College to continue clampdown on alcohol abuse

A COLLEGE which closed its bar during rag week last year has vowed to continue its clampdown on alcohol abuse.

College to continue clampdown on alcohol abuse

It has also made the entire campus a smoke free zone.

‘Freshers’ attending Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) will be advised on the harmful impact of binge drinking during orientation week this year. And bar staff are being briefed on how to deal with drunken students. WIT publications and the campus radio station have also been asked to promote sensible consumption of alcohol.

Director, Professor Kieran R Byrne, said the college’s new policy on alcohol takes a health promotion approach following the National Alcohol Policy published in 1996. The national policy was designed to promote the health of the population by reducing the prevalence of alcohol-related problems.

“The ethos of Waterford Institute of Technology is to promote positive learning experiences through academic excellence in a caring and supportive community where students and staff in need of assistance are given the necessary supports.

“WIT is obliged to provide a safe working environment for all students and staff. Alcohol issues cannot be tackled in isolation but must be seen within a broader context of lifestyle issues and Institute supports,” Prof Byrne said.

Consequently, representatives from WIT students and staff from a range of support activities have contributed to the formulation of the policy document.

Under the college’s new policy, alcohol advertising on-campus will not portray drinking as a solution to personal or academic problems. It will also not portray drink as a necessary ingredient for social, sexual or academic success.

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