**Secondary Effects of Binge Drinking on College Campuses**

by Henry Wechsler, Ph.D., Bryn Austin, and William DeJong, Ph.D.Harvard School of Public Health
Introduction
The College    Alcohol Study: Method

Secondary Effects of Binge Drinking

Implications for College Administrators

Other Publications
**Introduction**

Heavy episodic or binge drinking on college campuses has long been viewed as a"right of passage" for young adults. Those who share this fatalistic perspectivetend to believe that the behavior of drinking students is usually of little consequence toother students, especially to those who abstain or are light drinkers. Typically,according to this line of thinking, the antics of drinking students are a minor nuisance.Increasingly, however, college administrators and faculty are realizing that this sanguineview of student drinking is mistaken. In reality, the harm caused to non-binging studentsis both serious and widespread. 

This bulletin summarizes important findings from the College Alcohol Study, a survey ofcollege student drinking completed by the Harvard School of Public Health in 1993. Forpurposes of this study, "binge drinking" was defined for men as consuming fiveor more drinks in a row within the previous two weeks, and for women as consuming four ormore drinks in a row. The study found that students classified as non-bingers experiencewidespread harm as a result of others' misuse of alcohol, which can be referred to as"secondary binge effects." These effects can range from interrupted study andsleep to destruction of property, assault, and unwanted sexual advances. 

The College Alcohol Study is the first study of college drinking that is based on arepresentative national sample of both four-year colleges and individual students. Thefindings reported here may therefore be applied to all American four-year colleges, thusproviding a national portrait of secondary binge effects on campus. (See The HigherEducation Center bulletin, *Binge Drinking on Campus: Results of a National Study,*for an overview of the study's other major findings.) 

This bulletin is written primarily for administrators at institutions of highereducation, including college presidents, vice presidents, deans of students, and deans ofresidential life, who are responsible for developing and implementing alcohol and otherdrug policies on campus. 

Other members of the college community who have a special interest in the prevention ofalcohol and other drug problems-faculty, students, student affairs and residencedirectors, health services personnel, campus security, and other staff-will also find thebulletin to be a useful introduction to the problem of secondary binge effects. 
*"My friends and I decided to go to a frat party off campus. Everyone was    standing outside of a big white house. . . .A big guy walked up to us and said, 'The keg's    on the porch, help yourself.' He was so drunk he could barely stand up. The noise from    everyone yelling . . . was almost deafening. People were running in the streets in front    of cars. The thing that really sticks out about this is that there were police officers    standing on the next street corner and they didn't come over and say anything, even though    they were well aware of what was going on."*
-Anonymous Respondent, College Alcohol Study, Harvard School of Public Health, 1993 

Principal findings from the survey described in the bulletin include the following: - In the two weeks before filling out the survey, 44 percent of all college students    engaged in binge drinking. 
- At nearly one-third of the institutions surveyed, more than half the students were binge    drinkers during the two weeks prior to the survey. The highest percentage of binge    drinkers reported by any school was 70 percent. 
- On campuses where more than half the students were binge drinkers, 87 percent of    non-binge drinkers reported experiencing one or more secondhand effects of other students'    misuse of alcohol since the beginning of the academic year. 
- Among non-binge drinking women, 26 percent had experienced an unwanted sexual advance by    another student who had been drinking, and 2 percent said they had been victims of sexual    assault or date rape by a drinking student. 

These findings underscore the need for college administrators to give greater emphasisto actively addressing student alcohol consumption and providing a safe campusenvironment. 

What gave new momentum to the anti-tobacco movement was the realization that secondhandsmoke puts non-smokers at risk. Similarly, what may give momentum to the growing movementagainst student misuse of alcohol is an awareness that binge drinking also hurts non-bingedrinking students-not just occasionally, but with truly disturbing frequency. 

The bulletin concludes with ten recommendations that college administrators canconsider for expanding their ongoing educational efforts to prevent binge and underagedrinking. 
**Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act**
While college administrators have long been concerned about student alcohol and other    drug use, the driving force behind recent prevention activity has been the passage of the    Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act, codified as Part 86 of EDGAR (34 CFR Part 86). Failure    to meet the Part 86 of EDGAR requirements can put a school's federal funding in jeopardy. 

