The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1997-09-16 - Regular City CouncilCITY OF STEPHENVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING SEPTEMBER 16, 1997 -h MITCH WILLL4MS, d/b/a THE BULL PEN 1. Introduction of Mitch Williams, d/b/a The Bull Pen. This restaurant will be operated by Mitch Williams, a retired major league baseball player who now resides in Hico, Texas. Mr. Williams and his family have contracted to purchase Lot 37 and part of Lot 38 of Block 134, City Addition of Stephenville, Texas, on West Washington Street near the Montana Restaurant and the Bostock Club. The property in question is currently vacant. The contract on this property is contingent upon obtaining a B-4 zoning to operate a sports grill/restaurant known as "The Bull Pen". The restaurant will be seeking a private club license for presentation of its menu of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages to compliment its menu of hamburgers, gourmet sandwiches and steaks. The restaurant will be operated by Mr. Williams and his family. 2. Application. An application for a B-4 zoning was filed with the City of Stephenville on the 25th day of July, 1997. Applicant desires to seek a change in zoning from B-2 to B-4 and is prepared to construct the restaurant on this property as soon. as the appropriate site development plan and permits have been obtained. Applicant has expended significant time and money in preparation for the business. Applicant has employed an architect who has designed and drawn the floor plan and site plan, has employed a printer to print the Mitch Williams' Bull Pen Sports Grill Menu, has applied for zoning and obtained a staff report from the city staff confirming that there is sufficient water, sewer, streets and fire protection in this area to accommodate the plan, has obtained the consent of the owners of this property that they have no objection to the zoning of this property to B-4, and has determined, as set out in the site plan of this property that there is sufficient private parking to meet all code requirements of the City of Stephenville. In addition, Applicant has agreed to requested changes to the site plan to accommodate the concerns of the only neighboring property owner to protest the application. Also, at the suggestion of some citizens, who spoke at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the Applicant has added items to his menu. City Council Meeting f.- nalprnp\W0a= sunsn=y.UOZ Page I b0065; 3. Mr. Williams and his family propose to construct a new building, which will house a business as shown by the floor plan. The business will have. more than adequate parking, as shown by the site plan, including handicapped parking areas. The restaurant will e outfitted with numerous "big screen" televisions and other sets to provide access to a b g variety of professional and semiprofessional sports events and will provide a comprehensive menu of food and beverages. This business will. create several full time and part time jobs and will contribute substantial sales tax revenue to the City of Stephenville in its operation. In addition, the business will provide a much needed dining alternative to the "fast food" establishments in Stephenville. 4. While it is recognized that there is often concern about the proposed zoning change and while there is diversity of opinion in this city about that, the Applicant would respectfully point out that this application should be considered on its own merits. The Applicant will subject himself to and comply with all Federal; state and local laws and expects that those laws will be enforced, if violated, just as he expects any other person or business to be treated should there be any violations of the law. Applicant's position is that this application is complete, that it complies with Federal, state and local laws and that this would be a business in an area of similar businesses that will contribute greatly to the economy of Stephenville and is located in the same city block as Montana's and Bostock's. The Applicant's application is made in conformity to law and Applicant is entitled to equal protection and due process provisions of the Texas and United States Constitution and Common Law and respectfully requests that the zoning of Lot 37 and the north 1/2 of Lot 38, Block 134, City Addition of Stephenville be changed to B-4 from its present B-2 designation. This property will have more than adequate on -site parking, which will be built in conformity to the construction of the restaurant so as to provide the circular access to Washington Street allowing the free movement of traffic in a safe and unobstructed manner. 5. This matter came before the Planning and Zoning Commission on August 26, 1997. The Planning and Zoning Commission decided by a vote of 6-1 to recommend to the City Council that this property be zoned B-4. r.&Y CoxmT M" aig f.- r+ *mp%W=a=&%===wy. t002 Page 2 0 0 06 JC., r; l- �, ,In 177 Ilk, tl 4.n E c O G o� a cl "v cj f ---C L•BEARINGS ors 3 ` w ! __ / ] W. P/a %s!.lu� ov ✓�• �) O h N Jr / i. ts S 7 FID/V. 'ILL Mr'dI'd SEC_II V o �FAPI �_¢ 11P:i•In__ r Control & Sec. O7 ' / �Q/J / - Pry% RDRd"- Width, �DU�.�. I _ _.. - -- - 801 J�, _� '-5 p p'X DesignSurf.�- � , J,/, (�.'; r7�/r `_ t.i /. ;. •f1�_TI z /Jld r 'rr U Wdt.& Type PLE' : Base &Shldrs. X es I o ' , a,.f_ C T• ,Cf.�. - Q t-'% :YP.0 /_L�IIF- 30 xlr ;r� /j.C,/ E3r,c� Cur _ jr No. Mrkd. Lanes c J _ _•_ _--,_ .•_-• V Exc. Grades _ — Curves D & L C ',tlfrj, 920933f , / STI rNENvIL X s INC. 3 i c4 N vs � Z � r �- � s., - � � ct ✓3k ,� t vs/ 1 � � � t, cl - - -41 — C L BEARINGS ---'�• �- W. v144 1,(/ 5 T. � �� i v a:9"zr� f•; � � ,p o i i C cJ y ll C _ 91 q; r - r• c � _ C .� Q) U ci i W { l W E - C 'u c ' > K� /�1Y N R 111 /� y /l_ m x Q control & See. _ -L7- RDWid hsRdhd. 50 r1 _ O - 4 - A � Design ✓ j5 �1,.•dinf�G i(J(//��,s j Sitjh•!!f'C34XIH;.�C KbTE: `�-7-1 j x Surf. Wdl. & Type - Br a k- onBrre on Dereb ri7 Brvr C uY ttilS P. RLRY i o, 4f�.r O- za > E/] Base & Shldrs. / i� r G uYi .S bs Curbs Y R.C•P. ns+ .r f _ 7 Garbs r� 11).Z No. Mrkd. Lanes �n X ��r,n '1, �_ �� ! Y /C.! - C. /h i �� n/• p % ,�.