TO: The Gustavus Community
FROM: Henry P. Toutain, Dean of Students
By signing the Amethyst Initiative, presidents of 130 colleges and
universities across the country – including President Ohle – have called
for informed and dispassionate debate about a culture of dangerous,
clandestine, high-risk drinking on our campuses and roughly twenty-four
years of related public policy in addressing the problem.
Although about a quarter of Gustavus students don’t consume alcohol (ACHA Survey, 2006) and many others who do do so responsibly, an increasing number of students in recent years have engaged in alcohol use that is dangerous and is often accompanied with other negative consequences (sexual assault, physical injury, etc.)
In response to the national call for discussion and debate,
conversations will be initiated soon at Gustavus and within the St.
Peter community. These conversations will focus less on the ways and
degree to which high-risk drinking among some students gives rise to
negative results but rather focus more intently on realistically
assessing and enhancing strategies for reducing or eliminating the
high-risk consumption of alcohol in our community.
Beginning in November and extending through February, a core group of
Gustavus students, faculty and staff will host “listening sessions” on
campus and within St. Peter to discuss high-risk behaviors with alcohol
evident among a subset of our student population, to critically examine
and evaluate various strategies currently used in response to these
behaviors, and to consider whether and how strategic changes might
contribute to greater success in addressing the problem.
I encourage you to participate in these conversations according to your
interests and as your schedules permit.