Editor’s note: This is the third in a three-part news series about alcohol on campus.

Related Sites:

www.csus.edu/alcohol

Sacramento State’s Alcohol Education Program was named among the best in the nation at a regional conference last month, said Katie Keithler, a senior government major who works as a special assistant to the Alcohol Education program.

The program’s presentation, “Straight Up or On the Rocks,” earned the Showcase Award at the National Orientation Director’s Association Regional Conference in San Francisco.

Keithler and Karlos Santos-Coy, program adviser for Student Activities, conducted the presentation.

The Power Point presentation incorporates the video from Simple Plan ?” a rock band ?” and is called “Untitled” because it is “educational, comedic, entertaining and serious at the same time,” Keitheler said.

“It was quite an honor,” Keithler said of winning the award.

As a result, the Sac State alcohol program was invited to attend the national conference in Salt Lake City in October.

“We were asked to develop a student-friendly alcohol presentation to give to all freshmen,” Keithler said. The tagline is, “We give them information straight up, so they don’t end up on the rocks.”

Keithler said the Simple Plan video has a powerful message against drunken driving.

Serious issues, such as lowered inhibitions and sexual assault related to alcohol, are covered in the program, along with less serious issues including drunken dialing, Keithler said.

The necessity of the freshman-focused program was emphasized after the alcohol overdose of a 17-year-old Chico State softball recruit on March 25.

“Chico is a campus that is battling a culture of alcohol abuse,” said Heather Dunn-Carlton, who heads the Sac State Alcohol Education Program as a special programs coordinator for the Office of Student Affairs.

The same culture does not exist at Sac State, Dunn-Carlton said.

“I can’t emphasize enough that most students are making responsible choices. We are significantly lower in the number of students who consume alcohol and binge drink than Chico.”

The award-winning freshmen presentation is one program in a constellation of efforts put forth by alcohol education on campus.

Another way the alcohol program attempts to curb drinking is the statistics of students’ alcohol consumption presented on small posters and coffee-cup sleeves.

“The point is to put the message all over the place,” Dunn-Carlton said. “We are trying to point out that our students are healthy. Most make good choices and we are trying to correct misperceptions.”

The statistics come from an extensive survey done by the Alcohol Education Program, Dunn-Carlton said.

The program targets high-risk students such as freshmen, athletes, Greeks, and students on their 21st birthdays, Dunn Carlton said.

The campaign’s message is, “Most Sac State students (77 percent) never drink and drive.”

While that number implies that nearly one in four still drink and drive, Dunn-Carlton said the figure refers to students who drive after any alcohol consumption, not just students who are drunk. She said it is important to tell students that they can be impaired even if they are under the legal limit.

“We did see a drop in the number of students who drink and drive,” Dunn-Carlton said.

She said she thinks students are making smart choices and using programs like Safe Rides and using designated drivers.

“Not all students party like a rock star,” Dunn-Carlton said.

The program is intended to let students know what actual college life is like, not just the image that is portrayed in numerous films such as “Animal House.”

But some students wonder how accurate the figures are.

“We feel very confident that we’re getting a good sample,” Dunn-Carlton said. About 2,100 students were surveyed, which is almost 10 percent of Sac State students.

Dunn-Carlton said Sac State students drink less and make better choices than students at other schools. She attributed this to the lifestyle of the typical Sac State student who tries to balance being a full-time student with a job.

“We’re not here to be the party poopers,” Dunn-Carlton said. She said it’s OK for people over 21 to enjoy alcohol, but not to the point where they wake up with a hangover.

The overarching goal for the Alcohol Education Program is not to stop drinking altogether, but to “reduce harm associated with high-risk drinking through education, collaboration, student leadership development and provision of resources to support and encourage healthy choices,” according to the program’s summary.

To achieve these ends, the Sac State alcohol program also works with local law enforcement on sting operations and helps promote educational programs such as “People Reaching Out” and “Friday Night Live.”

“Any education regarding alcohol problems is good,” said Sgt. Kelly Clark of the University Police Department. “We support that and try to mix our enforcement with education. One without the other generally doesn’t do any good.”

The Alcohol Education Program’s efforts extend to the community surrounding Sac State, Dunn-Carlton said.

On March 27, program workers attended a town hall meeting with parents of junior high and high school students. They did this in part because it is the community that Sac State draws many of its students from, and drinking problems often develop long before college.

Another way the program reaches students is through mail ?” the school sends 21st birthday cards to all newly legal-age drinkers.

The cards are hand-addressed and mailed to students to give them a personal feel, Dunn-Carlton said. She said senior nursing students conducted a study and found that the cards have an impact, so they will continue to be sent out.

The cards give facts such as the symptoms for alcohol poisoning, along with the story of Brad McCue, who died on his 21st birthday after taking 24 shots of liquor. There are also tips on how to party smart.

“It’s a milestone. We want to make sure you are around to celebrate other milestones,” Dunn-Carlton said.

The alcohol program also runs the Saturday education class that dorm residents are sent to if they violate the alcohol policy, Dunn-Carlton said.

Last academic year, there were 25 students who had to attend it for a second time, but this academic year, there have only been nine returning students. “And spring break is over,” Dunn-Carlton said with a sigh of relief.

The program also has a new Web site at www.csus.edu/alcohol that offers many services and is regularly updated.

“I’m thankful every day that we haven’t had the tragedies that occur on other campuses, but I’m afraid we’re just one step away sometimes,” Dunn-Carlton said.

“I have a sense of responsibility for every student, and if something happens, I haven’t done my job.”

Brandon Darnell can be reached at [email protected]