by Michael Mauldin
At the University of Vermont, five students were injured recently in a series of unrelated falls, most involving students at fraternity house parties falling out of windows.
An increasing number of student injuries has caused university administrators to initiate alcohol use and alcohol education programs.
In a survey conducted for The Chronicle of Higher Education by John Minter Associates, the dean of student affairs at 181 colleges and universities reported that 16.1% of their students drink excessively, that 52.1% drink socially, that 26.3% drink experimentally and that 24.7% don’t drink at all, according to USA Today.
35.9% of the campuses reported an increase in excessive drinking by faculty and staff.
Bill Hughes, dean of students at TCC, believes that TCC does not have a drinking problem.
Hughes said that drinking on campus or at any official school function, even off campus, was against board policy.
Joel Cash, director of theatre, has a theory as to why students don’t appear to have a drinking problem. Cash thinks many students may realize how much when they took the money to survive and had to come back to live with mom and pa.
Hughes said that next semester Ryne Duren, a major league pitcher whose career was cut short by alcoholism, will be visiting the campus as a guest speaker.
Hughes said that anyone that can admit he has a drinking problem is well on his way to recovery. Hughes suggested that anyone who has a problem should talk to a counselor, contact Alcoholics Anonymous, or local Mental Health Center.