College Parents See Serious Problems from Campus Alcohol Use

National Survey - 12/16

Parents of college students see college alcohol abuse as a problem with serious consequences for their children, according to a nationwide poll of parents of college students. About nine in ten parents call excessive drinking either a "very serious" (47 percent) or "somewhat serious" (44 percent) problem on college campuses. Parents see impacts ranging from drunk driving and sexual assault to academic problems stemming from alcohol excessive or underage drinking. They are aware of the long term legal and health consequences as well.

There is widespread agreement that campus alcohol policies should include real consequences such as suspension or expulsion for more serious violations, and lesser disciplinary steps for minor offenses. Few see alcohol abuse as merely an innocent rite of passage that can or should be ignored by colleges. While drinking on campus certainly is not a new phenomenon, the survey shows parents are not willing to turn a blind eye, given the impacts and consequences they perceive as common.

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