[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Many University of Wisconsin students have been there, either firsthand or in the case of caring for an inebriated friend. Many can share stories with common themes — which may include vomiting, urination, passing out, getting lost or getting into fights — that come as a result of extreme intoxication.

Many have either been that person or cared for that person — the one puking off of the porch at a house party. The one who flags down police cars, somehow thinking they are taxicabs. The one who passes out in the hallway at his or her residence, unable to reach the bedroom. The one who, unable to walk, gets carried home by friends after a night at a bar or party. Many have lived that story.

And when these stories are told and rehashed, a good laugh is usually had because those are the "remember when" stories, or the stories may be shrugged off like those events weren't a big deal, or like they weren't dangerous.

Then there are the drunken horror stories. UW Police Department Lt. Eric Hollen, who works night shifts, said there is no shortage of scary happenings on campus when nighttime collides with heavy drinking.

"We hear stories all the time about kids who get so drunk that they fall off a balcony, wander into traffic, damage property or leave themselves susceptible to assault," Hollen said.

Whether UW employees and students want to recognize it as a problem or dismiss it as a part of college life, so-called "binge drinking" is a significant part of the UW culture — significant enough that members of the administration and of the City of Madison have taken steps to combat it.

Problem? Some signs point to 'yes'
People who have been to a detoxification center will likely attest to the fact that their experience there was one of the worst episodes of their lives, as they recall the uncomfortable tubes in their throats and the use of a charcoal substance to induce vomiting.

As Hollen pointed out, of course, "detox," as horrible as it is for those who are treated, is a necessary evil.

"When we're talking about detox, we don't just decide to take people there who are merely drunk," Hollen said. "The people we take there are incapacitated and can't take care of themselves. Detox is a secure medical facility and is honestly the safest place for most of these people."

Interim Dean of Students Lori Berquam emphasized that for detox to be necessary, a student would have had to engage in a truly dangerous level of drinking.

"The reality of the matter is that this sort of drinking could end someone's life," Berquam said. "It's fine to go out and have fun, but nobody who has gotten that incapacitated can ever tell me that they had a fun time."

Raising more concern about binge drinking on campus is the increase in detox transports. The UWPD has transported 42 UW students to detox since Aug. 31 this year. That number is 12 greater than a year ago and 28 more than in 2004 at the same point in the fall semester.

Hollen also raised concern about the average blood alcohol content of the detox transports. On average, students blew a .24. For a 180-lb. person, this level would be the result of consuming 10 drinks over the course of an hour.

The dangers coupled with this sort of binge drinking are two-fold. According to Hollen, the fact that someone gets extremely drunk is a danger in itself. This level of intoxication also presents external dangers.

"When people are that incapacitated and can't care for themselves, they're more likely to have accidents, like falling off of balconies or getting caught in traffic," Hollen said. "They are also more susceptible to being attacked or mugged."

Berquam said she knows students are going to drink either way, but added that moderation is the key to staying safe. UW's culture, however, seems to suggest that moderation, for many, is not the preferred option.

The Culture itself
There is no denying the fact that when people think about the state of Wisconsin, they often associate the state with beer in some way. This stereotype is not without some truth.

According to Susan Crowley, director of the UW Policy Alternatives Community Education Project, recent research indicates that the rate of binge drinking statewide is second only to North Dakota.

"Whether we're talking about college students or not, our state is huge in binge drinking," Crowley said. "It's been that way for so long that it seems like it's just become an accepted part of living in Wisconsin."

The level of acceptance is reflected in Wisconsin's Legislature, which, unlike many other states, does not include social host laws, keg registration laws or strict alcohol density laws. Crowley said the statewide acceptance of questionable drinking habits seems to have diffused itself into the culture of its flagship university.

"I'm of the opinion that the campus is a reflection of broader state drinking habits," she said. "When 60 percent of the student body comes from the state of Wisconsin, they've already grown up with that culture and, in general, it doesn't seem to take the other 40 percent too long to become acclimated."

