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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A survey administered by the UW System's Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Committee produced statistics that show binge drinking among UW system schools, although down from previous years, is still above national averages. Sadly, the results emphasized that Wisconsin's college students are still heads above the rest of the country in alcohol consumption.
The survey, which was the first conducted by the committee since 2005, was sent to 35,996 UW System students, but only 15,077 replied. The 42 percent response rate was up from 24 percent response rate of the 2005 survey, and the margin of error was plus or minus 1 percent.
Fifty-four percent of the respondents said they had participated in binge drinking at least once in the two weeks prior to taking the survey. The figure is down 5 percent from 2005.
According to the report, however, 54 percent is still 10 points above the national average, and it seems the focus of the study is specifically on binge drinkers.
Yes, the topic is alarming, but binge drinking is not a problem specific to Wisconsin. Look at the 44 percent of students elsewhere in the country, and you'll see that it is not.
In a Dec. 3 story in the Badger Herald, UW System spokesperson David Giroux alluded to the overall decrease in binge drinking at UW universities as "a step in the right direction."
However, according to its own study, the UW system isn't the reason for the step toward reducing binge drinking.
According to results of the study, 59 percent of students said they were aware of policies and regulations concerning alcohol at their university. The percentage of students aware of school drinking policies fell 6 percent from 2005.
The results reflect that students are drinking less, but the UW System can't take credit for the improvement.
Students are drinking less but, by their own admission as reported by the study, not as a result of awareness by their individual university's alcohol awareness programs. Are students simply getting their fill of excessive drinking?
The survey, which was the first conducted by the committee since 2005, was sent to 35,996 UW System students, but only 15,077 replied. The 42 percent response rate was up from 24 percent response rate of the 2005 survey, and the margin of error was plus or minus 1 percent.
Fifty-four percent of the respondents said they had participated in binge drinking at least once in the two weeks prior to taking the survey. The figure is down 5 percent from 2005.
According to the report, however, 54 percent is still 10 points above the national average, and it seems the focus of the study is specifically on binge drinkers.
Yes, the topic is alarming, but binge drinking is not a problem specific to Wisconsin. Look at the 44 percent of students elsewhere in the country, and you'll see that it is not.
In a Dec. 3 story in the Badger Herald, UW System spokesperson David Giroux alluded to the overall decrease in binge drinking at UW universities as "a step in the right direction."
However, according to its own study, the UW system isn't the reason for the step toward reducing binge drinking.
According to results of the study, 59 percent of students said they were aware of policies and regulations concerning alcohol at their university. The percentage of students aware of school drinking policies fell 6 percent from 2005.
The results reflect that students are drinking less, but the UW System can't take credit for the improvement.
Students are drinking less but, by their own admission as reported by the study, not as a result of awareness by their individual university's alcohol awareness programs. Are students simply getting their fill of excessive drinking?
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