“Sometimes in the smaller towns, the courts may not always follow through with prosecution,” she said. “Then the cops get discouraged. That’s why we try to work with the whole community.”

Effectiveness of the foundation’s approach appears to be backed up by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which reports more success with behavioral intervention. The Alcohol Skills Training Program gives students cognitive behavioral skills needed to monitor and moderate their own drinking. Heavy-drinking students who completed the course reported significantly less drinking one year later, compared with similar students who took an alcohol education course.

In an e-mail, Desirée Rieckenberg, director of Student Rights and Responsibilities at NSU, said the university offers programs to proactively educate students on the risks and dangers surrounding alcohol use and misuse.

“Additionally, our programs emphasis responsible decision making, the laws, and resources,” she said. “These programs are available throughout the year and by request to specific students/student organizations and can be tailored depending on the needs of the student or organization.”

Rieckenberg said the NSU Office of Student Affairs, BACCHUS, and the Greek community sponsored the Victims Impact Panel program this fall semester. The VIP program has been a reoccurring staple alcohol education program at NSU. Each report of alcohol abuse is handled based on the facts and circumstances.

“The university as a whole works collaboratively to address not only behavior, but also the underlying causes for the behavior,” she said. “NSU’s mission is educational in nature, as such it is our hope that each student or student organization learns something valuable from their life experiences, that includes their decisions around alcohol.”

Reach Keith Purtell at 684-2925. or kpurtell@muskogeephoenix.com.