�1: ti r�,r,.� nJ, r,S�r/ ' d A1L //1 nIL O• of rr[ 2 2 0 G Y, io m -del b j• I '� Exc. Grades -_ �V = is• 7%-fv0,1+1• s�J� i Gx] Curves D& L r ��-o•�r/ y EtjVI •L( •� a ==-rz ti 1 _ e� n cs lily ..t A/ Sp33•% 1, I m I,,,ss°5/'� 1 —.__ —_ A —C L BEARINGS- Ir T- 1 r 41 ti n Z In V 'L 12 C\ s - Control &see. _ % 7=� 1.. r�-- — - --• — - --- • - - — �, ROW & R!Ihd. Y I Widths /00 - s? r O �J r —O��. Design 3x (/' t /ii c n c/ = X it A. .-! Surf. Wdl. & Type 0.7 e - f $ ,'n� /c' A-,:1. rJ.7fe - // ' D r e C 5 T S/ /fir. Base &Shldrs. l° -/�� r/� ' „ pp / /'- -� E rkd. Lanes Exc_ Grades , l/. e �� 11e. S S 7 Na. M-►r� ►► 9 (� - -- - - i C!!rves 0 cl & L - at' _ O1 1 -n--! s T, 11 T-TT(l TTAXT AV MO / d Tl (,OTTNT)" NO. - I/ Evidence Supporting nDsniai ref' Bw4Zorzing q Re uest p4t 11- Reason 1.0 Washington Street does not meet the minimum lane width requirements established by the Texas Department of Transportation 000 65 � A f Air Texas Department of Transportation P. O. BOX 573 • STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS 76401 • (254)965-3511 September 15,1997 Honorable John Pollan City of Stephenville 298 W. Washington Stephenville, TX 76401 Dear Mayor Pollan: The following data is in regard to a request for information related to a zoning issue before the City Council. The Texas Department of Transportation takes no position on this issue, but rather discloses these facts as an accommodation from our records. Washington street has an annual average daily traffic count of approximately 7,300 vehicles. It is currently a three lane section, consisting of a lane in each direction with eo a continuous center left turn lane. The width of each lane is approximately 10', for an overall pavement width of 30 feet. If this roadway was built to current design k standards, the required criteria would be a minimum of 12' lanes with a 2' curb offset. MNM:cgb cc: Mr. Roger Weems Mr. Mitch Williams in Sincerely, Marc McEndree, P.E. Area Engineer 00066C An Equal Opportunity Employer k DESIGN DIVISION OPERATIONS AND PROCEDURES MANUAL 2-94 3.6 m : 1,2 GEOMETRIC DESIGN CRITERIA FOR URBAN STREETS FUNCTIONAL rD"ERABLE ITEM CLASS . MINIMUM Design S All Up to 100 50 Minimum Horiz. Radius All See Figum 4-4 Maximum Gradient 96 All See Fi 4-14 Stopping Sight Distance m All 60 Width of Travel Lanes (m) Arterial 3.6 3.3' Collector 3.6 3.02 Local .3-3.6 3.02-' Curb Parking Lane Width (m) Arterial 3.6 3.04 Collector 3.0 2.1 s Local 2.7 2.11 Shoulder Width' (m), Uncurbed New or Completely Arterial 3.0 1.2 Reconstructed Streets Collector 2.4 0.9 Local -- 0.6 Width of Refuge Lanes (m) Art. & Coll. 3.3-3.6 3.0 Local 3.0-3.6 2.7 Offset to Face of Curb m All 0.6 0.3 Median Width m All See Sec. 4-302 1&2 Border Width (m) Arterial 3.6 2.4 Collector 3.3 2.4 Right -of -Way Width (m) All Determined by Local Conditions Sidewalk Width (m) All 1.8-2.47 1.2 On -Street Bicycle Lane Width m All -- 1.5 Superelevation All Yes None Clear Zone Width (m) All 0.9 0.5 from curb face Vertical Clearance for New Structures m All 5.0 5.03 Tuming Radii See Section 4-710 Structure Widths (m) Curbed Streets All Curb face -to -curb face plus sidewalk(s) Uncurbed Streets All Approach Roadway Including Shoulders Culvert End Offset (m) All See Section 4-302(J) ' In highly restricted locations or where few trucks and 60 km/h or less speeds, 3.0 m permissible. 2 In industrial areas 3.6 m usual, and 3.3 m minimum for restricted R.O.W. conditions. In non -industrial areas, 3.0 m minimum. ' In residential areas, 2.7 m minimum. ` Where there is no demand for use as a future through lane, 2.4 m minimum. s In commercial and industrial areas, 2.4 m minimum. 6 Where only minimum width is provided, it should be fully surfaced. Where desirable width is provided, partial (not less than minimum width) surfacing or full width surfacing may be provided at the option of the designer. Applicable for commercial areas, school routes, or other areas with concentrated pedestrian traffic. Exceptional cases near as practical to 5.0 m but never less than 4.4 m. Existing structures that provide at least 4.3 m may be retained. Figure 4-26. Refers to Paragraph 4-302 a-ss 0006641 cf� 0 o i 0 CO �00 Ol N � O � 00 I Q Q co Reason 2:0 G The bar would be located too close to Tarleton State University and the Tarleton, Child Development Center (Day Care) C ou0 ss I%W k r 3 BINGE DRINKING ON AMERICAN COLLEGE CAMPUSES: A NEW LOOK AT AN OLD PROBLEM r � With Support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 0,00664 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.................................................................................................................. I The Prevalence Of Binge Drinking.............................................................................3 StudyDesign................................................................................................................5 The Price The Binger Pays: What Bingers Do To Themselves...................................6 "Secondhand Binge" Effects: What Bingers Do To Others.........................................7 Women, Binging, And "Secondhand Binge" Effects...................................................8 Snapshots: Who Is Binging On Campus In America..................................................9 Drunk Driving: Do Students Still Drink And Drive? ................................ National Trends: Students' Use Of Alcohol Far Out -Distance Illegal Drug And Tobacco Use......................................................12 What Colleges Can Do: A New Approach To An Old Problem................................13 Appendix....................................................................................................................17 References Additional Readings National Resources for More Information This document is available through the HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH COLLEGE ALCOHOL STUDY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 677 Huntington Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 August, 1995 0006K Binge Drinking in College: A Definitive Study The Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study examines the nature, extent, and asso- ciated problems of heavy episodic or "binge" drink- ing.