The NCAA News - News and Features

October 27, 1997

Sports Sciences Newletter -- CHOICES participants submit final reports

The following is a review of CHOICES year-end reports. CHOICES is an NCAA-administered alcohol-education grant program for member institutions. All of these schools conducted a CHOICES program during the 1996-97 school year.

Clear CHOICES -- Lafayette College

Cindy Adams, Health Education Coordinator

Phone: 610/250-5470

Type of Program:

Three main components:

1) Athletics programs offered as alternatives to drinking

2) Educational programming on the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption

3) Student-athlete mentoring program

Description :

Alternative athletics programs included bowling, ultimate Frisbee, country line dancing, snow-tubing, and Velcro Olympics. Posters containing the main educational message were highlighted at each event and educational literature on alcohol was distributed.

Fifteen educational programs were coordinated by the peer education group Lafayette Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD). Nine sessions of LEAD's game, "College Daze" were presented to various campus groups upon request. A new educational program, "Alcohol Feud" also was developed.

The Student-Athlete Mentoring (SAM) program was approved as a new student organization by the Lafayette Student Government. The core group of nine student-athletes organized a casino night to introduce themselves to other students. A modest but adequate budget was approved by the student government so that SAM will have some money for its efforts next year.

Evaluation:

In general, the programs were well-received and effective in increasing knowledge according to pre- and post-test data. The CORE alcohol and drug survey was administered. A random sample of 640 students was mailed a prenotification letter explaining the survey. A total of 422 hand-delivered surveys (a 66 percent return rate) were returned. The results were compared to a 1995 CORE survey at the school. The preliminary data showed that students drink at least as much as they did in 1995 and binge drink more often. However, results indicated that fewer students use marijuana regularly. Also on the positive side, 49 percent of this year's students reported that they know that "the campus has an alcohol and drug prevention program," compared to 31 percent in 1995.

The Clear CHOICES program was a great success. It brought together representatives from across campus to work together on a common goal in a way that never has been done at Lafayette. It provided viable alternatives for those interested in shifting the focus to socialization and away from alcohol. It has increased student awareness of the negative consequences of binge drinking on the individual and the community. Finally, Clear CHOICES has positioned itself well so that it can have an even greater positive impact on campus life next year.

RAM (Responsible Alcohol Management) CHOICES

University of Rhode Island

Margaret Sherrer, Coordinator of Substance Abuse Prevention & Education

Phone: 401/874-2101

Type of Program:

Comprehensive outreach campaign to boost student participation in prevention efforts and target message to different campus groups, particularly high-risk students who experience moderate to severe alcohol-related problems.

Description:

Objective was to involve students voluntarily in prevention programs. Employing social marketing techniques, the key components of the RAM CHOICES program included: aggressive recruitment of peer educators, prize incentives and refreshments, outreach efforts to students who experience "secondhand negative effects," displays, in-service training and a self-assessment questionnaire.

During spring 1997, Margaret Sherrer co-taught a three-credit, HDF 298-X, Peer Education: Strategies to Reduce the Risks of Substance Abuse and Sexual Assault. Outreach programs were a "guess your blood-alcohol level" booth, "motivational interviewing," "Drug Jeopardy," "True Stories"(emotionally charged photography exhibit), and an awards dinner sponsored by the Rhode Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

Target audience: student-athletes, first-year students and members of the Greek community.

Evaluation:

Substance Abuse Services is becoming more firmly established within the university community as a result of this grant. The athletics director pledged his support in encouraging substance-abuse training for all athletics staff during the academic year. A new peer-education program tailored for student-athletes also has been proposed for next year. In short, a feeling of optimism has taken hold in Substance Abuse Services this year.

Exercising Your CHOICES -- New York University

Sally Arthur

Assistant Vice-President of Student Life
Phone: 212/998-4991

Type of program:

The goal of this project was to expand the availability of programs on campus that help student-athletes, coaches and the general student body develop sound decision-making skills about alcohol use and to offer increased alcohol-free alternative social events.

Description:

The three objectives of the program were to:

1) Enhance basic knowledge of coaches regarding alcohol use and abuse by providing educational training during the fall semester. This objective was accomplished with a two-part training session and two follow-up sessions.

2) Reinforce the status of team captains as opinion leaders by providing educational training once each semester. Captains were involved in one-day training that was similar to that of the coaches.