Part 86 of EDGAR requires that every institution of higher education enact policies to    prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs by    students and employees. Under the regulations, schools must distribute written information    every year that includes: 
- a description of the health risks associated with the use of alcohol and illicit drugs; 
- a description of any drug or alcohol counseling, treatment, or rehabilitation programs          available to students and employees; 
- standards of conduct that clearly prohibit the unlawful possession, use, or distribution          of alcohol and illicit drugs by students and employees on school property or as part of          any school activities; 
- a description of the applicable legal sanctions under local, state, or federal law for          the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol and illicit drugs; 
- a clear statement that the school will impose disciplinary sanctions on students and          employees who violate the standards of conduct; and 
- a description of the sanctions, up to and including expulsion, termination of          employment, and referral to local law enforcement. 

The regulations also require schools to prepare a written review of their programs    every two years to 1) determine their effectiveness and implement any needed changes, and    2) ensure that the schools' sanctions are being consistently enforced. The written    biennial review must be made available to anyone who asks for a copy. 

The findings from the Harvard survey of college student drinking underscore the    importance of school administrators adhering to the Part 86 of EDGAR requirements and    developing a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to this problem. 
**The College Alcohol Study:Method**

Researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health mailed a survey to a random sampleof students at 140 American colleges. Nearly 18,000 undergraduate students responded. Theparticipating colleges were situated throughout the country in 40 states and the Districtof Columbia. Two-thirds of the schools were public and one-third were private. Two-thirdswere located in suburban or urban areas, while one-third were in small town or ruralsettings. 

Students participating in the survey represented all four undergraduate years. Therewere slightly more juniors (25 percent) and seniors (26 percent) in the sample thanfreshmen (20 percent) and sophomores (19 percent), probably because 30 percent of thestudents were transfers from other institutions. A little more than half of theparticipating students were women. 

As part of a 20-page survey, students were asked if, since the beginning of the year,they had experienced problems due to drinking by other students. They were asked aboutsecondhand drinking effects such as being insulted or humiliated; getting in a seriousargument; being pushed, hit or assaulted; having property damaged; having to"babysit" another student who drank too much; having studying or sleepinterrupted; experiencing unwanted sexual advances; or being a victim of sexual assault ordate rape. 

Students were also asked about their own drinking habits. "Binge drinking"was defined for men as consuming five or more drinks in a row during the previous twoweeks, and for women as consuming four or more drinks in a row. The study found that 44percent of all the surveyed students were binge drinkers-50 percent of the men and 39percent of the women. Non-binge drinkers were students who either drank less than theseamounts or not at all. 

Colleges were also classified by drinking level (low, middle, or high), based on thepercentage of students who were binge drinkers. Across the 140 participating schools,binge drinkers ranged from 1 to 70 percent of students on campus. 
*"It seemed like everyone on our floor was drunk, except me and the R.A. They    were all crazy. It scared me. I'd never been in the midst of so many people with no    awareness of their actions. . . . The R.A. was laughing with them about their parties. I    felt that I was the only sane person in the world."*
-Anonymous Respondent, College Alcohol Study, Harvard School of Public Health, 1993 

Colleges classified as "high drinking-level schools" had over half of theirstudents reporting binge drinking in the past two weeks. Colleges classified as"lower drinking-level schools" had 35 percent or fewer reporting binge drinkingin the past two weeks. The rest of the colleges were classified as "middledrinking-level schools" (36 to 50 percent). Students responding to the survey wereabout equally distributed among the three school classifications.

**Secondary Effects of BingeDrinking**

The results of the study showed that on high drinking-level campuses, with more thanhalf the students classified as binge drinkers, fully 87 percent of the non-binge drinkerswho lived in dormitories, fraternities, or sororities experienced one or more negativeconsequences of excessive drinking by other students. On low drinking-level campuses, with35 percent or fewer students classified as binge drinkers, a still substantial majority,62 percent, reported experiencing such consequences. 

Table 1 shows the percentage of non-binge drinking students who reported each of eightproblems caused by other students' drinking. Compared to students at low drinking- levelschools, students at high drinking-level schools were more likely to report experiencingseven out of the eight problems. 

The problem of sexual assault/date rape was reported relatively infrequently, and therewas no significant difference in incidence between schools with high versus low drinkinglevels. It is important to note, however, that non-binge drinking women living on campuseswith high levels of binge drinking had almost twice the risk of experiencing unwantedsexual advances as their counterparts at lower drinking-level schools. 

