The University of Colorado, like many colleges and universities, has a drinking problem – and it’s not just who’s picking up the tab at official school functions.
If incoming president Hank Brown feels more comfortable having the CU Foundation pay for alcohol at school functions, as he’s contemplating, rather than using taxpayer or tuition money, so be it. But that’s really not the issue. It’s student binge drinking, alcohol-fueled melees on the Hill and, tragically, the death of 18-year-old freshman Lynn Gordie Bailey last fall.
A Harvard study in 2003 found 63 percent of CU students could be classified as binge drinkers – those who have five or more drinks in one outing. Yet CU recently dropped its mandatory online alcohol education course for incoming freshmen.
CU in recent years has beefed up its alcohol-prevention programs and implemented stricter rules regarding alcohol infractions. It also has established late-night, alcohol- free programs, extended hours in the recreation center and banned beer sales at Folsom Field to curb excessive drinking.
Last year’s addition of a required Internet course on alcohol abuse for freshmen wasn’t effective, however, said Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs. In its place is a voluntary course called e-CHUG that costs CU around $1,000, versus $48,000 for AlcoholEdu.
We don’t begrudge CU dropping an ineffective program. In fact, the savings will go toward more education programs and nighttime activities. “I think we’re all trying to find different ways to approach the problem,” Stump said. Most important, CU needs to find a very visible way to reach all incoming freshmen this fall as they hit campus and alert them to the dangers of alcohol and binge drinking.
For students like Bailey, there’s no second chance to reach them.
