On Aug. 28, 2001, Dean of Student Life Mona Olds and Residential Life Coordinator David Heggie accepted a grant of $8,000 on behalf of Guilford College. The grant, presented by North Carolina First Lady Mary Easley, will be used to develop an “environmental approach to working on substance abuse, [which will] deal with the social context and the economic context of substance abuse in a community,” Olds said.

The new program will focus on two strategies for reducing related issues on campus. Enforcement of alcohol policies will be increased, and attempts will be made to limit the availability of alcohol to underage students.

Last year, five incidents of alcohol poisoning occurred, and 60% of Judicial Board cases involved the excessive use of alcohol.

In the interest of preventing a repetition of these issues, a symposium on policy enforcement was held in August for staff members in relevant positions. The format of the alcohol policy, which can be found in the Student Handbook, has been revised to make it more understandable to students.

The Office of Student Life has also developed a marketing campaign based on the slogan “Take a Stand for Safety.” Promotional materials advertising this message will soon appear in various locations around campus. In addition, Olds hopes to display the posters, magnets, and shirts in local businesses such as Harris Teeter and the Spring Garden Brewery, where many Guilford students purchase alcohol.

The grant, funded by the Governor’s Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Inc., is part of the Collaborative Alcohol Management Project for University Success (CAMPUS). CAMPUS grants were awarded to 10 North Carolina schools this year.

Olds said that the decision to apply for the CAMPUS award was made in response to increases in student concerns regarding the quality of life on campus. These concerns were expressed mainly through senior exit interviews.