Alcohol abuse is a problem that has long plagued college campuses. As part of the University's "Choice. Control. Character. Making Decisions About Drinking" program, which aims to reduce negative academic, physical, social, emotional, and legal consequences of student drinking, Loyola's Wellness Center recently secured a two-year grant for $145,000 per year from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
The program includes an anonymous, online screening survey all first-year males are invited to take. This is based on research showing that first-year students and male students are at higher risk for experiencing negative alcoholrelated consequences. Students identified as being at higher risk are encouraged to come into the Wellness Center for one-on-one screening and intervention.
The project also focuses on the engagement of faculty, staff, and parents in alcohol misuse information and prevention efforts, and on environmental factors, such as liquor stores, bars, and off-campus housing. "This project has both research and service components," says Susan Cushman, MPH, CHES, the Wellness Center's coordinator of alcohol and other drug prevention programs. "It isn't just abstract theory—it will help other higher-education institutions by creating a model for proactive screening, intervention, and campuscommunity engagement."
The project's ultimate goals are to reduce incidences of heavy drinking, to shift perceptions about alcohol abuse on campus, and to work with the community to make targeted changes in the areas surrounding Loyola's campuses. The changes won't happen overnight, but, in time, the project will help to keep Loyola students informed and healthy.
Gail Mansfield