In an attempt to address alcohol and drug use on campus, Dean of the College Lee Pelton appointed Associate College Counsel Sean Gorman '76 chair of the reconstituted College Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs.
Health Service Program Evaluator John Pryor '84 was appointed to "review the effectiveness of our alcohol related education programs," Pelton wrote in a memo dated Jan. 16.
Pelton said the CCAOD should be in operation by the end of the this term.
A report released last spring by the Task Force on Alcohol triggered the move to refocus the committee, according to the Jan. 3 Dean's Bulletin.
The report said "the College should undergo a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of alcohol and other drug related issues."
In October, Pelton admitted that up to that point, the CCAOD had not been effective and announced he would have to give the CCAOD "a new charge."
Pelton characterized the refocused CCAOD as an information-gathering group.
"The CCAOD will serve both as an analytical and an exploratory group in regards to alcohol and drug abuse on campus," Pelton said.
He said the current alcohol monitoring system is not functioning well.
"The current system under which alcohol is distributed and of student alcohol monitors is not working and will be reorganized by the CCAOD," Pelton said.
Director of Health Services Gabrielle Lucke, who is a member of the CCAOD, said she is "excited about the reconstitution of the CCAOD because it will not only address the problems alcohol can cause, but it will look at the institutions which foster the use of alcohol and drugs."
"The CCAOD will attempt to foster a community where alcohol is not the central attraction," she added.
According to the Dean's Bulletin the rate of binge drinking for all students fell from 56.7 percent in 1991 to 41.3 percent in 1995.
"The CCAOD will help us to better understand why this is happening" Pelton said.
The Dean's Bulletin also reported that "the single best predictor of binge drinking is involvement with fraternities and sororities."
Coed Fraternity Sorority Council President James Freeman '97 expressed the Greek system's willingness to cooperate with the College in analyzing alcohol use on campus.
"Alcohol abuse is something the CFSC takes seriously and [it] needs addressing and we are prepared to work with the College on it," he said.
The new CCAOD will consist of nine administrative members representing the Dean of the College, the Athletics Department, Health Services, the Tucker Foundation, Residential Life, College Legal Counsel, Risk Management, and Safety and Security, according to the bulletin.
Pelton will appoint all the administrative members of the CCAOD.
Five students will also sit on the committee.
Assistant Dean of Residential Life Deborah Reinders will select two students from the Coed, Fraternity, Sorority system. Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco will select two students from the Residential Life program. Lucke will choose one student from a peer education program.
The chair of the CCAOD will be selected from the Dartmouth community on a rotating basis to serve a three-year term, Pelton wrote in an Oct. 8 letter.
Gorman was unavailable for comment.
