Overview

On April 28-29, 1998, a symposium will be held that will address the current problems surrounding campus alcohol abuse. The symposium is being sponsored by the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues. The Task Force has been in existence for 15 years and is dedicated to helping colleges and universities eliminate substance abuse through education prevention, research and networking initiatives. This symposium, envisioned by the 21-member associations of the Task Force, will bring concerned individuals together at the nation’s second oldest higher education institution, The College of William and Mary. A distinguished group encompassing college and university presidents, researchers, students, and practitioners will address these pressing issues.

The goal of this symposium is to develop a "social contract" that institutions may choose to use in adopting a comprehensive set of campus alcohol practices. This "social contract" will identify reasonable standards of care surrounding the use and misuse of alcohol. In order to do this, seven areas of concentration have been developed. A task group will be assigned to discuss each of these seven areas, which include: Legal Issues, Legislative Initiatives, Academic Success, Care for Students (Personal Wellness), Policies, Campus Life, and Evaluation. During the symposium, these seven areas will be the topic of extensive plenary sessions which will result in proposals to address alcohol abuse problems.

The National Symposium on Campus Alcohol Practices is an opportunity for college and university presidents from across the country to come together and make an impact on a serious issues facing college students today. As a leader in the community, you also have a responsibility to care about this issue, as it will affect society as a whole for years to come. We hope that you will participate in the bringing together of leaders from across the country to address this crucial issue affecting all of society today.

William and Mary and Williamsburg:

Located across from the William and Mary campus is Colonial Williamsburg, the colonial capital of Virginia. It is only a few miles from Jamestown, the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, and Yorktown, the site of major battles of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Colonial Williamsburg features a wide variety of educational opportunities and attractions -- from visits to an operating blacksmith shop and gunsmith shop to colonial dinners served by candlelight. The modern town of Williamsburg offers shopping centers, outlet malls, theaters, and even several resorts. In addition, outdoor recreation can be enjoyed on the Chesapeake Bay, less than five miles from the William and Mary campus.
More information about this area can be found at http://www.wm.edu.

The Symposium

This symposium, envisioned by the twenty member associations of the Tack Force, seeks to focus on “A Duty to Care . . .” and will bring together this two-day meeting at the nation’s second oldest higher education institution, The College of William and Mary. A group of distinguished individuals encompassing college and university presidents, researchers, students, and practitioners will address these pressing issues.

The goal of this symposium is to develop a “social contract” that institutions may choose to use in adopting a comprehensive set of campus alcohol practices. This “social contract” will identify reasonable standards of care surrounding the use and misuse of alcohol. In order to do this, seven areas of concentration have been developed. A task group will be assigned to discuss each of these seven areas, which include: Legal Issues, Legislative Initiatives, Academic Success, Care for Students, Policies, Campus Life, and Evaluation. During the symposium, these seven areas will be the topic of extensive plenary sessions which will result in proposals to address alcohol abuse problems.

The intended process of the Symposium on Campus Alcohol Practices has three major components. First, featured speakers will address the problem of campus alcohol abuse as a whole. Then, approximately one hundred invited participants, including college presidents, chief student personnel officers, student leaders, national association/organization officers, practitioners, and noted researchers, will concentrate on the specific details necessary to address this problem. Before the symposium is held, a series of plenary papers on the seven areas of concern will be developed as a framework for debate and discussion. These papers will be sent to each participant prior to the symposium in order for them to become familiar with the issues at hand. At the symposium, participants will be divided into the seven areas of concentration and will then evaluate the ideas presented in the papers. Each group will develop three proposals or amendments to the ideas suggested in the papers. Finally, as the symposium reconvenes, each group will present these ideas to the symposium attendees as a whole and each idea will be discussed in a forum-type atmosphere. The result of this process will be a “social contract” that increases awareness and public consciousness as well as serves as a model for campus practices. A comprehensive account of the symposium proceedings will be sent to all participants as well as to all presidents of higher education institutions in the nation.

“A Duty to Care . . .” is an opportunity for leaders from across the country to come together and make an impact on a serious issue facing college students today. As influential figures in the lives of individuals, these leaders have a duty to care about the future of students and the institutions they attend. You, as a leader in the community, also have a duty to care about this issue, as it will affect society as a whole for years to come. We hope that you will participate in the bringing together of leaders from across the country to address this crucial issue affecting all of society today.

Contact Information

Co-coordinators:

• Dr. Tom Goodale, Associate Professor, School of Education,
  College of William and Mary
  representing NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators)

• Ms. Nancy Schulte, Director, Drug Education Center,
  George Mason University
  representing ACPA (American College Personnel Association)

Planning Committee Members:

• Mr. Dan Adams, Director of the Arizona Student Union,
  University of Arizona
  representing ACUI (Association of College Unions International)

• Ms. Elizabeth N. Binkley, Sports Science Program Coordinator,
  NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

• Mr. Jonathan Brant, Executive Vice-President,
  NlC (National InterFraternity Conference)

• Mr. Merle H. Charney, Director of Student Health Services,
  University of North Dakota
  representing ACHA (American College Health Association)

• Ms. Marilyn Fordham, NPC (National Pan-Hellenic Conference)

• Mr. Bob Gordon, Coordinator of Greek Affairs,
  University of Arizona
  representing AFA (Association of Fraternity Advisors)

• Mr. Drew Hunter, Executive Director of the BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network

• Mr. Max V. Vest, Director of Student Activities,
  University of Richmond,
  representing NACA (National Association of Campus Activities)
  

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