Nearly 60 percent of students said in a survey recently released by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents that they had participated in binge drinking.

Over 12,000 UW students took the anonymous online survey, which was designed by the board’s Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Committee.

The survey results outline how many students use alcohol and other drugs and the effects they have on their lives.

Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of five or more drinks. Male students, upperclassmen and fraternity or sorority members reported higher consumption rates. Students who live in fraternity or sorority houses were also much more likely to binge drink than those who live in off-campus apartments, residence halls or with their parents.

Among all students polled, other drug use was not as common as alcohol, with only 6 percent reporting abuse of prescription pain medication, 4 percent saying they had used amphetamines, 3 percent indicating use of cocaine and hallucinogens and only 1 percent reporting use of narcotics and designer drugs.

Data was also collected on the sort of negative consequences that students had experienced due to drinking. While most of the students polled said they had experienced a hangover, nausea or vomiting, 48 percent said they had done something they later regretted.

For example, 39 percent said they had gotten into an argument or fight, 38 percent said they had missed a class, 23 percent reported being injured, 13 percent said they had been in trouble with authorities and 5 percent said they had seriously considered suicide.

One of the most dangerous negative consequences marked by the survey is that 21 percent reported having unprotected sex, a number that may be under-reported since 45 percent reported having memory loss or blackouts.

Other data reported indirect negative consequences such as drinking interfering with class attendance or activities, preventing them from enjoying events and resulting in riding with intoxicated drivers.

This data will be used by the AODA committee in order to plan initiatives to curb alcohol and substance abuse among students.

At UWM, there are several AODA prevention programs. For the 2005-2006 year, UWM will receive an $827,000 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism research grant to investigate the effectives of interventions for freshmen alcohol violators in residence halls.

There will also be a new alcohol diversion program sponsored by university police that will offer an alcohol education program instead of fines or tickets for first-time underage drinking offenders.

Other programs will focus on students helping students, such as the development of trained student mediators who will offer alcohol-related information to peers.

The Virtual House Party Program, a previously successful AODA program at UWM, will also be expanded to the entire UWM community. The program offers students a chance to see and discuss the risks associated with some house party drinking activities.

Assistant Director of University Housing Kelly Johnson said she felt the program was very effective, and that the only criticism she knew of from students was of nights when they ran out of root beer or T-shirts.

“Students consistently evaluate the program very positively, saying that it is an accurate portrayal of what occurs at many house parties, but that they learned … to avoid negative consequences,” Johnson said.

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