Faculty and Alcohol Use Communication

Most institutions of higher education have recognized the detrimental impact of high-risk alcohol use on college students? success and it has been strongly recommended that prevention practitioners incorporate faculty members in prevention efforts in order to reduce college student alcohol use. Despite the large body of literature that has established faculty members are influential in college student success, the impact and influence faculty members have on college student alcohol use has not been thoroughly researched. The purpose of this research was to begin to understand if faculty members impact college student alcohol use. Specifically, exploring what students recall about faculty communication related to alcohol use, and the value students place on faculty expectations and communication related to their alcohol use. The findings were generated through adding five additional questions to an already existing survey instrument that was utilized on a biennial basis to collect alcohol and other drug perception and use data from students at 11 different campuses in a statewide higher education system. Findings indicated that most students never or rarely recall faculty communicating about alcohol. Men at two-year institutions were more likely to report having heard faculty communicate about alcohol use and were also more likely to report instructors? expectations as an effective way to limit or control their alcohol use. The more drinks students report per week the less effective they report faculty expectations as a way to limit or control their alcohol use; also an increase in the number of drinks per week decreased the likelihood they would change their behavior based on instructors? expectations. This study provides evidence that engaging faculty members in prevention efforts by relying on them to communicate expectations and low-risk drinking messages to students may not be as effective as suggested. There is some promise with enlisting the help of faculty with prevention efforts at smaller institutions or within cohort-based academic programs, where the same students and faculty members interact frequently. Focused training with faculty members at these smaller institutions could possibly enhance the positive impact