Wiley addresses high-risk drinking

Chancellor John Wiley expresses strong support for a proposal to limit drink specials while also challenging the campus community to develop new solutions to the problems of high-risk drinking.

Wiley says the university is primarily concerned with dangerous and excessive drinking which can be linked to sexual assault, violence, and vandalism, among other problems.

“That’s the set of problems that we’re trying to address in effective ways,” he says. “Not that we’re naïve enough to think that there’s any one answer or solution, but we’re trying to do every bit we can, every place we can think of to address this.

“We’re not talking about concern over mild inebriation or silliness,” he continued. “We’re not talking primarily about drinking age-related issues. We’re talking about high-risk drinking.”

The student body, the Associated Students of Madison, student media and tavern owners can join with the RWJ Project and City of Madison to help create solutions to the problem, Wiley says.

“What we haven’t heard is any positive or constructive suggestions from the critics of our efforts to deal with this problem on what they think would be effective.”

During his remarks, Wiley cited several statistics, including:

Detox trips: From July 2001 through March 2002, 87 students were transported to detox, one with a blood alcohol level of .45.

Binge drinking data: A 1998-99 survey of undergraduates shows that the estimated mean age of undergraduate high-risk drinkers was 20.95 years, and that 14 percent of students surveyed reported binge drinking.

The study also showed that males made up 71 percent of binge drinkers and Caucasian students made up 95 percent of binge drinkers. During the study, binge drinking was based on questions about missed classes and other consequences of drinking heavily the night before.

The university also uses data from Harvard University’s College Alcohol Study.

Alcohol and sexual assault: Alcohol is frequently a factor in sexual assaults. Recent university data shows that 74 percent of female sexual assault victims indicated that they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the assault.

In addition to measures already taken by the university and RWJ Project, Wiley says he supports several new initiatives, including:

A limit on drink specials after 8 p.m.: Research – and common sense – makes it very clear that reduced prices increase consumption and incidences of other negative occurrences, such as sexual assault and vandalism, Wiley says. Conversely, higher prices lead to lower consumption.

He notes that the proposal is not a ban on drink specials, but an attempt to control problems created by high-risk drinking, which occur primarily after 8 p.m. He adds that the limits could possibly result in students moving from bars to house parties, but says the university will look at added education and enforcement in those areas.

More viable alternatives to drinking: The Regent Street Retreat will increase the amount of all-ages entertainment in The Annex to two nights per week and a partnership with Luther’s Blues continues to increase in popularity.

Another program will allow the Wisconsin Union and RWJ Project to sponsor and publicize off-campus entertainment events that fit specific guidelines with regard to alcohol. In exchange for agreement with our conditions, we will help event promoters advertise and publicize events. This is another program that will help expand entertainment options for students.

The university will continue to make funds available for alternatives to drinking.

Better information about high-risk drinking: Over the past few years, UW–Madison, like other educational institutions across the country, has used statistics from Harvard University’s College Alcohol Study to help identify and quantify campus alcohol use.

But, to get a much more accurate picture, Wiley says the university will be focusing on the negative effects of high-risk drinking as a measurement tool. These factors may include: alcohol-related arrests in the city and on campus, medical emergencies that involve alcohol, sexual assaults, numbers of students who are asked to leave residence halls because of alcohol-related violations, vandalism costs, policing costs and residence hall disturbances and custodial costs.

Parental notification: Since 1998, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act has allowed institutions to notify parents of students under 21 who are found responsible for violating institutional policies regarding drugs and alcohol. In the past, UW–Madison has decided not to notify parents.

Wiley says the severity of the university’s problem is such that it may be time to reconsider that decision. Interim Dean of Students Roger Howard will convene the appropriate people to consider parental notification as well as more stringent disciplinary action for serious violations related to alcohol.