2003-2004 - Past and Present

Drug & Alcohol Awareness Committee: October 2 , 2003 Minutes
Present: Jonathan Hinck, Jade Bakke, Loretta Waughtal, Anne Ellefson
Agenda Item 1: Connect Club Update
Ellefson reported nine new peer educators were trained. Members continue to
man the Thursday night coffeehouse and delivering classroom presentations.
Committees are working on Trick or Treat for Place of Grace and movie nights on
campus.
Agenda Item 2: About the Committee and Prevention
General information about the past committee topics/roles was shared. Largely,
committee members have functioned to help gather information in needs assessment, to
share alcohol/drug prevention information with the larger campus community, and to
assist with prevention activities, such as revising policies. In addition, the biennial
review needs to be completed in the spring of 2004. The federal government requires
that colleges conduct basic program evaluation activities every two years.
Ellefson outlined general information about prevention. Basically, prevention
goals are to create/strengthen environments that promote healthy lifestyles and to assist
individuals in developing the skills, understandings, and support systems that are
associated with health and well being. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
suggests the following strategies for prevention: information, education, alternatives,
environmental (i.e., policies, ads, norms, availability), community mobilization, and early
problem identification/referral. These are the strategies the committee will likely focus
on throughout the year.
Agenda Item 3: Surveys
Survey results of the April 2003 survey were shared. Viterbo mirrors national
stats related to collegiate drinking issues. We are probably a bit lower than many
Wisconsin universities, as Wisconsin stats tend to be higher than the national norms. In
addition, small private schools tend to have lower usage rates than their larger
counterparts. The responses of 18 & 19-year-old males on the April survey were also
shared. This population reported much higher usage rates—in many cases twice as high
as the overall college rates. Also, the results of a brief survey that 280 traditional-aged,
first-year students completed during orientation were also shared. In the alcohol/drug
related areas of the survey, the majority (69%) reported they had consumed alcohol with
friends prior to attending college, while 19% reported using marijuana and 20% reported
smoking cigarettes prior to coming to Viterbo. Also, 48% indicated they believed people
expect college students to drink and party a lot, and 84% indicated they preferred to date
a non-smoker.
Agenda Item 4: Other
• There were more campus alcohol-related disruptions on Octoberfest weekend
than has been the case in recent years. Additional strategies for that weekend may
need to be planned and publicized next year.

• Ellefson shared a September 2003 report related to national strategies for
preventing underage drinking. The recommendations are largely environmental
strategies—keg registration, increased taxation on alcohol, etc.
The next meeting is Thursday, November 13, at 3:00 p.m. at the SDC.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL COMMITTEE MEETING
NOVEMBER 13, 2003
Present: Lori Lewis, Jade Bakke, Adrienne Appler, Loretta Waughtal, Abbie
Polzin, Tanika Skeen, Anne Ellefson
Agenda Item 1: Connect Update
Connect currently has 21 members and will be recruiting again in January. Activities
conducted this semester include movie nights, several presentations, Thursday night
coffeehouses, and public awareness campaigns focusing on social norms, stress, nicotine,
and campus services. The Club also completed two service projects: Trick or Treat for
Place of Grace and a game at the Safe Trick or Treat Night. Initial planning for Alcohol
Awareness Week is being done.
Agenda Item 2: Program Goals
Ellefson shared information about campus goals related to alcohol/drugs issues. The
goals address environmental issues involved in creating an environment where abstinence
is an accepted/respected choice, where low-risk drinking is perceived and practiced as the
norm by those who chose to drink, and where the majority of students recognize and
know how to help a peer making a high-risk choice.
Agenda Item 3: SAB INFO
Alternative activities are one of the recognized prevention strategies, and SAB is the key
group on campus coordinating such activities. Adrienne Appler, SAB Advisor, reported
that SAB has over thirty members and has been active this year. The group sponsored
several events during the first weeks of school, a time when it is especially important for
first-year students. Currently, the plans are to have homecoming be an alcohol-free event
this year. SAB is working on becoming a club, rather than a subcommittee of SGA.
Pictures from the SAB Halloween events were shared with the committee; Halloween is a
holiday that has been problematic on many campuses and college communities recently.
Agenda Item 4: Info—College Athletes and AOD Issues
Ellefson distributed information about collegiate athletes and alcohol issues. Athletes
are generally one of the subgroups targeted in comprehensive collegiate AODA
prevention programs. In general, athletes drink at higher rates and experience more
negative AOD consequences than do their non-athlete peers. Several recommendations
for prevention strategies for collegiate athletic programs from the Higher Education
Center were reviewed. Information was shared about the current process for dealing with
athletic issues at Viterbo.
Other:
• Jade reported that things seem to be going well on the “healthy-living” floor.
• The group discussed alcohol-related vandalism on campuses.
Next Meeting: Thursday, January 29, 2003

