presenter's handouts.

Magna Publications is a leading publisher of newsletters and other information products in the higher education segment. Magna also manages onsite and online conferences on topics of interest to higher education.

For more information please contact David Burns, Publisher, Magna Publications, Inc., at 608-227-8109, or dburns@magnapubs.com.