The University of Wisconsin System will conduct a survey of undergraduates this month to better understand the impacts of alcohol and other drug use by UW students.

The UW System Alcohol and Other Drug Use Survey will gather information via a Web-based survey. About 2,000 randomly selected UWSP students will be invited to participate via an e-mail message which will be sent the last week of February. Students who choose to participate will complete an online survey, which is voluntary and answers will remain anonymous.

The survey is designed to examine trends in alcohol and drug use, student perceptions of use and consequences of use. The results will help university leaders work with students to determine what kinds of campus health programming and services are most beneficial.

"We encourage all students who are asked to participate in this survey to share their experiences, thoughts and observations about alcohol and drug use," said Anne Hoffmann, alcohol education coordinator for UWSP. "Students can help improve campus polices and programs by taking time to share their perspectives."

Students who elect to participate in the online survey will receive an instant analysis of the impact of their own alcohol use, including an estimate of their average peak blood-alcohol concentration, and how their level of use compares to students nationally.

The survey is part of a systemwide Board of Regents directive to assess the levels of student alcohol and drug abuse and the effectiveness of AODA programs. For more information regarding this survey please contact the Student Health Promotion Office at (715) 346-4313.