Thursday, November 18, 1982The DaiJy Tar Heel3
rinking: Carolina tradition?
Student d
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By LIZ LUCAS
Assistant University Editor
inking may appear to be synonymous with
tr tradition, but as crackdowns on public
r tion anu anving unuci mc umucmc m-
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Iwnistrators
student organizations and University
have been forced to evaluate drinking
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ltt cause of drinking on campus.
Rhere is not an event here that does not pro
I jcohol," said Lucie Minuto, health educator
r he Health Education Service. "The athlete of
?Lth is oromoted by a beer company, Chapel
t f n js conducive to drinking, and the alumni
w jer ana oeatu muwi pai u.
'Chapel Hill has a horrendous reputation now of
rlrinkinc caoital of the world." she
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( f "This means a tremendous number of people
Cdrinking and it attracts problems."
f studies have shown that the more one drinks, the
L problems one is likely to have, Minuto said,
foblems range from hangovers to missing class to
h arrests, with the average male having six such
fidents per month and the average female ex
Qencing three such problematic incidents per
lonth, she said
The only problem (with alcohol education) is
that we've found put that eduation is not enough
tor alcohol," Minuto said. "We must also include
enforcement not with new laws, but by mainly
enforcing the old ones."
"The only way the campus can have a good
chance of enforcing an alcohol policy is if the move
ment comes from the grass roots the students.
But the students must realize this means less con
sumption," Minuto said.
"The current alcohol policy cited in the hand
book is really a no-policy policy," she said, explain
ing that the University attempted largely to dis
courage drinking and uphold state laws.
Fred Schroeder, director of student life, agreed.
"Because of legal ramifications, the University is
bound by what its policies can do," Schroeder said.
"I personally hope for a clearer policy as to where
alcohol can be on campus,': he said. "But nothing
is in the works."
Minuto said an effective alcohol policy would be
"a long hard pull."
"It's almost like trying to spit against a tidal wave
working against us are Harris Distributors and
other brewers," she said.
"It's natural for students to experiment with
alcohol, but why does the University try to force it
on them? What we need is a decrease in availability
of alcohol on campus."
Excuses for drinking vary on campus, but most
students admit they drink because everyone else
does "to maintain the" Carolina tradition,"
Minuto said. h..
"The vast majority of students up herejare just
drinking excessively they are not problem
' drinkers," she said. "I worry about their academic
careers and whether they will survive the four years
here." (
Kenneth C. Mills, assistant director for the UNC
Center for Alcohol Studies, a research group
"The only way the campus can have a good chance of enforcing
an alcohol policy is if the movement comes from the grass roots
- the students."
Lucie Minuto, health educator
UNC Health Education Service
The Health Education Service, located in the Stu
int Health Service, is designed to help counsel
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'iwareness. The organization counsels groups, in-
illding Resident ASMiiaiiia, a wcu liuoiviuuoia.
designed in 1978 to develop an education program
for alcohol abuse on campus, agreed with Minuto's
observations. But unlike the Health Education Ser
vice, the Center for Alcohol Studies concentrates on
the community especially the college community
as a whole and suggests prevention projects.
The center helps groups like the Residence Hall
Association in suggesting prevention plans such as
party planning and also formulates alcohol policy
proposals for the University and the community.
"The best way to avoid problems at parties in
dorms is to plan them," Mills said, suggesting that
parties offering alternative, beverages and more
themes would de-emphasize getting drunk.
Mills agreed with Minuto that the University's
drinking policy was too lenient.
"The University is definitely not out to play
parents to those drinking," he said. The communi
ty's, as well as the University's, laws are very incon
sistent and changing the laws would not change the
alcohol use, he added.
"The two main problems with alcohol are that it
is ubiquitous alcohol is everywhere and it is in
sidious," he said. "It is dangerous, but many don't
realize the ubiquitousness and insidiousness pose a
real problem with people's attitudes."