Drug and Alcohol Awareness Committee Minutes
January 29, 2004
Present: Lori Lewis, Loretta Waughtal, Jon Hinck, Cindy Kothbauer, Tanika Skeen,
Abbie Polzin, Anne Ellefson
Agenda Item 1: Connect Update:
Abbie Polzin, Connect Club president, reported Connect continues to sponsor movie
nights and do presentations. Four new members were recruited this semester. Members
will be serving on various committees for Alcohol Awareness Week this semester.
Agenda Item 2: Alcohol Awareness Week Update:
Tanika Skeen, Alcohol Awareness Week coordinator, described the goals and timetables
established for Alcohol Awareness Week. Basic goals are to have at least fourteen other
organizations coordinate activities, have Connect sponsor three activities, involve at least
400 students in programs, and conduct the annual survey.
Agenda Item 3: Public Awareness Campaign
A new public awareness campaign, focusing on low-risk drinking guides, will be
displayed next week.
Agenda Item 4: Biennial Review
Ellefson distributed materials describing the Biennial Review process. This is an
evaluation of AODA programming that the University is required to complete every two
years. The stated purposes of the process are 1) to determine the effectiveness of, and to
implement any needed changes to, the AOD program; and 2) to ensure that the
disciplinary sanctions for violating standards of conduct are enforced consistently.
Recommended contents of the review include a description of AOD program, goal
statements and statements related to achievement of goals, assessment of strengths and
weaknesses, outline of policy distribution procedures, copies of policies, and
recommendations for program revisions.
Members were asked to review the materials, to think about their personal opinions of the
strengths and weaknesses of campus programming, and to figure out what information or
materials they would need to do a reasonably sound evaluation of programming. Jason
Ramaker and Barry Fried will be asked to attend the next meeting to discuss policy
enforcement issues.
Next Meeting:
Anne will send forms to John Nebeck and Lori Lewis to determine their second semester
schedules and try to find a time when all committee members are available. An email
will be sent with that information. Plans are to meet at the end of February.

Drug and Alcohol Committee Meeting
February 25, 2004
Present: Lori Lewis, Loretta Waughtal, Jon Hinck, Cindy Kothbauer, Teri Kunavich,
Anne Ellefson
Guest: Ed Rodenkirch
Agenda Item 1: Connect Update
The peer educators’ primary focus is on planning for Alcohol Awareness Week,
scheduled for April 18-23. Five Connect committees have been established to work on
the week. Thus far, six campus groups have registered activities for the week, and
Connect plans to sponsor three activities. The deadline to submit activities is March 29.
The goal is to have at least 14 campus groups sponsor activities during the week. Other
Connect activities include presentations about stress management, movie nights, and
publicity about available recreational activities.
Agenda Item 2: Homecoming Update
Ed Rodenkirch, SAB member, reported on the Homecoming Dance. This was the first
year SAB decided not to serve alcohol at the dance. Ed indicated things went well, with
approximately 75% of the people at the dance rating the event an 8-10 on a ten-point
evaluation form. Nearly four hundred students attended the event. Ed indicated there
were significantly fewer planning headaches for SAB members and only one alcoholrelated
incident, involving an individual who was not a Viterbo student. Although there
were a few student complaints, most were made by students who had attended in the past;
historically, most freshmen have expressed surprise that alcohol was served at the
homecoming event anyway. Ed indicated it was likely that SAB would choose to
organize the event without alcohol again next year, establishing a new norm. It was
noted that, given the turnover of the collegiate population, the first two years would
predictably be the years when there would be student complaints about non-service.
Agenda Item 3: Biennial Review
The six items the committee will be responsible for reviewing to complete the Biennial
Review were reviewed. Information about program goals and activities, the first two
goals, was distributed. There was a consensus that these two sections would remain very
similar to the 2002 review.
The committee then brainstormed the following list of program strengths and
weaknesses:
1. Strengths:
a. Existence of a full-time position to deal with AODA issues.
b. The significant improvements in coffeehouse activities in the last two
years.
c. Student led peer education programming.
d. Student-driven movements to increase fines for alcohol violations and
discontinue alcohol service at homecoming.

