The recent Amethyst Initiative argues that a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) of 21 has created a culture of heavy alcohol use on college campuses by making drinking clandestine and extreme. This group and others argue that lowering the MLDA will reduce the problem of "binge drinking" on college campuses. However, such a policy change would…

The author argues that referral of alcohol-abusing college students to off-campus treatment services, although necessary for some, is not optimal for many. He advocates the implementation of comprehensive on-campus services for students committed to recovery in order to optimize their treatment while allowing them to remain in school and work…

Higher Education needs to give more broad-based attention to health and wellness. Our graduates will all have to deal with the facts that the general state of health of Americans is not good and our national health care system is badly in need of reform. We should offer innovative approaches to helping our graduates establish positive, lifetime…

Crimes on college campuses can "strike fear" into the lives of those in higher education and a shooting is one of the crimes that ranks at the top of the most feared acts of violence. Maybe more direct counseling for clients who have weapons with regard to anticipatory guidance on firearms is needed. However, the debate continues with proposed…

As a chief spokesperson for a national movement to prevent violence and a frequent speaker in national media and public forums, Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a nationally recognized public health leader. In 1987, she was appointed the first woman Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In that role, she established the…

The CDC recently published the ACIP recommendations regarding the use of meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The report includes detailed epidemiologic and cost analysis information. At the conclusion of lengthy discussions, the ACIP voted unanimously to approve the recommendation as written. In this article, the author provides his counterreaction…

To help college health services in all parts of the country improve their approach to latent tuberculosis, two Listservs were provided for them to post their questions on dealing with TB infection. In this article, the authors present some of the questions posted in the Listservs and their corresponding answers. In their answers, the authors have…

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be considering a new vaccination recommendation for the prevention of invasive "N. meningitidis" infection when meningococcal conjugate vaccines are licensed in the United States. The CDC has also updated the Working Group in the…

The interests of the student athlete are best served when their medical care is managed by professionals who understand their unique needs. Most often, that is under the umbrella of the student health service, regardless of who performs direct clinical care. Unfortunately, in practice, this is too often the exception rather than the rule. A close…

In this article, the author discusses two projects that challenged the stereotypical notions that have long been embraced by student affairs professionals. The first was a campuswide initiative to collect and disseminate data dealing with student health status and related behaviors and the implications for student retention. The second was a major…

Educators and researchers strive to use terms that reflect a replicable measure of behavior. A term commonly used to describe drinking of a problematic nature is "binge drinking". Binge drinking defines behavior by a number of drinks of an alcoholic beverage consumed in a space of time. The authors argue that the term does not describe drinking…

Offers a model for conceptualizing the complex connections between college men and alcohol, discussing connections between alcohol, men, and masculinity; examining cultural and developmental aspects of college males; and noting conceptual and programmatic responses to the problem. Apparently, many college men drink to enact male privilege and help…

College age males have greater risk of disease, injury, and death than comparable females. This paper discusses their health risks, failure to adopt health promoting behaviors, propensity to engage in risky behaviors, beliefs about manhood, attitudes concerning vulnerability, and limited health knowledge, noting the health effects of male…

Peer education has been promoted by college health service health education programs for years. This paper questions some assumptions that underlie the use of peer health educators, highlights problems associated with training peer paraprofessionals, and discusses program evaluation, noting ways to work effectively with students to enhance health…

Questions are raised about health promotion, particularly with reference to the role of individual and communal responsibility in encouraging a health-enhancing environment. Implications for holistic health care are discussed and the importance of health education for the holistic approach is stressed. (PP)