Student Affairs
Biennial Review
The College reviews its alcohol and drug policies and programs on a biennial basis to ensure they are effective and up-to-date.
DFSCA Biennial Review
Springfield College in Illinois
October 2004-2006
The Drug Free Schools and Campuses regulations require institutions of higher education (IHEs) to review their Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Programs and policies every two years. The required review has two objectives:
1) To determine the effectiveness of, and to implement any needed changes to, the AOD program; and
2) To ensure that the disciplinary sanctions for violating standards of conduct are enforced consistently.
The following information is presented to the students, faculty, and staff of Springfield College in order to inform all members of the College community of the polices and programs that exist for alcohol and other drug issues.
Program Description
The alcohol and drug prevention and education program at Springfield College in Illinois consists of informing students, both in the classroom and outside the classroom of potential health, safety and legal risks associated with the use and abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs. Drug and alcohol topics are covered in several classes on campus and student groups, as well as the Student Affairs Office, provide opportunities for students to learn about the physical and psychological affects of alcohol and drugs on the body and mind.
Alcohol and drug education and prevention topics are covered in classes including HLT101, BIO100, BIO102, PSY213 and PSY215. In addition, SSC100, a course designed for students entering the College with lower test scores, covered the affect of drugs and alcohol on the body; however this class was recently removed from regular offerings.
Outside the classroom, the College community is offered opportunities to learn more about the effects of alcohol and drugs with programs put on by student organizations, as well as the Student Affairs Office. These activities have included interactive and entertaining events such as a ‘Mocktail Luau’ with lists of non-alcoholic alternative drinks students could make, driving an obstacle course wearing ‘drunk goggles’ and ‘walking the line’, also wearing the goggles. ‘Drunken goggles’ are designed to simulate the vision of an intoxicated person.
All students, faculty and staff receive the College’s policy on alcohol and drugs, as well as legal sanctions and physical and psychological affects of alcohol and drug use and abuse at the beginning of the semester. Students who begin taking classes mid-semester (New Horizons) receive this information when they sign up for classes. All athletes at Springfield College are required to maintain a drug and alcohol free lifestyle to maintain eligibility in their sport.
During the spring, 2004 semester, the Dean of Student Affairs, through the assistance of the Illinois Higher Education Center, began implementation of the CORE survey, developed by the CORE Institute at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. This survey has allowed the College to measure current student trends of alcohol and drug use, and will allow the College an opportunity for comparison to determine the effectiveness of the alcohol and drug education and prevention program in the future.
Finally, the Dean of Student Affairs, the Resident Life Staff and other students, faculty and staff who are interested attend a number of conferences on a yearly basis designed to educate campus leaders on methods of preventing abuse and educating peers on the affects of alcohol and drugs with the ultimate goal of reducing alcohol and drug abuse as well as the tendency of students to drive impaired.
Goals for Programming
The purpose of the alcohol and drug prevention program is to educate students, faculty and staff about the physical and psychological effects these chemicals can have not only to them, but also those around them including friends, family, coworkers and fellow students. The program is also designed to educate the Springfield College community on the legal sanctions of alcohol and drug use, and implications on how breaking the law can further affect future plans. In the end, we hope to offer non-alcoholic alternatives to drinking, that our efforts assist the Springfield College community to make wise, informed decisions when confronted with the possibility of using illicit drugs, driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, or situations involving illicit drugs or alcohol.
Recommendations for Programming
For the purposes of continuing programming at the College on alcohol and drug education, it is recommended that events be scheduled annually to create a tradition in alcohol and drug prevention efforts. Additionally, due to limited personnel in the Student Affairs Office, it is recommended that more programs be outsourced, that is, to bring speakers and presenters on campus to allow the College community to hear an alternative, different voice, while at the same time, alleviating some of the planning and implementing responsibilities for the limited personnel in the Student Affairs Office. These programs could include speakers (such as the counseling staff of the Student Assistance Program), displays (such as the Drunk Driving Display from the Secretary of State’s Office), and a greater and more open invitation for the entire student body to participate in conferences organized by the Illinois Higher Education Center. Finally, it is recommended that the Student Affairs Office continue the collection of alcohol and drug use data via the CORE survey, allowing the College to measure successes and failures on an annual and consistent basis. All programming should be determined by data found in CORE surveys as well as the current needs of the student body. In addition to designing programming based on CORE results, it is also suggested that the data be used for a social norming program at the College, promoting the percentage of students who either do not drink or drink responsibly. It is further recommended that a work-study be hired to plan, implement and organize programming on a limited basis, under the supervision of the Dean of Student Affairs.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The strengths and weaknesses of the programming at Springfield College are diverse. Some of the weaknesses include limited personnel dedicated to implementing a formalized alcohol and drug prevention program. Also, at this time, there is not a master plan for organizing alcohol awareness events. This in turn leads to the potential for inconsistencies in programming and implementation. A system of measuring successes or failures has not yet been formalized. Finally, it is believed that an opportunity exists for further alcohol and drug prevent and education activities when a disciplinary incident has occurred. Disciplinary actions at this time are a deterrent to continue unhealthy practices primarily on the fear that further incidents could result in large fines or dismissal from the College. While these actions seem to be effective, it would also be beneficial to students to include a mandatory educational program discussing implications of alcohol and drug use in greater detail, thus potentially providing a deterrent based on knowledge rather than fear of monetary fines or greater disciplinary action.