"We want to cover up alcohol problems until
they hit home," Mills said. "Now there are so many.
alcohol problems at the University, it's beginning to
hit home."
Because of studies' indications that experimenta
tion and peer pressure influence drinking among
lowerclassmen, the Panhellenic Council has in
stigated several alcohol-awareness programs, in
cluding a mandatory program sponsored by the
Health Education Service.
"Drinking has always been an issue with
sororities, but with all the crackdowns recently in
the community, it really has become a timely issue
for sororities to consider," said Bonnie Pass, presi
dent of Panhell.
Each sorority house has its own rules about
alcohol, with only one rule prohibiting alcoholic
beverages at rush parties prior to bid day - ap
plicable to all houses, Fass said.
"During the year we (the Panhellenic Council) try
to keep an eye on the houses, but it's up to the in
dividual houses to uphold their alcohol rules," Fass
said. '
Because of recent problems on the campus with
alcohol, the Panhellenic Council has devised a man
datory alcohol awareness program for all pledges
this year, Fass said. The coucil also is working on
another seminar on alcohol, in conjunction with the
Carolina Union.
One major alcohol program instituted by the
Panhellenic Council is its ride program to and from
dances.
"All sororities having big dances are now enforc
ing taking buses to the formals," Fass said. "By do
ing so, you don't have to worry about yourself or
your friends driving back. It's a little more expen
sive, but it's worth it."
Likewise, the Interfraternity Council has no
general rules about alcohol that apply to all of the
fraternities except one that prohibits alcohol being
served during the hours of formal rush, IFC presi
dent Joel Hughey said.
, "The reason for this rule is so the rushees won't
accept a bid due to the influence of alcohol; so they
will be cognizant when they decide to pledge," he
said.
Hughey acknoweldged that more drinking proba
bly went on in fraternities than on the rest of cam
pus, but ".one possible reason may be because there
are more social events in fraternities than in
dorms," he said. Also, fraternity parties are not as
alcohol-centered as dormitory parties because they
are usually centered around another theme, he added.
To lessen the alcohol problems inherent in dormi
tory life, all Resident Assistants are trained wjth in
formation provided mainly by the Health Education
Service, as well as in-service training with the Area
Directors, said Mickey Sullivan, assistant director of
the housing training program.
ADs, on the other hand, generally receive most of
their training through their graduate programs, said
JinPtaszynski, acting associate director of resident
life. ADs usually have received their master's degree
in counseling or personnel management.
Student Government also is concerned about
alcohol consumption, but takes a different ap
proach than other campus organizations.
"We're trying to take a community-wide ap
proach in our alcohol programs, not limiting them
to students," said Student Body President Mike
Vandenbergh, adding that Student Government had
instituted two alcohol programs.
"It's well known that the town government is upset at Chapel
Hill's and UNC's reputation as a drinking center in the Pied
mont.
Mike Vandenbergh
Student Body President
Just as IFC and PanHell are concerned abut the
campus problems with alcohol, so is RHA.
"Ninety-five percent of the time, beer is present
at parties in dorms," RHA President Scott
Templeton said. "But over the past few years we've
got 10 dorms to buy soft drinks, other alternative
beverages, and munchies." Usually for every keg
there are six liters of alternative beverages,
' Templeton said, although there is no written policy.
There are occasional complaints from students
about much of their funds going to beer at dorm
social events, Templeton said, explaining that a
social fund was established in the 1950s through a
student referendum in which a social fee was incor
porated with rent and tuition and allocated by the
Student Activities Office. The office distributes
funds to each residence area for social and academic
activities.
Students who have complaints should talk to
their area directors, Templeton said.
Drinking is a problem in dormitories, not only in
personal relationships, but in damage done to the
dormitories.
