The University's chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity recently began participation in an online program to help its members avoid dangerous drinking habits.
Sigma Nu has decided to make AlcoholEdu for College available to its members. AlcoholEdu for College is an online alcohol misuse education program.
"It's the most effective program we've seen in terms of changing attitudes and behavior," Sigma Nu Executive Director Brad Beacham said in a press release.
In communities where students completed the program, the portion of students who drank more than 10 drinks in one sitting decreased by 11 percent, the portion of students who abstained from alcohol increased by 35 percent and the portion of heavy episodic drinkers decreased by 14 percent, the release said. Sigma Nu officials said they found these statistics vital in their decision to join the program and pay to provide the online course to members.
Sigma Nu's goal is for all of its student members to complete the course by March 31, 2005, according to the Sigma Nu national Web site. The international fraternity plans on providing incentives for each chapter to complete the course.
"All members are required to take the online program and score 70 percent or better," said Andrew Rosti, Lt. Commander of the University's Sigma Nu chapter.
Aaron Laushway, associate dean of students and director of fraternity and sorority life, said he believes the course, if completed by members of the University's Sigma Nu chapter, will have some impact on these students' actions.
Laushway said he is hesitant to believe that a program in one University fraternity could make a significant change in altering students' drinking decisions, but he acknowledged that all efforts are beneficial in some way.
"Any educational efforts that bring success and a change in attitude could clearly benefit the entire community," he said.
Rosti said although he found the course beneficial for himself, it will be difficult to change the University's drinking scene.
"The culture of drinking and alcohol runs deep at U.Va., and for just about anyone at U.Va. it is a personal choice whether to drink or not," Rosti said. "The program is beneficial in that it is pertinent because it allows you to take what you want out of it. Maybe in the long term it could do something beneficial" for the community.
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