Nafziger Responds

"When we accurately report what the norms are, the prevalence is actually less than the perception of the problem," said Kenneth L. Nafziger, vice president for student life, while discussing the Weather Vane's October 13th article on student drinking.

"Students tend to think more students are drinking than they actually are. People tend to overestimate based on a few incidents they may have seen or heard about. When you inform them that is it lower, they reduce their usage as well."

Nafziger expressed concern that the way in which the results of the Weather Vane's survey were presented may have led students to believe that a majority of EMU students drink. "When students think about what to do on campus, if they perceive that the majority drink, there is an increase in peer pressure."

Nafziger went on to explain that a national survey called the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey surveyed 265 EMU students during the spring of 2006. The survey, conducted by the Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, compared the data they collected from EMU with 59,668 other students at 132 institutions across the country. Nafziger believes that the national survey provides students with the security they need to give honest answers, allowing for more valid results. EMU students participated in the survey in 1993, 2000 and 2006.

According to the results collected, 70.4% of the students surveyed under the age of 21 did not consume alcohol in the 30-day period prior to taking the survey. When including those students who can legally drink, 52% of the students surveyed had not consumed alcohol in the 30-day period prior to taking the survey. In the nationwide survey, 71% percent of those both legal and underage had consumed alcohol in the previous thirty days. In all of the areas surveyed, including those concerning drug and tobacco use, EMU was rated lower in comparison to the other schools surveyed.

Nonetheless, the increase of alcohol use at EMU from 1993 to 2006 showed the same amount of increase as other campuses across the country. In 1993, 78% of students under 21 had not consumed alcohol in the 30-day period – a difference of eight percent compared to the results from 2006. Nafziger attributes the increase largely to the increase in media's depiction of drinking as a part of college life.

One of Nafziger's main concerns about alcohol consumption among students is underage drinking. "Sometimes underage students think that just because the community lifestyle agreement only bans the misuse of alcohol on campus, they can still drink off campus, as long as they don't misuse it," he said. "But EMU has no authority to let underage students drink whatsoever...just as we have no authority to allow students to speed when they're driving." Underage students must obey the law, even if they choose not to adhere to the community lifestyle agreement.

"We also want to help students avoid developing a drinking problem," said Nafziger. "Problem" or "binge" drinking is defined as consuming five or more drinks in a two-hour period. "This kind of drinking can kill you," said Nafziger, "and potentially hurt others if you drink and drive." Student life offers counseling for students who feel they may have a problem. Said Nafziger, "we want students to find healthy alternatives for socializing that do not require the misuse of alcohol"