Jackson substance abuse coalition highlighting 'campus safety'

As college students arrive on campus this fall, it's a time of new experiences, new friendships and making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, it is also a time of excessive drinking and dealing with its aftermath-vandalism, violence, sexual aggression and even death, according to the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition. Ellis Salim, vice president of Student Services for Baker College Systems, states, ''Baker College recognizes the importance of maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty and staff, as well as visitors. "As a result, we are taking the opportunity of Campus Safety Awareness Month to partner with the various police departments in offering our students Campus Safety tips that can be employed to keep them out of danger." He added that, "the students, faculty, and staff will be introduced to our 'Early Warning System' that will alert them in the event of an emergency that may be in progress. Finally, Baker College is also asking the students to take part-ownership in the Campus Safety process by reporting any incident or individual(s) that may pose a threat to a safe environment.'' According to research summarized in a College Task Force report to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the consequences of excessive drinking by college students are more significant, more destructive and more costly than many parents realize. NIAAA reports the consequences of excessive and underage drinking affect virtually all college campuses, college communities and college students, whether they choose to drink or not. For college students between the ages of 18 and 24: - Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades overall; - Assault: 696,000 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking; - Death: 1,825 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes; - Drunk Driving: 3,360,000 drive under the influence of alcohol; - Health Problems/Suicide Attempts: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem; - Injury: 599,000 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol; - Sexual Abuse: 97,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape; - Police Involvement: 110,000 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence; - Unsafe Sex: 400,000 had unprotected sex and more than 100,000 report having been too intoxicated to know if they consented to having sex; - Vandalism and Property Damage: About 11 percent of college student drinkers report that they have damaged property while under the influence of alcohol. More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with relatively low drinking levels and over 50 percent from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a ''moderate'' or ''major'' problem with alcohol-related property damage. The first six weeks of college are often termed the "Red Zone," as college and university students are most likely to become victims of crime during this time. It is not a coincidence that the first six weeks of college are said to determine "whether many college students make it to their second year of school or drop out for reasons related to binge drinking and drug use. " About one-third of freshman don't enroll for their sophomore year, a phenomenon widely attributed to binge drinking and drug abuse. The Jackson Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (JCSAPC) encourages parents to talk to your daughter(s) and/or son(s) about the risks of drinking and drug use including the penalties for underage drinking as well as how alcohol use can lead to date rape, violence and academic failure. The JCSAPC said that it can provide resources to assist in these discussions. For more information, please call Kelsey Haynes, Coordinator at (517) 796-5133 or visit the Coalition's website at www.drugfreejackson.com. For More information: * Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and its activities, please contact Kelsey Haynes at (517) 796-5133 or via email at khaynes@uwjackson.org * http://ncsam.org/ * http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/NIAAACollegeMaterials/parentBrochure.aspx Published: Thu, Sep 29, 2011

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