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SPARC
Spartans to Prevent Alcohol Related Consequences

Using a Community Organizing Approach to Implement Environmental Strategies in and around the College Campus

Purpose

To implement and evaluate a comprehensive intervention that will affect environmental changes on the campus and in the community to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related problems among college students.

Funding Sources

1. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and
2. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

Universities Involved

Ten universities across North Carolina are involved, five are intervention schools, and five are comparison schools. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is one of five intervention schools.

Study Team

12-Person Research Team

Housed at Wake Forest University's Medical School in the Departments of Pediatrics and Public Health Sciences

SPARC Campus/Community Organizer

Hired at each intervention school

• Create a partnership composed of campus & community (County) members
• Identify & oversee implementation of at least four environmental management strategies unique to each community's culture

A Unique Approach

Full-Time Organizer

SPARC has hired one full-time organizer at each intervention campus. Other studies often cannot afford to hire a full-time organizer, making it difficult to maintain consistent efforts.

Tracking the Impact

The SPARC Research Team has the financial means to gather data throughout the study in order to answer the question: "Did these interventions make a difference?"

A Recommended Approach

SPARC Approach

Based on NIAAA’s recommended strategies in April 2002 Report: "A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges"

NIAAA Recommendations

• Culture change:Must occur in order to effectively reduce high risk drinking that leads to alcohol-related consequences
• Environmental Management: Helps change culture by changing elements of the campus and community environments that contribute to high risk drinking
• Campus and Communities: Must collaborate to make the changes effective and lasting
• Partnerships:One of the most effective vehicles for facilitating campus and community collaboration

Page updated: 31-Aug-2007

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