A Prevention 101 Series Publication

The Higher Education Center for

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education

Building an Infrastructure 

For AODV Prevention

Coalitions and Statewide Initiatives
This publication was funded by the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools at the U.S. Department 

of Education under contract number ED-04-CO-0137 with Education Development Center, Inc. 

The contracting officer’s representatives were Tara Hill and Phyllis Scattergood. The content of this 

publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, 

nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by 

the U.S. government. This publication also contains hyperlinks and URLs for information created 

and maintained by private organizations. This information is provided for the reader’s convenience. 

The U.S. Department of Education is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy, 

relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of information or a hyperlink or URL does not reflect the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to 

endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.

U.S. Department of Education

Arne Duncan

Secretary

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

Kevin Jennings

Assistant Deputy Secretary

April 2010

This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. 

While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department 

of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other 

Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention, Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention: Coalitions 

and Statewide Initiatives, Washington, D.C., 2010. 

This publication and other resources are available on the Web site for the U.S. Department of 

Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention: 

http://www.higheredcenter.org.
Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention

1

The environmental management 

approach to alcohol and other drug 

abuse and violence (AODV) prevention is based on the principle that 

college students’ conduct can be 

shaped through concerted efforts to 

reengineer the environment that 

shapes their behavior.1

 Constructing a 

campus, community, and state-level 

environment that will protect students 

and help them make healthier and 

safer decisions is challenging work, 

which requires an organized and 

participatory process to develop, 

implement, and evaluate a sound 

strategic plan.2

This process includes three types of 

participatory efforts.3

 On campus, the 

college president or chancellor can 

begin by appointing a permanent 

task force that represents several 

important constituencies, including 

key administrative staff, faculty, and 

students, and possibly alumni and 

parents. To guide community-level

efforts, the task force can collaborate 

with, or evolve into, a full coalition 

that includes both campus and civic 

leaders. Finally, work at the state level

can be facilitated by a statewide 

association of academic, community, 

and state prevention leaders. 

This publication outlines how campus 

officials can organize and work 

collaboratively with campus and 

community coalitions and with 

statewide initiatives to accomplish 

their AODV prevention goals.

Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention

Coalitions and Statewide Initiatives

by William DeJong, Ph.D.

Community-level Coalitions

Prevention work in the community 

surrounding a campus is best facilitated 

by a campus and community coalition. 

The main purpose of a campus and 

community coalition is to direct and 

oversee the design and execution of a 

strategic plan. Some coalitions are 

directly involved in putting these 

programs and policies into operation, 

while others act as catalysts for identifying community needs, selecting or 

designing initiatives, and mobilizing 

campus and community support.4 

Both the National Institute on Alcohol 

Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Task 

Force on College Drinking5

 and the 

National Academies6

 have endorsed 

campus and community coalitions 

as the primary vehicle for pursuing 

community-level prevention work. In 

some locales, campus officials will be 

able to join an existing coalition, but 

where no such organization is in place, 

top academic administrators can take 

the lead in beginning one, perhaps 

building from a campus task force. 

Evaluations of Campus and 

Community Coalitions

Recent evaluations have shown that 

mobilizing a campus and community 

coalition can foster successful prevention efforts.

In 2005, the Bellingham–Western 

Washington University Campus 

Community Coalition launched its 

Neighborhoods Engaging with Students 

(NEST) project to decrease disruptive 

off-campus parties.7

 Enforcement 

interventions, all heavily publicized, 

included additional police patrols in 

targeted neighborhoods and increased 

compliance checks at both on- and 

off-premise alcohol retailers near 

campus. A Web site and a series of 

neighborhood forums educated students 

regarding their rights and responsibilities 

as community residents. NEST also 

featured a neighborhood mediation 

program to help settle disputes involving 

students. At the same time, Western 

Washington University boosted its 

late-night programming on campus, 

especially for underage, first-year 

students. A second public university in 

Washington created a similar program. 

Student surveys showed that the 

prevalence of heavy episodic drinking 

was lower at these two intervention 

schools than at a third comparison 

university.