e. Establishing the norm of no alcohol service for the homecoming dance.
f. Expansion of curriculum infusion with the chemical dependency
certification program in the Psychology Department.
g. Visibility of prevention flyers and table tents.
h. Improvements in CREW & intramurals, giving students another option for
alternative recreational events
i. Existence of a healthy living floor.
2. Weaknesses:
a. Lost the forum for part of the alcohol education targeting freshmen with
the discontinuance of PCC
b. Need for additional counseling services
c. Need for more educational strategies targeting faculty and staff
d. Need for policy related to issues involved in over-night recruitment visits
by high school students
e. Need for consistent validated and standardized evaluation
f. Need to ensure policies are distributed to all graduate students
g. Difficulty impacting the minority of students (20%ish) making very highrisk
alcohol choices.
These lists will be expanded and revised at the next meeting.
Agenda Item 4: Info Needed to Complete the Biennial Review
The following people will be invited to attend the next meeting to share the following
info:
1. Barry Fried and Paul Sannerud: Info related to overnight recruitment visits
2. Jason Ramaker: Info about # of violations, enforcement issues, online program,
Healthy Living Floor, and Mugshots
Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 24, 1:00 p.m. at the SDC

Drug and Alcohol Committee Meeting
April 21, 2004
Present: Lori Lewis, Cindy Kothbauer, Teri Kunavich, Jade Bakke, Jason Ramaker,
Anne Ellefson
Agenda Item 1: Edgewood Workshop
Loretta Waughtal, Anne Ellefson, Adrienne Appler, and some students attended the
Edgewood workshop about collegiate AODA programming. The workshop was
conducted by the Higher Education Center and provided updates on recommendations for
campus AODA strategies. Recommendations included offering alternatives, creating
environment with health-promoting norms, limiting alcohol availability on and off
campus, restricting marketing/promotion on and off campus, and developing/enforcing
campus policies. A significant emphasis was placed on community issues. Specific
strategies in each category were outlined. The committee will examine each category in
detail next year.
Agenda Item 2: Updates on Alcohol Awareness Week and Connect
Connect has been focused primarily on Alcohol Awareness Week, scheduled for this
week. Thus far, events have gone fine, and attendance has been good. The schedule
includes a variety of awareness, educational, and recreational events. Fifteen campus
groups sponsored events for the week. In addition, the Core Survey is being conducted
via email this week. Other Connect activities this month include a movie night, Thursday
night coffeehouse, meetings, and a picnic scheduled for April 28.
Agenda Item 3: Biennial Review
Members reviewed a draft of the Biennial Review. Jason Ramaker shared information
needed to report on enforcement issues and the status of the Healthy Living Floor.
Suggestions included adding a comment about house parties to the weakness section and
adding a recommendation related to improving communication/collaboration with local
police department. Ellefson will revise report and add information.
Agenda Item 4: Other
Discussion took place about the likelihood that there will be no alcohol service at
Courtyard Carni, as no group submitted a bid for the service. It was noted that it was
important that the reason for the absence of the beer tent be consistently stressed with
students.
Thanks for your service on the committee this year.