* In mounting this research effort, we sought answers to three core questions: • How extensive is the problem of binge drinking among college students? • Who is affected by binge drinking? • What can be done about this problem? A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT AN OLD PROBLEM Our findings show that the issue of heavy drinking by students can no longer be viewed solely from the standpoint of the problems binge drinkers cause for themselves. This study reveals that binging students are creating serious problems for students who do not binge drink a phenomenon we are calling "secondhand binge" effects. These secondhand effects include physical assault, sexual harassment, and impaired sleep and study time problems that threaten the quality and safety of the college experi- ence for millions of non-binging students. LEARNING FROM SUCCESSES The demonstration of "secondhand binge" effects necessitates a new call to action for college adminis- trators. To date, most college intervention efforts have focused on protecting binge drinkers from themselves. But binge drinkers harm others as well as themselves, and this impels us to refocus our efforts toward a concern about the damage binge drinkers do to others and to campus life. Two examples from related areas offer reason for hope. Society's shift in attitude toward driving after drinking has led to a new range of options to inter- vene. Today, changes in tavern laws, the abandon- ment of "happy hour," the practice of using a desig- nated driver, and stronger drunk driving laws serve to protect society from the documented impact of drunk driving on public safety. The anti -smoking movement in this country is another compelling example. As a society, we were once tolerant of other people's cigarette smoking. When we learned of the health impact of secondhand smoke, we stopped allowing people to light up in our homes, workplaces, airplanes, and restaurants. In increasing numbers of social settings, it is no longer socially correct to smoke. * "binge" drinking definition on page 3 .1-9 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR COLLEGES? According to a 1989 Carnegie Foundation study, college presidents nationwide viewed alcohol abuse as their number one campus life problem. It still is. Binge drinking is associated with unplanned and unsafe sexual activity, physical and sexual assault, unintentional injuries, criminal victimization, inter- personal problems, physical or cognitive impairment, poor academic performance, automobile crash fatalities, and suicide. Colleges also pay significant costs for property damage, liability, health services, d security. an colleges have worked hard at reducing binge drinking on their campuses. But while there has been an overall decline in drinking in American soci- ety as a whole, recent studies have shown no propor- tionate decline among college students. Nor have college students exhibited the rates of decline seen in other young populations. Between 1981 and 1993, binge drinking by high school seniors dropped by fourteen percent. Among 19-to-22- year- olds not attending college, the rate dropped 9°Io. Among col- lege students, however, the decline in heavy drinking rings in at a paltry 2.6°Io. Nearly five of six students in this study drank during the school year. The universal acceptance of drinking, and the easy availability of alcohol to college students regardless of age, is not news, or use for panic. At most campuses it is not a l!" ctical goal to eliminate all drinking or reduce the I portion of students who drink. As a society, and on the campuses that reflect it, we have to make clear and consistent distinctions between drinking and alcohol abuse. Our concern in the HSPH College Alcohol Study is alcohol abuse. The crux of alcohol abuse is in the behavior, not the quantity consumed. When people do dangerous, offensive, or obnoxious things when they drink, creating problems for themselves or for others around them, that's alcohol abuse. Certainly, not all students who have ever binged have an alcohol problem; but colleges with large numbers of binge drinkers do. This study strongly suggests that colleges create or perpetuate, through selection, tradition, policy, and other intended and unintended mechanisms, their own drinking cultures. In some of those cultures, behavior that would be considered alcohol abuse in other settings is becom- ing not just acceptable, but normative. IF YOU TAKE AWAY ONLY ONE MESSAGE FROM THIS STUDY The key to this nation's intervention efforts may lie in the recognition of secondhand binge effects on college campuses. In a system with alcohol abuse, whether a family or a campus, the least effective intervention point is the abuser. By focusing on those who pay the price of binge drinking by suffer- ing its secondhand effects, colleges could mobilize millions of students nationwide to assert their right to live free from the injury and harm created by the binge drinking of their peers. Henry Wechsler, Ph. D. Harvard School of Public Health 000664ow who drink in these or greater amounts differ from were binge drinkers. We classify these schools as other students by the frequency and severity of their high -binge colleges. alcohol -related problems. THE EXTENT OF BINGE DRINKING RATES OF BINGING VARY WIDELY BY STUDENTS IS ALARMING FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL Full 84% of all students drank during the school year. Y g Y Binging rates vary dramatically from campus to cam- Nearly half (44%) of all students were binge drinkers, pus. At its lowest, the binge drinking rate was 1 % of and 19% were frequent binge drinkers (binged three or the student population. At its highest, the rate was a more times in the past two weeks). But even these staggering 70% of students. At nearly one-third of the averages conceal the extent of binge drinking on schools, more than half of the responding students high -binge campuses. n,, �o OF STUDENTS AT HIGH -BINGE COLLEGES* % OF