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Dear Blazer Families,
Welcome to our UAB family! As a Health Promoting University, UAB is dedicated to partnering with families to help our students integrate into our campus community, achieve academic success and develop into professionals who are ready to face the world. We recognize that you play an integral role in helping your student make healthier choices and achieve their goals. For that reason, we want to empower you with tools so you can have important conversations with them about sensitive topics like alcohol and other drug use and interpersonal violence.
Negative experiences with substance use and interpersonal violence can unfavorably impact both the individual student and the campus community. Wellness Services, the Collegiate Recovery Community, and the Title IX Office have an intentional and comprehensive plan for educating students about alcohol and drug safety and interpersonal violence prevention.
Research suggests that families have a great impact on influencing their student’s health behaviors, and we encourage you to join us in our current initiative to fully educate them on substance use and interpersonal violence. We hope you will use this booklet as a guide to starting those tough conversations and understanding all of the great resources we have for your student’s wellbeing.
If you have questions about the material in this booklet or regarding the many resources we share, we invite you to reach out to UAB Off-Campus Student & Family Engagement atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 205-975-0684.
Sincerely,
Ray Watts, MD
President
UABJohn R. Jones, Ph.D
Vice President
UAB Division of Student Affairs -
Why is this important?
There are many exciting opportunities awaiting your student as they transition to the University of Alabama at Birmingham: from creating new relationships, participating in university events and programs, to engaging with their academic areas of study. However, there are also challenges ahead for your student during their transition to college life. One of the biggest challenges all college students face is deciding whether or not to participate in high-risk behavior. No parent or family member wants to believe that their student will choose to engage in risky situations. Together, we can all work to ensure that our Blazers are making safer and healthier decisions during their time at UAB.
National research has shown that family members positively impact their student’salcohol or drug use, especially, if families engage in conversations with their students prior to their enrollment in the university. In a recent study of family members ofincoming UAB students, almost 98% of respondents indicated that they had helda conversation with their student about alcohol, and 96% said that they had talked to their student about drug use.
However, approximately 42% of incoming students indicated they received ZERO hours of alcohol education prior to arriving at UAB. We recognize that holding conversations with students regarding alcohol, drugs and other high-risk issues can be very challenging or awkward for both the student and their family members. In an attempt to help you navigate these crucial conversations, the offices of Parent & Family Services, Wellness Promotion, and Student Conduct and Outreach have partnered to create this publication for you."Sending your children to college without coaching them about how to deal with drugs and alcohol would be like giving them the keys to the car without teaching them how to drive.”
- Joseph A. Califano, How to Raise a Drug Free Kid