Student alcohol use up at PSU
College kids drink.
On Thursday, Penn State Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims told the university trustees’ committee on academic affairs and student life just how much Nittany Lions are drinking.
Sims said that the university, through a community partnership dedicated to the issue, has been gathering data on the topic since 1995.
The most recent self-reported statistics show more and more alcohol consumption. Sims said the number of non-drinking or light drinking students is down while moderate and heavy drinking has gone up.
The sum of that data is not good. No issue affecting student life is more vexing.
Penn State VP Damon Sims on drinking statistics
The most consumption happens on Friday and Saturday nights, with another group drinking Thursdays, too, and more on Wednesdays. All of those numbers rose.
It isn’t a guys-girls issue either.
“There used to be a gender imbalance,” said Sims. “Now this is an issue that sees gender equity.”
“Are there any of our peers that are having success in curbing this?” asked trustee Ali Goldstein.
Not really, according to Sims.
“If we weren’t doing all we’re trying to do do, it might be even more profound,” he said.
Reimbursing trustees
Alcohol and reimbursement for it came up at the governance and long-range planning meeting as trustees debated a proposed policy change on the issue of repaying the university’s decision-makers for meals during the multiday periods when they attend meetings at University Park or one of the Commonwealth Campuses.
The issue came up when a new policy was circulated, even though most trustees claim they do not submit receipts for meals outside of the planned dinners, lunches and receptions.
The new policy would restrict reimbursement, and makes an issue of alcohol, something trustee Anthony Lubrano questioned as alcohol is served at official events.
“I’m extremely comfortable with it,” said committee chairman Keith Eckel. “It’s incredibly important we send a positive signal.”
Outreach unnecessary?
“Are we meeting those objectives?” Lubrano asked his fellow committee members Thursday. “If we have an outreach committee, we should truly engage in outreach.”
Lubrano proposed reassessing the goals of the committee and deciding whether it served its purpose or whether its charter should be tweaked.
Our bylaws are not appropriate to what we do.
Outreach committee chair Ryan McCombie
Most members of the committee, both trustees and non-voting members, believed the group served a purpose.
“We are hearing a lot of great information, which is wonderful, but I’m not sure we as a committee are doing anything,” said trustee Rob Tribeck.
New trustee and former Penn State Alumni Association president Kay Salvino, whose organization is one of several named that might serve an outreach role, said she could see the committee serving a more educational role on behalf of the board and the university.
Luke Metaxas, the first student trustee under the university’s recent governance changes, said he sees a reason to move forward.
“Our reach is all over the strategic plan. I just think the priorities need to be redefined. I think taking in information is as important as sharing it,” he said.
Planning for the future
Penn State’s strategic plan is moving forward. A recent Web survey about the plans, which would take the university all the way to 2020, netted hundreds of responses from faculty, staff, students, alumni and others, according to provost Nick Jones.
“It was very helpful,” Jones said. “About half of it was constructive. Not all of it was in agreement. We are in the process of pulling it together and integrating it.”
Jones told both the academic affairs and student life committee and the governance committee that the process is proceeding and will go to the governance committee next year.
This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 10:39 PM with the headline "Student alcohol use up at PSU."