STUDENTS AT LOW -BINGE COLLEGES** Male Female Total Male Female Total Frequent bingers 32% 28% 30% Frequent bingers 11 % 7% 9% Total bingers 63% 56% 59% Total bingers 31 % 22% 26% Non-bingers and 37% 44% 41 % Non-bingers and 69% 78% 75% Non-drinkers Non-drinkers * More than 50% of students binge * 35% or fewer students binge P-1 Quotes used in this report are drawn from student responses to open-ended questions in our survey 00066[ 11 THE COLLEGES A national representative sample of 195 colleges was selected from the American Council on Education's list of four-year colleges and universities accredited by one of the six regional bodies covering the United States. One hundred forty accredited four-year colleges participated in the study. These colleges are located in 40 states and the District of Columbia. They represent a cross-section of American higher education. Two-thirds are public, and one-third are private. Approximately two-thirds are located in suburban urban settings and one-third in small town rural settings. Four percent are women -only colleges, and four percent are histori- cally black institutions. z, THE QUESTIONNAIRE Our 20-page survey instrument asked students a vari- ety of questions about their drinking behavior REG Nord Nord soud- West and explored problems they experienced as a result of their own drinking and the drinking of others. Most of the measures and questions had been previ- ously standardized in other national or large scale studies. Four separate mailings were sent to students at each college. Responses were voluntary and anonymous. THE RESPONSE RATE A sample of 25,627 students received questionnaires. A total of 17,592 students responded, for an overall response rate of 69%. This is considered a good response rate for mailed questionnaires with college populations. Comparisons of early and late respon- ders and a survey of non -responders to the regular questionnaire were used to rule out possible response bias. Only statistically significant comparisons are presented in this report. DISTRIBUTION OF THE 140 COLLEGES INCLUDED IN THE STUDY 5 What Bingers Do To Themselves The numbers in the chart below illustrate the strong, positive relationship between the frequency of binge drinking and a variety of alcohol -related health, social, and academic problems. Nearly half of fre- quent binge drinkers (47%) experienced five or more different problems as a result of their own drinking since the beginning of the school year. In contrast, 14% of binge drinkers and only 3 % of students who drink but do not binge experienced five or more drinking -related problems. Non -binge Bingers Frequent Drinkers Bingers Had a hangover 30% 75% 90% Did something they regretted later 14% 37% 63% Missed a class 8% 30% 61 % Forgot where they were or what they did 8% 26% 54% Got behind in school work 6% 21 % 46% Argued with friends 8% 22% 42% Engaged in unplanned sexual activity 8% 20% 41 % Had unprotected sex 4% 10% 22% Got hurt or injured 2% 9% 23% Damaged property 2% 8% 22% Got into trouble with campus/local police 1 % 4% 11 % Required treatment for alcohol overdose < 1 % < 1 % 1 % 0,0067C 0 7 What Bingers Do To Others The most troubling findings of this study reveal the impact of binge drinking on students who do not binge. We call it "secondhand binge" effects. It is no longer possible to view binging as solely the Bingers' problem: non-binging students are paying too steep a price. "In a crowded bar l accidentally nudged someone. 1 apologized, but the guy hit me anyway with my pitcher of beer, dousing me with the beer and making my mouth bleed." BINGING LEVEL ON CAMPUS Comparing the prevalence of problems experienced by students at low-binging and high -hinging schools brings the issue into sharp focus. On campuses where more than half the students are binge drinkers, the vast majority of students (87%) who live on campus have experienced one or more problems as a result of others' binge drinking. Even at schools where binge drinking rates are below 35% of the student population, 62% of students who live on campus have been victims of secondhand binge effects. SECONDHAND BINGE EFFECTS Percentage of students residing at low -binge and high -binge colleges who reported the following alcohol -related experiences: LOW HIGH Been insulted or humiliated 21 % 34% Been confronted with unwanted sexual advances* 15% 26% Been in a serious argument or quarrel 13% 20% Been pushed, hit, or assaulted 7% 13% Had one's studying or sleep interrupted 42% 68% Had to "baby-sit" a drunken student 31 % 54% Had one's property damaged 6% 15% Been a victim of sexual assault or "date rape" * 2% 2% *Based on women only BINGE DRINKERS UNDER- ESTIMATE THEIR BEHAVIOR Relatively few binge drinkers consider themselves to be heavy or problem drinkers. Whether they attend a high -hinging school or a low-binging school, most binge drinkers compare their drinking to that of their friends and the people with whom they party. Women who compare their drinking to men's drink- ing are especially apt to underestimate their drinking. Our study found that 91 % of the women who were frequent binge drinkers, and 78% of the men, con- sidered themselves to be moderate or light drinkers. Thus, even the heaviest drinkers on low -binge cam- puses perceive their drinking to be within acceptable limits, seriously compromising outreach efforts targeted at this population. WOMEN, BINGING, AND SECONDHAND BINGE EFFECTS A post -World War II study of college drinking viewed drinking by women to be such a minor prob- lem that the researchers defined five different levels of quantity and frequency for men but only two for women. Today, while women are still less often binge drinkers than men, the gender gap has closed, and the risks to women are even more pronounced. Their own abuse of alcohol increases their risk of being victimized by unwanted or unprotected sex. Female students are also especially at.risk for serious secondhand binge effects. At high -binge colleges, 26% of women report an unwanted sexual advance, compared to 15% of women at low -binge campuses. Q.j s W � Who Is Binge Drinking On Campus In America? FI PERCENT WHO BINGE DRINK GENDER Male Female AGE Under 21 2 I -23 24+ I COLLEGE RESIDENCE Single sex dorm 38% Coed dorm Fraternity or sorority Off -campus housing RACE White Hispanic "Other" Native American/Native Alaskan Asian/Pacific Islander B lack/African American RELIGION Considers religion to be very important Does not consider rellgioll to be very important 50% 39% 45% 48% 28% 52% 84% 40% 48% 38% 34% 34% 21% 16% 21% The Il i Ole.st 171I1ge rate �t�(IS jor �� h to males (54%); the lowest was black/A '-Icail zlII7ericail f males (1 %). W wnell attell(llllg bt oinell s colleges were less liken' to binge than Ilonien (It coe(liwational instltutiMIN (?y% VS. 39(/�, respectll'elv). 