UMADD - MADD College Campus Chapters

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What is the Problem? | What is the Solution? | Stopping High-Risk Drinking on Your Campus

^NEW! "Student Forms MADD Branch" (1/17/02, University of Georgia)

Alcohol is the biggest drug problem facing young people today.  The aftermath of underage drinking is far more widespread and devastating than the impact of other illicit drugs.  In fact, alcohol kills 6.5 times more young people each year than all of the other illicit drugs combined.

In 1999, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) commissioned a study on college drinking that revealed that an alarming number of college students continue to drive after heavy drinking.  Researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health has found that "bingers," those who consume five or more drinks in a row in one sitting, are responsible for more than 70 percent of all college alcohol consumption.  Of these same students 57 percent report driving after drinking.

The good news is that the Harvard study also indicates that 57 percent of all college students either abstain from alcohol or only occasionally drink and do not get drunk.

Countless college students are concerned with high-risk campus drinking and are eager to find solutions. Research points to solutions that will successfully reduce underage and high-risk drinking problems on college campuses; according to students, they support these solutions.

Separate research indicates that in general, college students want stricter policies and enforcement on campus.  They support conditions that would reduce the harms caused by underage drinking.  MADD activists and students make logical allies in the efforts to make environmental changes to the drinking culture on our nation's campuses.

STUDENTS AND MADD
Student activists are in a unique position to play a significant role both on college campuses and in their outlying communities by joining existing coalitions and student groups or starting new ones.  MADD community leaders can mentor campus leaders as they work to create sweeping policy changes throughout the university system.  As an organization that has proven that policy and attitudinal change can occur, MADD seeks to pass its knowledge and strengths onto today's generation of activists.

MADD CAMPUS CHAPTER
A UMADD Chapter is a campus-based student organization comprised of student leaders concerned about underage and high-risk drinking, impaired driving, and dedicated to finding solutions.  It addresses the problems in a holistic manner by involving both the campus and community.

UMADD Chapters are based on a two-part philosophy.  First, student leaders receive information about the extent of the national problem and work to identify the gaps in their individual campus and community policy as it relates to underage and high-risk drinking.  Secondly, student leaders are equipped with the skills necessary to advocate for change on campus and in their towns or cities as they encounter misperceptions and challenges from both communities.

UMADD Chapters take a dual approach in seeking change -- educational (attitudes) and environmental (laws and/or policies).

UMADD Chapters address tactics for limiting the danger of high-risk drinking, and affect changes in social norming -- what behavior is acceptable or thought to be normal. Chapters also investigate problems in community policy on impaired driving and address underage drinking policy enforcement and limiting alcohol access.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

What's the difference between a UMADD Chapter and a regular MADD chapter?
A UMADD campus chapter must be sponsored by a local MADD chapter, the MADD state organization, or the MADD national office.  The campus chapter also must receive official recognition from the college or university.

However, unlike the sponsoring MADD chapter, there is very limited reporting and paperwork required for a campus chapter, which allows the group to focus on programmatic and educational activities.  It is imperative that the campus chapter be in close communication with its MADD sponsor.  Any highly visible activities or public statement the campus chapter might want to make must receive approval from the sponsoring chapter or state office.

What would we do as a UMADD Chapter?
Education

• Organize and hold a campus-wide candlelight vigil to remember the victims of impaired driving and high-risk drinking on your campus.                             
• Set up an information booth in the Student Union to share information and hand out literature about the underage drinking problem.  (You might consider using activities like the Fatal Vision Goggles or other things to directly involve people.)                             
• Develop a public awareness event that highlights the extent of college high-risk drinking, hosting it on campus and inviting the media.  (You might consider involving groups or classes of students. For example, ask an advertising class to design a PSA campaign to showcase the event/topic/issue.  Ask a painting class to create pieces of art that depict the issue and plan a gallery showing.  Ask an economics class to determine the cost of high-risk drinking to campus and community, and release the results to the media.)

Environment

• Conduct the Higher Education Center's College Alcohol Risk Assessment and share the findings with various campus leaders and/or hold a press event.                             
• Meet with your local liquor law enforcement officials (or alcohol beverage control) as well as campus and community police to see how you can assist in compliance checks to ensure retail alcohol outlets near campus are checking IDs.                             
• Meet with campus administration officials and review MADD's suggested list of campus policies. Discuss how you can ensure that each policy is adopted and enforced.  If appropriate, hold a petition drive, an awareness event, or a rally to show support of policies.                             
• Work to eliminate alcohol advertising from campus newspapers and radio stations.                             
• Work with city officials to eliminate irresponsible 'drink specials' at bars near campus.