The University of Rhode Island’s 

coalition experience was mixed.8

 In 

2000, university officials joined with 

town leaders to form the Narragansett–

URI Coalition, a monthly forum for 

addressing alcohol-impaired driving, 

student parties, and other off-campus 

problems. In short order, the coalition 

developed a model lease with explicit 

penalties for police incidents; set up a 

system to notify absentee landlords 
2

when police had responded to a disturbance; launched an annual neighborhood 

spring clean-up day; and supported a 

keg registration bill in the Rhode 

Island General Assembly.

By 2005, however, it was evident that 

the coalition was stalled. In response, 

the URI staff began to reach out to 

specific constituencies in Narragansett 

and South Kingstown, another nearby 

community, to implement environmental 

prevention strategies, including 

enhanced police enforcement and a 

cooperating tavern program, all of 

which were publicized in a media 

campaign. Surveys showed increases in 

student awareness of formal efforts to 

address student alcohol use, perceived 

likelihood of apprehension for underage 

drinking, and perceived consequences 

for alcohol-impaired driving, but no 

reductions in reported alcohol use. 

An evaluation of the A Matter of Degree 

(AMOD) initiative confirmed that 

campus and community coalitions can 

often be effective but that there are no 

guarantees. AMOD funded 10 campus 

and community coalitions over several 

years. Compared with 32 similar 

comparison sites, five of the participating universities saw small, but significant 

decreases in heavy drinking, driving 

after drinking, and other alcohol-related 

problems. All five were institutions 

whose coalition implemented several 

campus and community environmental 

change strategies, including efforts to 

provide substance-free alternatives, 

reduce alcohol availability, bolster law 

and policy enforcement, and restrict 

alcohol advertising. The other five 

campuses had less successful coalitions, 

implemented relatively few programs 

or policies, and showed no significant 

progress.9

 A retrospective analysis of the 

AMOD coalitions identified several key 

factors that contributed to success, which 

are reviewed in the sections below.10

Building a Successful 

Coalition

A study of five campus and community 

coalitions in Massachusetts pointed to 

the need for strong support from college 

presidents or chancellors, as evidenced 

by their public stances, the financial and 

staff resources they allocated to the 

problem, and their accessibility to the 

coalition.11 A summary report describing lessons learned from the AMOD 

initiative also cited the importance of 

support from both the chief executive 

on campus and community leaders.12

Another critical factor identified in the 

Massachusetts study was whether the 

coalition leadership had good community organizing skills.13 The AMOD 

summary report stated that the usually 

campus-based project director for a 

campus and community coalition 

should work full-time and have strong 

skills in political organizing, coalition 

management, and media advocacy.14

A coalition’s success also depends on 

having a broad range of campus and 

community representatives.15 Membership should include individuals from 

key departments, organizations, and 

associations, plus content experts and 

representatives of important constituencies. Important membership categories 

for a coalition include the following:

• Campus leaders:

senior administrators, faculty and staff, 

students, campus police chief

• Business representatives: 

liquor store owners, bar and restaurant 

owners, apartment owners

• Local government leaders:

elected officials, public health director, 

community development and zoning 

officials

• Local law enforcement officials: 

municipal police chief, alcohol 

beverage control (ABC) officials

• Prevention and treatment experts: 

AODV treatment directors, 

community-based prevention 

leaders (e.g., MADD representative), 

community-based traffic safety leaders

• Other community leaders: 

neighborhood coalition leaders, 

faith-based organization leaders, 

local news media representatives, 

and parents

Effective coalition members will be 

committed to the coalition’s mission, 

especially its focus on applying environmental management strategies, both on 

and off campus; action-oriented; willing 

to give the coalition control over some 

of their prevention efforts; capable of 

working effectively with people who 

have competing interests; and willing to 

Among others, the coalition leadership will want to include members 

whose agency, office, or department 

has staff resources or funds that can 

be channeled into prevention-related 

work while also serving to meet 

their own priorities.

