UCSC Resources for Parents
- Eight Points For Parents Speaking With Students About Alcohol
- What Parents Need to Know About College Drinking
- Parents: A Primary Influence
- Additional Resources
The main goal of Student Health Outreach & Promotion (SHOP) is to create and implement data-driven, integrated primary and secondary prevention programs that focus on reducing the harms associated with health behaviors around alcohol and drug use, sexuality and other health concerns.
Student Health Outreach & Promotion (SHOP) AOD Services include:
AlcoholEdu for College
- Pre-matriculation, population-level online course for all incoming students
- Alcohol education program used on over 500 campuses nationwide
- Interactive and relies on science-based research about alcohol and its effects
"Just Say Gnome, Party Small"
SHOP continues to market this social host/norming campaign. The goal is to focus on harm reduction for high-risk or binge drinking. The campaign uses a “gnome” to encourage students to “party small,” reduce their risks and has the following components:
- Logo (program recognition)
- T-shirts: Every year has a different theme or slogan - emphasizes smaller parties and creates “buzz” about the campaign. All RAs, NAs, CAs and Orientation Leaders received t-shirts during training.
- Safer Party Brochure: describes how to host a party and what to consider before, during and after the party.
- Two Posters: one focused on Party Size and the other on recognizing the signs of Alcohol Poisoning
- Door Hangers: Placed on all residence hall doors at the beginning of the year, contained information about policies and enforcement, encouraged safer partying and had a tear-off card on the bottom with information about alcohol poisoning and emergency and other phone numbers
- Beanie Baby Gnomes: Created stuffed gnomes wearing UCSC hat and “Just Say Gnome: Party Small” t-shirt to give away as promotional item.
- Gnome Facebook page: SHOP continues to use a Facebook page for the Gnome. The page contains information and links about safer partying, upcoming events and ways to get involved.
Maximizing Enforcement and Visibility
A main component of the Environmental Strategies prescribed by the Safer California Schools Study is letting students know about, maximizing enforcement of and increasing visibility of enforcement about existing alcohol-related laws, policies and ordinances. SHOP is collaborating with UCSC and Santa Cruz Police Departments in this implementation. The following are strategies implemented during the first six weeks of school.
Increased Enforcement Operations (September-November)
- DUI Checkpoints to draw attention to the risks of alcohol-impaired driving, especially for young adults
- Compliance Checks (shoulder taps and decoy operations) to limit the access to alcohol by young people who are not of legal drinking age by enforcing laws prohibiting alcohol sales to minors.
- Increased Party Patrols from September 15th through October 31st to increase overall control of off-campus parties and to identify and intervene with intoxicated persons
- Community and Neighborhood Outreach - SHOP continues efforts to outreach to the Santa Cruz neighborhoods adjacent to UCSC.
Where are we targeting our activities?
SHOP uses a data-driven approach in all our programming and outreach. Our efforts have focused on off-campus parties, students who violate sanctions, and on first year students. Data indicate that first year students are most vulnerable to the “college effect”, an increase in drinking and negative consequences that emerges in the first six weeks of the fall quarter. Efforts include:
- Orientation and Trainings
- Parent Page on SHOP website
- RA Training SHOP delivered AOD training to all new and returning RA/NA/CAs in September
Early Intervention Education
Campus Adjudicators regularly assign SHOP educational sanctions to students for violation of AOD policy. These include:
Alcohol Innerview
- A confidential online alcohol program to prevent recurrent alcohol violations and reduce the chance of negative consequences of drinking
- Personalized feedback about drinking patterns and behaviors (an evidence-based approach)
- A brief motivational intervention tool
E-TOKE
- The Electronic THC Online Knowledge Experience
- A confidential, self-guided, marijuana specific brief assessment and feedback tool
- Calculates a number of variables and compares responses to national and UCSC norms, then displays them in an easy-to-read format
- Provides immediate individual feedback, FAQ's about marijuana use and links to additional resources
AlcoholEdu for Sanctions
- A secondary prevention, online individual class
- Integrates proven prevention methods such as the AUDIT screening tool
- Science-based education and journaling with personalized feedback
Community Solutions Workshop
