The Interfraternity and Panhellenic Council will sponsor an
All-Greek and campus educational program on the effects of alcohol
and drug consumption, featuring former NCAA athlete and football
coach Mike Green, today in Royce Hall.
Green, also the founder and president of Collegiate Consultants
on Drugs and Alcohol, will present a personal testimonial on the
effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
“He brings a different perspective on alcohol and drugs
and relates his own experiences as a recovering alcoholic,”
said the Interfraternity Director of Programming, Brian Chan.
By communicating the realities of alcoholism in an interactive
and informative format, Green will personalize the destructive
consequences of substance abuse.
“This is the largest event we have planned for the year
“¦ and is an awesome opportunity to teach students how to cope
with substance abuse,” said Panhellenic President Cara
Rosenthal, who arranged for Green to speak at the event.
A nationally respected leader and NCAA-approved speaker in drug
and alcohol education, Green has spoken to over 2000 campuses
nationwide for the past 18 years.
As a former defensive lineman, Green received All-Pennsylvania
Conference and All-State honors, as well as a tryout with the
Philadelphia Eagles.
Green was also a high school athletic director and has coached
Division II football at West Chester University.
His background as an athlete, coach and educator along with his
first-hand account as a recovering alcoholic give him the
credibility to relate the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse,
Rosenthal added.
“UCLA has a very minute problem in comparison to other
campuses “¦ we have been very fortunate,” Rosenthal
said. “But the only way to continue to prevent such horrors
is through education.”
Rosenthal also said the focus of the educational program is not
so much a responsive action to a problem but rather a preventive
measure to promote responsible behavior.
Surveys conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health
consistently show that substance abuse among college students is
higher than estimates of the general public.
According to a 1999 Student Health Education Survey, 76 percent
of UCLA undergraduates reported that they drank alcohol.
Panhellenic Programming Chairwoman Chie Tamashiro noted the
relevance of the issue of alcohol abuse among college students.
“It’s something all college students are familiar
with, and although we tend to be the group that is mainly targeted,
it’s an issue we can all relate to,” she said.
“It’s not a serious problem, but it does happen and
obviously is something we should think about as college
students.”