Years of discord between a college 

and the surrounding community 

can make it difficult to find common ground. It is not ideal, but 

if necessary, campus administrators can work outside a coalition 

structure to form action-oriented 

partnerships with individual community agencies to implement new 

programs and policies to address 

students’ off-campus behavior. Any 

progress that is made might help 

pave the way for reconstituting an 

effective coalition at a later time.
Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention

3

members who can match the evolving 

needs of the coalition and bring new 

ideas and energy to the group. Staggering membership terms can help ensure 

that there is always a core group of 

experienced members.

Establishing a Successful 

Coalition

Developing a cohesive and functioning 

team can take time. It is not unusual 

for early meetings to be dominated by 

community members who want to vent 

their anger over long-standing problems.20 The challenge is to help coalition 

members move beyond their frustration 

to see that they share the same goals, 

are equally committed to the coalition 

process, and, together, can make things 

better. 

This point can be reached faster if 

academic officials focus on making 

improvements on campus prior to 

reaching out to the community.21 Fair 

or not, both civic leaders and residents 

are likely to blame the college for 

student misconduct. Trust often cannot 

be built until the college has provided 

make a long-term commitment to 

participating in and sustaining the 

coalition. 

Membership selection should also be 

guided by the perspective, work style, 

skill sets, political clout, networking 

contacts, public credibility, and other 

assets that individuals might bring to 

the group.16 The AMOD summary 

report emphasized the importance of 

having members who will speak out 

publicly and be advocates in the 

political process.17

Student members can add greatly to 

the coalition’s credibility, but they 

should be selected with the same 

criteria in mind so that they can 

contribute to the coalition’s work more 

fully. Some coalition leaders who have 

successfully included students cite the 

need to train students in prevention 

theory and the literature on evidencebased strategies so that their recommendations are grounded in the 

research about best practices.18

Recruiting and then nurturing a 

productive coalition calls for effective 

relationship building.19 When recruiting new members, the coalition 

leadership team can explain the 

purpose of the coalition, describe 

specifically what members could do 

to help, and outline how they would 

benefit from participating, all while 

conveying a sense of excitement about 

what the coalition can accomplish. 

Over time it is critical to recruit new 

effective education, toughened its 

policies, and extended jurisdiction to 

include off-campus behavior.

It is usually unrealistic to require 

coalition members to do a lot of work 

or to participate in every coalition 

activity. Coalitions usually form 

subcommittees to oversee activities 

that require focused time and specialization—for example, campus alcohol policies, substance-free events, alcohol 

access, neighborhood problems, law 

enforcement, fundraising, and media 

relations. A subcommittee structure 

gives coalition members an opportunity 

to provide input on the issues that 

interest or affect them most, while 

helping the coalition work more 

efficiently.22

To promote coalition unity, it is also 

useful to involve the members in a few 

early activities in which everyone can 

play at least some part—for example, 

contributing to an environmental scan 

and problem analysis; establishing 

strategic priorities; brainstorming 

program and policy ideas; talking to 

members of coalitions in other campus 

communities; and identifying local, 

state, or national contacts. 

Trying to recruit coalition members 

by telling them that being involved 

in AODV prevention is the “right” 

thing to do is usually ineffective. 

Instead, identify a specific way in 

which participating will address 

their concerns or interests. 

There are several steps that a coalition’s leadership team can take to develop a 

sense of group identity and unified purpose among coalition members: 

• Give the coalition a title that captures both the scope and importance of the 

coalition’s work.

• Establish ground rules that allow members to express their positions openly, 

but without rancor or finger pointing.

• Identify and address any preconceptions or assumptions that individual 

members might have about student AODV problems.

• Work with the group to develop a common understanding of the nature, 

scope, and consequences of the problem.

• Acknowledge that turf issues are an inherent aspect of collaborative work 

and can be resolved over time.

• Encourage members to seek common ground.

• Provide continuing opportunities for members to get to know each other.
4

Most critical, according to the AMOD 

summary report, is that the coalition 

members think long term. Demands for 

quick action are likely, especially if there 

has been an alcohol-related death or 

other serious incident. But changing the 

campus and community environment—

an inherently political process—requires 

time to get it right, and then still more 

time to see measurable decreases in 

students’ high-risk drinking.

Another important dimension is 

“readiness for focused action.” This 

means that the coalition has a specific 

set of goals and objectives and a 

feasible plan of action.25 Members are 

oriented toward helping the team 

function effectively and have the drive 

and resources to make things happen. 

