Representatives from six establishments attend the various coalition events

On Wednesday, June 20, representatives from all three coalition schools and two local establishments attended the final coalition dinner for the current grant period. The dinner was held at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. During the meal, a robust discussion about coalition accomplishments and future plans was facilitated by Alan Swigonski, Director of the Waldron Campus Center at Gannon University.

The dinner was the final meal scheduled for the 2006-07 grant year and was proceeded by a luncheon hosted at Gannon University and a breakfast hosted by Mercyhurst College. The breakfast, entitled “Making the grade: Understanding the age compliance program” was presented by Seargeant Wolinsky and Officer Orzechowski from the Erie bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. The PA LCE began implementing compliance checks in the commonwealth in early 2005 as dictated under the authority of Act 141. Underage Buyers, interns from the various colleges/ universities throughout Pennsylvania, work in conjunction with Liquor Enforcement Officers to enter liquor-licensed establishments and attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages. If the establishment serves the Underage Buyer, a Liquor Enforcement Officer immediately notifies them about the Age Compliance Check and administrative action is taken.

Six local establishments were represented throughout the year at the various events, including representatives from the One Way Inn, the Shaggy Dog, the Gaslight, Sherlock’s, Cornerstone, and Papermoon. The meals provided a forum for owners and managers from local bars, taverns, and restaurants the opportunity to advise coalition members on strategies for engaging other establishments and curbing underage and high-risk drinking in our community.

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, announced today that it is the recipient of an $11,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to support the college’s mission of preventing underage and high-risk alcohol use. The PLCB has awarded more than $664,000 in grant funding to 62 organizations throughout the Commonwealth for 2006-07—a 34 percent increase versus last year.

“Penn State Behrend has established three primary goals for this grant,” said Amanda Knerr, associate director of student affairs. “We plan to increase the visibility and awareness about alcohol expectations and enforcement on-campus; use the social norms campaign model to educate students; and provide Penn State Behrend’s support services with the tools necessary to create a culture of discussion surrounding alcohol choices and behaviors, campus culture and student wellness.”

Penn State Behrend will use the grant to address four key projects.

• Students will complete the CORE Institute’s alcohol and drug survey to determine their perceptions about and behaviors related to alcohol use.
• Penn State Behrend will develop a new social norms campaign based on the CORE survey’s results, including marketing initiatives to target students’ feedback.
• An additional officer will be assigned to campus during the late evening/early morning hours on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year and on certain holidays, such as Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day.
• Penn State Behrend will purchase an Alco-sensor FST for its campus police to administer on-site blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) tests to students.

The grant is co-sponsored by Penn State Behrend’s Partnership for Prevention Task Force to reduce underage and high-risk alcohol consumption, as well as Police and Safety Services and Residence Life.

Knerr added that the C-Compass Coalition, which is comprised of representatives from Penn State Behrend, Gannon University and Mercyhurst College, received a PLCB grant to cover the costs of several new initiatives aimed at reducing underage and high-risk alcohol consumption by college students at local bars, taverns and beer distributors. The grant will allow the C-Coalition to collaborate with local establishments to address and combat this behavior.

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers 31 baccalaureate, five associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 21 minors to more than 3,700 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 90 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams, 19 intramural sports and modern facilities. For more information, visit www.pserie.psu.edu.