U.Va. alcohol education course deemed a success
By Natasha Altamirano | September 16, 2003While the current trend of "social norms" anti-drinking campaigns is drawing criticism for its purported ineffectiveness, the University boasts high success rates for a more old-fashioned approach to alcohol prevention: Classroom-based education. "Choices," the class offered through the University's Center for Alcohol and Substance Education, showed positive results for the 2002-2003 academic year, Dean of Students Penny Rue said. "Choices" consists of two, 2 1/2-hour courses offered once a month during which participants are instructed through lectures, power point presentations and videos, CASE Director Susan Bruce said. All the information presented through "Choices" is based on current research. "We believe our instruction goes beyond the level of alcohol education most people have received by the time they graduate from high school," Bruce said. The program emphasizes lifelong alcohol issues and is not limited to alcohol in a college setting, she added. "We really focus on the negative consequences of drinking," Bruce said.