A third dimension is whether the 

coalition has the capacity to mobilize.26

What is the quality of the coalition’s 

leadership? Do they have the skills 

and organizational know-how needed 

to run the coalition effectively? Do 

the members communicate well with 

one another? Do the members have 

sufficient incentives to participate? Do 

they have behind-the-scenes support? 

Can the coalition get its ideas heard in 

the media?

Statewide Initiatives

Joining a statewide initiative offers 

several advantages in the effort to deal 

with campus AODV-related problems.28

First, when several institutions step 

forward in unison, it is far less likely 

that any one campus will be singled out 

for special scrutiny or bad publicity. 

Banding together demonstrates that all 

institutions of higher education face 

these problems. 

Second, the launch of a statewide 

initiative will be covered extensively 

by the news media, which can bring 

greater attention to the problem and 

put prospective solutions in front of 

policymakers. The launch event itself 

will be newsworthy, but other statewide initiative activities can be organized to draw press attention. In Ohio, 

for example, the Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High-Risk Drinking 

invites news coverage of its annual 

lunch for the presidents of the 45 

participating colleges and universities. 

In 2009, President Roderick McDavis’s 

keynote address focused on the 

programs and policies that Ohio 

University administrators have implemented to reduce alcohol disciplinary 

cases. In 2007, Acting Surgeon General 

Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson was the 

featured speaker. 

Third, a statewide initiative can help 

attract additional funding, from various 

departments of state government, the 

state alcohol beverage control agency, or 

private foundations. 

Finally, a statewide initiative can 

eventually lead to the formation of an 

association of higher education officials 

who can present an academic viewpoint 

on various AODV policy proposals 

being considered at the local and state 

Focusing on early objectives that can be 

easy “wins” can promote unity among 

the coalition members, while also 

demonstrating that the coalition can 

work effectively to create real change. 

Celebrating each accomplishment, with 

recognition given to individual participants for their part in the coalition’s 

success, solidifies a coalition’s sense of 

partnership and accomplishment.

Sustaining a Successful 

Coalition

Nurturing and sustaining a smoothly 

running and productive coalition is an 

ongoing process. One of the keys is to 

maintain a task orientation. Essential 

capacities for the coalition’s leadership 

include knowing how to: (1) run 

efficient and productive meetings, 

guided by a preset agenda; (2) build 

positive internal and external relationships; (3) engage members in work 

tasks; and (4) select, develop, and 

implement effective programs and 

policies.23

Periodic member surveys can help 

assess the coalition’s vitality and 

identify areas for improvement.24 A key 

area is the “sense of community” that 

members experience. Do they share a 

sense of connectedness and mutual 

dependence? Do they profess common 

beliefs and shared values? Are they able 

to work well together? Do they accept 

mutual responsibility for sustaining or 

enhancing the quality of their interrelationships? An adept coalition leader 

can keep demands on the members 

simple and realistic while at the same 

time encouraging members to regard 

and use the coalition as a resource that 

can help them do their own jobs more 

effectively.

Coalitions will be more effective if 

they (1) enact formal governance 

procedures; (2) encourage strong 

leadership; (3) foster active participation of members; (4) cultivate 

diverse memberships; (5) promote 

collaboration among member 

agencies; and (6) facilitate group 

cohesion.27
Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention

5

level. For example, there are several 

policy proposals that could have a 

sizable effect in reducing AODV-related 

problems on campus by lowering 

underage students’ access to alcohol 

and decreasing its misuse.29

What factors contribute to a statewide 

initiative’s success? One critical factor is 

presidential leadership. An active college 

president or chancellor can help recruit 

his or her peers, while also serving in a 

public role, articulating the initiative’s 

goals and objectives, and attracting 

media attention.30

A second factor is the availability of 

statewide networks of communitybased prevention experts. For example, 

the Ohio College Initiative to Reduce 

High-Risk Drinking used both the 

Statewide Prevention Coalition and the 

Volunteers in Prevention Network to 

link individual colleges and universities 

with community-based prevention 

organizations and professionals in their 

area.31 Similar networks can be found in 

most states.

