A Report
from the
Inter-Association
Task Force
on Alcohol
and Other
Substance
Abuse Issues
Foreward and Acknowledgements
Tom Goodale
The College of William and Mary
Nancy Schulte
George Mason University
Co-Coordinators of the Symposium for the IATF
In the spring of 1998 the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues coordinated “A National Symposium on Campus Alcohol Practices” at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The IATF had sponsored their first such conference in Washington, D.C. in 1985.
Over 100 persons came to this historic place to spend time together to discuss the pervasive issues of the use and abuse of alcohol on America’s campuses. College presidents, academic affairs officers, student affairs staff, health officials, and college trustees and students gathered for two days to deliberate the policies, intervention strategies, programs and services that are providing support to this issue. The current research was discussed and debated. Presentations were made by distinguished scholars from colleges and universities and the federal and state governments.
These proceedings were derived from vigorous discussion and debate among Task Force members. It should be noted that over twenty higher education associations representing most all of the currently enrolled 15 million students in American higher education are represented collectively through this group.
We wish to acknowledge The College of William and Mary and its president, Timothy Sullivan, the School of Education and Dean Virginia McLaughlin for supporting this conference. Members of the College’s administrative staff were very helpful in orchestrating the Symposium. Our co-sponsor, the American Council on Education, was instrumental in seeing the conference was held. The Honorable Mark Earley, Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, gave very important remarks at the Symposium and provided leadership in Virginia’s effort to curb alcohol abuse on its campuses. George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, was instrumental in its assistance with the Symposium activity and its president, Alan Merton, has been a steadfast proponent of the IATF initiatives.
Finally, our thanks to the many contributors who made the Symposium possible. A leadership gift of $15,000 from the Fraternity Executive’s Association provided a basis of support that totaled $60,000.
The professional assistance of Pamela Kirschbaum and Dean Olson is gratefully acknowledged in producing these proceedings.
Collegiate Alcohol Abuse: Recommendations and Guidelines