TO: Student Organization Leaders & Athletic Team Captains

FROM: Steve Lyons, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students

DATE: September 21, 2005

RE: Alcohol and CSS

Student Activities provided your name as the contact for your student organization. If this memo should go to someone else, please let me know.

You all serve in leadership roles in some form on campus. With leadership comes responsibility; not only for your own actions, but for the group you represent. The choices you make, and the involvement of your organization and teams has a huge impact on the student culture of the campus.

The College of St. Scholastica has been fortunate not have any of our students be one of the 1,400 annually who die from alcohol miss-use. Already this year, CSS students have been hospitalized because of alcohol poisoning. The balance between college students enjoying college life and students who put themselves and others at risk continues to blur. “Kevin’s Law” is a federal law that makes it a felony to provide alcohol to a person less than 21 years of age if that person causes or suffers death or great bodily harm. Minnesota State Law holds the host, not the college, responsible if anyone is harmed from alcohol use that occurs at their residence.

For those students who make poor choices the risks are great.

I am asking that you take the step to intentionally hold a discussion with your organization and team about alcohol use. I am not asking that partying be condemned. I am not asking that it stop. I am asking, that as leaders you ask others to be responsible, you ask them to be safe, and that you role model that these are serious issues. The conversation may just help others, your friends, stay healthy and happy.

I thank you for taking on a leadership role, and for holding this discussion. I would love to hear feedback from you once you have this talk. Have a great year!