Encouraging Alternatives, Non Drinking and International Students

The provision of alcohol free social and recreational alternatives was one of

the major themes discussed in the national framework document but, as

already pointed out, almost none of the individual college policies gave any

indication of concrete commitment to this ideal. Not surprisingly, therefore,

focus group discussion largely confirmed that more effort and funding was

needed within colleges to provide students with venues and events outside

of a drinking environment. It was reported that some colleges had common

rooms  which  did not serve alcohol, but all felt that more could be done in

this regard.  There were reports of isolated initiatives   for instance, one

college had banned alcohol on campus for Rag Week, while another had

provided dance lessons one night a week.    but  by and large discussion on

this topic was discouraging: 

We still can't give them an alternative   in the evenings, in an alcohol 

free area.  

[Student Services Administrator]

It was felt particularly that international students (and to some extent Irish

students who were either total abstainers or moderate drinkers) were in

danger of being excluded from social and recreational activities which

tended to revolve around heavy drinking scenes, and it was reported that

some colleges had begun to hold  International Week  or  International

Days  which largely consisted of alcohol free events  and  were aimed at

including international students in the social life of the college:  

I think there is probably a huge pressure on international students

because they are excluded.  

[Student Health Service Director]

We have three days of international student days and they show our

students different cultures and that, without alcohol.  

[Student Services Administrator]

Drinks Industry Links with Colleges 

Focus group discussion confirmed that staff who worked on college alcohol

policies had invariably accepted the public health position and viewed the

relationship of the industry with students as being predatory rather than

benign or altruistic.  Some participants described offers from the industry to

support campus alcohol education programmes (including the controversial

social norms marketing programmes referred to above in the literature

review) which they contrasted with offers of support extended to them from

the Health Promotion Unit (HPU) of the Department of Health and Children.

Perhaps of all the themes discussed this was the one on which participants

were most emphatic and unanimous, as indicated in the following quotes: 

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