Sept. 29, 2009

During the week of Oct. 11, students at California State University, Monterey Bay will join with their peers on more than 1,000 campuses across the country to promote National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW).

During the week, students will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of events, all designed to reinforce personal responsibility and respect for state laws and campus policies when it comes to the consumption of alcohol beverages. This year's activities include:

• Fireside chats with representatives of the CSUMB Personal Growth and Counseling Center, University Police Department, Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon

• The third annual Crash Festival, with a DUI-aftermath vehicle display

• "Olympics Under the Influence" (O.U.I.) where students will have the opportunity to navigate through a challenging obstacle course while wearing goggles that will allow them to safely feel the physical effects of alcohol by impairing their reactions and judgment

• Jell-O Wrestling: an alcohol-free event

NCAAW has grown to become the largest single event in all of academia, giving campuses the opportunity to showcase healthy lifestyles free from the abuse or illegal use of alcohol and to combat stereotypes associated with college drinking behavior.

"NCAAW remains a cornerstone in campus alcohol abuse prevention efforts," said Drew Hunter, president and CEO of The BACCHUS Network, a national nonprofit organization that supports student health and safety through peer education.

"Ultimately, campuses need to educate students about excessive drinking and consequences that can occur on both a personal and academic level," Hunter said. "Participation in NCAAW helps students and college administrators work together to increase awareness and strengthen year-round prevention efforts. We have to engage and empower students to take care of themselves and each other."

This year's theme is "iChoose," developed by The BACCHUS Network. It contains a message of student empowerment to make safe choices, to take care of friends, to keep safe by not drinking to excess, to secure a safe and sober ride home, to avoid driving after drinking, and never to ride with a driver who has been drinking. The iChoose campaign messages support personal responsibility and provide practical safety tips by reminding students that the decision to stay safe is ultimately up to them.

At CSUMB, NCAAW is a collaborative effort of the Personal Growth and Counseling Center, Student Housing and Residential Life, the Residential Housing Association, Student Activities, the Office of Judicial Affairs and Community Standards, University Police Department, athletics, Academic and Centralized Scheduling, Academic Affairs, dining services, Sigma Theta Psi sorority and the Monterey County chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon.

For more information, contact Gary Rodriguez, prevention specialist at CSUMB's Personal Growth and Counseling Center, by calling 582-4437 or e-mailing grodriguez@csumb.edu.