SUN GOD HEALTH & SAFETY TASKFORCE MEETING SUMMARY & ASSOCIATED REPORTS 10/24/13 9-10am, PCE SL Chambers Attendees: A. Houston (chair); T. Bailey; A. Buselt; K. Calfas; E. Chandras; A.W. El Hajj- Younes; D. Legree; L. Freeman (for R. Kapadia); J. Gois; R. Guerrero; S. Harley; R. King; A. Kushner; L. Lukasheva; J.P. Lopez; K. Manawatao; L. Samaniego-Kraus; N. Wahlig; B. White; Other Attendees: S. Kennedy; D. Pino-Saballett; A. Hsueh; J. Millar; C. Davalos Agenda Item: Introduction A. Houston (Chair) The purpose of meeting was to hear from the education, logistics, and conduct & discipline subcommittees. The subcommittees consist of members of the taskforce and all have student representation. The chairs of the subcommittees (Gary Ratcliff, Ben White, Karen Calfas) will work with Interim VC Houston on compiling the preliminary draft report due to Chancellor Khosla on November 1. The taskforce will then ask for Chancellor Khosla s feedback and report that to the subcommittee at the next committee. Additionally, another subcommittee will be assembled to help put together a communications plan to inform students about the draft report and to collect their feedback. Agenda Item: Education Subcommittee Recommendations K. Calfas Executive Director for Student Health & Wellbeing, Karen Calfas presented the education subcommittee s recommendations to the taskforce. The subcommittee s full presentation is attached below. The main objective of the subcommittee is to establish a yearlong educational campaign that becomes more concentrated leading up to the Sun God Festival. The main focus of the campaign will be on overall safety, harm reduction, and healthy drinking behavior and not abstinence. The subcommittee agreed that it was also important to let student participants know that Sun God is at risk of being canceled if student alcohol behavior cannot be improved. For the subcommittee s complete recommendations and methodology please review the full report. Agenda Item: Logistics Subcommittee Recommendations A. Kushner UEO Concerts and Events Assistant Director, Alex Kushner presented the logistics subcommittee recommendations. The subcommittee was given instructions by Interim VC Houston to not consider financial resources in this initial brainstorming to make Sun God safer SA-CD (10.29.13)
for participants and campus residents. Resources will be considered for those modifications that are determined to be essential to making the event safer. The subcommittee broke-up the Sun God into two parts when they made their recommendations. The first is the festival itself and the second is the activities surrounding the field where the concert is taking place. For the subcommittee s complete recommendations, please review the full report included below. Agenda Item: Conduct & Discipline Subcommittee Recommendations B. White Ben White Director of Student Conduct presented for the conduct and discipline subcommittee. Similar to the education subcommittee, they agreed that it was important to let students know that Sun God is on probation and without the campus community coming together to support responsible attendance, the Sun God Festival risks being suspended or worse, dismissed. The report consisted of several key recommendations. Please review the full report included below. **Reports Follow** SA-CD (10.29.13)
Education Subcommittee Report Karen Calfas (chair), Gina Fleming, Jessica Gois, Rey Guerrero, Diane LeGree, Debbie Pino-Saballett, Lupe Samaniego-Kraus, Nancy Wahlig, Ali Walid El Hajj-Younes Sun God Task Force Meeting 10-24-13
Alcohol use and misuse is a campus-wide issue Not solvable through behavioral interventions alone Year long educational campaign focusing on Safety Harm reduction Responsible drinking behavior Not abstinence
Reduce the most risky drinking behavior Reduce the number of hospital admissions Secondary goals: reduce assaults, vandalism and other crimes Goal is not to reduce the number of students in detox
Messages need to be developed with significant student input re content and mode of delivery Needs to be tied to things students care about (e.g., academic performance) Principles and goal of the messages are informed by behavioral science Messages should come from students
1. Saturate campus with common messaging all year to shift culture of event First message about risk of losing SGF Sun God myths Consequences to academic/career/family Perfect buzz Protective strategies Bystander Intervention Training Responsible Action Protocol (RAP)
2. Messaging to parents about how to talk to their student about alcohol (through parent and family programs, orientation, Student Health and Well-being) 3. Consider a bear garden event adjacent to SGF venue (e.g., at Home plate) 4. Have fun campus wide events throughout the year 5. Conduct assessment
Health Education and AS could be clearinghouse for materials Other partners include: Residential life (I house and Village), Greek, SA Deans, Campus Community Centers, CSI, Athletics, Grads, Family and Parent Programs, International Center etc. Request budget for AOD coordinator.50fte, AS graphics for materials development and printing, video and electronic media, incentives for focus groups and assessment costs
Comments / Questions?
