Student Health Center tackles drinking problems

For each alcohol-related violation that breaks the student conduct code, SJSU's judicial affairs is in charge of disciplining the culpable student.

Sanctions for the offense can include suspension, academic probation and expulsion.

Judicial affairs, however, does not just place an academic penalty on students. In some cases they also make some students go through alcohol education and counseling sessions if they feel there is a bigger problem.

"If I feel there is a serious problem, I make them go through different alcohol-awareness programs to help students with their alcohol problem." said Debra Griffith, director of student conduct and ethical development for Judicial Affairs. "We work with the health center to provide students with alcohol education. We also work with counseling services, so students can talk to a counselor if I feel they have a drinking problem."

Some students have opposing views on other students being forced to attend alcohol-awareness programs by judicial affairs.

"I think it's kind of a waste of time," said Molly Boudoures, a freshman health science major who has not attended any sessions. "I think it should be the student's decision to go to counseling."

"It's probably for their own good," said Melissa Taganas, a freshman electrical engineer major. "Going to counseling or alcohol education could be a big help for them."

The alcohol-education session is part of the Prevention Education program in the SJSU Student Health Center.

"When they come here, I give them an alcohol assessment," said Oscar Battle, director of the prevention education program. "I ask them a lot of questions: 'Why do you drink? Do you know what some of the affects of drinking are?' Things like that."

Battle said he also gives them a lot of reading material and makes students write reports on them.

He said there are not set hours a student has to complete. It depends on the violation they committed.

"Debra Griffith will tell me the hours she wants a student to do," Battle said. "There's a two-hour session; that's where they take the alcohol assessment. Then there's the five-hour session that's more about their behaviors and the dangers of alcohol. Then there's a nine-hour session - this is more comprehensive."

Battle said students who have the five or nine-hour session do not have to do the hours all at once.

The other alcohol awareness program Griffith puts alcohol violators through is counseling services if she feels they have an alcohol problem.

The counseling service - which takes place in the second floor of the Administration Building - handles a lot of alcohol cases.

"Well Debra is so good," said Wiggsy Sivertsen, a faculty counselor. "She sends us people and tells us specifically how we can help them."

Sivertsen said there are a few cases where a student or adult is willing to be helped, but in most cases they, are reluctant to acknowledge they have a problem.

"Most students and adults don't think they have a drinking problem," Sivertsen said. "When they come they just sit there and say that being here is a waste of time."

Sivertsen said Griffith requires alcohol violators to report to counseling three or four times a semester, and those students usually wait until the end of the semester to do their sessions.

"They'll wait to the last week or two," Sivertsen said. "They don't realize that we are here to help, not tell them they have a problem. We can't help someone who doesn't want it."

Spartan Daily