About a dozen riots have erupted near college campuses in Boulder, Fort Collins and Greeley in the past several years, as they have in college towns across the nation. The recent Greeley incident has focused attention on UNC programs aimed at preventing underage drinking, alcohol abuse and rioting. UNC President Hank Brown said last week that he has asked administrators to consider what more the school might do to educate students. The university and local police already work jointly and separately to curtail underage drinking and to offer alternatives to boozy partying. Incoming freshmen and their parents get information about unlawful drinking and the consequences of getting caught.
Police distribute information to students living near campus.
And the cops crack down on rowdy parties at the beginning of each school year to set a tone. A new program aims to show that unhealthy drinking is the exception, not the rule. Such education can reinforce healthy behavior, Quinn-Zobeck said. About 44 percent of college students nationwide consumed five or more drinks on one occasion, according to Harvard University's 2000 College Alcohol Survey. The survey reported binge drinking in a two-week period.