The strengths of the current program are primarily that it is heavily reliant on student participation in the planning processes. Students tend to relate to programs that are planned and presented by their peers, rather than College administration. Students who plan and carry out these activities tend to take ownership in activities, which helps make them successful. Also, through the Student Assistance Program, we have an opportunity for intervention of potential addictive behaviors of students at the College, both underage and of age. The policy of parental notification offers the College an opportunity to call on parents to assist in potential alcohol and drug abuse intervention with the student, creating a team approach to helping a student focus on their educational goals. Finally, the small campus allows students to have easy access to faculty, staff and administration, and vice versa. This interaction permits faculty and staff to identify on a more informal basis, signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use and abuse, making intervention more accessible.
Sanction Enforcement Consistency
The disciplinary action schedule is outlined to make discipline of all students consistent. However, in one instance, a student not living in campus housing was arrested off campus for possession of marijuana. Sanctions included mandatory visits to the College’s Student Assistance Program. Since this incident, the student has eliminated the use of marijuana from his daily life and has also gained focus on his academic goals. This incident became the impetus for the recommendations for change in this biennial review for a greater educational component to disciplinary actions regarding alcohol and drug use and abuse at the College. In all other instances of alcohol and drug use at the College, the current disciplinary action schedule offers consistent actions against students who do not follow the alcohol and drug policy of the College.
Faculty and staff disciplinary sanctions are outlined in their respective handbooks.
Procedures for Distribution of the AOD Policy to Students and Employees
The alcohol and drug policy is outlined in the Student as well as the faculty and staff handbooks. Students receive a new student handbook at the beginning of each semester. Faculty and staff receive handbooks at the start of their employment. In addition, the College’s alcohol and drug policies are distributed in a mailing at the beginning of the fall semester to the entire College community, and at the spring semester, to all new students. Copies of both the biennial review and Drug-Free School and Campuses Regulations requirements are distributed to all members of the College community at this time. Students participating in the New Horizons program who begin at times other than the beginning of the regular semester receive this information when they register for classes.
Recommendations for Revising AOD programs in the Future Include the Implementation for the Following Changes:
As discussed in several instances earlier, it is recommended that Springfield College review the potential for educational opportunities after a student has broken the alcohol and drug policy at the College. This will not only further educate the student, but it will also help lead the student to a greater understanding of the health, safety and legal risks associated with alcohol and drug use. It is furthermore recommended that the College increase utilization of its Student Assistance Program in the form of formal presentations to the entire student body regarding alcohol and drug issues, and to research use for disciplinary referrals to help educate the student of the risks associated with using alcohol and drugs. In a similar effort, contact local non-profit agencies dealing with alcohol and drug prevention and education to provide greater educational resources for the College community.
The College should review its disciplinary action schedule to include actions that are more comprehensive regarding non-resident use of alcohol and drugs. Current student disciplinary actions are worded specifically for residential students. New wording should be inclusive of the entire student body.
The College should consider the possibility of hiring a student worker to lead alcohol and drug education and prevention efforts on the campus, under the supervision of the Dean of Student Affairs. This worker would be responsible for creating a master calendar of events for alcohol and drug education, however still be flexible in the schedule to accommodate unplanned educational and prevention opportunities.
Using research data (such as the CORE survey) and professional resources create a social norms campaign using data from Springfield College students or College related data. Continue participation in the CORE survey to understand drug and alcohol tendencies on campus, to measure successes of programming, as well as provide data for social norming program.
Finally, as the College President has mandated writing across the curriculum, it is suggested that topics on alcohol and drug prevention, education, effects on the body, legal issues or other information topics be entertained by the faculty for writing assignments in classes.
Quicklinks
Resource Center (Academic Help)
Dean of Students
Kevin Broeckling
Office of Student Affairs
(217) 525-1420 Ext. 239