AlcoholEdu for Parents & Guardians

Dear Class of 2011 Parents & Guardians,

Sending your student off to college for the first time is never an easy thing to do. In the next four years, your student will grow and change in large part based on personal interactions and the environment in which he or she is living. We recognize that the culture at St. Edward's University will have a big impact on your student's growth.

We take every part of the St. Edward's University experience very seriously. We have implemented a new comprehensive prevention program to help our students – your children – make the safest, healthiest decisions possible regarding the use of alcohol.

AlcoholEdu® for College, a three-hour, Web-based alcohol prevention program is being used at more than 500 colleges and universities around the country. The program uses the latest prevention techniques and science-based research to educate students about the impact of alcohol on the mind and body. Whether or not your student drinks alcohol, AlcoholEdu for College will empower your student to make well-informed decisions about alcohol and better cope with the drinking behavior of peers.

Every incoming first-year student will be expected to take AlcoholEdu for College and pass the course exam. We will communicate directly with your student regarding the information and instructions she/he needs to complete this course. To help ensure that your student meets this requirement, please remind your son or daughter that all students must complete Part 1 of the course by Friday, July 20, 2007. If your student has not yet attended freshmen orientation, we encourage participation beforehand. There will be opportunities to discuss course content during the remaining orientation sessions.

It is important to know that AlcoholEdu is only one piece in a comprehensive and year-round effort to educate about alcohol use and abuse. We have other educational programs and support services available to students including individual assessment, community referral service, peer education, and additional online alcohol and marijuana education.

While we are committed to making a difference with our students, we also understand that parents are the first line of defense against alcohol misuse and abuse. That's why we have made AlcoholEdu® for Parents available to you.

AlcoholEdu for Parents is an online program designed to support your conversations about alcohol. The discussion will help shape the decisions your student must make in college surrounding alcohol use.

The program includes:

• Suggestions on the best way to begin conversations about alcohol (15 min).
• Overview of the AlcoholEdu for College course and key concepts (5 min).
• Direct access to AlcoholEdu for College, in an easy-to-use format that allows you to navigate freely from chapter to chapter (approx. 3 hours).
• Helpful resources, such as tips on talking to your college student about alcohol, fact sheets on alcohol's effect on the brain, how alcohol impairs learning and memory, and more.

Please note: While students are required to take the course, your participation is optional. If you choose to review the course, go to the following link to access AlcoholEdu for Parents.

We are confident that AlcoholEdu for College will help ensure your student's success at St. Edward's University and in the future. If you have any questions on the programming that we offer, please feel free to contact contact the Director of Alcohol & Other Drug Education or Dean of Students Office at St. Edward's University.

Sincerely,