Equally disturbing findings were reported in a June 1995 news release from the CoreInstitute on Alcohol and Other Drug Studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.According to their study, which compiled data from nearly 30,000 college students on 73campuses, fully 77 percent of students who experienced unwanted sexual intercourse saidthey had been drinking or using drugs just before the incident, as had 50 percent of thosewho received threats of violence.

**Table 1. Percentage of Non-Binge Drinking Students    Experiencing Secondary Effects     of Other Students' Binge Drinking, by College Drinking Rate**(Based on Students Living in Dormitories, Fraternities, or Sororities)
 
**School's Binge Drinking Rate a**        (Percent of Students) **Secondary Binge Effect****Low - >35%****Middle - 36-50%****High - >50%**Been insulted or humiliated c
21%

30%

34%
Had a serious argument or quarrel c
13

18

20
Been pushed, hit, or assaulted c
7

10

13
Had your property damaged c
6

13

15
Had to take care of drunken student c
31

47

54
Had your studying/sleep interrupted c
42

64

68
Experienced an unwanted sexual advance b,c
15

21

26
Been a victim of sexual assault or date rape b
2

1

2
Experienced at least one of the above problems c
62

82

87

Source: Wechsler, H., Moeykens, B., Davenport, A., Castillo, S., and    Hansen, J. The adverse impact of heavy episodic drinkers on other college students. *Journal    of Studies on Alcohol 56:* 628-634, 1995.

a Women binge drinkers report having four or more drinks in a    row at least once during the last two weeks. Men binge drinkers report having five or more    drinks in a row.b Asked of women respondents onlyc Significant by a chi-square test, **p** <    .01
**Implications for CollegeAdministrators**

The secondhand effects of binge drinking jeopardize the collegial and scholarlyenvironment that university administrators and faculty hope to create for their students.Some might argue that most heavy drinkers, if left alone, will eventually learn from theadverse consequences of their drinking and, as they mature, will approach alcoholconsumption with a greater sense of responsibility. This is not always true, and in themeantime, other students, both non-bingers and those who abstain, are left to fend forthemselves against the inconsiderate, insulting, intimidating, and sometimes criminalbehavior of their binge drinking classmates. 

The findings from the College Alcohol Study suggest that institutions of highereducation should consider expanding their efforts to prevent binge and underage drinking.Educational programs are most often used by college administrators; these programs areimportant, but insufficient for achieving behavior change. 

In fact, alcohol and other drug prevention experts have learned through research andfield experience that the most effective programs are broad based and seek to change thesocial, legal, and economic environment in which students make decisions about theiralcohol use. This perspective suggests several specific strategies for collegeadministrators to consider, including the following: - Use student media and other opportunities to highlight the fact that intolerance for    alcohol impairment and the harm it creates is normative. Use students' concern about    secondary binge effects to mobilize students to support change efforts on campus. 
- Build alliances with local community leaders, law enforcement personnel, and businesses    to curtail illegal student access to alcohol. School-centered policies on alcohol will be    unsuccessful if local businesses sell alcohol to underage or intoxicated students. To    develop an effective community-wide approach, local stakeholders need to be involved from    the very beginning in the planning of prevention programs. 
- Reassess campus judicial policies and enforce a "zero tolerance" policy for    alcohol-related misconduct. Violent and destructive behavior perpetrated by drunken    students should not be treated with leniency. Too often students are not held accountable    for their actions when they are intoxicated. Excusing them or issuing a "slap on the    wrist" encourages them to continue their irresponsible behavior. 
- Restrict the conditions under which alcohol is allowed on campus. The College Alcohol    Study found that students living on campus are most affected by the negative consequences    of other students' alcohol use. Institutions of higher education have a legal obligation    to take reasonable steps to provide a safe environment for all students. Restricting the    conditions under which students legally consume alcohol, and then consistently enforcing    these conditions, is an important part of exercising that obligation. 
- Strictly enforce the minimum drinking age law. On many campuses, underage students can    easily obtain alcohol. The fact that the number of binge drinkers remains relatively    constant from freshman to senior year is indicative of lax enforcement of the minimum    drinking age law. This sends the wrong message to students, namely, that the law can be    ignored. 
- Bar alcohol manufacturers and distributors from sponsoring student events and from    marketing their products on campus. The alcohol industry depends heavily on advertising    and special event promotions on campus to reach college students. Considering the multiple    and pervasive negative consequences of alcohol misuse, including the overall denigration    of the academic environment, many school administrators have already decided not to allow    alcohol promotion on campus. 
- Work with student groups to create recreational activities that do not include alcohol.    Colleges can sponsor regular social events where students can gather and enjoy themselves    without having to drink or be around alcohol-impaired classmates. The College Alcohol    Study found that more than 80 percent of students living in fraternity and sorority houses    were binge drinkers. This finding underscores the need both to offer students alternatives    to fraternity parties and to enlist student leaders of fraternities and sororities to be    part of the solution in creating a healthier campus environment. 
- Encourage athletic directors to help promote mature behavior and to intervene when they    observe excessive drinking and violations of alcohol policies on campus. The College    Alcohol Study found that students who said that athletics were important to them were    nearly one and a half times more likely to drink heavily. This puts athletic directors and    coaches in a strong position to influence behavior and norms on campus. 
- Use college recruiting and student orientation materials to make clear to prospective    students and parents that the university promotes a healthy social and academic    environment where learning and campus life are not denigrated by the misuse of alcohol.    Some schools may want to stress in these publications that they are not interested in    students who are looking for a four-year party. 

