4701 College Drive
Erie, PA 16563
(866) 374-3378
www.behrend.psu.edu

Coalition Representatives
Meeghan Hollis, Assistant Director of Residence Life
Kelly Wertz Shrout, Associate Director of Student Life
Jess Switzer, Assistant Director of Residence Life

Why We’re Involved…
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College has been actively involved in working with the Erie Community, other campuses, and with units within the campus for many years to address the issues of underage and high-risk alcohol use of college students. Penn State collaborates with key constituents to identify and address quality-of-life problems related to alcohol use, educate the Behrend and Erie community on Alcohol and Other Drug issues, and create opportunities for students to avoid high-risk situations by giving them healthy entertainment alternatives to high-risk drinking and other drug use. In 2005, Penn State Behrend joined with Mercyhurst College and Gannon University to partner proactively on the issues of underage and high-risk alcohol use of college students in our community.

What We’re Doing On Our Campus…
Penn State Behrend utilizes various strategies to address the issues of high-risk and underage alcohol use of college students. Individual student strategies include a tiered intervention system for alcohol policy violations that is educationally focused and based, assessment and counseling intervention programs, and referral to outside agencies for more intense treatment options. Group strategies include campus-wide speakers and events dealing with substance abuse issues, the use of social norms marketing campaigns and strategies, late-night alcohol-free events, and a consistent enforcement of policies on campus.

The Behrend community provides opportunities for students to choose to make healthy and responsible choices through our pledge program. Our pledge program runs during the National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week and in the Spring through all home men’s and women’s basketball games. Students are able to pledge to abstain or reduce the amount of alcohol they are consuming on a weekly basis. Student can also pledge to not drive under the influence of a substance or pledge that they will not let friends drive under the influence of alcohol. Behrend provides multiple late-night alcohol-free alternatives each weekend during the academic year including late-night bingo, dances, nationally renowned comedians, and musical acts. Peer Educators and Resident Assistants also provide programming and education related to substance use and the dangers of high-risk alcohol use.

Behrend strives to consistently enforce the alcohol policies. All first-year residence halls are “dry” buildings meaning that no alcohol is allowed inside any of these buildings, even if students are of legal age. A special alcohol enforcement detail works on major holidays and late-nights on the weekends. Their goal is to provide a visible police presence on campus, provide educational BAC readings to students, engage in conversations with students about illegal and high-risk use and the legal consequences for violating state laws. The disciplinary process provides multiple levels of educational intervention for alcohol violations that aim at helping students learn how to make healthier and more responsible decisions in the future.

Behrend does special events during orientation, National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, during men’s and women’s home basketball games, a Spring Awareness Week prior to Spring Break, and an end-of-year event just prior to finals to raise campus awareness of issues related to alcohol use. Behrend works closely with Penn State’s Commission for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to develop effective strategies for addressing alcohol issues on campus. Behrend receives funding from both CSAP and PLCB to support initiatives on campus.