Alcohol and Other Drugs Committee Minutes
March 23, 2012
Present: Meghan Dwyer, Craig Almeida, Jeany Cadet, Chip Coletta, Jessica Greene, Ellie Stein, Michael
Caruso, Prithak Chowdhury, Christine Dwyer, Kristyn Kelley, and Emily O’Connell
Excused: Trish Brown, Todd Gernes, Lina Macedo, Sarah Brassington, and Hailey Chalhoub
I. Last Meeting Recap (5 Minutes): Meghan
o Educational issues
o Only accomplished ½ of intended discussions
II. Opening the Meeting (10 minutes)
o Meghan highlights that this is not a meeting of staff against students. Furthermore, she takes issue
with the idea that there is nothing to be done to change the drinking culture at the College and
that this is what we should resolve ourselves to doing. The goal isn’t to end drinking, it’s to
educate to achieve a safer use.
o Chip commented on a bulleted item on the previous minutes regarding class scheduling on
Fridays. Can the drinking actually be decreased? Would adding classes make a difference? When
Todd had mentioned it at the previous meeting, he had seemed in support of that idea, which
didn’t seem to be represented by the wording in the minutes.
 Opened up floor for discussion, relatively divided answers, even among students
 For Meghan, there needs to be a change in culture to hold students to a higher standard
o There was a motion to accept the minutes that was unanimously agreed upon
III. PowerPoint [Continued from previous meeting] (1 hour and 15 minutes)
o Slide 11:
 Meghan’s vision is that alumni (as they are a part of a culture that even further normalizes
drinking) come back and reminisce about academics being as important/rewarding as their
participation in sports and drinking culture
o Slide 12:
 Jessica noted that Stonehill’s numbers are higher compared with national statistics for
hangovers, vomiting, memory loss, and getting into fight/argument. The CORE asks how
often these consequences occur in a year—we need to clarify how often the reported events
occurred.
 Craig noted the disconnect in numbers and later furthered his point by saying it seems
unlikely that students can be drinking above the national average and not be affected
academically
 Multiple members felt the framing of the data needed more explanation not available at the
meeting
o Slide 13:
 Meghan referred to our first meeting and community residence hall standards and noted that
drinking impacts the entire Stonehill community
 Emily mentioned dances as an example for events that are hurt by too much alcohol use
o Slide 14:
 Meghan pointed out that small percentages translate to dozens of people
 Craig again noticed how “we are not the norm in so many different ways” and Stonehill’s
numbers are notably different from national statistics
o Slide 15:
 Craig noticed we’re drinking/partying more as first-year students in April than in the fall
(wide range from our peers)
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Meghan noted the importance of prevention, education, and resources for moderate drinkers
who have consequences from drinking as this is majority of concerns (Prevention Paradox)
 Prithak commented on how Stonehill drinkers often approach their academics with a “wing
it” attitude
Slide 16:
 “Students spend more time drinking alcohol than they do studying”
Slide 17:
 Stonehill students are partying the same number of hours per week (3-10 hrs/week) as they
are studying, which is equivalent to the national data
Slide 18:
 Craig said that faculty need to be made more aware of the academic and drinking data
Slide 19:
 A majority of students think the Stonehill drinking culture is the same or lower than the
national average
Slide 20:
 The number of volunteer hours by first-year students decreases over the course of the year
 Meghan notes that we need to network with faculty and staff from various offices on campus
(e.g., Campus Ministry) because this is a college issue not a drinking issue.
Slide 21:
 25% of students unsatisfied with alcohol-free activities on campus
Slide 22:
 Most recent data (2011) indicates that 40% of students would participate in alcohol-free late
night weekend activities (essentially equivalent to the reported 39% in 2009)
 Student Activities plans a majority of events that are alcohol free
Slide 23:
 Looks at the big picture and how popular media/technology and culture promote drinking
particularly for college students
 25 liquor stores within 6 mile radius from school
Slide 24:
 First six weeks of the first semester of college is known as the College Effect period
 During College Effect period, percentage of abstainers decreases while number moderate and
heavy drinkers increases
 Craig pointed out that after the first six weeks of the first semester, percent of abstainers,
moderate drinkers, and heavy drinkers remains fairly constant
 Meghan then asserted we need programming and activities for those six weeks
Slide 25:
 Reviewed demographic and cultural factors that lead to decreased or increased use of alcohol.
 Everyone was surprised about the statistic regarding susceptibility to alcohol abuse just for
being a school in the northeast
 Meghan pointed out that privilege may correlate with the utilization of alcohol at Stonehill as
it is a predominantly white college, and Caucasians drink more heavily according to national
research.
Slide 26:
 Reviewed reasons why high risk drinking continues on college campuses: best practices are
not widely adopted (lack of research, failure to embrace evidence-based practices, practices
are too difficult or unfamiliar), and prevention is not an institutional priority (lack of senior
support, funding, and accountability)
 If we do not make a change, will someone be accountable?
 Jessica saw our accountability as a school as low, yet a “ticking time bomb”
Slide 27:
 Failed efforts result in college drinking being viewed as an intractable problem.
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Need to use 3-in-1 framework: work with individual students, student body as a whole, and
community.
 We cannot just work on the use and abuse of alcohol on our campus, we also need to look to
the off-campus community for support as well
Slide 28:
 Screening day to provide support services
Slide 30:
 Implementation of BASICS this past year (evidence-based practice for changing drinking
patterns and high risk drinking in short and long term, used nationally)
 Online, only 15-minute questionnaire that gives much personalized feedback regarding
use of alcohol.
 Meghan provided handout on how to access Echeckup for members of committee to see
feedback that is given to students
 This intervention targets first area only: individual students following violation
Slide 31:
 Non-drinkers: how do we work with them? [no specific plans as of now]
Slide 32:
 How can faculty and advisors of first-year students use our data?
Slide 33:
 A lot of students do not know all that is available on campus that does not involve drinking
(or binge drinking)
Slide 34:
 Are rules of the College not being enforced based on financial concerns? Would expelling
students cost too much in loss of tuition?
 Answer is no, not to the knowledge of those on the committee
Slide 35:
 Marketing approaches: need to consider student’s developmental to make independent
choices rather than telling them scare tactics or not to use
 Ex. Take Control, Know Where Your Line is
 Students don’t buy the term binge drinking, so maybe use over-consumption
 Students want to know that what they are doing is “normal”- social norms marketing
approaches.
 Chip complemented Kim Pierce’s nutrition notes (good tone) as a way of conveying
information on a regular basis in an informative and engaging way
 Jessica prefers to not throw stats out but rather focuses on serving sizes of drinks
 The committee acknowledges that scare tactics haven’t really worked in the past
IV. The committee can look through remaining slides on their own
Next Meeting Friday, April 13, 2012
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