Alcohol on Campus

Some statistics on Alcohol and other drugs on college campuses

'HIGHER' EDUCATION?

The percentage of college students saying they took potentially dangerous drugs during the previous year is up:

Any illicit drug
• 1993: 30.6
• 2005: 36.6

Marijuana
• 1993: 27.9
• 2005: 33.3

Hallucinogens
• 1993: 6.0
• 2005: 5.0

Inhalants
• 1993: 3.8
• 2005: 1.8

Cocaine
• 1993: 2.7
• 2005: 5.7

Heroin
• 1993: 0.1
• 2005: 0.3

Source: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University

The University of Oklahoma, the University of Mississippi, James Madison University, Georgia Southern University, the University of Delaware, and many other colleges and many other colleges and university have taken action to combat the misuse of drugs and alcohol on college campuses.

There is skepticism on whether such policies truly do prevent the abuse and misuse of drugs and alcohol on university and college campuses.  The University of Mississippi pulled statistics showing that of the 1200 students who received one strike, 18 received a second strike resulting in the immediate suspension of the students from campus.  The university hoped that the policy would force students to be more responsible and be able to come back after their suspension to focus on their educational endeavors.  Three-fourths of the students who were suspended returned to continue their education.

Students however feel that the policies give the university administration too much control over their personal lives.  One student was quoted saying that "We’re paying to go to school here...if we decide to drink, that’s our decision” (http://thedmonline.com/article/university-reflects-4-years-2-strike-policy).  Where student receive such a mentality from could be from many different places: rebellion of family tendencies, continuum of family tendencies, peer pressure, or sheer experimentation.  It is difficult to tell of the policies are what have curbed the behaviors of students or the alcohol education that universities and colleges all over the nation are implementing.  However the statistics show that there are less students on these campuses being caught abusing and misusing drugs and alcohol. The following information shows that alcohol use and abuse is not only a college problem, but starts when students are in grade school. 

How prevalent is alcohol abuse?
Alcohol is the number one abused substance by teenagers in the United States. It's prevalence in this age group is quite staggering. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse - Columbia University, "underage drinkers account for 11.4% of all the alcohol consumed in the United States."
Some studies done by NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) have shown the following:

Prevalence in 8th graders:

• 51.7% have tried alcohol 
• 43.1% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 
• 25.1% have been drunk 
• 15.2% have had 1 or more binge drinking episodes

Prevalence in 10th graders:

• 70.6% have tried alcohol
• 63.7% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 
• 48.9% have been drunk 
• 25.6% have had 1 or more binge drinking episodes 
• 1.9% have been daily drinking for at least 1 month at some point in their lives

Prevalence in 12th graders:

• 80% have tried alcohol 
• 73.8% have had an alcoholic drink in the past year 
• 62.3% have been drunk 
• 30.8% binge drank in the past 2 weeks 
• 3.6% use alcohol daily

From these statistics, you can see how widely abused alcohol really is. Alcohol problems can start at such an early age. For this reason, it is so important to educate our teens early on. Alcohol abuse prevention needs to begin before it can become an issue in their lives. For more information see: (http://www.teenhelp.com/teen-alcohol-use/teen-alcohol-abuse-statistics.html)

Religion, Spiritual Growth, and Conflict in Higher Education

Growing up as a Southeastern Conference (SEC) sports fan, sports have been a big part of my life.  Religion is also a big part of my life, attending church typically every time our congregation met was a common event.  While I have been in college, religion has still been something of importance to me, but unfortunately taken a back row seat to academics, work, and a personal life on campus (which included SEC sports) after my undergraduate years.  While I have in the Higher Education program here at the University of Mississippi the term separation of church and state have become a more pronounced issue.  Personally, I have not seen many troubles conflicting the relationship between church and the public universities (in the state of Mississippi) I have attended. 
Religion and spiritual development can be viewed as being synonymous.  However, religion is a selection of foundational beliefs that someone applies to the centering of an object, figure, or godhead.  Spiritual development is more than focusing on a religion. Spiritual development is more than the focus on religion but the overall development of a student and the focuses the student wants to take in their life and aligning their actions, behaviors, and ideologies to fit the path in which they are focused.  In doing all of these, a student will have an internal peace that will allow them to focus on these goals, in which are primarily associated with religious focused paths.

The most controversial events are when evangelists come to campus and purposely rial the students.  I actually spoke to one of these campus speakers and asked him why he would be so controversial in his approach at sharing his religious beliefs with others.  His explanation was that if he could just get students to second guess their actions or even cause students to think about prior actions they have committed and cause the students to change their behavior, his mission would have been successful.  Some people are not as blatant about their attempt to be spiritual and share their religious affiliations, but are still questioned on their religious convictions.  An example of someone who was not purposely trying to confront or conform and student to a Christian based lifestyle, but in turn of being himself, caused much controversy without the intent of doing so, is Tim Tebow.
Tim Tebow, whose parents are missionaries and he himself plans to minister to people in his own way, was able to encourage many Christians to stand up for their beliefs and religious affiliations.  On the other hand, this display of religious affirmation was heavily criticized by many spectators.  According to wikipedia, Tebows' "unorthodox NFL quarterback skills, frequent demonstrations of his religious devotion, and his team's success, Tebow has attracted unprecedented praise, criticism, and attention from the sporting media and beyond." 




There are people who view religious groups as cults.  According to Webster's Dictionary, a cult is "a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange" or " system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object."  Many of the religious groups that are associated with the university are relatively small groups of people who have common religious beliefs and people outside of those beliefs do consider the beliefs or practices to be strange.  Even personally, ritualistic actions that are taken in services at many of the religious groups assemblies can be strange to outsiders. 

The part to focus on in one of the definitions above is the "system of religious veneration" or "fear: a feeling of profound respect for someone or something; 'the fear of God' ".  The system should be to fear God.  Some religious fraternities and sororities may lose focus of this goal and cause new members to have other fears in place of attempting to assimilate the group under the basis of "the fear of God" as the main purpose.  How do these forms of fear help the groups in the true focus the groups were formed.  These groups need to focus on their primary focus, a religious focus and the opportunity to promote a spiritual growth of student to guide students in the path of following God in the way they wish to follow.  Any other fears or focuses of the organizations detract from the purpose they were formed.