Communications campaign to begin fall quarter
Mar 23, 2010
From staff reports

Ohio University is one of four universities chosen by The Century Council to implement and further explore potential effectiveness of student-generated campaigns to prevent high-risk drinking on its campus.

The Century Council* is a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers that is dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking. 

OHIO joins the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, The University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa and George Washington University in the initiative.

Last fall, 150 student teams representing colleges and universities across the nation accepted the challenge to work on the case study developed by The Century Council, with the assistance of the Ad Council and the American Council on Education. Participating teams created an integrated communications campaign to decrease dangerous overconsumption of alcohol on campus. 

The four universities will use grant money from The Century Council to test the effectiveness of these campaigns in reducing and stopping dangerous overconsumption of alcohol.

"I'm thrilled that The Century Council has decided to fund the implementation of the campaign targeting illegal underage drinking and overconsumption of alcohol developed by students in Scripps," said Greg Shepherd, dean of the Scripps College of Communication. "Through the use of traditional and new media, students will be informed about a difficult but important subject. This campaign, led by Assistant Professor Craig Davis, illustrates communication at its most powerful - as a tool to affect positive change in the health and safety of young people on our campus.”

Beginning in fall 2010, OHIO will use the $75,000 grant from The Century Council to establish benchmarks measuring current levels of dangerous overconsumption of beverage alcohol on campus, implement an agreed upon group of tactics, and conduct follow-up research and report its findings. 

"These partnerships are another positive step forward in combating a serious issue," said Susan Molinari, chairman of The Century Council. "We believe implementation at the selected schools will provide valuable firsthand knowledge of what measures can be taken to effectively put an end to binge drinking. Gaining additional insights directly from students and universities will assist not only The Century Council, but will enhance efforts of leading organizations, government agencies and concerned college administrators."

Related Links:
Scripps College of Communication
The Century Council*