- A three-hour interactive group session facilitated by a SHOP Health Educator
- Emphasis on addressing social norms and reducing risks of AOD related harms for individuals and the campus as a whole
BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention of College Students)
- A 2 session, confidential meeting process with a SHOP Health Educator
- Requires completion of an online survey and feedback that the student and facilitator will process
- A non-confrontational, harm reduction approach that helps students reduce their alcohol consumption and decrease the behavioral and health risks associated with heavy drinking
- Alcohol content and skills-training is introduced throughout the intervention when relevant, applicable, or of interest to the participant, including:
- Expectancies
- Standard Drink and Norms
- BAC, Associated Effects, Tolerance
- Alcohol’s Biphasic Effect
- Distribution of Blood Alcohol Charts
- Consequences
- Risk Reduction Strategies
Additional AOD Resources & Referrals
Brief Interventions:
SHOP Health Educators meet with UCSC students who have concerns about substance use, abuse and/or dependence. Conversations are confidential. Our intention is to facilitate a preliminary assessment of the student's AOD behavior and associated risks followed by discussion of resources and appropriate next steps.
- Follow-up conversations and check-ins are available upon request.
- Medical and Mental Health Referrals: SHOP provides referrals to the Student Health Center and Counseling & Psychological Services (CPS).
- Clinical AOD Assessment & Treatment: SHOP may recommend clinical AOD assessment and continuing care by an offsite provider. SHOP maintains information about local inpatient and outpatient treatment programs and services.
- Peer Mentorship & Network(s): SHOP facilitates contact with students in recovery from AOD abuse and/or dependence who volunteer to act as peer mentors. SHOP also supports student initiatives and networks that promote socializing without substances.
- 12-Step Recovery Resources: SHOP provides information about 12-Step programs and can direct students to meetings that are attended by UCSC students and other young people. Currently there is one student supported Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting on campus.
Additional Resources on Campus:
Student Health Services
http://www2.ucsc.edu/healthcenter/
Our primary mission at UCSC Student Health Services is to provide quality health care focused on the particular needs of students.
UCSC Student Health Services strives to create a caring and supportive environment to assist students in maintaining their physical and emotional well being as they work toward the achievement of their academic goals.
Counseling & Psychological Services
http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/services.html
Counseling And Psychological Services (CPS) offers a variety of counseling services for personal, academic, social, or family concerns. These counseling services include: individual or personal counseling, group counseling, couples and family counseling, crisis counseling, and behavioral stress reduction services.
UCSC Alcohol and Drug Policy
http://www2.ucsc.edu/judicial/handbook08-09/WebView/AppendixD.html
A link to UCSC Alcohol and Drug Policy.
Eight Points For Parents Speaking With Students About Alcohol
In cooperation with William DeJong, Director of the Higher Education Center, and Linda Devine, Assistant Dean of Student Life at the University of Oregon, College Parents of America has developed the following eight talking points to assist parents in talking with their students about alcohol.
Any parent who reads the newspaper or watches news on television has seen and heard tragic stories about the outcome of excessive drinking on campus. Parents are frightened by these stories and have every right to be.
We advise parents to talk with their children about the impact of high-risk drinking on their lives and their responsibilities to themselves and as peers.
- Set clear and realistic expectations regarding academic performance.Studies conducted nationally have demonstrated that partying may contribute as much to a student's decline in grades as the difficulty of his or her academic work. If students know their parents expect sound academic work, they are likely to be more devoted to their studies and have less time to get in trouble with alcohol.
- Stress to students that alcohol is toxic and excessive consumption can fatally poison.This is not a scare tactic. The fact is students die every year from alcohol poisoning. Discourage dangerous drinking through participation in drinking games, fraternity hazing, or in any other way. Parents should ask their students to also have the courage to intervene when they see someone putting their life at risk through participation in dangerous drinking.
