UHS Alcohol Visits Up From Last Year

The number of students treated for alcohol poisoning by University Health Services (UHS) in October and November nearly doubled from the same period last year, continuing a trend of a drastic increase in alcohol-related admissions this year.

UHS admitted 22 students for alcohol-related illnesses in October and 22 in November, up from 4 last October and 19 last November.

Soon after UHS released statistics detailing a 60 percent rise in students seeking treatment for alcohol poisoning this September, the College formed a committee to investigate campus alcohol abuse.

“I think that early on in the year there’s a lot of experimenting with alcohol,” Director of UHS David S. Rosenthal ’57 said. “Something needs to be done to prevent excessive social drinking among students. My goal here at UHS is to teach the importance of drinking responsibly.”

Although recent increases in UHS alcohol admissions have contributed to a sense of urgency about alcohol consumption on campus, Rosenthal said these statistics may also indicate that students are more willing to seek professional treatment for alcohol-related problems than they have been in the past.

“It’s good news that students are coming in for help, allowing us to follow up with them and ensure that they get the treatment that they need,” Rosenthal said. “It’s bad news, of course though that these numbers are so high.”

The jump in students seeking treatment for alcohol poisoning from last September to this September was in part due to a 62 percent increase in the number of first-years treated. Over half the admits this September were first-years.

Eleven out of the 22 undergraduates admitted for alcohol poisoning this November were first-years, as were 9 out of the 22 October admits.

Rosenthal said he thinks the College should focus more attention on educating first-years about alcohol consumption.

“We spend time teaching them about sexual assault and plagiarism and alcohol abuse is an issue that is just as pressing and important,” he said.

The new committee, chaired by Currier House Master Joseph L. Badaracco, will investigate the factors that contribute to binge drinking and produce a set of recommendations to improve alcohol education and treatment by this spring.

“The ways for College administrators to talk with students about drinking are limited, given current laws,” Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans wrote in an e-mail. “Professor Badaracco’s committee will be exploring a broad range of options since it is unlikely that any single approach will be ‘best’ for all audiences in all circumstances.”

In an e-mail to The Crimson on Oct. 7, Nathans said she was glad first-years were seeking medical help for alcohol-related health problems.

According to UHS policy, all care is anonymous and confidential, and students seeking treatment will not be subject to disciplinary action.

Rebecca A. Levine ’07, who said many of her classmates go to final club and upperclass parties where they consume alcohol, said most first-years are aware of the UHS policy.

“If my roommate needed help I would definitely take her to UHS,” Levine said. “Because we are told that our treatment is anonymous I think that a lot of students are willing to seek help.”

—Staff writer Kimberly A. Kicenuik can be reached at kicenuik@fas.harvard.edu.