"A lot of vandalism is alcohol-related,"
Templeton said. "When someone gets drunk and
tears up the dorm, you can consider it a problem,"
he said. ,
Frank Hirsch. chairman of Student
Government's Town Relations Committee, recently
was selected chairman of Chapel Hill's alcohol task
force, formed last month to examine problems with
drinking and propose solutions, r
Student Government also is working on redesign
ing Chapel Thrill to de-emphasize its drinking
aspects, Vandenbergh. said. Alcohol will not be
eliminated, but hopefully the atmosphere will less
conducive to alcohol abuse, he said.
Student Government also is discussing a transport
service similar to that of Chapel Hill High School,
designed to escort people who have been drinking
home after parties. The week-long orientation pro
gram, posing multiple opportunities for alcohol
abuse, also is being examined, Vandenbergh said.
"We've got to continue to work with the town
government for more understanding," he said.
"The town government is acting against the drink
ing reputation , of the University the police are
just carrying out the town government's wishes," he
said.
"It's well known that the town government is
upset at Chapel Hill's and UNC's reputation as a
drinking center in the Piedmont," Vandenbergh
said. ,
University, town assess alcohol problems
By LIZ LUCAS
Assistant University Editor
UNC student leaders, administrators and town of
ficials gathered Monday at an , alcohol awareness
seminar to discuss student awareness of the problems
attached to alcohol, including the legal ramifications
of alcohol-related arrests and the city's stand on drink
ing. Sixteen students attended the forum, which was
held in the Coffeehaus of Ehringhaus Residence Hall.
Sixth floor Resident Assistant Alan Marks spon- ,
sored the forum, which featured Chapel Hill Police
Department Chief Herman Stone' and CHPD Major
Arnold Gold, Dorothy Bernholz, director of UNC's
Student Legal Services, Fred Schroeder, director of the
department of student life, and Frank Hirsch, chair
man of the Student Government's Town Relations
Committee.
The forum speakers discussed their fields in rela
tionship to alcohol on campus; they emphasized that
students needed to become aware of the problems and
stigmas attached to alcohol.
Schroeder, who has been with the University for 18
years and served on the student affairs alcohol educa
tion program in the past, emphasized that three things
most often influence drinking on campus as well as the
ways to deal with alcohol on campus.
First, he described the "aura or ethos" of Chapel
Hill as "The Beer-Drinking Capital of the World."
"That's a neat fact it provides for a lot of good
macho stuff and a lot of good horror stories at home,
but difficulty arises when people begin to believe it,"
Schroeder said. "It especially affects those (freshmen)
entering the area they begin to feel that they must
foe up to the reputation."
As the second influencing factor, Schroeder ques
tioned the marketing plans of brewers and local bars,
as well as the advertising policy of The Daily Tar Heel
concerning drinking.
He also cited, statistics from the Center for Alcohol
Education Study, which showed that fewer women
than men had drinking problems and that more men
in fraternities were shown to have a drinking problem
than men not in fraternities.
"I'm a strong supporter of fraternities, but I'm em
barrassed to note there is much more drinking in
fraternal organizations than on the rest of campus,"
Schroeder said.
There are two ways to deal with the alcohol problem
on campus, Schroeder said: Outside intervention by a
dean, the police or an Area Director, or correction of
! the problem by those most directly concerned, such as
dormitory residents and Greek members.
Bernholz echoed Schroeder' s advice and discussed
the legal implications of alcohol-related arrests on
students.
"Accidents involving alcohol do tremendous social
harm, but they usually translate into how much it
costs," she said.
"The criminal shame and slap on the wrist (of a
DUI arrest) is not like having to pay $50,000 to so
meone for injuries," she said.
"The social costs of these injuries are un
fathomable. You can't realize how much it costs to
support a quadriplegic for life until after a DUI inci
dent." Students rarely realize that the costs of fines, lawyer
fees and costs for alcohol education programs required
for everyone convicted of a DUI may total $1,000,
Bernholz said.
CHPD Chief Stone emphasized the seriousness of
DUIs and the need for responsibility in drinking
habits.
