The results of the OCU drug and alcohol survey are final.
The Alcohol and Other Drugs committee plans to release the statistics in a poster campaign leading up to Alcohol Awareness month, said Levi Harrel, director of student engagement. Lilly Bermudez, associate dean of students, said 575 students completed the survey.
Harrel said the results were on trend with the last few years. Though the survey results have not been publicly released yet, they are not being actively kept from the students, he said.
“The results are not private or secret by any stretch of the imagination,” Harrel said.
Natalie Gregg, English/education junior, was planning to use the survey statistics as part of an assignment and contacted Harrel for the information. Gregg did not follow up with Bermudez about the results, but she said she wished they were easier to access.
“Transparency has kind of been a buzz word at OCU this year. Levi did give me the information, so I could have gotten it if I wanted to, which I ended up not needing to,” Gregg said. “I understand, but also just personally, I’d like to see it be more readily available, because we’re students here. We want to understand what’s going on on campus.”
Harrel said the number of participants increased from last year’s drug and alcohol survey because more students recognize its anonymity.
“I believe that it’s students understanding that it truly is an anonymous survey. We truly do not know who completes it, and then trusting that it’s not an instance of Big Brother watching them. It’s just trying to gain information,” Harrel said.
The purpose of the survey is to help the AOD committee understand students’ usage habits so they can educate more effectively, Harrel said.
“The entire purpose of the committee is to educate the student population on not only the harms of alcohol and other drug abuse, but also responsible use, habits, etcetera,” Harrel said. “But in order to do that, we need to know what activities our students are engaging in so that we’re educating appropriately.”
In the past, the AOD committee hosted trivia events, “Coffee with the Cops” and a golf cart obstacle course where participants wore drunk goggles. For Alcohol Awareness month this coming April, the committee plans to bring a car that was involved in a drunk driving crash on campus to discourage unsafe drinking habits, Harrel said.
Gregg said she thinks the committee is doing the best they can, but she wishes more people knew about the Medical Amnesty Policy.
“My thing is also that I’m familiar with that policy, and I guarantee you that there are people here who aren’t,” she said.
The Medical Amnesty policy protects students from disciplinary action in the case of an alcohol or drug-related emergency. Students can contact university officials or emergency services without the risk of being punished by the university.
“There are no conduct outcomes associated with that call. We want you to feel safe and comfortable knowing that you are making the right decision,” Harrel said.
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