Madison's Alcohol Policy Coordinator Joel Plant echoed the thoughts of Crowley with regard to the problems the general attitude of the state and campus present.

"In the culture around here, there is an acceptance of binge drinking," Plant said. "As long as we hold on to that acceptance, we will never make progress on fixing the problems associated with alcohol."

Combating recent trends of increased detox transports and the statewide acceptance of alcohol consumption seems to be a mostly uphill battle for Madison and UW administrators.

City's Response
A little more than a year ago, the mayor's office and the UW administration decided it was time to take a more proactive approach to the perceived binge drinking problems on campus and in the downtown area. So they teamed up and appointed Joel Plant to become the first Alcohol Policy Coordinator for Madison.

Since his appointment, Plant has worked to develop strategies to combat alcohol-related problems. More specifically, among other efforts, Plant has put together an alcohol density policy for downtown Madison.

"In my research, which has been extensive, it has been determined that the density of alcohol licenses in an area is directly correlated to the amount of crime and alcohol-related problems we see in the area," Plant said. "Controlling the density of alcohol licenses downtown should reduce the volume and intensity of alcohol-related problems downtown."

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, who is also a member of the Alcohol License Review Committee, explained how Plant's density policy is designed to operate.

"Under the plan, the city would not grant new liquor licenses in the core downtown area," Verveer said. "The policy would also prevent current taverns from expanding."

Despite early reluctance about the policy, Verveer admitted it could be time for the city to take more drastic steps to deal with problems downtown. He said, though, that the policy should be somewhat flexible to deal with extreme circumstances.

The details of the policy are still being hammered out, and Verveer said City Council will likely not pass the policy until January.

Plant's role in dealing with alcohol is not limited to the policy. He has been actively working with the Madison Police Department in dealing with unlicensed taverns — more commonly known to students as house parties.

The MPD and UWPD have always reacted to large campus-area house parties, but have not had the resources to adequately deal with them before they grow out of control. Plant said a proactive approach to unlicensed taverns would be ideal.

Plant emphasized that noticeable progress would take a long time to see, and said his role in the matter is not to provide a magic bullet for the perceived problem. According to Plant, he is only one part of a long-term solution, a joint effort between the city and campus.

University's approach
Since 1996, UW has taken a hard look at the issue of binge drinking on campus. After being identified as a high-risk campus and receiving a 10-year "Matter of Degree" grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to deal with drinking problems, the PACE Project, as students know it today, was formed.

Crowley said the general aim of the project is to ensure there is a consistent response to the perceived problem.

"This is such a serious matter and we want to treat it as such," Crowley said.

PACE, along with conducting research on the dangers of binge drinking, has been active in encouraging the city to create and enforce more strict alcohol policies. Crowley said the project has advocated Plant's density policy, a limit on drink specials at taverns, responsible beverage server training and keg registration. However, Crowley said, change within the city is not easy.

"The fact that there is no statewide legislation makes it very difficult for us," she said. "We're dealing with it the best we can on the local level, but there is not a lot of leadership around to make long-term changes."

The project has also worked to spread its message across campus. Crowley said PACE works with university housing, the athletic department and the chancellor's office to inform students and their parents about the dangers of binge drinking.

Now, though, with its 10-year grant expired, and the project slated to operate through the spring 2007 semester on leftover funds, PACE must turn to other funding sources to continue its mission.

"The project will continue in some form," Crowley said. "When the spillover funds are depleted, we still plan to continue. The chancellor's office has agreed to provide funds and we will seek grants and donations elsewhere."

Maybe the ongoing efforts of the city and campus will serve to change the campus culture, provide solutions to the perceived binge-drinking problem and cut down the number of transports to detox and dangerous alcohol-related problems in general — maybe.

Whether the UW community likes it or not, the entire student body is part of the perceived culture. As a result, the students will be connected to the conclusion because most of them share the same stories.