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UW System to Survey Student Alcohol, Drug Use

MADISON--FEB. 11, 2005--The University of Wisconsin System will conduct a survey of undergraduates in February to better understand the impacts of alcohol and other drug use by UW students.

The UW System Alcohol and Other Drug Use Survey will be conducted online each year at UW System campuses to find trends in alcohol and drug use, student perceptions of use, and consequences of use. The process will assure anonymity for the respondents.

The results will help university administrators determine what kinds of campus health programming and services are most beneficial for students.

"We hope this survey encourages students to be open about their experiences, thoughts and observations about alcohol and drug use," said UW-Stevens Point Chancellor Linda Bunnell, chair of a system-wide AODA committee. "The services we provide on campus can be best improved if we are able to understand the points of view of a variety of students."

The survey is voluntary and will be conducted through a campus-based Web site.

Beginning the week of Feb. 21, a random sample of students at each of the larger UW campuses will be invited to participate in the survey via an e-mail from campus administrators. All students from campuses with fewer than 6,000 students will be invited to participate.

"All the campuses have had input into the development of this survey," says Alice Reilly-Myklebust, director of student health services at UW-River Falls and a member of the system-wide AODA task force. "The survey only takes about 15 minutes and is confidential. No individual information will be shared. The data is not meant to compare campus to campus, but will give each campus their own information."

Keven Syverson, health education coordinator at UW-RF, said he encourages all students to participate in the survey, regardless of whether or not they use alcohol or drugs. "The survey allows students to have a voice as it helps us determine programming and services at the local level, as well as the state level."

Students who elect to participate will receive an instant analysis of the impacts of their own alcohol use, including an estimate of their average peak blood-alcohol concentration, and how their level of use compares to students nationally.

The survey is part of a system-wide Board of Regents directive to assess the levels of student alcohol and drug abuse, and the effectiveness of AODA programs.

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Last updated: Tuesday, 22-Jun-2010 16:21:19 CDT