Another key factor is the availability of 

regional or state workshops to train 

members of the campus and community coalitions on prevention theory, 

best practices, and the strategic planning process. Some states organize their 

own training events. In addition, 

assistance is available through the 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol 

and Other Drug Abuse and Violence 

Prevention (http://www.higheredcenter.

org), and the Network Addressing 

Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug 

Issues (http://www.thenetwork.ws) 

hosts regional trainings, conferences, 

and meetings.

Evaluations of statewide initiatives in 

Illinois, Ohio, and Maine found that 

campuses engaged with a statewide 

initiative were more likely than other 

campuses to implement a campus task 

force, a campus and community 

coalition, and a strategic plan to address 

alcohol and other drug abuse prevention.32 In turn, such campuses were 

significantly more likely than campuses 

unaffiliated with a statewide initiative to 

implement new programs and policies. 

At the foundation of these achievements 

was a greater awareness among the 

coalition members of how the environment, both on campus and in the local 

community, affects high-risk alcohol 

consumption by college students. For 

most officials, the decision to focus 

prevention efforts on environmental 

management represented a significant 

paradigm shift.

Conclusion

The guidelines offered here will help 

campus officials organize and work 

more effectively with campus and 

community coalitions and statewide 

initiatives to accomplish their AODV 

prevention goals.

Moving forward, AODV prevention 

leaders need to manage a strategic 

planning process that entails: (1) 

conducting a thorough problem analysis 

and establishing a set of measurable 

goals and objectives; (2) identifying and 

selecting evidence-based AODV 

prevention strategies; and (3) using 

evaluation results to refine, improve, 

and strengthen both programs and 

policies.33 The resources section below 

lists several Higher Education Center 

publications that describe these steps.

William DeJong, Ph.D., is a professor 

of social and behavioral sciences at the 

Boston University School of Public 

Health and a senior adviser to the Higher 

Education Center for Alcohol and Other 

Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention.

References

1. DeJong, W., and Langford, L. M. “A Typology 

for Campus-Based Alcohol Prevention: 

Moving Toward Environmental Management 

Strategies.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol,

supplement no. 14: 140–147, 2002.

2. Langford, L., and DeJong, W. Strategic Planning 

for Prevention Professionals on Campus

(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of 

Education, Higher Education Center for 

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence 

Prevention, 2008). 

3. DeJong, W.; Vince-Whitman, C.; Colthurst, 

T.; Cretella, M.; Gilbreath, M.; Rosati, M.; 

and Zweig, K. Environmental Management: 

A Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Alcohol 

and Other Drug Use on College Campuses

(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of 

Education, Higher Education Center for 

Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, 1998).

4. Foster-Fishman, P. G.; Berkowitz, S. L.; 

Lounsbury, S. J.; and Allen, N. A. “Building 

Collaborative Capacity in Community 

Coalitions: A Review and Integrative Framework.” American Journal of Community 

Psychology 29: 241–261, 2001.

5. Task Force of the National Advisory Council 

on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National 

Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 

A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of 

Drinking at U.S. Colleges (Washington, D.C.: 

National Institutes of Health, 2002).

6. Bonnie, R. J., and O’Connell, M. E. (eds.). 

Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective 

Responsibility (Washington, D.C.: National 

Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, 

2003).

7. Saltz, R. F.; Welker, L. R.; Paschall, M. J.; 

Feeney, M.; and Fabiano, P. M. “Evaluating 

a Comprehensive Campus-Community 

Prevention Intervention to Reduce AlcoholRelated Problems in a College Population.” 

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 

supplement no. 16: 21–27, 2009.

8. Wood, M.; DeJong, W.; Fairlie, A. M.; 

Lawson, D.; Resendes, A.; and Cohen, F. 

“Common Ground: An Investigation of 

Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention Initiatives in a College Community.” 

Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs,

supplement no. 16: 96–105, 2009.
6

Resources

Organizations

Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools 

(OSDFS)

U.S. Department of Education

http://www.ed.gov/osdfs; 

202-245-7896

OSDFS supports efforts to create safe 

schools, respond to crises, prevent alcohol 

and other drug abuse, ensure the health 

and well-being of students, and teach 

students good character and citizenship. 

