Jan 8, 2008 6:56 pm US/Central
Colleges Trying To Keep Kids From Drinking, Dying
(WCCO)
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The battle to reduce binge drinking has been waged across the state for decades. (File)
AP
Parents and university officials are trying to develop new
ways to stop Minnesota
college students from drinking and dying.
The latest series of drinking deaths started in October 2007 when
21-year-old Mankato
student Amanda Jax was found dead after celebrating her birthday.
A month later, alcohol is believed to have played a role in
the death of another Mankato
student, 22-year-old Rissa Amen-Rief.
Winona
State University
student Jenna Foellmi's body was found in December in what police call a
classic case of binge drinking.
Now the latest case happened this week with the death of 20-year-old
St. Cloud State University
student Brian Threet.
The battle to reduce binge drinking has been waged across
the state for decades. After an alcohol-fueled riot at Minnesota State
University-Mankato in 2003, officials there took several steps to reduce it.
One campaign involved accurately informing students just how
many of their peers drink in moderation or not at all.
"When you ask students, 'How much other students drink?' They typically
vastly overestimate that, and that leads to a pressure within an environment to probably drink more than some students might
drink otherwise," said Mike Gillilan interim Associate Vice President for
Student Life at St. Cloud
State.
Gillilan is looking for innovative solutions. He'd like St. Cloud bars to make
changes.
"Early morning drinking, drink specials and ... drinking games that are happening at some of the
establishments," said Gillilan as he listed practices he thinks may
encourage binge drinking.
Among the drink promotions he criticizes is at a local bar
sponsoring a regular drinking competition where the prize is a keg of beer.
The University might have to lobby for a new city ordinance to make changes off-campus.
Another idea requires a change in state law.
Currently Minnesota's
public universities are not allowed to inform parents when their child has
violated a campus alcohol policy. It's not surprising that the proposal to
change that has support from many parents and opposition from many students.
"I think to some extent it might work," said Shirley Chin, a parent.
"It should be their mistake and they should have to deal with it and their parents shouldn't have to know unless they want to tell them," said Brandi Masso, students at St. Cloud State.
Parent notification is just one of the controversial
options.
"It's a tool many would like to have in the kit,"
said Gillilan.
The proposal to inform parents about student alcohol and
drug violations on campus would affect universities throughout the state if it
passes. Federal law already allows it.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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