Campus Policies to Consider

The NIAAA Task Force and Report: A Call To Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges recommends that schools consider adopting these campus-based policies and practices that appear to be capable of reducing high-risk alcohol use. The following activities are particularly appealing because straightforward and relatively brief evaluations should indicate whether they would be successful in reducing high-risk drinking on a particular campus.

• Informing new students and their parents about alcohol policies and penalties before arrival and during orientation periods.
• Consistently enforcing disciplinary actions associated with policy violations
• Increasing publicity about and enforcement of underage drinking laws on campus and eliminating "mixed messages."
• Increasing enforcement at campus-based events that promote excessive drinking
• Reinstating Friday classes and exams to reduce Thursday night partying; possibly scheduling Saturday morning classes.
• Implementing alcohol-free, expanded late-night student activities.
• Eliminating keg parties on campus where underage drinking is prevalent.
• Establishing alcohol-free dormitories.
• Employing older, salaried resident assistants or hiring adults to fulfill that role.
• Further controlling or eliminating alcohol at sports events and prohibiting tailgating parties that model heavy alcohol use.
• Refusing sponsorship gifts from the alcohol industry to avoid any perception that underage drinking is acceptable.
• Banning alcohol on campus, including at faculty and alumni events.