Views From the Field

College and university campuses are unique environments when it comes to drug use, addiction, and treatment. 

In my work as a prevention professional, I have begrudgingly come to accept this as a reality that has fostered innovation on our campus. 

As our college and universities continue to diversify, so too must our methods for helping address substance abuse on our campuses. 

As you may know, being this is an even-numbered year, there is an expectation by the U.S. Department of Education that institutions of higher education will engage in a biennial review process, as required by the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act Regulations.

Within the last five years, two-year and four-year colleges and universities have increased their focus on increasing persistence and completion rates for college students. 

Safety concerns in college football had risen to such a crisis level a century ago that then-President Theodore Roosevelt, a big fan, demanded rule changes be made to protect students playing the sport.

Sally Linowski, Ph.D., CHES; Associate Dean of Students at UMass Amherst

The negative impact of excessive drinking and substance use on one’s physical health is well documented. What is often overlooked is the ways in which substance use can interfere with academic engagement, which sometimes can be subtler, but also very serious.

Over the past seventeen years, I have had the honor of serving as the project director of Missouri Partners in Prevention, my state’s higher education prevention coalition. 

David S. Anderson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Education and Human Development, George Mason University