Parent Info

While your student is attending Utah Valley University it is important for you to talk with him/her, and let them know you are available to answer questions. College Parents of America have developed eight points to help parents discuss alcohol issues with their son or daughter in college. The tips are listed below. More information can be found at www.collegeparents.org.

1. Set clear and realistic expectations regarding your student's academic performance. Research studies indicate that partying may contribute as much to a student's decline in grades as difficulty with academic work.
2. Stress to your student that alcohol is toxic, and excessive consumption can fatally poison them. Discourage dangerous drinking that can happen through participation in drinking games, fraternity hazing, or in other similar activities.
3. Tell your student to intervene when friends are in trouble with alcohol.
4. Tell your student to stand up for his or her right to a safe campus environment. Students who do not drink can be affected by the behavior of those who do. Students should discuss problems with the offender, or the residence hall monitor.
5. Understand the alcohol scene on campus and talk to your student about it. Students grossly exaggerate their peers' use of alcohol. They tend to drink up to what they perceive to be the norm.
6. Avoid telling tales of drinking exploits from your own college years. Entertaining students with stories of drinking back in "the good old days" normalizes what, even then, was abnormal behavior.
7. Encourage your student to volunteer in the community. Volunteerism not only structures free time but also provides students with ways to develop job-related skills and gain valuable experience.
8. Make it clear that underage alcohol consumption and alcohol-impaired driving are against the law. And, if you drink, you should be a positive role model in the responsible use of alcohol.

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