Safer California Universities

A Multi-Campus Alcohol Prevention Study

Extreme levels of drinking and the problems associated with heavy drinking among college students are “rediscovered” every few years. Despite the attention and concern, little progress has been made in preventing drinking problems with this important group of young people. This new study, funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), is designed to help identify the most effective ways of preventing and dealing with heavy alcohol consumption by college students. The University of California and California State University Systems (14 campuses) have agreed to participate in this very important study, which is being carried out by the Prevention Research Center (PRC) in Berkley, California.

This study is designed to evaluate the potential impacts or a “risk management” approach to preventing alcohol-related problems. The effectiveness of these strategies will then be monitored along with the development of any other heavy drinking situations or problems.

What is a risk management approach?
Risk management refers to strategies designed to reduce the potential for loss before it occurs. Risk management as we will use it in this project includes the following elements:

• Risk assessment – Identifying those factors and behaviors that pose particular risks to students
  
• Risk prevention and reduction – changing the circumstances that pose the greatest risk so that the problems are less likely to occur.
  
• Risk monitoring – Continually assessing existing and potential circumstances that can lead to risk.

 

The Big Picture Framework (Chart showing the sequence of events and flow or information during the Safer Universities Project)

2006 Intervention Plan
Downloadable version

2007 CSU, Chico Executive Summary of survey results
Downloadable version

2006 CSU, Chico Executive Summary of survey results
Downloadable version

2005 CSU, Chico Executive Summary of survey results
Downloadable version

2004 CSU, Chico Executive Summary of survey results
Downloadable version