[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 192 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 192

    Expressing the sense of the Senate that institutions of higher 
education should carry out activities to change the culture of alcohol 
                    consumption on college campuses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 5, 1998

Mr. Biden submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                 Committee on Labor and Human Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing the sense of the Senate that institutions of higher 
education should carry out activities to change the culture of alcohol 
                    consumption on college campuses.

Whereas many college presidents rank alcohol abuse as the number one problem on 
        campus;
Whereas alcohol is a factor in the 3 leading causes of death for individuals 
        aged 15 through 24 (accidents, homicides, and suicides);
Whereas more than any other group, college students tend to consume large 
        numbers of drinks in rapid succession with the intention of becoming 
        drunk;
Whereas 84 percent of college students report drinking alcohol during the school 
        year, with 44 percent of all college students qualifying as binge 
        drinkers and 19 percent of all college students qualifying as frequent 
        binge drinkers;
Whereas alcohol is involved in a large percentage of all campus rapes, violent 
        crimes, student suicides, and fraternity hazing accidents;
Whereas heavy alcohol consumption on college campuses can result in drunk 
        driving crashes, hospitalization for alcohol overdoses, trouble with 
        police, injury, missed classes, and academic failure;
Whereas the second-hand effects of student alcohol consumption range from 
        assault, property damage, and unwanted sexual advances, to interruptions 
        in study or sleep, or having to ``babysit'' another student who drank 
        too much; and
Whereas campus binge drinking can also lead to the death of our Nation's young 
        and promising students: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This resolution may be cited as ``The Collegiate Initiative To 
Reduce Binge Drinking Resolution''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

    It is the sense of the Senate that, in an effort to change the 
culture of alcohol consumption on college campuses, all institutions of 
higher education should carry out the following:
            (1) The president of the institution should appoint a task 
        force consisting of school administrators, faculty, students, 
        Greek system representatives, and others to conduct a full 
        examination of student and academic life at the institution. 
        The task force should make recommendations for a broad range of 
        policy and program changes that would serve to reduce alcohol 
        and other drug-related problems. The institution should provide 
        resources to assist the task force in promoting the campus 
        policies and proposed environmental changes that have been 
        identified.
            (2) The institution should provide maximum opportunities 
        for students to live in an alcohol-free environment and to 
        engage in stimulating, alcohol-free recreational and leisure 
        activities.
            (3) The institution should enforce a ``zero tolerance'' 
        policy on the illegal consumption of alcohol by its students 
        and should take steps to reduce the opportunities for students, 
        faculty, staff, and alumni to legally consume alcohol on 
        campus.
            (4) The institution should vigorously enforce its code of 
        disciplinary sanctions for those who violate campus alcohol 
        policies. Students with alcohol or other drug-related problems 
        should be referred to an on-campus counseling program.
            (5) The institution should adopt a policy of eliminating 
        alcoholic beverage-related sponsorship of on-campus activities. 
        The institution should adopt policies limiting the 
        advertisement and promotion of alcoholic beverages on campus.
            (6) Recognizing that school-centered policies on alcohol 
        will be unsuccessful if local businesses sell alcohol to 
        underage or intoxicated students, the institution should form a 
        ``Town/Gown'' alliance with community leaders. That alliance 
        should encourage local commercial establishments that promote 
        or sell alcoholic beverages to curtail illegal student access 
        to alcohol and adopt responsible alcohol marketing and service 
        practices.
                                 <all>