UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Ohler, Megan E.
Title:
Dept./Program:
College of Education and Social Services
Year:
2009
Degree:
Ed. D.
Abstract:
Heavy episodic, or binge, drinking continues to be a serious issue on college campuses. Excessive use of alcohol carries with it health concerns, impedes academic progress, and involves campus judicial and legal concerns for the individual student. Heavy drinking creates problems for colleges and universities (Dannells, 1997) because it negatively influences the students themselves, peers and classmates, student affairs staff members, residents of neighborhoods surrounding colleges, physical plant and custodial staffs, and campus and local law enforcement. While concerns about alcohol usage extend to all students on campus, first year students may be particularly vulnerable as they are new to campus, are experiencing new-found freedoms, and may not know their drinking limits. The purpose of this case study was to examine the reasons some first year college students at one institution violated the alcohol policy by becoming "intoxicated beyond control". Being intoxicated beyond control was operationalized as having been transported to a protective care facility, the emergency room at a local hospital, or the county correctional center.
By using a qualitative approach, this research explored these students' perceptions of, and the factors leading to, these experiences. First year students who engaged in excessive drinking were interviewed at the beginning of their junior year. The time lapse between the incident and the interview allowed for self-reflection and the completion of campus judicial and legal sanctions. Several themes were identified in the study. Students were very open in discussing their incidents. Students indicated that when they arrived on campus, peers, particularly upperclassmen, were instrumental in providing information about the alcohol culture that existed. Peers were mentioned most frequently as being a factor or an influence in their decisions to drink. Students were either not engaged in their campus community at the time of their incident, or were engaged in a sport which was stereotypically associated with drinking, such as rugby or lacrosse.
Students indicated that if conversations occurred with parents about alcohol, it had to do with messages of concern, safety, and responsibility. Most indicated that the topic of alcohol wasn't really part of an ongoing conversation with their parents, but when it came up, it had to do with messages of safety. The majority of these students believed that drinking in order to get drunk was the only reason to drink during their first year. And most of these students perceived a high normative use of alcohol on campus. Based on these findings, I made recommendations that inform future practice in order to decrease the number of first year students needing to be transported to a protective care facility, the hospital emergency room, or the correctional center. My recommendations are addressed to student affairs staff members so that they may help first year students to manage the culture which exists on their campus surrounding alcohol. In addition, implications for future study are discussed.
By using a qualitative approach, this research explored these students' perceptions of, and the factors leading to, these experiences. First year students who engaged in excessive drinking were interviewed at the beginning of their junior year. The time lapse between the incident and the interview allowed for self-reflection and the completion of campus judicial and legal sanctions. Several themes were identified in the study. Students were very open in discussing their incidents. Students indicated that when they arrived on campus, peers, particularly upperclassmen, were instrumental in providing information about the alcohol culture that existed. Peers were mentioned most frequently as being a factor or an influence in their decisions to drink. Students were either not engaged in their campus community at the time of their incident, or were engaged in a sport which was stereotypically associated with drinking, such as rugby or lacrosse.
Students indicated that if conversations occurred with parents about alcohol, it had to do with messages of concern, safety, and responsibility. Most indicated that the topic of alcohol wasn't really part of an ongoing conversation with their parents, but when it came up, it had to do with messages of safety. The majority of these students believed that drinking in order to get drunk was the only reason to drink during their first year. And most of these students perceived a high normative use of alcohol on campus. Based on these findings, I made recommendations that inform future practice in order to decrease the number of first year students needing to be transported to a protective care facility, the hospital emergency room, or the correctional center. My recommendations are addressed to student affairs staff members so that they may help first year students to manage the culture which exists on their campus surrounding alcohol. In addition, implications for future study are discussed.