UAF TO TAP STUDENTS IDEAS FOR PEER-BASED ALCOHOL CAMPAIGN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 19, 2001

Fairbanks, Alaska — The University of Alaska Fairbanks is kicking off annual alcohol awareness efforts this spring with an interactive display in the Wood Center Multi-level lounge. The peer-based alcohol campaign has been successful at other campuses nationwide and involves students in many of the outreach materials and activities.

The interactive exhibit includes facts about alcohol use and statistics about traffic fatalities, as well as information about sexual assault, and real-life stories of people’s lives adversely affected by alcohol abuse. Students will be able to calculate a simulated blood alcohol content and screening to assess alcohol use. Activities are being targeted where students live, work and study.

This year, UAF Student Activities will set up a display in Moore Hall with statistics specific to alcohol education for first-year students. Moore Hall is home to the Edge program or Education Development Growth Experience, which is for traditional first time freshman.

"Out of 130 campuses surveyed freshmen have the highest level of drinking," said Sarah Comstock, director of Student Activities. "We feel if we can get information to first-year students they can develop life-long habits that will ensure their success academically and personally."

Activities have been planned leading up to Meltdown, which is a traditional celebration of spring and a time when at-risk students tend to go overboard, but alcohol abuse is not just a sign of spring fever.

"Spring fever has definitely hit and we’re seeing a higher number of alcohol related incidents on campus," said Student Services Dean Carla Kirts. "Students get into trouble when they drink irresponsibly and we don’t want to see our students put themselves in dangerous situations because they’ve had too much to drink. We want them to make good decisions," Kirts said.

More than 90 percent of incidents on campus are alcohol related, but involve a small percentage of students. Most students think that most of their peers "binge" drink. Recent surveys indicate that one out of four students at UAF usually don’t drink and 77 percent report that they don’t binge drink, which is consuming more than four drinks in a row for women and five for men.

The information comes from a survey of a statistically significant random sample of students conducted in November 1999. The survey was sponsored by Akeela Treatment Services Inc. and the Alaska Council on Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and was conducted by the Battle of the Binge Coalition, representing UAF, the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University.

This message will be part of a campus-wide campaign developed primarily by students. Student will be also be involved in producing and starring in public service announcements, which will air on the student cable system at UAF.

-30-

For a complete schedule of events contact: UAF Coordinator Student Activities, Sarah Comstock at 907-474-6027 or e-mail: email: fnsrc1@uaf.edu, or UAF Dean of Student Services, Carla Kirts at 907-474-7317 or email: c.kirts@uaf.edu.

CJB/01-056/03/19/01