Along with the other thousands of schools across the country, Penn State Behrend was one of the many active participants in National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week on campuses last week from October 16th through the 22nd. The week is designated for the purpose of educating students across the country of the dangers of drinking irresponsibly and ensuring that students and their peers are taking all steps possible to stay safe.

​

Gerald James, Assistant Director in the Student Affairs office on campus states, “According to information retrieved from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NAPSA) website, National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week has been occurring for more than twenty-nine years.” Of course, as also stated by James, “Every week of the year is important for students to understand the importance of responsible decision-making when it comes to alcohol. This third week of every October is a time to reinforce, through comprehensive prevention efforts, the importance of safety, responsible thinking, and moderation management.”

​

While this week seems to be crucial for college campuses, many faculty members and students at Behrend are not even aware that the week exists. Lieutenant Jim Amann from police services was not aware of the events at all, let alone the nationwide awareness week. However, in terms of police safety’s involvement in underage drinking, Lt. Amann explains that himself and other officers involved have jurisdiction not only directly on campus, but also on all Behrend-owned property such as Knowledge Park and Jordan Road. He also goes on to state that the average number of underage drinking incidents on Behrend’s campus per year is ten to fifteen.

​

Although this number may sound low, it is important to remember that because Behrend is a dry campus, no alcohol consumption is to take place whether a student is of age or not. This leads to looking at the numbers differently once those who are 21+ come into the picture of violations. But police and safety are not out to get students. Rather, their job is to make sure all students, faculty, and visitors can enjoy all the campus has to offer while doing so safely.

​

However, because many students don’t take this matter seriously, perhaps there needs to be more advertising and awareness brought to the table in order to ensure that students know the importance of what the week represents.

​

It is so easy for people to take part in the awareness without even thinking about it, like knowing your limits, or in other words knowing when you have had too much. Being aware of your surroundings in environments where alcohol is present and knowing what’s in your cup and not being afraid to speak up when confronted with a possible harmful situation are other important factors. Taking steps as small and thoughtless as these will make you an advocate of this past week’s National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week along with every other week throughout the year.