Preventing Alcohol Problems on College Campuses

Members of the Alcohol Advisory Council (AAC) at California’s Sonoma State University’s (SSU) faced a challenge early this year when a local restaurant, Mom’s Boarding House, applied for a license to serve alcohol. They had already succeeded in placing conditions on alcohol sales at a 7-Eleven store across from the university’s student housing. Knowing that binge drinking and other alcohol-related problems are persistent issues on the campus, the AAC asked the California State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to place conditions on the Mom’s license. The ABC issued a license with conditions reflecting the community’s desire for a full-service restaurant rather than a bar or nightclub. Mom’s license limits alcohol sales to the hours between 7 a.m. and 12 midnight, requires at least 50 percent gross food sales, and does not permit live entertainment.

Sonoma State activists want to do more, and asked the Sonoma County Health Department to help them. “We welcome the opportunity to work with SSU administrators, faculty, and students on preventive approaches to alcohol problems, both on and off campus,” said Barbara Graves, director of Prevention and Planning for the Sonoma Health Department. “The University’s active commitment to creating safe and healthy environments for students is critical to the success of our partnership.”

Looking for help to guide the community’s efforts, Sonoma County is working with the Marin Institute to enhance its proficiency in environmental prevention. As a first step, Sonoma State University is assessing the type and scope of alcohol problems in and around campus to plan the most effective activities. “They’ll want to start by looking at all the data they can get their hands on to identify hot spots and make strategic plans for action,” said Sharon O’Hara, a consultant to the Marin Institute. The Marin Institute is helping SSU create a campus community action plan that mobilizes the community and builds on the resources and relationships that are already in place.

Those involved hope the work at Sonoma State will ultimately benefit others working on similar projects at colleges and universities across the country. According to Shailushi Baxi, technical assistance manager for the Marin Institute, “Working with SSU is an opportunity to improve the tools and assistance we can offer to support campus community partnerships everywhere.”