Focus on Efforts

  1. The importance of thinking long term when planning alcohol abuse prevention initiatives is to clearly define the issues associated with alcohol that are appropriate for being addressed on a campus, in their community setting and at a particular point in time. The long-term perspective provides a focus for the campus-based efforts as they are implemented. All too often, the focus is on short-term solutions. The overarching perspective should be that short- term solutions are not viable or appropriate for alcohol-related issue.
  2. The importance of having a student emphasis appears obvious; however, all too often efforts, while including students and directed at students, may not have the appropriate emphasis that achieves the desired outcomes. It is also a foundation of this document that students are not the sole focus of campus-based efforts; however, the over-riding concern is with student attitudes and behavior, as many of them are in a period of transition that involves intellectual, personal and social development. Thus, maintaining an emphasis upon students acknowledges a developmental perspective and reflects upon the primary focus of the academic institution.

For more information please refer to the Prevention Standards publication.