Preparing You to Prepare Your Student Dean of Students Office Introduce self I’m going to spend the next 20 minutes giving you some information about alcohol use and alcohol prevention. None of this information is meant to scare you! It’s meant to help you. Alcohol use is still a problem on college campuses, and I want you to be able to have effective conversations with your student about alcohol before they arrive on campus. I see all parents as my partners in helping students be safe. With your help, we will set the class of 2022 down a safe and healthy path through college.

How many drinks do you think your student will consume on a typical social occasion? Let’s jump in. You may not have thought too much about your students’ potential alcohol use, so think for a moment: how many drinks do you think your student will consume on a typical social occasion? Now let’s compare your estimation to the national statistics. As you can see, about a quarter of students do not drink at all. But that still leaves three quarters of students who DO drink. Remember, this isn’t meant to scare you! This is meant to give you an idea of the latest trends in college alcohol use, and to gently remind you that most college students do drink. Not all of your students are going to be the exception to that rule. In fact, some of your students will fall in this higher range. That’s why we need your help in keeping them healthy and safe.

What are we doing? We have a three-pronged approach to alcohol and other drug prevention. Enforcement Education Alcohol-free fun Enforce: Pioneer Student Conduct Code found on DOS website. Educate: The truth about what students are doing (because most students grossly overestimate how much their peers drink). Weigh the benefits and risks of using alcohol. If you choose to do it, how to do it safely. What to do if someone is drinking too much. Peer educator program. Talking to you today! I’m not doing this because our university has a worse alcohol problem than any other school. We trend very closely with national statistics. I’m talking today because Platteville chooses not to remain silent or sweep things under the rug. Instead, we choose to use one of our greatest resources in promoting health and safety: parents and family members. Fun: Students have social needs. We want to provide them with fun options that are alcohol-free. My campus partners help provide concerts, comedians, $1 movie nite, Friday Night Club.

True or False? I’m going to give you a quick true/false quiz about what methods are effective and what methods are ineffective in helping your student be safe. Please keep in mind as we go along that I am presenting this information so you can be armed with this knowledge when deciding how to talk about alcohol with your student.

Parents don’t have much impact on drinking behavior of college students. True False This is false. More and more research is showing that parents actually DO have an impact on the drinking decisions of their students. Sometimes it may seem that your son or daughter isn’t listening or that they brush off the things you say--especially now that they are (or are about to be) legal adults! But studies say that most college students DO hear and value their parents’ beliefs and opinions. In fact, one study found that heavy drinking teens whose parents talked to them about drinking before they left for college were 20 times more likely to transition to healthier drinking patterns than to continue heavy drinking. But the parental conversation was only effective for those who talked BEFORE college started. (Journal of Studies of Alcohol and Drugs --http://healthland.time.com/2013/03/29/when-it-comes-to-curbing-drinking-college-students-do-listen/ .)

Allowing your student to drink casually with your family will prepare them for drinking in college. True False This is also false. Many think that if they teach their student how to drink safely in the home, they will be safer when they go to college. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the case. Studies show us that the skills a student learns from drinking at home does not translate to a college party scene. They are completely different environments with different pressures and expectations. So attempting to teach your student how to be safe in your home environment won’t do them much good at a college party.

Students with parents who are strict about underage drinking are less likely to make risky decisions in college. True False This is true! A lot of people believe that being strict will have the opposite effect. This is the logic of the “forbidden fruit.” The idea that if you tell them they shouldn’t have it, they will want it and find a way to get it. So then people think that if you are lax about it, they won’t touch it because it won’t be as attractive. (Because using alcohol isn’t exactly a rebellion if you’re parents are letting you do it.) But actually, research shows us that the opposite is true. Parents who are strict about underage drinking, and make it clear that they don’t condone it, have students who are less likely to make risky decisions regarding alcohol in college.

So what can you do? So what can YOU do to help your student be safe? Talk with them about alcohol. And talk with them BEFORE they get to campus.

What % of parents discuss alcohol with their teen(s)? The vast majority of parents are having this discussion. So I have compiled 5 tips for you to use to help you have an effective conversation with your student about alcohol BEFORE they come to campus this fall! These conversations are going to look different for everyone, because parent-child relationships are all different. What that conversation ultimately looks like is up to you. I’m going to give you those 5 tips now, but you will also receive them on a postcard in the mail before the fall semester begins.

Tip #1 If you disapprove of alcohol use, be honest. “We do not condone drinking alcohol underage.” Saying things like, “It’s up to you,” doesn’t appear to be as effective at helping students to avoid risky decisions. This is likely their first time living away from you and they still need your guidance. If you go on the record as being opposed to underage drinking, that will stay with them. Deep down, they don’t want to disappoint you. This also gives them a really easy out when they are being pressured to drink. They might feel lame telling people they don’t want to drink. Believe it or not, it can be easier to say, “I really can’t, my parents would kill me.”

Tip #2 Ask open-ended questions. What are your goals for your college experience? What will you do to make sure you prioritize these things? What are some ways you can have fun without alcohol? Remember to show respect for your students’ opinion, even if you disagree. It’s really important to include open-ended questions like this. It makes it sound like less of a lecture and more of a conversation. It’s you and your student working together to plan for their success in college. Caveat: Remember to show respect for their opinions. This will make them more likely to listen to and respect yours.

Tip #3 Give concrete guidelines. When you are old enough to drink, we expect you to be responsible. Some ways to stay safe are: Set a limit and stick to it Alternate with water Have a sober driver Too often we fall into the trap of saying vague things like, “Be safe!” and “Make good choices!” These really aren’t specific enough. And although you shouldn’t lecture, it’s important to give specific safety guidelines.

Tip #4 Help your student practice scenarios. What will you say if you’re at a party and your friends pressure you to drink? What will you do if a drunk friend offers to give you a ride? Like I said, the home setting is completely different from the college setting. So try giving them scenarios like these… Helping them think through their responses to these situations ahead of time will help them immensely if/when they are actually in the situation.

Tip #5 Continue the conversation. What clubs are you involved in this semester? What is the drinking culture like on campus? Do your friends drink? How are classes going? Maybe don’t ask all of these questions in one breath, but continue asking your student about their opinions and experiences. Keep the lines of communication open, and you’ll continue to be able to offer your advice. And don’t forget to ask about all the non-alcohol-related things they’re involved in, because research shows that that involvement (AND your interest in their involvement) motivates students to refrain from risky drinking behavior.

Deep breath. Positivechoices.org.au/parents Deep breath, everyone. You are parents. You know your son/daughter and what messages they probably need to hear. Hopefully now you are armed with a little more knowledge and feel better able to have some productive conversations. Feel free to start those conversations today! Lead in by saying, “we went to a session today where we talked about alcohol, and I wanted to know, what are your expectations about alcohol in college?” Positivechoices.org has a great parent section with resources about how to start a conversation with your student about alcohol and drugs. Please keep in mind this is an Australian organization so it will cite the drinking age as 18, but the resources and suggestions are still great. Positivechoices.org.au/parents

Thank you! Dean of Students Office 608-342-1854 Thank you for your attention this morning, and thank you for all you are doing to prepare your students for college. If you have any questions, I will be on the expert panel this afternoon. Best of luck!