NDSU’s President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs (PCAOD )announced recipients of its first research awards for the 2010-11 academic year. Kevin Thompson, chair of criminal justice and political science, and Kara Wolfe, associate professor of apparel, design and hospitality management, were chosen to receive the awards, which were announced Sept. 16.
The award encourages scholarship in the area of effective collegiate prevention strategies for alcohol and other drugs. Each award is approximately $3,200. The award will fulfill an objective of the Strategic Plan to Address High Risk Alcohol and Other Drug Use, which is to increase the knowledge of the NDSU community regarding how alcohol misuse may negatively impact achievement of academic and career goals.
“I really appreciate the faculty who submitted requests for the research grant, and I want to congratulate both Kevin and Kara. It's very important for research to be done on alcohol and other drugs on our campus,” said Gene Taylor, council chair and director of athletics. “This will allow faculty members to use these research dollars and their expertise to further expand the efforts of the President's Council and Alcohol and Other Drugs.”
Thompson’s research will evaluate whether sobriety checkpoints conducted by the Fargo Police Department reduce alcohol-related arrests and crashes, particularly among the NDSU student population.
Wolfe plans to create a responsible beverage course at NDSU directed at hospitality and tourism management students. She will study the effects of incorporating emotional intelligence lessons along with alcohol awareness and server education on students’ choices toward alcohol consumption and responsible service.
The council is composed of faculty, staff and students. Appointed in 2007, the council is working to reduce high-risk alcohol and other drug use in the NDSU community. The PCAOD strategic plan can be found at www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/alcoholinfo/Comprehensive_Strategic_Plan_Final.p….
For more information, go to www.ndsu.edu/alcoholinfo or contact Laura Oster-Aaland in the Office of Orientation and Student Success at 1-7750 or laura.oster-aaland@ndsu.edu.