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Carry out well-rounded assessment

What is it?

Well-rounded assessment is a foundational practice that is critical for formulation of an appropriate strategy in response to alcohol-related concerns on campus. It aims to measure the adverse impact of student drinking on a postsecondary community and identify factors that facilitate or contribute to such unwelcome consequences. It also tries to take into account what aspects of the institution’s existing operations, arrangements and personnel already function in such a way as to counter those negative factors.

“Well-rounded” further implies that assessment will employ a variety of suitable means for accumulating the needed information so that the appraisal of affairs, negative and positive, is based on as comprehensive an investigation as is feasible for an institution under its own circumstances.

For assessment to be aptly extended in a linear sense (and not just in a lateral manner as above), it needs also to be conducted in ongoing evaluation of the situation as new or enhanced interventions are applied, in order to judge their effectiveness.

Level of research support: Based on sound theory

Why do it?

Getting an accurate picture of what a campus is really up against is crucial for setting out a befitting agenda to address issues. It helps interveners avoid distorted assumptions, misdirected initiatives and misguided allocation of resources. It also facilitates beneficial evaluation of initiatives when they are undertaken.

The exercise of obtaining a good grasp of what a campus already has going for it likewise enhances prospects for efficient action that can build upon existing strengths and make those even more impactful in protecting students against occurrence of injury and damage associated with alcohol use.

Who is it for?

  • All students (universal)

Who can facilitate it?

  • Administration
  • Athletics coaches
  • Counsellors
  • Faculty
  • Health professionals
  • Peers
  • Residence staff
  • Security staff
  • Student affairs

How can we implement it?

Gather information from various sources

To get a well-rounded assessment of the extent of alcohol-associated negative consequences – and of relevant conditions in place conducive to or countering those – an institution may employ a number of information-seeking strategies:

  • Scanning exercises can give a preliminary profile of the campus scene in regard to such features as socialization opportunities (involving and excluding alcohol), visibility of alcohol issues, alcohol availability and promotion, campus media treatment of matters, local drinking environments, status of alcohol in residences and neighbourhoods and at student social events.
  • Conversations with representatives across various sectors of campus operations and in the surrounding community can also add to the picture emerging from such observations. Interviews with key stakeholder informants and canvassing of focus groups can accomplish this.
  • Written records may be accessed and field research more formally undertaken.
  • Added detail and precision can be supplied through utilization of carefully designed surveys, whether adopting others’ instruments or devising one for one’s own particular campus community. Such measures can capture significant student report concerning not simply drinking patterns (as well as, e.g., contexts, motives, and perceived norms), but also experience of harms firsthand from one’s own consumption and second-hand from others’ use.

Develop a comprehensive review process

The same sort of methods and similar tools can be employed in a review process to ascertain the degree to which an institution is already or not yet engaged through personnel, programs and policies in the kinds of initiatives and activities that either directly or indirectly work against increased prevalence in problems linked to alcohol use.

While refinement or augmentation of tracking mechanisms must be allowed for along the way, monitoring the impact of interventions implemented will need at least in part to be carried out in terms of the measures and indicators used in initial assessment in order to accurately gauge effect.

Various resources have been created to guide and support well-rounded assessment of adverse consequences in conjunction with undergraduate drinking and to assist in analysis of contributors to such occurrence of harm. Some tools also include practical help to facilitate confirmation (and subsequently consolidation) of elements that promote campus health and safety instead.

 

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