Event Planning and Logistics Workgroup RECOMMENDATIONS
In past two years, North Campus has become the place to party on campus before the start of the festival - 54 police contacts on North Campus compared to 57 at or around the event venue - Initial wave of detox and medical transports begins as early as 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
RECOMMENDATIONS - Establish a no-guest policy the day of the festival in The Village and the residences along I-Walk in ERC - To identify and assist intoxicated students, increase police and security detail on North Campus
One third of the admits to detox are nonaffiliates, yet they constitute 15% of festival attendees RECOMMENDATIONS - Discontinue sales of wrist bands to nonaffiliates - Institute controls to discourage non-affiliates from buying students wristbands or making counterfeits
Two thirds of the students admitted to detox live off campus RECOMMENDATIONS Collaborate with local apartment and condo complexes on messaging Continue DUI police patrols and AS Safe Rides Locate CSOs and water station at campus shuttle stops where most students disembark Collaborate with Greek community about messaging to its members living off campus Work with local retail establishments selling beer, wine and spirits on point-of-sale messaging
Some university program boards hold their major festival on a Saturday or Sunday Consider this option carefully May extend party time for students More difficult to recruit festival volunteers and staff May make campus more accessible to non-affiliates
The festival permits students to leave and reenter the event venue RECOMMENDATION Consider a no-reentry policy Workgroup concerned a no-reentry policy may have negative unintended consequences Students who drink may decide to tank up and binge drink before coming to the festival
MORE RECOMMENDATIONS Consider an earlier start time. Bring students to the venue and away from places where drinking occurs. Use the Sun God website and wristband pickup to message to students Discuss pros and cons of random Breathalyzer testing at event entrances Require EMT/paramedics and police to meet and review established protocols for when a person should be transported to an emergency room Gather demographic data about people requiring medical transports and statistics about police contacts immediately outside the festival versus inside the venue
Additional resources are needed to fund health and safety initiatives RECOMMENDATIONS Seek funding from Student Affairs, Business Affairs, and Resource Management and Planning Establish a health and safety fee paid by each student receiving a wrist band to help cover costs
SUN GOD TASK FORCE CONDUCT & DISCIPLINE SUB GROUP October 24, 2013 Sun God Task Force Meeting
GROUP CHARGE & MEMBERSHIP Review and discuss applicable policies, protocols, and programs related to student conduct for the campus as a whole and as applied to the Sun God Festival. Determine what new and/or amended policies, protocols, and programs will be most effective in reducing alcohol abuse among UC San Diego students. Sub Group Membership Andy Buselt President, Associated Students Diane LeGree Dean of Student Affairs, Sixth College John Paul Lopez Marshall College Council Liza Lukasheva Sixth College Council Dave Rose Captain, UC San Diego Police Department Ben White Director of Student Conduct (Chair)
KEY THEME Sun God is on PROBATION (not double secret) don t get it SUSPENDED OR DISMISSED!
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS Greater consistency in the enforcement and application of alcohol policies across the campus. Increased and more effective communication regarding key policies. Responsible Action Protocol Survey completed before receiving Sun God wrist bands. Student produced messaging and educational campaigns Leverage existing structures more intentionally. Exclusion from University Activities (e.g. Sun God and other events ) Housing Contract cancellations Off-Campus Jurisdiction
OTHER ITEMS WE SUPPORT Close Sun God Festival to non-affiliates. Careful discussion and analysis of a no guest policy during Sun God in campus residential facilities. Increased number of campus events during academic year. Review, revise, and repackage University s alcohol policy. Systematic and comprehensive alcohol education program.