By sharing strategies and data about high-risk behavior on college campuses, university officials from throughout the country are trying to work together to produce effective policies to protect students.
Ryan Lombardi, Ohio University’s dean of students, will travel to Austin, Texas, Monday to participate in meetings with leaders of 30 other schools, including Princeton, Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell and Boston universities.
The meetings are part of a joint project between Dartmouth College, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and the National College Health Improvement Project, according to a university news release.
“The focus of the meeting is on environment, so we’ll be talking about the Athens community, the rental properties, the bar scene,” Lombardi said.
The meetings will begin Monday afternoon and continue through Wednesday, Lombardi said.
The initiative is planned to last two years, with meetings every six months for discussions and updates on progress. When the collaboration ends, they hope to publish their findings, according to the news release.
“The important work we will do together is critical to the health and safety of our students,” OU President Roderick McDavis said in the news release. “While most students make great choices, for some, the choice to engage in high-risk drinking behaviors brings about extremely negative short-term and long-term consequences.”
Lombardi said he was unaware of the trip’s total cost but added that expenses include lodging and plane tickets.
bv111010@ohiou.edu
—Pamela Engel contributed to this article.
