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May 3, 2004

CSUS awarded for efforts to reduce teen drinking

California State University, Sacramento received the Campus Leadership Award at the recent California State University system-wide Alcohol Conference for its efforts to reduce underage and high-risk drinking.

The award recognized the Alcohol Education program, which employs an innovate three-phase strategy that targets high school students, college freshmen and students turning 21.

The high school outreach program is designed to educate students about drinking and student life before they enter college. As part of freshman orientation at CSUS, both students and their parents are educated on common misperceptions about drinking, drugs and student life, as well as campus policy, state and federal law, and treatment resources.

Students are also sent “birthday cards” when they turn 21 containing information on safe drinking. The cards, which are signed by students, staff and faculty and by CSUS President Alexander Gonzalez, include the story of Brad McCue, a college student who died while celebrating his 21st birthday.

The program also includes assessments designed to measure its effectiveness. Preliminary results show a decline in the number of “binge drinkers,” a reduction in the rate of high-risk drinking, a decline in the frequency drinking per month, as well as an increase in alcohol abstinence.

For more information, call Heather Dunn Carlton in the student activities office at (916) 278-6595. For media assistance, call the public affairs office at (916) 278-6156.

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