00067t., CHANGE IN BINGING TRENDS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE Half (50%) of the binge drinkers in the colleges in this study had already binged when they were seniors in high school, but campus binging rates also influence the drinking behavior of students once they arrive at college. • At high -binge colleges where more than half of students are binge drinkers nearly two of five students who did not binge in high school reported binge drinking as college students. In contrast, at low -binge colleges nearly half of students who were binge drinkers in high school gave up this behavior as college students. • Colleges with high binge rates were much more likely to attract students who were binge drinkers in high school, compared to low -binge colleges (38%, compared with 24% of students at low -binge colleges who previously binged in high school). BINGING AND FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES Sorority members are nearly twice as likely to be binge drinkers compared to other female students (62% vs. 35%, respectively). Among women who live in sorority houses, an astonishing 80% are binge drinkers. Similarly, fraternity members binge more than other male students (75 % vs. 45 %, respectively), and 86% of fraternity house residents binge. This raises the question of whether Greek societies attract or create binge drinkers. Our data indicate that both dynamics are at work. Sixty per- cent of those who lived in fraternity houses had been binge drinkers in high school; and over three -fourths of fraternity residents who had not binged in high school became binge drinkers in college. Conversely, sororities do not seem so much to attract binge drinkers; one in three women who lived in sororities had binged in high school, only slightly higher than the proportion among other students. But three out of every four women who had not binged in high school became binge drinkers while in residence in sororities. HIGH SCHOOL DRINKING CHANGES IN COLLEGE High School College High -binge 1 38% were bingers......................of these 80% continued binging g Schools 62% were non -bin ers...............of these 46% began binging Low -binge 24% were bingers......................of these 52% continued binging Schools ' 76% were non-bingers...............of these 17% began binging 10 Do Students Still Drink And Drive? "Don't drink and drive" and "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" have yet to become meaningful slogans among college binge drinkers, despite the investment of advertising and public education dol- lars in these messages. In its 1993 report entitled Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation doc- umented that alcohol abuse contributes to nearly half c� z z 70% a� Cn 60% w�' a 13 50% Q co LU > Cn 40% �a J of motor vehicle fatalities, the leading cause of death among young Americans. Our study confirms that college students remain at high risk: fifty percent of the frequent binge drinkers in this study reported rid- ing with a driver who was drunk or high, and 40% of the males who binged frequently reported that they had driven a car after having consumed five or more drinks. COLLEGE STUDENT DRINKING AND DRIVING N6V w O= 30% 33 /o T L.� i 3: Z 20% et: ' z°}a . U 10% w a 0% 13% NON -BINGE DRINKERS BINGED 1 OR 2 TIMES IN PAST 2 WEEKS 0006741. I I Students' Use Of Alcohol.. Far Out -Distance Illegal Drug And Tobacco Use Shifts in societal attitudes have played a tremendous role in reducing the use of illegal drugs and tobacco products by college students. Often fueled by new information on the nature and scope of the impact of substance abuse on others, changing attitudes led to more effective intervention strategies. These includ- ed smoke -free workplace policies, taxes that price cigarettes beyond the means of most teenagers, and stiffer illegal drug and drunk driving laws. Spreading information about the prevalence of secondhand binge effects could mobilize non-bing- ing students in a groundswell of support to reduce binge drinking on college campuses. ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE Alcohol 84% 70% Cigarettes 32% � 22%° 24% Marijuana _ 1 13% 8% Chewing Tobacco r 5%° 4% PCP 1 010 4% LSD P 1 3% Amphetamines r 1% 3% Other Opiates 1% 2% Cocaine 2% Tranquilizers 1% Barbituates Crack ANNUAL USE Heroin USED IN PAST 30 DAYS Steriods 00/0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 6000 70% 80% 90% 00067E 1.2 A New Approach To An Old Problem All colleges are unique; each has its own culture and traditions, resources and priorities, and relationship with the community. But every college with a sub- stantial proportion of binge drinkers must begin with the question: "Can we accomplish our mission, and f, I fulfill our students' goals, if we tolerate behavior that compromises the quality of students' educational and social lives, as well as their health and safety?" If that question leads to a commitment to act vigorous- ly and systemically against campus alcohol abuse, r multiple approaches tailored to conditions on each campus will certainly be needed. