The campus drinking culture continues to isolate non-drinking students of color, according to a recent University Health Services survey that assessed those students’ experiences with alcohol during college.
Reonda Washington, UHS’s alcohol, tobacco & other drugs prevention coordinator, spoke to the Associated Students of Madison Student Council Wednesday about survey results.
In spring 2015, UHS emailed the survey, The Color of Drinking, to undergraduate students who identify as a student of color and received 490 responses. Survey components included demographic information, alcohol use, UW-Madison alcohol culture and the effect it has on participants.
The survey informed UHS of phrases commonly heard by students of color such as “turn up or transfer” and “drink or get out.” When students of color were asked if they viewed the drinking culture on campus as negative, 92 percent said yes, according to Washington.
The survey also found that 97 percent of white students reported that they drank at least once within the last year, compared to 86 percent of students of color.
UHS is currently redesigning a new survey to launch this spring. It will focus on increasing the response percentage and creating incentives for students to complete the survey, Washington said.
ASM Representative Colton Wickland also proposed legislation to change the negative drinking culture on campus.
Members of the council said they do not endorse The Princeton Review’s ranking of UW-Madison as the No. 1 party school in the nation, arguing “it devalues the degrees we’re earning.”
“We [ASM] are not against drinking, but we are against people abusing alcohol,” Wickland said.
