Discussions about ways to provide and advertise more alcohol-free activities will be a key to decreasing student drinking at Ohio University, OU President Roderick McDavis said yesterday.
McDavis, who joined Athens Mayor Ric Abel at a news conference, said he and the mayor are looking into ways the city and the university can pool their resources to create more alternatives to drinking and advertise those options clearly to students.
Abel and McDavis each expressed the need for feedback from students and residents to determine the best ways to advertise university and local events.
We really need to know how people get their news
Abel said, adding that he would like to develop a sort of central repository to collect information about events and distribute it through several types of media to reach as many people as possible.
McDavis said several discussion forums, including Tuesday's Day of Dialogue have shown him that many students continue to lack information about the variety of on- and off-campus alternatives to drinking. We just have to find a better way to inform our students and inform the university and that's our challenge
and we gladly accept that
he said.
The mayor said he hopes university officials will keep city venues in mind as they search for places to have more events.
Both men said they look forward to developing concrete plans for activities and advertising through a continuing discussion, even after the president receives recommendations about how to curb student drinking.
In other news, the mayor praised an agreement between the city and Athens County Job and Family Services through which the city will waive its athletic program recreation fees for students whose families receive funding from that county organization.
I don't want money to be a barrier to children who want to participate in athletic programs
Abel said.
He also announced the appointment of Ray Hazlett, assistant service-safety director, as co-chair of the Civic Responsibility Task Force. Hazlett replaces city Law Director Garry Hunter, who resigned from the position.
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