"All we (the CHPD) are trying to do is to teach the
townspeople and teenagers to be responsible
drinkers," he said. .
Stoie also said he was enlightened by the recent in
terest in alcohol awareness.
"There is more interest from the students and
townspeople of this community than I've ever seen,"
he said. "There's a lot of interest in what alcohol and
drugs can do now, as well as later on down the road."
Gold echoed Stone's comments, and expounded on
the role of the police with respect to alcohol consump
.tion. . "Our job is to keep the community safe, to make
the streets safe for you to go out on at night," he saidj
adding that this meant enforcing public consumption
and DUI laws.
Gold cited one statistic that .brought the DUI prob-
lem home to Chapel Hill.
"Thirty-five percent of those arrested for DUI are
between the ages of 19 and. 25," he said. "Forty-two
percent of Chapel Hill's residents are between the ages
of 19 and 24."
Student Government representative Hirsch, who
also chairs Chapel Hill's task force for alcohol
awareness, spoke on student awareness of current
alcohol issues, including the effort to raise the drinking
age to 19 and the federal grant backing the DUI
crackdown in Chapel Hill.
"We should be aware that by receiving this federal
grant, Chapel Hill is being made a test market," he
said. "It's up to us to prove to the federal government
and the statisticians that the age here doesn't equate
with the drinking here," he said.
Hirsch said people needed to be informed about
problems concerning alcohol.
"When the governor's alcohol task force makes its
recommendations, we've got to be aware," he said.
"We must fight raising the drinking age to 19. If you
are old enough to fight for your country, you are old
enough to drink. Make your presence known, even if
it means going out and registering to vote against rais
ing the age," Hirsch said.
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Teaching re,
sponsible drinking habits
By JOSEPH BERRYH1LL
Staff Writer
Alcohol education programs are a growing
raomenon on the college campuses'. In response
owe problem of increased alcohol consumption
college students, almost 70 percent of univer-
and colleges have special programs to educate
oents about the effects of alcohol, according to
aent surv ey of 1 81 colleges by The Chronicle of
Education.
aJf the con5;urnption of alcohol increases,
2 T ,ncrease." said Kenneth C. Mills, assis
StudieCt0r fr the UNC Center for Alcoho1
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While university officials in North Carolina and
outside the state generally agree that prohibition of
alcohol on campus is not a viable solution to the
problem of increased alcohol use, they differ in
their approach to educating students about the ef
fects of alcohol.
"It's silly to think of prohibition," said David
Burns, director of the Rutgers University Student
Health Service and chairman of the University
Committee on the Use of Alcohol.
Burns said the ideology behind efforts to curb
alcohol abuse at Rutgers was "to try to emphasize
the students' capacity to make choices and not be
coerced into drinking." Another goal is to reduce
the marginal risk for those who do drink, he said.
Rutgers is in the early stages of a comprehensive
alcohol program, which is slated to include an
alcohol assistance program for students. The pro
gram is analogous to employee assistance pro-
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grams, which many corporations have imple
mented to assist employees in recognizing and get
ting treatment for alcohol problems.
"If a student has alcohol-related problems,
rather than terminate him, we'll put him in a pro
gram to try to help the problem," Burns said.
Pennsylvania State University uses an actual
employee assistance program for its faculty "to try
to help those whose productivity has dropped,"
said William L. Eck, professor of Health Educa
tion at PSU and co-director of TAAP, Total
Alcohol Awareness Program. ,4
"TAAP is geared to the entire Perm State' Uni
versity community both students as well as
adults," Eck said. . s
Established at PSU in 1978, TAAP advocates
"responsible drinking for those who choose to
drink," Eck-said. It also offers a program which
deals with individuals who abuse alcohol.
TAAP also has a program to reinforce the
beliefs of those who abstain from alcohol use.
"Alcohol education is not training people to use
alcohol," Eck said.
