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For many parents, bringing up the subject of alcohol is not
easy. You may be unsure of when or how to begin and your student may dodge
the conversation. However, it is important for you to be aware of the risks
and consequences associated with alcohol so you can help your student be
aware. Impaired judgment from drinking can lead to risky behavior causing
academic, legal, and personal problems. It is important to understand the
risks associated with drinking.
To help start the conversation, Alcohol and Drug Education Programs has
provided you with a list of eight discussion topics compiled by College
Parents of America
(i) (CPA). By having this conversation before
your student arrives on campus, you help educate them so they can make
responsible decisions. While parents may not be able to actively monitor
students away from home, they can be available to talk and listen, and that
is just as important. It can do more than help shape lives; it can save
lives.
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Set clear and realistic expectations regarding
academic performance.
Studies conducted nationally have demonstrated that partying may
contribute as much to a student’s decline in grades as the difficulty of
his or her academic work. If students know their parents expect sound
academic work, they are more likely to be devoted to their studies and
have less time to get in trouble with alcohol.
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Stress to students that alcohol is toxic and
excessive consumption can fatally poison.
This is not a scare tactic. Students die every year from alcohol
poisoning. Discourage dangerous drinking such as drinking games. Parents
should ask their students to also have the courage to intervene when
they see someone putting their life at risk through participation in
dangerous drinking.
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Tell students to intervene when classmates are in
trouble with alcohol.
Nothing is more tragic than an unconscious student being left to die
while others either fail to recognize that the student is in jeopardy or
fail to call for help due to fear of getting the student in trouble.
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Tell students to stand up for their right to a safe
academic environment.
Students who do not drink can be affected by the behavior of those who
do, ranging from interrupted study time to assault or unwanted sexual
advances. Students can confront these problems directly by discussing
them with the offender. If that fails, they should notify the Residence
Hall Director, Resident Advisor or Director of Student Life.
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Know the alcohol scene on campus and talk to students
about it.
Students grossly exaggerate the use of alcohol and other drugs by their
peers. A recent survey found that Texas A&M students believed 92 percent
of their peers drink alcohol at least once a week, when the actual rate
was 56 percent.
(ii) Students are highly influenced by peers and tend to
drink up to what they perceive as the norm. Confronting misperceptions
about alcohol use is vital.
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Avoid tales of drinking exploits from your own
college years.
Entertaining students with stories of drinking back in “the good old
days” normalizes what, even then, was abnormal behavior. It also appears
to give parental approval to dangerous alcohol consumption.
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Encourage your student to become involved in student
organizations and to do volunteer in community work.
In addition to structuring free time, involvement provides students with
opportunities to develop leadership and job-related skills and to gain
valuable experience. Helping others also gives students a broader
outlook and healthier perspective on the opportunities they enjoy.
Involvement on campus helps students further connect to their school,
increasing the likelihood of staying in college. The Department of
Student Activities, located in Koldus 125, can help students become
involved.
- Make it clear - Underage alcohol consumption and driving after
drinking are against the law.
Parents should make it clear that they do not condone breaking the law.
Parents of college students should openly and clearly express
disapproval of underage drinking and dangerous alcohol consumption. And,
if parents themselves drink, they should present a positive role model
in the responsible use of alcohol.
Helpful Resources and Information
Texas A&M Student Rules:
http://student-rules.tamu.edu/
Minor in Possession (MIP): Consuming or possessing an alcoholic
beverage by a minor except in the visible presence of the minor's adult
parent, guardian or spouse. Class C Misdemeanor.
Public Intoxication (PI): Appearing in a public place while
intoxicated so much that the person may endanger him/herself or another
person. Class C Misdemeanor.
Open Container of Alcoholic Beverage in Motor Vehicle: Class C
Misdemeanor
Driving Under the Influence (DUI): A minor operating a motor vehicle
in a public place while having any detectable amount of alcohol in the
minor's system. Class C Misdemeanor.
Driving While Intoxicated (DWI): Operating a motor vehicle, aircraft,
or watercraft in a public place while intoxicated. Class B Misdemeanor.
Providing Alcohol to Minor or Purchasing Alcohol for a Minor: Class A
Misdemeanor
Penalties
Class C Misdemeanor: fine up to $500; additional penalties include:
community service and 30-day up to 180-day driver's license suspension
Class B Misdemeanor: fine up to $2000; additional penalties include:
community service and 72 hour minimum confinement
Class A Misdemeanor: fine up to $4000; additional penalties include:
up to 1 year in jail, 180-day driver’s license suspension
(i) College Parents of America is the only
national membership association dedicated to helping parents prepare and put
their children through college easily, economically and safely. For more on
CPA, call toll-free 1-888-256-4627 for automated information and an
application, locally at 202-661-2170, visit
www.collegeparents.org on the
Internet or write to College Parents of America, 700 Thirteenth Street,
N.W., Suite 950, Washington, D.C. 20005.
(ii) The information on Texas A&M University student alcohol
use is from the 2002 Core Survey. For more information on the Core Survey,
contact Student Life Alcohol and Drug Education Programs, Department of
Student Life, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1257,
(979) 845-0280,
http://studentlife.tamu.edu/adep.
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