- Tell students to intervene when classmates are in trouble with alcohol.Nothing is more tragic than an unconscious student being left to die while others either fail to recognize that the student is in jeopardy or fail to call for help due to fear of getting the student in trouble.
- Tell students to stand up for their right to a safe academic environment.Students who do not drink can be affected by the behavior of those who do, ranging from interrupted study time to assault or unwanted sexual advances. Students can confront these problems directly by discussing them with the offender. If that fails, they should notify the housing director or other residence hall staff.
- Know the alcohol scene on campus and talk to students about it.
Students grossly exaggerate the use of alcohol and other drugs by their peers. Students are highly influenced by peers and tend to drink up to what they perceive to be the norm. Confronting misperceptions about alcohol use is vital. - Avoid tales of drinking exploits from your own college years.Entertaining students with stories of drinking back in "the good old days" normalizes what, even then, was abnormal behavior. It also appears to give parental approval to dangerous alcohol consumption.
- Encourage your student to volunteer in community work. In addition to structuring free time, volunteerism provides students with opportunities to develop job-related skills and to gain valuable experience. Helping others also gives students a broader outlook and a healthier perspective on the opportunities they enjoy. Volunteer work on campus helps students further connect with their school, increasing the likelihood of staying in college.
- Make it clear – Underage alcohol consumption and alcohol-impaired driving are against the law.Parents should make it clear that they do not condone breaking the law. Parents of college students should openly and clearly express disapproval of underage drinking and dangerous alcohol consumption. And, if parents themselves drink, they should present a positive role model in the responsible use of alcohol.
Talk with your student about alcohol. While parents may not be able to actively monitor students away from home, they can be available to talk and listen, and that is just as important. It can do more than help shape lives, it can save lives.
What Parents Need to Know About College Drinking
In April 2002 a special Federal Task Force of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism issued its report titled A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges. The Task Force was composed of college presidents, alcohol researchers, and students. The report was the culmination of a 3-year, extensive analysis of research literature about alcohol use on college campuses, including:
- the scope of the college drinking problem
- the effectiveness of intervention programs currently used by colleges and communities
- recommendations for college presidents and researchers on how to improve interventions and prevention efforts
A Snapshot of Annual High-Risk College Drinking Consequences
The recently published data compiled below illustrate that each year the consequences of college drinking are more significant, more destructive, and more costly than many Americans realize. It is also important to remember that these consequences may affect your son or daughter whether or not they drink.
- Death: 1,400 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.
- Injury: 500,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol.
- Assault: More than 600,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.
- Sexual Abuse: More than 70,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.
- Unsafe Sex: 400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 have unprotected sex and more than 100,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex.
- Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.
- Health Problems/Suicide Attempts: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.
- Drunk Driving: 2.1 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 report driving under the influence of alcohol last year.
- Vandalism: About 11 percent of college students report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol.
- Property Damage: More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with relatively low drinking levels and over 50 percent from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a "moderate" or "major" problem with alcohol-related property damage.
- Police Involvement: About 5 percent of 4-year college students are involved with the police or campus security as a result of their drinking. An estimated 110,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence.
- Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: 31 percent of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months, according to questionnaire-based self-reports about their drinking.
Parents: A Primary Influence
As a parent you continue to be a primary influence in your son's or daughter's life. You are key in helping them choose the right college so that they get the best education possible. At the same time, you also need to ensure that when they go off to college they live in a safe environment. There are three distinct stages in which you, as a parent, contribute in critical ways to the decisionmaking involving your college-bound son or daughter:
Parents of a College Freshman—Staying Involved
Pay special attention to your son's or daughter's experiences and activities during the crucial first 6 weeks on campus. With a great deal of free time, many students initiate heavy drinking during these early days of college, and the potential exists for excessive alcohol consumption to interfere with successful adaptation to campus life. You should know that about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year.
- Be familiar with the name of the person who is responsible for campus counseling programs. http://www2.ucsc.edu/counsel/services.html
- Call your son or daughter frequently during the first 6 weeks of college.
- Inquire about their roommates, the roommates' behavior, and how disagreements are settled or disruptive behavior dealt with.
