She died the next day from fatal head injuries. UVa may have won the football game, but it lost something much more precious that weekend. This tragedy reveals how alcohol abuse on our college and university campuses threatens the very foundation of higher education. Last year alone, five Virginia students died in alcohol-related incidents. We can no longer wink and nod about college drinking or view it as a rite of passage for students.
Alcohol abuse is an epidemic that is mercilessly claiming the lives and futures of our young people.
The time has come for Virginia to forcefully confront the reality of alcohol abuse at our schools and to commit ourselves to dismantling the prevailing campus culture which promotes excessive, irresponsible drinking. On July 1, our Task Force on Drinking by College Students concluded four months of meetings, research and public hearings by passing a sweeping package of recommendations for university officials, law enforcement, business and community leaders, parents and students. These recommendations call for an unwavering commitment to enforcing Virginia's alcohol laws and tougher penalties for establishments which sell alcohol to underage and intoxicated customers. The recommendations also hold students accountable for their actions, including mandatory penalties for those who violate campus alcohol policies. But we must also fundamentally change the way students view drinking.