At freshman orientation at the end of August, parents of incoming Xavier University students are asked to agree, in writing, to discuss (via email, face-to-face, letter) alcohol use with their son or daughter once each month. Xavier University received financial support from Project Parent CARE ("Campus Alcohol Responsibility Efforts"), which is funded by a grant from the Health Foundations of Greater Cincinnati through its Assistance for Substance Abuse Prevention Center. Parents who participate in this program receive a button that says, "I'm a Xavier parent who C.A.R.E.'s." The participation rate for the first year of Project Parent CARE was 95%.
There are no "rules" for the monthly discussions. Rather, the administration tells parents, "We respect and support your beliefs and values regarding your child's choices," and offers suggestions at orientation and via letter in September and January. The University will be contacting the parents to assess their perceptions of the effectiveness of the discussions for preventing substance misuse by their child, as well as the effects on the child/parent relationship.
Xavier University, located in Cincinnati Ohio, is a private, coeducational institution. It is the third largest independent institution in Ohio, the sixth oldest Catholic University in the nation, and one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities nationwide. The University has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 undergraduates and 2,500 graduate students.
Last Update: September 12, 2000