Alcohol

Prepared by the Sub Committee on Alcohol of the Working Party on Health Promotion, Approved by the Board on 17th April 2002.

On this page:

1. Background and Rationale
2. Aims and Objectives of the College Alcohol Policy
3. College Alcohol Policy
4. Monitoring the College Alcohol Policy
5. Financial Support
6. Sub-Committee on Alcohol of the Working Party on Health Promotion

1. Background and Rationale

1.1: One of the actions recommended by the National Alcohol Policy (1996) was the development and implementation of campus alcohol policies for universities and other third-level educational institutions in Ireland. Disappointingly little progress had been made on this front until 2001, when Professor Roger Downer, President of the University of Limerick and Chairperson of the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities, convened a working group on campus alcohol policies. College was represented on the working group and following the launch of its report Framework for Developing a College Alcohol Policy by the Minister for Health and Children in October 2001, this report was used by the Health Promotion Committee as a basis for developing a College alcohol policy.

1.2: It is accepted that alcohol consumption in our society is legally and culturally normative and that there are many advantages associated with moderate consumption. Students who are over the age of eighteen – and the vast majority or College students are in this category – are legally entitled to purchase and consume alcohol. It is also clear, however, that alcohol consumption contributes to an array of personal and social difficulties, both of an acute and a long-term nature. While regular consumption of even moderate amounts of alcohol may create health risk, the research evidence suggests that patterns of consumption amongst younger drinkers may involve binge drinking – that is substantial intake during a single episode of drinking interspersed with periods of low or no intake – carrying with it a particularly high risk of behavioural and health difficulties. During the process of consultation leading to the drafting of this policy document, the Health Promotion Committee was made aware of the following alcohol-related problems which academic staff and others involved in student services identified as being sufficiently serious and sufficiently common as to warrant a policy response:

Alcohol-related deterioration in academic performance, leading on occasion to exam failure and drop-out from College.
Drunken behaviour - on campus, in halls of residence or in sporting facilities - which causes offence or creates risk for other members of the College community or of the wider community.
Unprotected sexual activity following excessive drinking, potentially leading to unplanned pregnancy and also carrying a risk of infection with sexually–transmitted diseases.
Physical health problems caused directly by alcohol consumption or indirectly as a result of alcohol-related accidents.
Serious mood disorders to which alcohol is a major contributory factor.

1.3: The theoretical rationale for the policy proposals being made here is that of health promotion, which emphasises the role played by environment in influencing and shaping individual lifestyle choices. While not discounting the role played by individual predisposition or vulnerability, the health promotion perspective suggests that environmental strategies have an important role to play in fostering moderate or low-risk drinking practices both in the general population and amongst specific sub-groups, such as third-level students. The drinks industry, for understandable commercial motives, advertises and otherwise promotes its product throughout society , but it would appear that the promotion of alcohol in third-level colleges has been particularly aggressive, leading at times to a normalisation of high-risk drinking. Campus alcohol policies based upon health promotional principles represent an explicit attempt by college authorities, in partnership with student unions and student societies, to counteract such aggressive alcohol promotion.

2. Aims and Objectives of the College Alcohol Policy

2.1: Within this health promotional framework, the broad aim of the policy is to create and maintain a College environment which is conducive to the health and well-being of students and staff. Specifically, the objectives are:

To provide an atmosphere free from pressure to drink for those who choose not to drink.
To promote low-risk drinking and discourage high-risk drinking amongst those who choose to drink.
To inform all members of the College community of the risks involved in alcohol consumption and of the nature of alcohol-related problems.
To reduce the incidence of alcohol-related problems amongst College staff and students.
To provide a caring environment and an effective response system for those who develop alcohol-related problems.

3. College Alcohol Policy

3.1: Controlling Marketing, Promotions and Sponsorship

College does not approve of the practice whereby drinks companies appoint a student representative to promote their products on campus.
Drink company sponsorship of student society events should primarily be in monetary rather than material form; but, where sponsorship is provided in the form of product, this arrangement must be made through a nominated member of the relevant capitated body and a monitoring system should be in place to ensure that no more than two free drinks are given to anyone attending the event.
Recruitment by student societies during Freshers’ Week should not identify access to free or cheap alcohol as a primary incentive to membership.
The advertisement of specific events by student societies should not identify access to free or cheap alcohol as a primary incentive to attendance.
Posters or other advertisements promoting alcohol consumption should only be displayed in the Buttery and the Pavilion bars.
No events should be organised which encourage the rapid consumption of alcohol, nor should alcohol be awarded as a prize or reward for competitive events.

3.2: Encouraging Alternatives and Choices.

In collaboration with the Students' Union and other capitated bodies, College will support the provision of attractive, alcohol-free environments for those who wish to spend an alcohol-free evening with friends, and will encourage the organisation of activities and events which are alcohol-free.

3.3: Responsible Serving of Alcohol on Campus

Staff serving alcohol in the Buttery and Pavilion bars should be provided with training in the Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA), and others who serve alcohol at College events should be regularly reminded of the risks involved in serving alcohol to people who are already intoxicated.
Non-alcoholic drinks and food should be served at events at which alcohol is provided.

3.4: Increasing Awareness of Alcohol and Associated Problems

The Students' Union should be encouraged and assisted to provide accurate and non-moralistic advice on alcohol-related problems in its handbook which is given to students at the beginning of the academic year.
Advice on alcohol should routinely be included in orientation talks to first-year students during Freshers' Week, and the Students' Union should be encouraged to repeat such advice as part of its welfare activities during the course of the year.
College Tutors should be encouraged to refer to alcohol problems during their initial meetings with first-year students.

3.5: Providing Support Services

The Student Health Service and the Student Counselling Service should continue to play a key role in intervening with identified problem drinkers and in supporting other members of the College community who are in a position to help in this area.
As part of the existing scheme of training and support for College Tutors, specific training modules on alcohol-related problems and on the value of brief interventions should be provided.
Training on alcohol-related problems and their management should also be provided for the Junior Dean, the Warden of Trinity Hall, the Facilities Officer, the Chief Steward and their assistants.
Although intoxication should not be regarded as exonerating those who misbehave on campus or in other premises under the control of College, the Junior Dean and other College officials who become aware of such alcohol-related misbehaviour should be encouraged to refer offenders for assessment and counselling.

4. Monitoring the College Alcohol Policy

4.1: Once it has been adopted, the Student Services Committee should set in place a system for monitoring the College Alcohol Policy at least every two years.

5. Financial Support

5.1: Successful implementation of this policy will be dependant on financial support from the Board and alternative sources for student societies and clubs in view of the predicted drop in sponsorship by the drinks industry.

Sub Committee on Alcohol of the Working Party on Health Promotion

Dr. Shane Butler (Chairman)
Dr. David Thomas (Convenor)
Ms. Carmel O’Sullivan
Mr. Brendan Tangney (Junior Dean)
Mr. Terence McAuley (Facilities Officer)
Ms. Elizabeth Drew (Graduate Students Union)
Ms. Eimear Nic An Bhaird (Welfare Officer, Students Union)
Ms. Tenia Kalliontzi (Student Counselling Service)
Mr. Joseph O’Gorman (Central Societies Committee)