NIC Press Release
Washington and Lee University in an Alcohol Summit
Thirty-six fraternity and sorority leaders from Washington and Lee University will participate in an Alcohol Summit sponsored by the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) at the University's Skylark Mountain Retreat Center September 7-8, 2001.
The two-day program helps participants identify an action plan that will begin to create a cultural shift regarding alcohol within the Greek and campus community. The focus of their action plan will likely center around drinking and driving, misuse and abuse of alcohol, and how to confront peers about their behaviors. "We're asking students to engage in real dialogue about their behaviors around alcohol, " according to Geof Brown, Alcohol Education Initiatives Consultant from the NIC.
The summit's goal is to empower the participants to reduce high risk drinking and the associated behaviors. They will be accountable for ensuring their action plans are realized. As a result, both the Washington and Lee campus and surrounding Lexington community will be positively impacted.
The summit is part of a grant awarded to the NIC from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Washington D.C.
Washington and Lee University is one of five campuses in the United States to be awarded the Alcohol Summit. Over 20 campuses from across the country submitted applications to host a summit. Brown added that Washington and Lee was accepted based on the strength of their application, institutional support of the Greek Community, and current programs (such as 2001 a Greek Odyssey) that work to shift the focus of the Greek community from purely social, to one that focuses on the guiding principles of fraternities and sororities.
The NIC located in Indianapolis, Indiana is a confederation of 68 men's social fraternities with chapters on over 800 campuses in the United States and Canada.
For additional information concerning the summit, contact Brown at 317.872.1112 or Jan Kaufman, Washington and Lee's Health Educator, at 540.462.4501.