Spring Break
Study's claim to UW-System binge drinking problem has little merit
Royal Purple Staff
Issue date: 12/12/07 Section: Opinion
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There are great things happening at every UW school across the state, and they do it amidst negative releases like the binge drinking figures and, recently, drastic budget cuts.
Maybe, given recent ineffectiveness, unneeded alcohol prevention programs should take a cut. Results from the UW System's own surveys make the case.
So what good comes from studies and surveys like the this? None. The best answer is the study results give college students in Wisconsin bragging rights to their out-of-state friends: "we can out-drink you."
Outside of that, the survey does little to no good, because every two years it's the same story.
Headlines in the Badger Herald regarding the same survey in 2003 read "UW System students drink more than national average."
In 2005, a release by the UW system bore the headline "Wisconsin faces challenges in reducing student alcohol abuse, study finds."
The UW System considers binge drinking to be a looming problem, but they don't seem to be doing much about it. If the survey is meant to raise awareness about the dangers of binge drinking, it should be reevaluated.
The 35,996 students the UW System sent the survey to is a small number compared to the total number of students in the state, and the 15,077 who responded shows that few still don't take this situation seriously.
Surveys like the one recently released do nothing except unnecessarily explain that Wisconsin students drink a lot. The levels of binge drinking are not where the UW System would like, and the levels still won't be in 2009 unless the state decides to stop turning a blind eye to what they identify as a problem.
Maybe, given recent ineffectiveness, unneeded alcohol prevention programs should take a cut. Results from the UW System's own surveys make the case.
So what good comes from studies and surveys like the this? None. The best answer is the study results give college students in Wisconsin bragging rights to their out-of-state friends: "we can out-drink you."
Outside of that, the survey does little to no good, because every two years it's the same story.
Headlines in the Badger Herald regarding the same survey in 2003 read "UW System students drink more than national average."
In 2005, a release by the UW system bore the headline "Wisconsin faces challenges in reducing student alcohol abuse, study finds."
The UW System considers binge drinking to be a looming problem, but they don't seem to be doing much about it. If the survey is meant to raise awareness about the dangers of binge drinking, it should be reevaluated.
The 35,996 students the UW System sent the survey to is a small number compared to the total number of students in the state, and the 15,077 who responded shows that few still don't take this situation seriously.
Surveys like the one recently released do nothing except unnecessarily explain that Wisconsin students drink a lot. The levels of binge drinking are not where the UW System would like, and the levels still won't be in 2009 unless the state decides to stop turning a blind eye to what they identify as a problem.
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