We all play a role in creating an inclusive, healthy, and supportive campus environment. This includes the ways in which our words and actions contribute to harmful norms around alcohol on campus.
Here are a few ways you can contribute to a safer, more inclusive environment on campus.
Disrupt the narrative that binge drinking is the norm at UW–Madison.
- Why this is important: Numbers of students who don’t drink are increasing with every incoming class—66% of incoming students reported being nondrinkers in our most recent data (AlcoholEdu 2024). Because drinking rates vary substantially by identity, beliefs and practices that normalize high-risk alcohol use can alienate students who most need to be included.
- What you can do:
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- Consider your language. Phrases like “Work hard, play hard” can unintentionally reinforce harmful narratives about alcohol and alcohol culture at UW–Madison.
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- Set positive norms. Treating alcohol use as a rite of passage for college students normalizes alcohol use that may be illegal, unsafe, and harmful to our community.
Center the experiences and wellbeing of nondrinkers and students in recovery.
- Why this is important: Sometimes, it might feel to students like everyone on campus drinks, but with increasing numbers of non-drinkers on our campus, high-risk drinking is not the norm. It’s important to ensure messaging is inclusive of these students and amplifies healthy behaviors instead of only focusing on those choosing to drink at high risk.
- What you can do:
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- Promote and plan alcohol-free spaces, events, programs, and activities, especially during high-risk times of year, so students know there are ways to find community on campus that do not involve alcohol.
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- Learn about resources that center nondrinkers and students in recovery, such as Badger Recovery. Consider signing up for the Badger Recovery listserv for updates, events, and strategies.
Rethink the campus events you host.
- Why this is important: From our data, we know that non-drinkers and students in recovery experience some of the lowest levels of belonging of campus (Color of Drinking 2023). At events with alcohol or during times of year when high-risk drinking is more visible and more prevalent, these students can feel further isolated and unsupported.
- What you can do:
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- Plan substance-free events. As you are planning for the end of the semester and the next academic year, consider sponsoring an on-campus event, or providing space for students who choose not to attend high-risk drinking events. Food, music, and recreation activities can build community among students who may feel less of a sense of belonging during these times.
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- Take inventory. Think about the events your class, department, or organization hosts. Do many of them involve alcohol or take place in settings where alcohol is present? Do they need to? Consider who is excluded when socializing with alcohol is the norm.
If you are looking for more ideas about how to apply these practices to your organization or department, UHS Prevention offers consultative support, including sharing data and best practices, connecting you to resources, and helping you think through actions you can take to support student wellbeing.
Campus Resources
- University Health Services provides medical and mental health support for substance misuse, group therapy for students looking to use substances more wisely.
- Badger Recovery is UW–Madison’s collegiate recovery program, which connects and supports students in or considering recovery from substance misuse, eating concerns, and other addictive behaviors to help them maintain their recovery, achieve their academic goals, and find belonging on campus.
- Office of Student Assistance and Support provides options for reporting personal, academic, and health concerns for students.
- Amnesty Through Responsible Action aims to reduce the reasons why a student wouldn’t seek help in a medical or mental health emergency by ensuring no University disciplinary action for students who do the right thing and call for help—even if alcohol and/or drugs are involved.