Advocacy

• Join your local MADD chapter in testifying at city or county-level hearings to support MADD's key policy measures.                             
• Volunteer at your local MADD chapter or with your MADD state organization and offer to testify at key state legislative hearings in support of MADD's key policy measures.                             
• Meet with your campus police chief and local police chief to discuss ways to strengthen enforcement of underage drinking laws.                             
• Request to speak to the university's board of trustees or other key leadership groups.

STOPPING HIGH-RISK DRINKING ON YOUR CAMPUS

How do I start a UMADD Campus Chapter?

1. Obtain approval from your school.  This involves several steps and varies from campus to campus. Navigate through your campus but the process might look like this:
    · Find the person on your campus responsible for approving campus-based student groups. It may be someone in the office of the Dean of Students, the Vice President of Student Affairs, or Campus Activities at the Student Union.
    · Typically an application is required, with a sample constitution and bylaws.  Samples of these documents are available at www.madd.org/colleges
    · Identify a faculty member who will agree to serve as a faculty advisor.
   
   
2. Finalize your chapter name using your school name, initials or moniker (eg. UMADD BSU; UMADD Duke; UMADD K State; UMADD Claflin U)
   
   
3. Designate a chapter coordinator (your faculty advisor) and a student coordinator.  Complete and submit the MADD Campus Chapter Organizer Profile form.
   
   
4. Conduct the campus chapter research project.
   
   
5. Complete a Level I Campus Chapter Sponsorship Agreement and submit it to your MADD sponsor chapter, state office or national office.
   NOTE:  The Level I Campus Chapter Sponsorship Agreement must be authorized by the MADD state organization and signed by the stateorganization chairperson, chapter coordinator and student coordinator.
   In the event that the MADD state organization designates a Level II chapter to sponsor the campus chapter, the sponsorship agreement must also be authorized by the Level II chapter's executive committee and signed by the Level II chapter's president.
   
   
6. Submit the following items to the MADD national office:
    · College Chapter Organizer Profile Form
    · Campus Chapter Research Project
    · Level I Campus Chapter Sponsorship Agreement
    · University letter of support or recognition
    · The formal name of campus chapter
   
   
7.  MADD's national office will issue a Campus Chapter Charter Certificate which must be renewed annually.

Do something about this growing epidemic at your college. 
Start a UMADD chapter today!    

Did you know...

• The highest intoxication rates in fatal crashes in 2001 were recorded for drivers 21-24 years old (33 percent), followed by ages 25-34 (28 percent) and 35-44 (25 percent). (NHTSA, 2002)

• Each year, college students spend approximately $5.5 billion on alcohol- more than they spend on soft drinks, milk, juice, tea, coffee and books combined. (Drug Strategies, 1999)
  

• In 2001, approximately 44 percent of college students reported binge drinking, according to a college survey.  This percentage is almost identical to rates in three previous surveys.  (Wechsler et al, 2002)

• Binge drinking has been defined as at least five drinks in a row for men and four drinks in a row for women. (Wechsler et al, 2002)

• The highest prevalence of both binge and heavy drinking in 2001 was for young adults aged 18 to 25, with the peak rate occurring at age 21. The rate of binge drinking was 38.7 percent for young adults and 48.2 percent at age 21. (SAMHSA, 2001)

• Binge drinking is associated with lower grades among college students.  Approximately five drinks per occasion are associated with a GPA lower by half a grade. (Williams, Powell, and Wechsler, 2002)

• As a result of their drinking, about 25 percent of college students report academic consequences, 11 percent report they have damaged property under the influence of alcohol, and 5 percent are involved with police or campus security. (NIAAA, 2002)

• Drinking reduces the number of hours spent studying per day among college students.  Each additional drink per occasion is associated with fifteen minutes less studying per day. (Williams, Powell, and Wechsler, 2002)

• Six percent of college have been diagnosed as alcohol dependent and nearly one-third of students who be given an alcohol abuse diagnosis under psychiatric criteria.  Forty-four percent of students reported at least one symptom of either abuse or dependence. (Knight, et al, 2002)

• Each additional drink consumed by college students per occasion increased the probability of missing a class by 8 percent and getting behind in school by 5 percent. (Williams, Powell, and Wechsler, 2002)