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Student Initiatives
Ohio University, "Bring Your
Own Judgment (BYOJ) Party Patrol"
Program Topic:
Alcohol Education
Program Goals/Objectives:
The BYOJ Party Patrol is an activity that helps to build community
among students who are making low-risk choices and secondly, to
educate students who are currently making or contemplating making
high-risk choices about responsible hosting/socializing in regards
to the law, campus policy, and impairment problems, alcohol poisoning
and individual factors that effect intoxication so they can make
informed judgments.
Target Audience:
Students living off campus
Program Description:
The POWER (name of network affiliated group) members passed out
BYOJ folders filled with low-risk hosting information, underage
drinking laws, information on the city of Athens noise and trash
ordinances and pizza coupons. Each house received a 12 pack of Pepsi
and BYOJ bottled water. The Party Patrol took place on a Thursday
night after 8:00 p.m. because this is a big night for house parties
on our campus.
We hoped to raise awareness among off-campus students
that choosing low-risk activities on a Thursday night is not so
unusual. The free soda and pizza coupons were a way to reward those
making low-risk choices and provide an opportunity for peers to
have positive interactions in student neighborhoods.
Promotion and Publicity:
Posters were put up in the selected student neighborhood the week
of the patrol to make residents aware.
Budget:
Drinks were for free from a deal with Pepsi whom OU has a pouring
rites deal with. We gave pizza coupons to the off campus houses
and provided hot pizzas in the halls and we got the pizzas for $5.00
a pie from a local shop. The budget was $900.00 a year for pizza.
Collaboration:
There were two patrols - one off campus and one on campus. For the
one on campus, we collaborated with the campus police and security
aids and residence life staff. For the off campus patrol, we used
students from our Greek community, athletes and students from a
health class on drugs in society. Our peer educators are involved
in both.
Evaluation/Response:
The success of the program was based on reaching the goal of 500
off-campus students in the coming year and looking at the number
of judicial referrals and policy violations in the student neighborhoods
where the patrol visited. We are in the process of securing funds
to make this an ongoing program.
We visited fifteen houses that night, approximately
100 students, and they were all positive. No one refused our information
and many students said things like:
"Wow, I didn't know we could get fined for not
picking up our trash!"
"Having a sign saying 'if you're under 21, don't
drink,' won't protect me legally?"
"Thanks for the free soda - that's great!"
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