Another program dealing with the use of alcohol
at the university level is BACCHUS, or Boost
Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of
University Students.
"The program is an education-focus program,
not counseling," said Gerardo M. Gonzalez,
founder of the first BAACHUS program and
director of the Alcohol Information Center at the
University of Florida. BACCHUS is a national or
ganization with 78 chapters, including Western
Carolina University. UNC does not have a
BACCHUS chapter.
"Student organizations form chapters of
BACCHUS," Gonzalez said. Officers are then
elected, and the groups get a faculty adviser who is
a liaison with the national organization.
WCU formed its BACCHUS chapter this sum
mer with the help of Housing Director Randy
Rice, and now has about 20 members.
Rice summed up the philosophy behind the
BACCHUS program at WCU: "It's OK to drink
if you drink responsibly, and if you don't drink,
that's OK too."
BACCHUS functions are like any other student
service organization, holding meetings and spon
soring coffeehouses and other events, Rice said.
Besides its BACCHUS chapter, WCU offers a
campus alcohol information center and an educa
tional program for students with disciplinary
problems related to alcohol.
At UFla., BACCHUS is just one component of
the alcohol education program offered. Gonzalez
directs an Alcohol Information Center, and the
school offers counseling services as well as
academic courses on alcohol education.
Two of the courses are at the undergraduate
level, Gonzalez said, one of them a general educa
tion course, and the other a peer-facilitator
training course.
The. courses at UFla. are not unique, however.
N.C. State University offers an alcohol education
course taught by a Student Health Service faculty
member, said Jerry Barker, coordinator for health
education programs at NCSU. One accomplish
ment of the class was the production of the movie
Dave's DUI. The film was funded by the Student
Health Service and "acquaints students with the
reality of a DUI," Barker said.
NCSU also employs 10 peer educators, paid by
Student Health Service funds, who are available
on request, Barker said. The educators deal pri
marily with educational programming.
Barker also established an Alcohol Assessment
Program at NCSU two years ago, because "there
was nowhere to send students who were alcohol
abusers."
Students sent to the program have "some prob
lem deemed totally related to alcohol," Barker
said. The program involves a two-hour group
session, a half-hour individual appointment with
Barker, and a variety of other activities.
NCSU also held an alcohol fair last year v Inch
drew over 2,000 students. Barker said. "It was a
very entertaining and educational day," he added.
Activities at the fair included a breathalyzer ex
periment and an competition for the best alterna
tive beverage, sponsored by the fraternity system,
The University of Virginia participated in a
state-wide Alcohol Awareness Week, a program
instituted by the governor's office. "Programs
were organized to try to explain the effect of
alcohol to students," said Jim Mitchell, assistant
director of the Student Health Service at UVa.
Most of the events of the Alcohol Awareness
Week were organized by the Student Union,
Mitchell said. Activities included a "Punch
Bowl " a competition like the College Bowl quiz
show! except that students were asked questions
about alcohol. . .
UVa also has an extensive training program
organized by the Student Health Service to train
Resident Assistants, Mitchell said. The program
exists so RAs can "understand how to deal with
alcoholrrelated problems and how to recognize
people with alcohol problems," Mitchell said.
"The idea (behind the training program) is to
get to all the freshmen and hopefully they will
learn something that will carry through for the rest
of the time they will be here," Mitchell said .
East Carolina University takes a different
approach to the problem of alcohol use. .
ECU has a preventive and interventive program
which is "geared to promote responsibility with
alcohol," said Jerry Lotterhos, director of an
Alcoholism Training Program and faculty adviser
to the Campus Alcohol and Drug Program at
ECU
The Campus Alcohol and Drug Program is an
education program run by student volunteers and
reeulated by the Student Government association,
Lotterhos said. "The philosophy of approach here
is one to minimize excessive use of alcohol, he
added. "Thou shah not drink is not the message.
See ALCOHOL on page 5