SPARC Purpose

To implement and evaluate a comprehensive intervention that will affect environmental changes on the

campus and in the community to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related problems among college students

Universities Involved

·10 Universities across North Carolina: 5 intervention schools, 5 comparison schools

·12-Person Research Team: Housed at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine

·SPARC Campus/Community Organizer: Hired at each intervention school to create a partnership composed of campus & community members

·SPARC Partnership: Composed of WCU staff/students, and Jackson County and town

community members

·Purpose of Partnership: To identify & oversee implementation of at least 4 environmental

management strategies unique to each community’s culture

Intervention Period: January 2004 – December 2006

·Full-Time Organizer: SPARC has hired one full-time organizer at each intervention

campus to maintain consistency for the duration the study

·Tracking the Impact: The SPARC Research Team has the financial means to gather data

throughout the study in order to answer the question:

“Did these interventions make a difference?”

·SPARC Approach: Based on NIAAA’s recommended strategies in April 2002 Report:

“A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges”

·NIAAA Recommendations:

®Culture change: Must occur in order to effectively reduce high risk drinking that

leads to alcohol-related consequences

®Environmental Management: Helps change culture by changing elements of the campus and

community environments that contribute to high risk drinking

®Campus and Communities: Must collaborate to make the changes effective and lasting

®Partnerships: One of the most effective vehicles for facilitating campus

and community collaboration

Elizabeth Likis-Werle – (828) 227-7469 – elikis@email.wcu.edu

Counseling and Psychological Services Center, Bird Building