The agency provides financial assistance 

for drug abuse and violence prevention 

programs and activities that promote 

the health and well-being of students in 

elementary and secondary schools and 

institutions of higher education.

The U.S. Department of Education’s 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol 

and Other Drug Abuse and Violence 

Prevention

http://www.higheredcenter.org; 

1-800-676-1730; 

TDD Relay-friendly, Dial 711

The Higher Education Center considers strategic planning and evaluation to 

be an important component of a comprehensive prevention approach. It has 

several publications and other materials, 

including literature reviews, to help campus administrators develop and evaluate 

prevention programs. These materials can 

be accessed for free from its Web site.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of 

America

http://www.cadca.org; 

1-800-54-CADCA

CADCA works to strengthen the 

capacity of community coalitions in 

their effort to create and maintain safe, 

healthy, and drug-free communities by 

providing training and technical assistance, public policy advocacy, media 

strategies and marketing programs, 

conferences, and special events.

9. Weitzman, E. R.; Nelson, T. F.; Lee, H.; 

and Wechsler, H. “Reducing Drinking and 

Related Harms in College: Evaluation of the 

‘A Matter of Degree’ Program.” American 

Journal of Preventive Medicine 27: 187–196, 

2004.

10. American Medical Association. A Matter of 

Degree Initiative to Reduce Binge Drinking at 

Colleges and Universities: Lessons Learned

(Princeton, N.J.: Robert Wood Johnson 

Foundation, 2008). Available at http://www.

rwjf.org/files/research/051308matterofdegree.

pdf (Accessed on March 30, 2009); 

Newman, I. M.; Shell, D. F.; Major, L. J.; 

and Workman, T. A. “Use of Policy, Education, 

and Enforcement to Reduce Binge Drinking 

Among University Students: The NU 

Directions Project.” International Journal of 

Drug Policy 17: 339–349, 2006; Workman, 

T. A., and Major, L. “Organizing a CampusCommunity Coalition: Lessons from NU 

Directions.” In When They Drink: A 

Practitioner’s Guide to Preventing Substance 

Abuse Among College Students, Chapman, R. 

ed. (Glassboro, N.J.: Rowan University, 

Center for Addiction Studies, 2006).

11. Zakocs, R.; Tiwari, R.; Vehige, T.; and 

DeJong, W. “Roles of Organizers and 

Champions in Building Campus-Community 

Partnerships.” Journal of American College 

Health 57: 233–241, 2008.

12. American Medical Association, A Matter of 

Degree Initiative.

13. Zakocs et al., “Roles of Organizers and 

Champions.”

14. American Medical Association, A Matter of 

Degree Initiative.

15. DeJong, W. Experiences in Effective Prevention: 

The U.S. Department of Education’s Alcohol 

and Other Drug Prevention Models on College 

Campuses Grants (Washington, D.C.: U.S. 

Department of Education, Higher Education 

Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse 

and Violence Prevention, 2007).

16. Ibid.

17. American Medical Association, A Matter of 

Degree Initiative.

18. DeJong, W., and Langford, L. Student 

Leadership (Washington, D.C.: U.S. 

Department of Education, Higher Education 

Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse 

and Violence Prevention). In review.

19. DeJong, Experiences in Effective Prevention.

20. Smeaton, J. W.; Eadline, M. C.; Egolf, B.; 

and DeJong, W. “Lehigh University’s Project 

IMPACT: An Environmental Management 

Case Study.” Journal of Drug Education and 

Awareness 1: 59–75, 2003.

21. Ibid.

22. DeJong, Experiences in Effective Prevention.

23. Ibid.

24. Granner, M. L., and Sharpe, P. A. “Evaluating 

Community Coalition Characteristics and 

Functioning: A Summary of Measurement 

Tools.” Health Education Research 19: 

514–532, 2004.

25. DeJong, W. Setting Goals and Choosing 

Effective Strategies (Washington, D.C.: U.S. 

Department of Education, Higher Education 

Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse 

and Violence Prevention). In review.