- Make sure that your son or daughter understands the penalties for underage drinking, public drunkenness, using a fake ID, driving under the influence, assault, and other alcohol-related offenses. Indicate to them that you have asked the college/university to keep you informed of infractions to school alcohol policies.
- Make certain that they understand how alcohol use can lead to date rape, violence, and academic failure.
Parents of a College Student Facing an Alcohol-Related Crisis—Getting Assistance
- Be aware of the signs of possible alcohol abuse by your son or daughter (e.g., lower grades, never available or reluctant to talk with you, unwilling to talk about activities with friends, trouble with campus authorities, serious mood changes).
- If you believe your son or daughter is having a problem with alcohol, do not blame them, but find appropriate treatment.
- Call and/or visit campus health services and counseling and psychological services and ask to speak with a counselor.
- Indicate to the Dean of Students, either in person or by email, your interest in the welfare of your son or daughter and that you want to be actively involved in his or her recovery despite the geographic separation.
- If your son or daughter is concerned about his or her alcohol consumption, or that of a friend, have them check out www.alcoholscreening.org for information about ongoing screening for problems with alcohol.
- Pay your son or daughter an unexpected visit. Ask to meet their friends. Attend Parents' Weekend and other campus events open to parents.
- Continue to stay actively involved in the life of your son or daughter. Even though they may be away at college, they continue to be an extension of your family and its values.
In 1999, a majority of college and university presidents identified alcohol abuse as one of the greatest problems facing campus life and students. A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges presents a series of recommendations to college presidents, researchers, parents, and students to deal with this continuing public health problem in a scientific and sensible way. We encourage parents to continue to educate themselves by referring to and using the materials at www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov
Early Weeks Are Critical
As the fall quarter begins, parents can use this important time to help prepare their college-age sons and daughters by talking with them about the consequences of excessive drinking.
This rapid increase in heavy drinking over a relatively short period of time can contribute to serious difficulties with the transition to college.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the first 6 weeks of the first quarter are critical to a first-year student’s academic success. Because many students initiate heavy drinking during these early days of college, the potential exists for excessive alcohol consumption to interfere with successful adaptation to campus life. The transition to college is often difficult and about one-third of first-year students fail to enroll for their second year.
Parents Can Help
During these crucial early weeks, parents can do a variety of things to stay involved.
- They can inquire about campus alcohol policies, call their sons and daughters frequently, and ask about roommates and living arrangements.
- They should also discuss the penalties for underage drinking as well as how alcohol use can lead to date rape, violence, and academic failure.
Resources Are Available
For parents who want to talk to their college-age sons and daughters about the consequences of college drinking, a variety of helpful resources are available.
The Task Force’s award-winning website, www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov
features a guide along with links to alcohol policies at colleges across the country, an interactive diagram of the human body and how alcohol affects it, an interactive alcohol cost calculator, and the full text of all Task Force materials.
Resources
College Drinking – Changing the Culturehttp://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
Created by the National Institue on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA), this website is your one-stop resource for comprehensive research-based issues related to alcohol abuse & binge drinking amoung college students.
http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - A valuable resource for NIH data, brochures, fact sheets and other publications related to alcohol abuse.
www.samhsa.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -Covers a broad range of topics such as depression, suicide prevention, faith based iniatives, etc. related to substance abuse.
http://www.higheredcenter.org/
The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention: The Parent Connection -Addresses tough topics of discussion for parents to initiate with their college bound students and their university.
http://www.phoenixhouse.org/National/Education/NationalPrograms/index.html
Relevant information for parents of transitioning college freshmen.
http://www.ncadd.org/
The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence - One-stop shopping for the consumer, students and the media who want objective information, including statistics, interviews with medical/scientific experts and recommendations about drinking from leading health authorities.
http://www.collegeparents.org/cpa/index.html
College Parents of America is the only national membership association dedicated to advocating and to serving on behalf of current and future college parents.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
U.S. Department of Education
www.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Justice
www.usdoj.gov