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM Everyone, from the college president down, is sus- ceptible to denial about the extent of the alcohol abuse problem and its impact on the life of the cam- pus. To begin to assess the extent of the problem on a campus, consider a weekend tour, beginning on Thursday night. Take a drive around the campus with the security guards; observe the clubs on its outskirts. Drop in on the health service. On Friday, see how many classes are offered, and how many students attend. Observe the fraternity houses and dorm's late at night; station yourself outside the resi- dence halls and sorority houses Sunday morning and witness the "walk of shame," a phrase students use to describe women returning from a night of unplanned, and often unprotected, sex. Above all, fight the temptation to think of the alcohol abuse you see as merely the problem of "troubled" individuals. When the faces change but the numbers do not, something much more powerful and institu- tional is happening. A SYSTEMATIC EFFORT BEGINS WITH THE PRESIDENT Commitment and leadership at the top is vital to assure that consistent, long-term prevention and intervention strategies are reflected not just in speeches but in budgets. Over the years, many administrations have opted to keep a low profile on prevention efforts. Denial, a sense of futility, and 13 000676 Wei lack of resources may be at play, but there are other reasons as well. Some administrators fear that a more visible, university -wide stance might create the appearance that alcohol abuse is unusually severe at their school, rather than that the school chooses to mount a realistic, systemic response to a common problem other colleges prefer to sweep under the rug. Some administrators may be advised by their legal institution's counsel to do as little as possible that might suggest knowledge of an alcohol problem on campus and acceptance of any responsibility for the environment that encourages or discourages it. But the prevalence of binge drinking on campus is no secret, and it is difficult to see how a college administrator could successfully claim not to know it exists. EXPECT EVERYONE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE Colleges and universities offer our most formidable aggregations of specialists in human and organiza- tional behavior, including psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists, linguists and lawyers, teachers and marketing strategists, experts in health and addictions, policy analysts and security specialists, community organizers, family therapists, and system analysts. Yet it is the rare institution that convenes a working group of appropriately diverse problem - solvers to address the alcohol abuse in its midst. These faculty members can be asked to play a limited but meaningful role in planning and assessment, supporting students and administrators in a campus -wide effort. Athletic directors and � coaches can have enormous influence on the drink- ing culture of a campus, but they are rarely pressed to use it. The very visible example set by athletes, the drinking policy at games, the money showered on campus by the beer industry these are forces that make some student affairs directors feel they are bailing water with a spoon. Resident advisors (RAs), and academic and retention counselors have been underutilized. They could enhance both prevention and early intervention efforts, but they each need clear roles. RAs cannot be expected to be both monitors and confidants. They need much better sustained training and super- vision than they typically receive, and better support, including the sure protection of explicit policy. Security officers could also benefit from dedicated training and regular consultation around alcohol - related issues and infractions. It's easy for them to lapse into feeling like they are hurting rather than helping students whose abusive drinking they call to authorities' attention. Students themselves must carry much of the responsibility for campus change. Student government, peer educators, and campus media can all agree that students are in favor of good times but not in favor of drunkenness. CHANGE EXPECTATIONS OF INCOMING FRESHMEN BEFORE THEY ARRIVE ON CAMPUS Half of college bingers began binging in high school or earlier. Many colleges (large state universities and elite institutions, for example) may be in a position to encourage high schools to strengthen their health education programs. Colleges also need to examine the expectations they are planting, or fail- 14 ' ing to plant, in applicants and entering students. Their promotional material should reflect not just the educational and athletic achievements of the school, but the quality of student life, including the measures they are willing to take to safeguard it. Recruiters can be trained to describe an institution where there are a great many ways to have a good time, and where drunken behavior is decidedly unwelcome. By discouraging applicants who intend to major in binge drinking, the institution can be expected even- tually to improve its drinking culture, probably upgrade its academic standing, and save some of the costs associated with alcohol abuse. At some campuses, freshman orientation is some- E thing between a lost opportunity and a week-long drunk. When they first arrive on campus, usually before other students, many freshmen will respond positively to initiatives they will later spurn, particu- larly if they represent an opportunity to meet their classmates under relatively natural conditions. First -year women need special attention. Many have had little experience with alcohol abuse in high school, and need to understand that because of differences in metabolism women cannot drink equally with men. It only takes four drinks for a woman to begin having the same alcohol -related problems as a man who has five drinks. And their risk of sexual assault, unwanted pregnancy, and exposure to HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is dramatically increased by their own alcohol abuse and by that of their companions. i� CHALLENGE THE GREEKS Many fraternities and sororities are functional saloons. Fully 86% of men and 80% of women who live in fraternities and sororities are binge drinkers. The rare president or dean who tells the Greeks to "shape up or ship out," and then keeps his or her word, earns the respect of many. The national orga- nizations