Jairdin Engen | Assistant News Editor
Alcohol abuse is a growing problem on college campuses across the country. According to a study in The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 1,825 students between ages 18 and 24 were killed by alcohol related injuries in 2009, and 599,000 students receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol. Even without accidents and injuries the excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to an overdose of alcohol known as alcohol poisoning.
Buena Vista University (BVU) is not exempt. This fall semester has seen what seems to be an unusual amount of hospitalizations due to alcohol poisonings. According to Dale Scully, Associate Dean of Students at BVU, this is not necessarily an indication of a higher level of alcohol consumption, but a change in the way potentially dangerous situations are treated.
“We are being more intentional about our process and our protocol when we do come across students.” Director of Campus Security Mark Kirkhom said. “We’re probably more focused and more visible trying to identify those issues.”
“Statistically speaking there’s more [cases of alcohol poisoning] this year than last year; however we can’t go on record of saying that this is a huge uptick, only because of different reporting strategies and different ways that we’ve intervened.” Rather than attempt to assess whether a situation requires a different technique, Scully says that in any situation where a student’s safety is a concern seeking medical attention is the first reaction.
Kirkholm agrees. “Whenever we either come across or receive a report of what appears to be a student who is extremely intoxicated…our protocol is obviously to have them assessed at the hospital to ensure that they’re safe, and that’s the primary aspect of it, to ensure their safety.”
Safety is always first and foremost on the minds of BVU’s staff because the potential consequences are dire. “We read the articles of what has happened at other institutions, and when you read about alcohol poisoning deaths… you understand and you feel responsible to make sure that you’re taking every case seriously” Scully said.
Both also believe that the rise in reports of dangerous situations is largely associated with a rise of reports from other students. According to Kirkholm, Dr. Meg McKeon has recently spoken to Student Senate about the need for student awareness on the subject. The school’s many education methods have also made an impact, starting in University Seminar during freshman year and continuing throughout the rest of a student’s time at BVU. Scully also cites the many different communities on campus, from sports teams to classes to dorm floors, and says he hopes people are not afraid to talk to people in their communities and help them stay safe.
“While the number may seem a little bit higher right now, the reality is we just have more people reporting it.” Kirkholm said. “Alcohol use is a cultural thing, and everybody grows up with it and they know a lot already. It also comes down to some personal responsibility… we sure don’t want any bad things to happen to them.”
Photo by Tyson Domingo
