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Regents investigate alcohol, drug habits

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Also by Emily Koritz:

by Emily Koritz

Thursday, March 3, 2005

The UW Board of Regents conducted a survey last week to evaluate University of Wisconsin System students’ drug and alcohol use to determine how to improve programs and services for students who abuse such substances.

Administrators may make changes to various areas of prevention policy, including campus enforcement against substance use and educational programs about the dangers of binge-drinking.

“The ultimate goal of the survey is to improve alcohol- and drug-use prevention programs across the campuses,” said Susan Crowley, director of Prevention Services at University Health Services. “We want to look at where students access alcohol as well as how inexpensive it might be. Cheap alcohol is a big issue because it correlates with higher drinking rates.”

The Board of Regents sent out e-mails to randomly selected students from UW inviting them to participate anonymously and confidentially in the online questionnaire titled “UW System Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Survey.” The e-mail was also sent to random students on other UW System campuses.

The survey, which is in its third year of development, featured a wide range of questions regarding students’ drug and alcohol use. Through the survey, UW administrators seek to uncover students’ perceptions of substance use as well their views about the consequences.

“We are particularly interested in how much and how often students drink,” Crowley said. “We [also] ask questions about other drug use to see if there are other areas we should concentrate on.”

The survey also inquired about students’ non-drinking activities.

“We also want to see if there are enough viable social alternatives for students — something to do besides drinking,” Crowley said.

Although the survey was administered at all UW campuses, the results from the Madison campus’ survey will be analyzed separately before being combined with other campuses’ surveys.

“Results from each campus will be compiled individually first,” UW spokesman John Lucas said. “Later they may then be compiled to get a total picture of drug and alcohol abuse on UW campuses.”

Data from last year’s College Alcohol Survey revealed that 54 percent of UW students binge-drink, compared with the national student average of 44 percent. In addition, Crowley said UW students’ marijuana use had also been increasing.

“Last year’s survey showed a higher level of marijuana use on the [UW] campus as something we should be paying attention to,” Crowley said.

However, inconsistencies in the administration processes have rendered the data from the first two surveys unusable, according to Crowley.

Upon completion of the survey, students will receive an online analysis of their own alcohol use. The analysis will include an estimate of their average peak-blood alcohol concentration. The students will also find out how their alcohol use compares with the drinking habits of college students across the country.

“We want to reduce excessive drinking and drug use and reduce the negative consequences. That’s our goal,” Crowley said, “We’re not ever trying to eliminate it but rather reduce the harm that comes to students.”