26. Granner and Sharpe, “Evaluating Community 

Coalition Characteristics and Functioning.”

27. Zakocs, R. C., and Edwards, E. M. “What 

Explains Community Coalition Effectiveness? A Review of the Literature.” American 

Journal of Preventive Medicine 30: 251–361, 

2006.

28. Deucher, R. M.; Block, C.; Wilson, K.; 

Harmon, P. N.; Swisher, R.; Peters, C.; and 

DeJong, W. “A Statewide Initiative to Prevent 

High-Risk Drinking on Ohio Campuses: An 

Environmental Management Case Study.” 

Journal of Drug Education and Awareness

2: 163–175, 2003.

29. Zimmerman, R., and DeJong, W. Safe Lanes 

on Campus: A Guide for Preventing Impaired 

Driving and Underage Drinking (Washington, 

D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and 

Other Drug Prevention, 2003).

30. Presidents Leadership Group. Be Vocal, Be 

Visible, Be Visionary: Recommendations for 

College and University Presidents on Alcohol 

and Other Drug Prevention (Newton, Mass.: 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and 

Other Drug Prevention/EDC, 1997).

31. Donahue Institute. Case Study Analysis of 

Statewide College Alcohol Prevention Initiatives

(Amherst, Mass.: University of Massachusetts, 

Donahue Institute, 2004).

32. Ibid.

33. Langford and DeJong, Strategic Planning.
Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention

7

The Network Addressing Collegiate 

Alcohol and Other Drug Issues

http://www.thenetwork.ws; see Web site 

for e-mail and telephone contacts by 

states and multi-state regions

The Network Addressing Collegiate 

Alcohol and Other Drug Issues 

(Network) is a national consortium 

of colleges and universities formed to 

promote healthy campus environments 

by addressing issues related to alcohol 

and other drugs. Developed in 1987 

by the U.S. Department of Education, the Network comprises member 

institutions that voluntarily agree to 

work toward a set of standards aimed 

at reducing alcohol and other drug 

abuse problems at colleges and universities. It has more than 1,600 members 

nationwide. 

NU Directions, University of Nebraska

http://www.nudirections.org

The NU Directions Coalition—part of 

the A Matter of Degree program funded 

by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation—was founded to “create a community/campus culture that supports 

responsible low-risk drinking, including 

abstinence.”

Publications

Experiences in Effective Prevention: 

The U.S. Department of Education’s 

Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention 

Models on College Campuses Grants 

by W. DeJong 

This publication summarizes elements 

of effective campus-based alcohol and 

other drug abuse prevention, based on 

the experiences of 22 grantee institutions funded from 1999 to 2004 by 

the U.S. Department of Education’s 

Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention 

Models on College Campuses grant 

program (86 pp., 2007).

Preventing Violence and Promoting 

Safety in Higher Education Settings: 

Overview of a Comprehensive 

Approach 

by L. Langford

This publication reviews the scope of 

campus violence problems, describes 

the wide array of factors that cause 

and contribute to violence, outlines 

a comprehensive approach to reducing violence and promoting safety on 

campus, and lists specific recommendations that administrators, students, 

faculty, staff, and community members 

can follow to review and improve their 

policies and strengthen their programs 

and services (11 pp., 2004).

Strategic Planning for Prevention 

Professionals on Campus

by L. Langford and W. DeJong

This publication in the Higher 

Education Center’s Prevention 101 

Series introduces a strategic planning 

process for designing, implementing, 

and refining programs and policies to 

reduce alcohol and other drug abuse 

and violence problems on campus. 

Other publications in the series 

describe each planning step in more 

detail (12 pp., 2008).

Problem Analysis: The First Step 

Prevention Planning 

by W. DeJong

This publication in the Higher 

Education Center’s Prevention 101 

Series outlines how to conduct a 

problem analysis by gathering objective 

data on the nature and scope of the 

problem, examining available resources 

and assets in the campus community, 

and analyzing and summarizing this 

information to clarify needs and 

opportunities (8 pp., 2009).

