The NDSU President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs announces the release of its 2013-2018 Strategic Plan to Address High Risk Alcohol and Other Drug Use. The strategic plan provides an overview of the council’s initiatives aimed at reducing the negative consequences of high-risk substance use.
The new, five-year strategic plan is an expansion of many of the efforts put into place as a result of the 2009-2012 strategic plan. Since the first plan was implemented, NDSU students reported experiencing fewer negative consequences related to alcohol and drug use.
Because consumption rates have remained relatively constant, the new strategic plan focuses on expanding efforts to address environmental issues, such as the perception that everyone drinks, that contribute to high-risk alcohol and other drug use.
“We recognize that changing alcohol and drug use behaviors is slow, incremental work that requires persistence over time,” said Gene Taylor, co-chair of the council and director of NDSU Athletics. “We remain committed to changing aspects of our environment that promote high-risk consumption and supporting people who already make low-risk decisions.”
The new strategic plan identifies various stakeholders, both on campus and in the community, who will be invited to partner with council members in order to carry out prevention activities. Several activities have been identified as priorities to be addressed in the first year of implementation. One priority is to determine the treatment and intervention needs of students identified to be at increased risk for alcohol and drug misuse and related consequences.
The council also intends to work on a long-term plan to continue Saturday night activities aimed at providing students with a fun, alcohol-free environment.
“We know that providing engaging activities in an alcohol-free environment is essential to supporting low-risk decisions and a healthy campus culture,” said Laura Oster-Aaland, co-chair of the council and director of Student Success Programs. “Attendance at these events over the past several years has shown us that students want to have fun things to do on campus, and we want to continue to provide those types of activities.”
The council will begin its work on the new strategic plan in January 2014. Read the full version of the new strategic plan and the final report on the 2009-12 plan at www.ndsu.edu/alcoholinfo/presidents_council_on_aod/pcaod_strategic_plan.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.