Perceptions of campus-wide inconsistencies in university alcohol policy have prompted an administrative move to clarify the student code of conduct’s wording on punishments, a move some hope will cut down on drinking.

Discrepancies in how policies are enforced may lead to inequities in how punishments are handed out and the way educational programs aimed at curbing alcohol abuse are run, several officials said in interviews this week. As a result, a coalition of administrators, student leaders and researchers have moved toward finding new ways of raising awareness about alcohol abuse in the campus community.

The first likely change will be in the student code of conduct, assistant Vice President of Student affairs Warren Kelley said, because “the code is vague, and we want to make a simple change so more students understand the punishments.”

Kelley, who leads the coalition that met for the first time in June, estimates it could be about a year before the change takes effect.

The primary inconsistencies officials cite are in enforcement and punishments, especially between Resident Life and the Greek community, where alcohol use is more strictly monitored at social events.

“The coalition is reaching the conclusion that we are inconsistent in regards to alcohol policy, and what we do with that conclusion is a big question the coalition needs to address,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement. “The coalition is looking at residence halls, the large campus and the Greek community.”

Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Michael Hayes said while Greek punishments for alcohol violations are not unfairly given out, they may be perceived that way by some because expectations are set higher for Greek students.

“I don’t think [the policies] are any different from the rest of campus or the residence halls,” Hayes said. “People just think it is because the Greek community is a larger and more identifiable entity.”

Although most officials do not view alcohol abuse as a rising trend, many worry the problem has never been effectively dealt with. A two-year alcohol task force started by university administrators to pursue solutions to binge drinking and other destructive behavior ended in 2004 with the conclusion that a coalition of students and administrators should be formed.

“Our students put themselves at risk and other students are put at risk because of risky drinking,” Kelley said of the coalition’s goals. “What can we do to reduce this?”

The bulk of the work has been focused on the code of conduct, but coalition members acknowledged alcohol education may be unevenly distributed among student groups.

According to a 2004 report issued by the university’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, all Greek chapters must submit a curriculum that includes a workshop on alcohol and drug education. Dorms, however, are only required to provide residents with a copy of the university’s rights and responsibilities packet, which list punishments for alcohol use.

Officials said AlcoholEdu, an online interactive tutoring program that surveys students about their personal drug use and their knowledge of alcohol facts, has been effectively used in dorms, however, especially for incoming freshmen.

But experts involved in nationwide efforts aimed at curbing binge drinking question whether policy change and education alone will be completely effective. Richard A. Yoast, a professor with the American Medical Association, said a program he leads encourages universities to partner with cities in putting pressure on cutting down on outside influences such as predatory advertising and alcohol discounts.

Yoast praised the coalition’s effort to clarify code of conduct policies, however, but stressed that off-campus enforcement should be pursued at the same level taking place on-campus.

“It is important that the campus has clear expectations about behaviors and students understand what the punishments are,” Yoast said. “A lot of larger campuses have inconsistencies among the units on campus, and they need to make sure their expectations of behaviors apply off-campus, and in surrounding communities, as well.”

Although at least 10 state universities nationwide have adopted the “Alcohol: A Matter of Degree” program that Yoast helps lead – including such “party schools” as the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Vermont-Burlington – Kelley said coalition members had not yet considered joining such a program.

Contact reporter Kelly Whittaker at whittakerdbk@gmail.com.