Help, DeltAlum and other knowledgable peeps!

[Cloud9]

Hey Peoples!

I'm putting together a presentation for an introduction to risk management issues, especially in regards to alcohol. At some recent social functions, there have been some, ahem, instances of misconduct by sisters. We're a young growing organization, and I want to deal with this issue now before it really becomes a problem. There's a new administration at NYU now, and they've been looking very closely at Greek life lately. So far they haven't been that impressed with certain groups...a Sammy chapter was just closed about a week ago. So there you have it! I would like to be able to present sisters with the dos and don'ts of partying and behavior at mixers, and how to care for a sister that may have gone overboard. And for those few girls that will say, "but we don't want to be seen as the dorky non drinkers", I would like to have articles and statistics reporting on the legal issues and university sanctions stemming from alcohol and general risk management problems, so that they realize that the bottom line is keeping our chapter alive. Any help would be appreciated!

[DeltAlum]

Wow, I've been called a lot of things, but never a knowledgable peep. I'm honored.

As anyone who has read my posts know, I am not anti-alcohol. In fact, I believe that the drinking age for beer should be lowered to eighteen.

Having said that, the single most important factor, in my opinion, is moderation. That's true for everyone in nearly everything.

I am not big on quoting surveys and remembering numbers -- but too many of our brothers and sisters have either died or suffered other serious accidents due to the abuse of alcohol. The surveys, however, are there. If only one Greek dies or is injured, that's too many.

In our Fraternity, every member must attend a program called Delts Talk About Alcohol. Our program has been modified and used by several other fraternities and sororities (with our permission, of course). Specially trained "DTAA Interns," who are undergraduate members of the Fraternity travel to Delt chapters to present the program. It was the first program of it's kind to be partially funded by the Federal Government as I recall.

I've been through the class as an advisor, and it is excellent.

The program does NOT preach. In fact, it doesn't try to say you shouldn't drink. What is does is point out the physical effects of alcohol on the human body. For instance, how many drinks can a male or female of a certain body weight consume in a certain amount of time without becoming impaired or drunk. Or, what are the long term effects on your body. It tries to show reality, rather than urban legend.

In other words, if you're going to drink, how to do it responsibly.

Anyone from your university health service should be able to give you good advice -- and probably would be thrilled to be asked.

If you don't choose to imbibe in moderation, a quick surf through these forums will give you a quick, and often painful, lesson in the problems you can encounter. Everything from death, alcohol poisoning, traffic accidents, accidental drownings, fights, property destruction, injuries from falls -- the whole gamut.

Plus, some people just don't handle alcohol well, and come across as total asses and/or idiots -- whichever comes first.

In the final analysis, besides the threats above, the most serious effect of the alcohol and drug cultures in our chapters is the rapidly rising costs of insurance -- or the ability to be insured at all. Without insurance, no chapter can survive. No adivsor will help out.

I admire the fact that you are willing and ready to take this topic on, because it is not a popular one. Good luck.

For more information about DTAA, try this link:

http://www.delts.org/programs/dtaa/