An Award Winning Program
The University of Arizona’s Social Norms and
Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention

The Social Norms and Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention Program at the University of Arizona is an innovative campus and community alcohol prevention / intervention effort. Initiated by Health Promotion & Preventive Services, a unit of the Campus Health Service, the goal of the program is to reduce high-risk drinking and associated negative consequences among college students by 1) correcting student misperceptions of campus norms regarding alcohol use, 2) changing community perceptions about alcohol use on the UA campus, and 3) advocating policies and procedures that support safe drinking practices.

Since the program began in 1995, the UA has seen a 29% decrease in heavy drinking rates among undergraduates. Additionally, the university has witnessed substantial decreases in negative consequences related to alcohol consumption such as getting into fights or arguments, getting in trouble with campus police or other university authorities, driving after consuming alcohol, and being taken advantage of sexually. Recently, the university was recognized for its outstanding accomplishments in alcohol prevention programming with two prestigious awards. Click on the links below to find out what national figures have to say about the University of Arizona’s Social Norms and Environmental Management Alcohol Prevention Program.

U.S. Department of Education Award for Alcohol and Drug Prevention, 2000

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Exemplary Substance Abuse Prevention Programs Award for 1999, 2000

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Award for 2001

For more information about the UA’s innovative and successful program (including samples of our normative ads and materials and how-to suggestions for implementing a social norms/ environmental management program), visit our website at www.socialnorms.campushealth.net.