3) Establish and publicize community standards regarding the use of alcohol by designing and sponsoring an array of university-wide social and athletics activities that encourages nonuse.

Nine alternative programs were designed and implemented such as: Club Fair, Alcohol Awareness Week, Greek Night, World AIDS Day, Winter Games, Purple and White Nights, Safer Spring Break, Health Fair and Coles Carnival.

Evaluation:

This program strengthened the relationship between the Office of Drug and Alcohol Education and the athletics department. Visibility of both areas was increased and a deeper level of trust was achieved.

SMART (Students Managing Alcohol Responsibility Through) CHOICES -- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Gary Fredericksen, Director of Student Health Services

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Phone: 906/869-2760

Type of program:

The program was designed to increase student involvement in campus life and activities and to enhance student awareness of the need to make smart choices surrounding the use of alcohol. Through the use of "CHOICE Tickets," which is a booklet of individual, tear-out tickets earmarked for certain games, plays, concerts, etc., students were encouraged to participate in athletics events and other campus activities. Each ticket stub contained educational information pertaining to illegal and excessive consumption of alcohol, and the Cal Poly norms surrounding such use. Once all the tickets were redeemed, students could compete to win on-campus gift certificates and other promotional prizes.

Description:

SMART CHOICES was designed to accomplish three major purposes: 1) to work toward the elimination of illegal use and excessive consumption of alcohol through education involving the promotion of activities that do not promote the use of alcohol, 2) to increase attendance at campus athletics and cultural events in order to build a healthy community of students and 3) to empower students to make wise choices surrounding the use of alcohol that are legal, healthy, appropriate and safe.

Programming Objectives:

1. Reduce the misperception of alcohol use, thus lowering the illegal use and excessive consumption of alcohol.

2. Market the program SMART CHOICES through a wide variety of media.

3. Supply students with educational information about alcohol, thus strengthening their abilities to make SMART CHOICES.

4. Increase attendance at campus athletics events and other cultural and recreational events.

5. Reward students for their SMART CHOICES by participating in campus activities that do not include the use of alcohol through gift certificates and promotional rewards.

Evaluation:

Program marketing was deemed successful as measured by the high distribution rate (96 percent) of the ticket booklets, the promising number of event tickets redeemed at the various events (767 in total), a large number of event tickets (90) surrendered at athletics events, and an increase of roughly 10 percent attendance at music-related events. Additional evaluation was conducted through several focus groups after the program ended, wherein it was learned that there was approximately 70 percent recognition of the program name among the students.

Conclusions:

SMART CHOICES still can be considered a successful program in that it helped to increase the awareness among the campus community of the need for programs and activities that encourage student involvement in campus life. The relationships developed over the past year with other members of the campus workforce proved invaluable in educating for not only the students but other university faculty and staff as well.

CHOICES -- Northern Arizona University

Robert Curry

Phone: 520/523-2261

Type of program:

This program initiated an active alcohol-education experience using the concept of social theater to stimulate awareness and consideration of responsible alcohol use.

Description:

Each presentation consisted of a performance and a discussion. The performance, which was done by Northern Arizona theater students, portrayed instances in the lives of college students. This performance consisted of three or four vignettes drawn from a pool of six possible issues (alcoholism, date rape, depression, cultural diversity, domestic violence and anorexia/bulimia). The host was responsible for selecting three or four issues of the six most relevant to their population. Their dramatic performance would later serve as a context to discuss the issue of responsible alcohol use. In addition to the performance and discussion, written audience evaluations were disseminated and later collected.

Purpose, Goals and Objectives:

1. Student-Athlete Involvement

a. Enable student-athletes to attend and participate as discussion leaders

b. Enable student-athletes to participate in the information-gathering stages of the environmental assessment

c.) Bring this program to student-athletes to view and discuss

2.) Community Visibility/Awareness

a.) Increase awareness and visibility of the issue of responsible social choice within community

b.) Increase awareness and visibility of the issue of responsible social choice on the Northern Arizona campus

c.) Perform at local and reservation high schools

d.) Perform for local community groups

3.) Research

a.) Gather written evaluations from audience members regarding the content of the presentation in relation to perceived social elements

b.) Gather information related to environmental influences that might potentially influence student alcohol consumption

c.) Compile data and information gathered in 3-a. related to environmental influences that might potentially influence student alcohol consumption.

d.) Disseminate data to individuals who may be stakeholders in how a Northern Arizona student might be potentially influenced to consume alcohol.

