On behalf of the Inter-Association Task Force on Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse Issues, let me welcome you to another National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week! I hope that your campus will join in with the more than 1000 colleges and universities in North America who recognize the importance of campus prevention efforts addressing alcohol abuse.

The first few months of the academic year are critical times to convey your campus’ unique messages about alcohol abuse to all students, new and returning, so that tragedies can be avoided and healthy and safe lifestyles are the norm. NCAAW can be the foundation to build a year-round program that keeps alcohol abuse prevention at the forefront and assists students in finding support if they discover that their behavior is interfering with academic and personal success. Alcohol abuse prevention is not a “one-week activity.” The healthy choices your students make, or don’t make, can be largely impacted by your commitment to year-round efforts.

The IATF is proud to send you this mailing that will assist your staff and students in planning a successful NCAAW. In order to make the most of our resources this year, we are supporting the efforts of one of our member organizations, The BACCHUS Network. BACCHUS has supported campus peer education efforts around NCAAW for decades with great success and has agreed to send the iChoose NCAAW Campaign to our mailing list.

The iChoose NCAAW Campaign contains a message of student empowerment to make safe choices; to take care of friends and to keep safe by not drinking to excess, by not driving after drinking and by not riding with a driver who has been drinking. It reminds students to protect their health, their academics, their friendships, and their futures.

These resources, along with the planning calendar that arrived with this resource guide, will assist you in creating an exceptional series of NCAAW events and help to determine what outreach and educational events will make up your comprehensive prevention program.

In recognition of your outstanding year-long efforts, the Inter-Association Task Force awards cash prizes to campuses whose alcohol abuse prevention programming shows special innovation and effectiveness. You’ll find brand new application criteria and guidelines for submission at the end of this manual, and I hope you’ll consider applying. No matter how large or small your school, no matter how large or small your budget, your efforts are important and deserve recognition! You will also find the winners from the 2004-2005 competition to gather some good ideas.

The higher-education organizations that make up the Task Force are dedicated to making our campuses safer and more enjoyable for everyone. From campus security, to fraternities and sororities, to athletics, to residence halls and peer education programs, we all have a vested interest in making NCAAW activities a memorable part of our year-round prevention program.

Dr. Edward Hammond President, Fort Hays State University Chairperson of NCAAW