This step will become essential as public awareness and concern about the problem of  alcohol use on campus continues to grow. Parents, alumni, and local community leaders will  hold administrators increasingly accountable for the secondary effects of students' misuse  of alcohol. 
- Appoint students, faculty, and school administrators to a health and safety advocacy    committee, whose job is to ensure that the rights of responsible students are not    compromised by the alcohol or drug use of others on campus. Reporting directly to the dean    of students, the committee can respond to student complaints, while also working    proactively for changes on campus to reduce students' misuse of alcohol and other drugs. 

Each college will need to assess the level and extent of binge drinking and itssecondary effects on campus so that plans can be tailored to meet the institution'sparticular needs. Surveying students about their behavior and tracking the incidence ofviolence or property damage on campus are assessment methods already in place at manyinstitutions. Once administrators and program planners have a clear idea of the climate oncampus, they can take informed action to foster more responsible behavior. If collegesadopt the environmentally focused ideas suggested here, they will be well on their way toprotecting the rights of responsible students and preserving the academic integrity ofAmerica's campuses. 
**Other Publications

The following publications are recommended for additional information on student bingedrinking, assessing alcohol-related problems on campus, and developing new policies tochange the social, legal, and economic environment in which students make decisions abouttheir drinking behavior: 

Eigen, L.D. *Alcohol Practices, Policies, and Potentials of American Colleges andUniversities: An OSAP White Paper.* Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, Office for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1991. Available from the NationalClearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847. 

Presley, C.A., Meilman, P.W., and Lyerla, R. *Alcohol and Drugs on American CollegeCampuses: Use, Consequences, and Perceptions of the Campus Environment.* Carbondale,Illinois: Southern Illinois University, Core Institute, 1993. Available through the CoreInstitute, Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale,IL 62901. 

Other publications are available from the Center. Visit www.edc.org/hec/ to download copies of our publicationsor to place an order for print versions.

The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention is a nationalresource center established by the U.S. Department of Education. The Center's goal is toassist colleges and universities as they work to change campus cultures, fosterenvironments that promote healthy lifestyles, and prevent student alcohol and other drugabuse. 

The Center offers five types of services: 1) information services, 2) technicalassistance, 3) training, 4) national meetings, and 5) publications. 

These services are available to all institutions of higher education free of charge.For additional information, contact: 

The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention55 Chapel StreetNewton, MA 02458-1060Telephone: (800) 676-1730Fax: (617) 928-1537Email: [email protected]

A publication of The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention.Funded by the U.S. Department of Education. 

*This publication was produced with funding from the U.S. Department of Educationunder Contract No. SS9-30-25-001 with Abt Associates Inc. and contract number SS95013001with Education Development Center, Inc. Views expressed are those of the contractor. Noofficial support or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or shouldbe inferred. Published 1996. Reprinted 1997.*

*Last Update: November 01, 2000*

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