must be held accountable for serving underage students in their frat houses and providing an environment where binge drinking is the norm. CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY MUST COOPERATE Town/gown relationships are important for both par- ties. State and local officials need to enforce under- age drinking laws and strengthen others to help limit supply. Even more important are the bars and clubs that encourage drunkenness through promotion of discount drinks and contests. Presently, these clubs often form the nucleus of the advertising account for campus newspapers. Colleges will have to confront their own power to influence the way these clubs operate and are regulated; they are far from helpless or ignorant in these matters. If they want to target heavy drinking, drunkenness, and in particular the antisocial behaviors this form of drinking causes, campus security and town police should be on the same team, working together. In return, colleges can help local law enforcement agencies through more consistent disciplinary policies for students whose drunken behavior violates the law. 00067cl- 15 MOST OF ALL, EMPOWER STUDENTS TO TAKE THE LEAD A successful and sustainable campus -wide effort depends on the extent to which students are seen as the leaders and impetus of their own self -generated code of respectful community behavior, or only the targets of it. Process is not just important, but cru- cial. It requires patience, persistence, and humility to enable students to take the lead in making drunk- enness an unacceptable excuse for violent and dis- ruptive behavior that violates other students' rights. But a set of policies and exhortations from above will simply not suffice. Students bothered by the secondhand binge effects of hinging students will rl r � gradually feel empowered to speak up without feeling humiliated themselves. It will be the students standing at their sides, more than the administrators standing behind them, who most contribute to that feeling. Whatever alcohol policies are developed by and for students must be brief and comprehensible enough to be effectively publicized, and must be vigorously enforced. It's better to have a few well -specified rules, with teeth, about the critical issues (such as how students behave), than many intricate rules which students do not read and know will not be enforced. If colleges really aspire to be civil communities, prevention efforts must empower those students adversely affected by the binge drinking of others. T We once thought drunk drivers were part of life, and smokers had to be tolerated. Today people feel comfortable speaking out against drunk drivers and smokers because we now know the harm they cause others is not an acceptable price to pay for their behavior. These same lessons can help lend a voice to students affected by the secondhand binge prob- lems of other students' drinking. 00068C 16 it APPENDIX REFERENCES Straus R, Bacon SD. Drinking in college. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1953. Wechsler H, McFadden M. Drinking among college students in New England. J Stud Alcohol 1979;40:969-996. Wechsler H, Isaac N. "Binge" drinkers at Massachusetts colleges: Prevalence, drinking styles, time trends, and associated problems. JAMA 1992;267:2929-2931. Presley CA, Meilman PW, Lyerla R. Alcohol and drugs on American college campuses: Use, consequences, and perceptions of the campus environment, Volume I: 1989-1991. Carbondale, Ill.: The Core Institute, 1993. Johnston LD, O'Malley PM, Bachman JG. National survey results on drug use from the monitoring the future study, 1975-1993. Volume II: College Students and Young Adults. NIH Publication No. 94-3810, Washington, DC. Government Printing Office, 1994. Wechsler H, Davenport A, Dowdall G, Moeykens B, Castillo S. Health and behavioral consequences of binge drinking in college: A national survey of students at 140 campuses. JAMA 1994; 272:1672-1677. Wechsler H, Dowdall G, Davenport A, Castillo S. Correlates of college student binge drinking. Am J Public Health, JULY 1995; 85 : 921-926. Wechsler H, Dowdall G, Davenport A, Rimm EB. A gender -specific measure of binge drinking among college students. Am J Public Health, JULY 1995; 85: 982-985. Wechsler H, Moeykens B, Davenport A, Castillo S, Hansen J. The adverse impact of heavy episodic drinkers on other college students. J Stud Alcohol (in press). ADDITIONAL READINGS Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem. Princeton, N.J.: the Foundation. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Eighth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health. West Washington, D.C.: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. ri'"NATIONAL RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention 1-800-676-1730 (outside Maryland) 1-301-492-5336 (in Maryland) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information 1-800-729-6686. 't f 17 bingedrinking.htm at www.collegenews.com Page 1 of 1 Students Still Binge Drinkers P College Press Service Washington - Heavy drinking is down in America, except for one notable place: college campuses. That's according to a report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism which calls binge drinking a "widespread problem" on college campuses despite a decline in alcohol use among the general population. Continue? Scroll Down... Index of Articles College News Home In 1994, 40 percent of college students reported binge drinking at least once within the previous two weeks of being surveyed, according to the triennial report. The N IAAA defines "binge drinking" as consuming five or more drinks at one sitting. Gender seems to play a significant role in terms of binge drinking, with 52 percent of college men reporting such drinking as compared to 31 percent of women. Across the board, nearly 70 percent of college students said they drank alcohol at least once a month and about 4 percent said they drank daily, the study found. The report calls the findings for college students "quite high" in light of a decline in drinking among high school seniors. The authors suggest that