Who should I recruit as members for my campus and community coalition?

Before you begin, find out about other coalitions that already exist on your campus or in your local community. Call them for advice or invite them to your meeting. Recruit members who have identified AOD use as a problem and are willing to take action to become part of the solution.

Coalition members should represent a broad cross-section of both the campus and the community. Important stakeholders on campus include upper-level administrators from all departments, including student services, health services, and athletics; faculty; alumni; students; and campus police. Community stakeholders include town officials, liquor control board members, law enforcement officers, high school faculty, alcohol retailers, and tavern owners as well as representatives from teacher-parent groups, social service agencies, and neighborhood associations.

To ensure buy-in, it is important to let members know how they will benefit from the work of the coalition. For example, local public officials may stand a better chance of being elected if the coalition can help reduce town-gown conflicts and decrease the incidence of drunk driving, vandalism, and other crime.

Remind members that participation in the coalition will provide a forum for open discussions with other concerned stakeholders about how to address the AOD problem, which allows everyone to work toward mutually agreeable solutions.