Citation

Dejong W. J. Am. Coll. Health 2015; 64(1): 80-84.

Affiliation

a Department of Community Health Sciences , Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2015.1048455

PMID

26158381

Abstract

Few colleges have made the prevention of alcohol-related injuries and deaths an institutional priority, and even fewer have implemented prevention strategies with a solid evidentiary base. We look to presidents to provide leadership on this issue, but those who do are atypical. Boards of trustees should step in by: asserting that student wellness be a primary focus in the institution's strategic plan, with specific, measurable goals; holding the president accountable for progress in reducing high-risk drinking and its consequences; and mandating a line item in the annual budget, with adequate staffing and revenues to put evidence-based practices in place. Boards will be more likely to respond when led to focus on the cost implications of the campus alcohol problem; the link between high-risk drinking and mission-critical institutional objectives such as academic performance, student engagement, and retention; and the institution's potential liability if evidence-based prevention strategies are not in place.

Language: en