NDSU is committed to creating a healthy, safe and positive community for its students.

Choices abound in college - food, classes, majors, relationships and alcohol. The majority of NDSU students make wise choices about alcohol. However, those who don't can find alcohol to be a major obstacle to their personal and academic success. Our alcohol and drug prevention programs strive to educate students and parents about the risks associated with alcohol use, communicate clear messages about the consequences of underage drinking and provide lots of on-campus, late-night activities.

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July 28, 2009

Dear colleagues,

In October 2007, I convened a president's council to investigate and recommend a course of action that would reduce the potential harm our students and the community could experience due to alcohol and other drugs.

Today, I am pleased to offer you the NDSU strategic plan to address high-risk alcohol and other drug use. It was produced by the President's Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs, with input from across the institution and throughout the community. The mission, vision and goals are far reaching. Reducing alcohol and other drug misuse is everyone's responsibility; we can all contribute to changing the university culture. This long-term, comprehensive plan will guide us as we continue to address the issue with campus and community partners. Its objectives are reasonable and attainable.

The issue of high-risk drinking among our students is personal to me, both as a parent and as the president of this university. I believe confronting this issue is necessary to student success. At this time, I ask you to review this plan thoughtfully and determine how you can assist in carrying out its goals and objectives. The entire plan can be reviewed at electronically here. I look forward to your involvement and the results of its implementation.

The university will implement the plan in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Chapman

President

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Results from the 2008 CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey indicate that fewer NDSU students are engaging in high risk drinking (five or more standard drinks in one sitting) than two years ago. The 2008 results show that 51.0 percent of students report engaging in high-risk drinking in the previous two weeks. That is down from 2006, when 53.5 percent of students reported binge drinking in the previous two weeks.

The CORE survey also indicated that the number of drinks consumed per week by students is down to 5.37 drinks in 2008, from 6.51 drinks in 2006. The survey also showed that a lower percentage of students have used marijuana in the past 30 days than two years ago, from 9.3 percent in 2006 to 7.5 percent in 2008.

The CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey was developed to measure alcohol and other drug usage, as well as attitudes and perceptions among college students attending two and four year institutions nationwide. This survey has been administered to NDSU students in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 and now in 2008 in an attempt to measure drinking and drug use behaviors, as well as their perceptions of how their peers are using alcohol and drugs.

All undergraduate students at NDSU had the opportunity to be included in the survey through a random sampling procedure, which included 1,271 students. Students were drawn from all ethnic backgrounds, academic colleges, and classes.

The NDSU President's Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs will use the data to improve and create programs, services and policies to address high risk drinking and other drug use at NDSU. Prevention efforts include: increasing late-night programming options, targeted alcohol education for students who violate NDSU's alcohol and other drug policy, classroom activities about alcohol and other drugs, and maintaining compliance with the drug free schools act.

For more information regarding the CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey or prevention efforts, visit the CORE AOD Survey Page.

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