Setting Goals and Choosing Effective 

Strategies

by W. DeJong 

This publication in the Higher Education 

Center’s Prevention 101 Series explains 

the planning steps that follow the 

problem analysis: (1) establishing a set of 

measurable goals and objectives, and (2) 

implementing prevention activities that 

research or evaluation has shown to be 

effective in preventing high-risk drinking 

or violent behavior (in review).

Sustainability: Building Program and 

Coalition Support

by P. Glider

This publication in the Higher Education 

Center’s Prevention 101 Series looks at 

various aspects of strengthening and 

maintaining comprehensive prevention 

programs, such as how collaboration 

facilitates institutionalization, how 

favorable publicity builds support, and 

how developing additional resources as 

part of the long-range plan is critical to 

the program’s long-term continuation 

(8 pp., 2010).

Methods for Assessing College Student 

Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs 

by W. DeJong

This guide describes methods for gathering and interpreting student survey data 

on alcohol and other drug abuse-related 

problems. Methods for developing 

questions, drawing a random sample of 

students, and achieving high response 

rates are outlined (12 pp., 2008). 

Evaluating Environmental Management Approaches to Alcohol and Other 

Drug Abuse Prevention 

by W. DeJong and L. Langford

This document outlines the basic steps 

for evaluating a program for alcohol 

and other drug abuse prevention that 

features environmental change efforts, 

including describing the intervention, 

identifying process measures, identifying outcome measures, selecting a 

research design, and utilizing the results 

(6 pp., 2006).
8

Acknowledgments

We thank the individuals listed below for reviewing a draft of this publication. We appreciate the 

comments they provided, which helped ensure that this publication has a solid scientific foundation 

and contains clear messages. To the extent that we failed to achieve that goal, the fault is ours.

• Tom Gebhardt, University at Albany, State University of New York

• Becky Ireland, Maine Higher Education Alcohol Prevention Partnership 

• Tom Workman, University of Houston-Downtown

Titles in the Prevention 101 Series

The Approach and Framework

1.	 Environmental Management: A Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing

Alcohol and Other Drug Use on College Campuses

2.	 Environmental Management: An Approach to Alcohol and Other Drug

Prevention

3.	 Experiences in Effective Prevention: The U.S. Department of Education’s

Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Models on College Campuses Grants

4.	 Preventing Violence and Promoting Safety in Higher Education Settings:

Overview of a Comprehensive Approach

The Building Blocks

1.	 Getting Started on Campus: Tips for New Prevention Coordinators

2.	 Strategic Planning for Prevention Professionals on Campus

3.	 Problem Analysis: The First Step in Prevention Planning

4.	 Setting Goals and Choosing Evidence-based Strategies [In review]

5.	 Sustainability: Building Program and Coalition Support

6.	 Building an Infrastructure for AODV Prevention: Coalitions and

Statewide Initiatives

7.	 College Alcohol Risk Assessment Guide: Environmental Approaches

to Prevention (CARA)

8.	Methods for Assessing College Student Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs

9.	 Evaluating Environmental Management Approaches to Alcohol and Other

Drug Abuse Prevention

10.	Alcohol and Other Drug Policies for Colleges and Universities: A Guide

for Administrators [In review]

Our Mission

The mission of the U.S. Department of

Education’s Higher Education Center for 

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence 

Prevention is to assist institutions of higher 

education in developing, implementing, and 

evaluating alcohol, other drug, and violence 

prevention policies and programs that will foster 

students’ academic and social development and 

promote campus and community safety.

How We Can Help

The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center offers an integrated array of 

services to help people at colleges and universities adopt effective prevention strategies:

• Resources, referrals, and consultations

• Training and professional development activities

• Publication and dissemination of prevention materials

• Assessment, evaluation, and analysis activities

• Web site featuring online resources, news, and information

• Support for the Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Issues

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education

Get in Touch

Additional information can be obtained by contacting:

The Higher Education Center for 

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention

Education Development Center, Inc.

55 Chapel Street

Newton, MA 02458-1060

Phone: 1-800-676-1730; TDD Relay-friendly, Dial 711

E-mail: HigherEdCtr@edc.org

Higher

Education Center

for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse

and Violence Prevention

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s

Ofce of Safe and Drug-Free Schools