Statistics Reveal Drinking Habits in NESCAC Schools

This past Thursday, Sept. 20, administrators, staff and students gathered to discuss the results of the alcohol survey conducted among nine of the 11 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools in March. This survey was an enhanced and modified version of the alcohol survey administered independently by the College in 2010.

Administrators and students alike were unsurprised by the survey’s results, as they were relatively consistent with the information garnered in 2010.

Associate Vice President for Planning and Assessment and College Registrar Leroy Graham, who worked closely with counterparts at four other schools to develop the survey, explained that the survey data would be used as a source of comparison that will help the College evaluate where it fits in with other schools. Moving forward, this survey also provides a baseline for the purpose of measuring change in alcohol use and behavior over time.

Present at last Thursday’s forum were members of the Alcohol Task Force, which was convened in response to the original 2010 survey. After the 2010 survey, the Task Force engaged in a year-long active investigation of alcohol use on campus and its effects on the community and concluded their research with a list of recommendations, which were passed to the Office of the President for consideration last May.

The administration has already begun to carry out the suggestions of the Task Force. On Sept. 12, Dean of Students and Assistant Professor of History of Art and Architecture Katy Smith Abbott posted an update on Dean of Students and Chief Diversity Officer Shirley Collado’s blog, “One Dean’s View,” enumerating their current progress. Among other developments, the College is finally interviewing candidates for the position of director of health and wellness, which has remained empty since Jyoti Daniere’s departure prior to the 2011-2012 academic year.

The 15-member Task Force has been, for all intents and purposes, disbanded. Many former members have remained involved in overseeing the development of the Task Force’s initiatives; however, the administration plans to organize a separate implementation team responsible for ensuring the realization of Task Force’s recommendations. Smith Abbott expressed reticence with placing too much importance on the assembly of a physical team.

“Even with an implementation team … the reality is that many of the Task Force’s recommendations involve lots of other stakeholders,” she said. “It’s really a coordination effort rather than having a task force that drives the train forward.”

At this time, there is no delegation currently convened with the function of continuing investigation into the alcohol issue. The NESCAC-wide survey, however, will be conducted every four years to gauge any changes or developments in the consumption of alcohol on campuses.

During the forum, several members of the administration were asked to share their ideal view for the future of campus social life and alcohol use. Collado placed less emphasis on potential policy changes and spoke to the need for greater cooperation among students as well as cooperation between students and the administration in resolving the major issues evident in the survey data.

“I wish we could get more of the peer-to-peer responsibility and bystander intervention where it needs to be in residential halls,” said Collado.

Vice President for Planning and Assessment and Professor of Psychology Susan Baldridge hopes to create more options for students that do not subscribe to the current alcohol-centric social scene.

“Our average social life ratings are not only lower for us than they are for many other things at Middlebury, but they are also lower than the average ratings of social experiences by students at our peer schools,” said Baldridge.

Outlining the College’s aspirations ignited discussion over what can practically be achieved while taking into account the reality of the data and the circumstance on campus. Students in the audience voiced the opinion that the source of this problem lies in a communication gap between the administration and students.

“A major problem with this whole discussion is still that the administration … and not the students, [is] looking at this as a problem,” said Eyal Levy ’14.

While a wide range of faculty, staff and administrators attended the forum, they were met by a group of less than twenty students. The largely empty McCullough Social Space, as noted by Collado, was filled to bursting at last year’s alcohol forum as students mobilized against the possibility of a dry campus. What this level of support means for the future of the alcohol issue, however, is also up for debate.

“I know that most of my peers have strong opinions regarding alcohol policy,” wrote Cook Commons Senator Rachel Liddell ’15 in an email. “I want to implore them to attend these functions. If you don't show up, your voice is not heard. I predict that retrospective complaints will be met with disdain from the task force and the faculty. Now is the time to act.”

Smith Abbott took a more optimistic view of student attendance.

“I am not a person who gets hung up on turnout. I may be a lone wolf in that regard but … I genuinely feel like if the people who want to be there attend and there is an interesting conversation where people can share frank ideas … then it is a success,” she said.