Evaluation:

Most responses to the written evaluation indicate that this program was effective, accurate and relevant to Northern Arizona University. Individuals involved had access to these evaluations during the course of each semester. These evaluations were also distributed to nonstudents involved in the program at the end of each semester.

Conclusion:

This grant encouraged interdepartmental collaboration and cooperation with both the Theater Project and the ongoing Environmental Assessment Project. This cooperative and interdisciplinary advocacy of responsible social choice might be considered a model in that it could be translated easily to a host of other departments and interests regarding other specific issues or programs. Other NCAA member institutions might have, or enable, a particular department (including their athletics department) to serve as such a hub of activity.

Healthy CHOICES, Healthy Lives! Longwood College

Teresa Phelps, grant officer

Phone: 804/395-2509

Type of program:

Development of a comprehensive alcohol program including development of an alcohol policy , freshman-orientation programs, wellness advocates, speakers on alcohol issues, resource library and alcohol-free prevention activities.

Description:

Prevention activities included an alternative spring break to Ivanhoe, Virginia, to help rebuild the town. In May, there was an end-of-the-year celebration offering free food, drinks, music and fun to the college community. Students also were able to use the gym and tennis courts.

Evaluation:

By outreaching to and focusing on the student-athletes, the committee felt they could best reach the rest of the student body by using the leadership roles these student-athletes acquire by being part of the team. Efforts worked in many areas but were found to not work as well in other areas when reaching the college community. Future goals include continuing the message about alcohol use, encourage students to make healthy choices regarding alcohol use, and reduce the incidence of negative consequences of use among the general student body and by student-athletes.

CHOICES for the future -- MacMurray College

Cindy Cravens. program coordinator

Phone: 217/479-7123

Type of program:

Development of a coordinated, cooperative institutional program that would promote responsible behaviors and decisions involving alcohol.

Description:

Six objectives of the program were:

1. Increase by 50 percent student awareness of actual vs. perceived use of alcohol by MacMurray students as measured by a survey instrument administered during the spring of 1996 and 1997.

2. Provide interactive and accurate educational-awareness programs to at least 90 percent of students by using members of the MacMurray College Alcohol Task Force as facilitators. Residence hall and commuter students also were included in the educational programs. Plans for an Alcohol Resource Center were established. The Center will have various resources, including videos, printed materials, self-assessment forms and audio-visual equipment.

3. Train student-athlete helpers to present an alcohol use/abuse educational program to teammates during the fall and spring semester (whichever semester their team is inseason). Student-athletes attended a six-hour training program and trained to speak at local high schools.

4. Establish a team, MCATF- MacMurray College Alcohol Task Force, committed to the development of a comprehensive alcohol program on campus. This team would include other members of the community with agencies concerned with alcohol use/abuse issues.

5. Establish a six-hour educational program for students who have been identified by self, others or the disciplinary system as having a problem with alcohol use. Developed a student-assistance program of formal assessment and referral.

6. Evaluate all program components.

Evaluation:

Positive changes resulted from the program. A diversified group is working together to continue what was started this year. MMCATF will continue to meet over the noon hour on a monthly basis to assess and provide programming, review new materials, current policies and procedures and discuss new ideas.

American FOCUSes on CHOICES -- American University

Scott H. Levine, Assistant to the Dean of Students

Phone: 202/885-3000

Type of Program

This was a training program designed for student-athletes. All teams were trained for approximately two hours. Exercises included a variety of scenarios and apply-value judgments.

Teams involved: men's and women's basketball, tennis, men's swimming, soccer, golf, cross country, cheerleaders, lacrosse, and women's volleyball and field hockey.

Description:

Training sessions consisted of an icebreaker, an "Alcohol Use Situations" worksheet that showed that different people have different interpretations of situations, alcohol-use statistics information, and formulation of personal and team guidelines.

Evaluation:

Participants were administered a pre- and post-test to determine changes in alcohol awareness, changes in attitudes about alcohol use, and interest in alcohol issues on campus. As a result, awareness had risen; however, there was little change in attitudes or interest in alcohol issues on campus..