college students, who report drinking less in high school than non -college bound seniors, may be "catching up" and possibly surpassing theirs not in college. The N IAAA, which has compiled previous studies on alcohol consumption, blames campuses for promoting a "Culture of drinking" and praises alternatives such as alcohol -free parties. Among the general population, alcohol use hit a 30 year low in 1993, after peaking during the 1980s. Increased health concerns, less tolerant attitudes toward drinking, and stricter laws against drinking and driving are possible reasons for the change, the N IAAA said. More information on the NIAAA's "Ninth Special Report to the U.S. Congress on Alcohol and Health" is available at the agency's website: http://www.niaaa.hih.gov Index of Articles College News .Home Last Updated August 221:12 pm CST by Cris Brannen k College Academic Performance and Alcohol and ... Page 3 of 3 ✓ ✓ v11LL,/Vl AJ Vi VV� Harvard School of Public Health, 1995. 1 5 5-1060 e�vton, Massachusetts 021 3. Abbey A. Acquaintance Rape and Alcohol Consumption ttp://www.edc.org/hec/ on College Campuses: How Are The Linked? Journal of 800-676-173 0 g p y h Ctr ed g c.or American College Health 1991. 39: 165-169. erE d 4. Eigen LD. Alcohol Practices, Policies, and Potentials of American Colleges and Universities: An OSAP white Paper. Rockville, MD: Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1991. This publication was produced with funding from the U.S. Department of Education under contract number SS95013001 with Education Development Center, Inc. Views expressed are those of the contractor. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred. Published 1997 z +Higher Ed Center FCT2 000681%W College Academic Performance and Alcohol and ... Page 1 of 3 T.vs.v,cnxrt.•,-� _. 101MCFACTS The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention College Academic Performance and Alcohol and Other Drug Use Several recent national studies have documented high rates of drinking on college campuses and a wide range of negative repercussions of student alcohol use. 112 Associated with fighting, vandalism, acquaintance rape, and unprotected sex, drinking on college campuses has a clear and damaging effect on campus life.1,213 Difficulty meeting academic responsibilities is one of the most common consequences of alcohol use. In addition to well -documented consequences such as poor performance on assignments and missed classes, anecdotal evidence suggests that many students who drop out of colleges and universities have alcohol and other drug problems.4 A national survey of nearly 3 7, 000 students at 66 four-year colleges and universities found that students with an A average consume a little more than three drinks per week, B students have almost five drinks per week, C students average more than six drinks per week, and students getting Ds or Fs consume nine drinks per week. l A companion survey of 5,000 students from 11 two-year colleges found a similar trend in the association between alcohol and poor academic performance as seen with four-year institutions. Two-year college students with an A average have about two -and -a -half drinks per week, B students average three -and -a -half drinks per week, C students consume about five drinks per week, and students earning Ds or Fs have a little less than six drinks per week.1 In the same national surveys of four-year and two-year colleges, 20 percent of all students reported that they had done poorly on a test or assignment, and nearly 30 percent said they had missed class because of their alcohol or other drug use in the previous 12 months. I A national study of binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women in the previous two weeks), which surveyed nearly 18,000 students, found that 21 percent of students who binge drank had fallen behind in their schoolwork and 30 percent had missed class because of their drinking since the beginning of the school year. Among frequent bingersstudents who had binged three or more times in the previous two weeks46 percent had fallen behind in school and over 60 percent had missed class because of their drinking. Only a fraction of nonbinge drinkers fell 1 behind in their studies or missed class because of drinking (6 percent and 8 percent, respectively).2 Average Number of Drinks Per Week by GPA College Academic Performance and Alcohol and ... Page 2 of 3 Source: Core Institute, 19961 121 9.0 1 M 10 ` _ I 6.1` I 81 4.8 wo 1 3.3 6 41 21 1 01 A B C D or F Grade point average (GPA) An estimated one-third of American colleges can be classified as "high -binge" schools, where more than half the student body are binge drinkers. At high -binge colleges, nine out of ten students living on campus have suffered some ill effect, such as fights, assaults, and property damage, because of others' drinking, and nearly 70 percent have had their studying or sleep interrupted.2 ;cent studies have only begun to document the relationship between academic rformance and alcohol and other drug use on American campuses. Anecdotal idence points to a number of research questions needing further examination that we can understand the full impact of alcohol and other drug abuse on idents, colleges, and society. Future studies should examine: What proportion of academic warnings and probations can be attributed to lcohol and other drug abuse? What proportion of entering students each year end up dropping out due to Icohol or other drug abuse? What price is paid in terms of lost wages and job opportunities by students tho never complete their college degrees? What burden do these dropouts place on society as a result of their lost roductivity in the workplace? References 1. Presley CA, Meilman PW, Cashin M Lyerla R. Alcohol and Drugs on American College Campuses: Use, Consequences, and Perceptions of the Campus Environment, Volume III, 1991-1993 . Carbondale, IL: Core Institute, 1996 2. Wechsler H. Binge Drinking on American College Campuses: A New Look at an Old Problem. Boston: The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Education Development Center, Inc. 0 0 I I