For Parents

July 9, 2007

Dear Class of 2011 Parents:

Sending your child off to college for the first time is never an easy thing to do. In the next four years, your child will grow and change in many ways. Your child's development will be significantly impacted by his or her experiences at Vanderbilt. As a consequence, we take every aspect of the Vanderbilt experience seriously and strive to create a nurturing and comprehensive learning environment for your child. We encourage your student to become a proactive, intentional learner, pursuing excellence in every aspect of his or her life. As part of our efforts to encourage positive growth and development, we have implemented a comprehensive and research based prevention program to help our students make the safest, healthiest decisions possible.

Every incoming first-year student at Vanderbilt will be required to take AlcoholEdu for College, a 3 hour Web-based alcohol prevention program used at more than 500 colleges and universities around the country. The program uses the latest prevention techniques and scientific research to educate students about the impact of alcohol on the mind and body. Whether or not your student drinks alcohol, AlcoholEdu for College will empower your student to make well-informed decisions about alcohol and help him or her better cope with the drinking behavior of peers.

We are seeking your assistance in our efforts to educate your student about the risks associated with alcohol misuse and abuse.

We will be communicating directly with your student regarding the information and instructions he or she needs to complete this course. To help ensure that your student meets this requirement, please remind your son or daughter that all students must complete Part 1 of the course by August 15, 2007. The starting date is July 25, 2007.
To help you better understand this program, we are making the student's course available for parents to review. If you choose to review the course, instructions are included on Parents Only: AlcoholEdu for College. AlcoholEdu for College includes survey questions as well as knowledge exams. Familiarity with the content of the course may help you open a dialogue about alcohol with your student. Please note that it is not essential for you to respond to the questions while reviewing AlcoholEdu for College.

We are confident that AlcoholEdu for College will help ensure your student's success at Vanderbilt and in the future. If you have any questions on the programming effort that we at Vanderbilt offer, please feel free to contact us at 615-343-4740 or by e-mail at alcoholedu@vanderbilt.edu.

Sincerely,

Mark Bandas
Associate Provost and Dean of Students

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