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University of Wyoming

The A Team

If you have questions about the A-Team or would like to join, please contact the AWARE Program at aware@uwyo.edu or phone 766-2187.

Strategic Plan (.pdf)

Timeline of Significant Events (.doc)

Executive Charge

ALCOHOL POLICIES, PREVENTION, INTERVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT (APPIE)

Excessive drinking…constitutes, without question, at once the most important public health challenge in higher education and the greatest single, remediable threat to students’ academic achievement.
—Richard P. Keeling, NASPA, Outside The Classroom.

The A-Team is a cross functional team charged with the responsibility to address underage and binge drinking among the University of Wyoming community.  Team members include professional staff, faculty and community leaders with expertise and responsibility for addressing the issues of underage and binge drinking along with UW student leaders.  The Executive Sponsors of the team are the director of Residence Life and Dining Services and the director of the University Counseling Center.  The co-leaders of the team are the coordinator of AWARE and an area coordinator in Residence Life.

Objectives:  Problems related to alcohol consumption on campuses can generally be grouped into two distinct categories:  those related to underage drinking and those related to binge drinking.  For each category, the Team should identify and implement a set of strategies that addresses the five objectives listed below.

ASSESSMENT:  Review research and assessments at the national, state, and campus level to assist in developing appropriate strategies.   Develop a clear understanding of the current culture in Wyoming, in Wyoming high schools, and in UW’s freshmen class about alcohol use.  Determine the factors that influence these cultures.  Insist on careful evaluation, independently verifiable results and a consistent longitudinal track record for all prevention strategies.

POLICIES:  Revise and enhance the UW parental notification policy to reflect current needs and conditions and to reflect the latest scholarly research on wise use of this option.  Examine alcohol use and abuse policies to ensure that results-oriented education programs are provided to all UW students.  In addition, evaluate targeted education, intervention and outreach opportunities for students at higher risk.  Ensure that consistent and appropriate enforcement occurs, and the public is engaged with the issues of underage and binge drinking through campus-community partnerships and coalitions.  Evaluate and implement appropriate policies for the alcohol advertisement and serving of alcohol on the UW campus.

PREVENTION:  Review, revise, enhance, and/or bring to campus alcohol education programs for all students.  Seek to incorporate appropriate learning in the University Studies first-year program classes.  Develop or secure attention-getting materials that address the consequences of inappropriate use of alcohol and drugs.  Incorporate responsible-use of alcohol messages and activities in the Week of Welcome program and other student-oriented events.  Offer alcohol use-learning opportunities through the use of peer educators.  Create, modify, and/or enhance alternatives to alcohol use for students.  Provide and coordinate late-night programming in the Wyoming Union, the residence halls, Half Acre and at other appropriate venues.  Consider making the Washakie halls, where most underage and freshmen students reside, alcohol free.  Develop alternative activities for students under age 21.  Seek a means for students to demonstrate competency in basic alcohol education.

INTERVENTION:  Improve communications between the campus units involved in educational efforts and in enforcement.  Expand the means and frequency of communication between UW units and community entities such as the Laramie Police Department, and the city, county, and District courts.  Consider creation of shared databases.  Foster implementation of educational and prevention programs.  Work to assure consistent and effective enforcement of laws and appropriate policies.

ENFORCEMENT:  Create, revise, and/or enhance processes that make clear the consequences for infractions of alcohol laws, rules, and regulations and the expeditious implementation of sanctions at all levels of government and within the UW community.   Evaluate implementing monetary fees/fines for required alcohol education classes as a judicial sanction.  Review and revise, as necessary, the requirement for participation in educational experiences designed to improve offenders’ knowledge of the impacts of alcohol abuse on personal health, community safety, and future individual professional opportunities.