The health, safety, and well being of your student are a priority for all of us at UMBC. Alcohol abuse (high-risk drinking) has been correlated with everything from academic difficulty to assaults, relationship violence, hospitalizations, and death from over-consumption. At UMBC, we are proud of the comparatively low alcohol-use rates reported in our campus assessments, so we want you to know that if your student is an abstainer or if they use alcohol in a responsible manner, then our evidence suggests that they will be in excellent company while they are here.
According to Everfi, Inc., the company responsible for creating the AlcoholEdu survey that is administered to students across the country, student alcohol consumption rates, on a national level, tend to follow a particular pattern. Often referred to as the “college effect,” generally speaking, a college student’s rate of drinking tends to increase during the summer months prior to the start of the fall semester and, in some cases, substantially increasing over the course of the first six weeks after moving to campus.
The first six weeks of the fall semester are a critical time for your student socially, as well as academically, which is why we hope you will partner with us in engaging your student now, so that we can set them up for a successful academic and social life from day one. We understand that, for some, having this conversation with your son or daughter may feel challenging or awkward, so we’ve compiled some helpful tips and suggestions for you to keep in mind before, during, and after you’ve engaged your student about responsible use of alcohol.
✦ Communicate Directly. Don’t talk about important things while absorbed in another activity, such as reading the newspaper, doing the dishes, or watching television.
✦Verbalize Respect. Young adults want to be respected and will be more willing to talk to those who respect them. Tell your son or daughter that you are proud of them and are confident in their ability to make healthy choices in difficult situations.
✦ Appeal to common goals. Students need to be reminded that you are on their side. Whenever possible, common goals should be emphasized and should serve as the basis for your guidance and recommendations (e.g. You both want them to be healthy and safe).
✦ Ask hard questions about alcohol use and abuse. “What will you do if you find a student passed out in your residence hall?” “How will you decide whether or not to drink while you’re at school?” “What will you do if your driver chooses to drink?” These may seem like difficult questions to ask, but evidence has shown that engaged parents can have a positive influence on the choices their students make around alcohol and drug use.
✦ Talk with them about the dangers of alcohol overdose or poisoning and encourage them to intervene when others are in trouble with alcohol. Make sure they know what to do if they see someone passed out or unconscious. They can get help by calling UMBC Police at 410-455-5555 or 911. Choosing to let a roommate or friend “sleep it off” can turn out to be a dangerous decision. If they have concerns with problem drinking patterns, their Resident Assistant (RA) or Commuter Assistant (CA) is a good source of peer help.
For additional suggestions, I encourage you to visit www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov .
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