Student Drinking Habits and Safety at SRU: Data Journalism Visualization Proposal

In our college community, with the reputation of being a predominant party school in the state of Pennsylvania, drinking alcohol seems to be part of the college culture.

I would like to focus my attention on students who engage in drinking socially and how safe or unsafe they feel doing so. I would like to know more about what drives students to drink, how they gain access to alcohol, and whether or not they feel they are in a safe environment while drinking. I will try to conduct my own confidential survey and share it among my peers to gain access to qualitative and quantitative information to help better explain the drinking habits of students in SRU.

A potential source that I could interview would be the Slippery Rock Campus Police or the Student Health Center. The SRUPD could help give insight into how many students are given citations, arrested, or in need of medical care on typical party days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday). The Student Health Center may be able to share their opinions and advice for students who engage in drinking, and how we can help our peers if they are in need of assistance.

In an email to SRU students, sent by the Dean of Students this weekend, reminded students to gather responsibly and “to look out for one another,” after a series of unfortunate events that landed 2 SRU students in the hospital on Friday night. Since then, there were two additional hospitalizations of SRU students due to overdoses.