Sigma Nu members plan to take preventative measures to stop alcohol abuse among the greek community at the U.

“I think alcohol abuse is very prevalent throughout the greek community at the U,” Adviser Lori McDonald said. “It is a big issue every year with new students that have never used or have never been exposed to an environment in which alcohol is a part.”

AlcoholEdu is the outcome of a partnership between Sigma Nu Fraternity Inc. and Outside the Classroom and is aimed to encourage members of the greek community to drink alcohol responsibly if they do decide to drink.

McDonald said AlcoholEdu is an interactive program that could have a good effect on greek chapter members at the U.

“We want to impress upon students the importance of drinking in a way that is healthy, legal and not harmful to themselves or the people around them,” McDonald said.

U Sigma Nu President Tres Zaglool said there has been an increase in alcohol-related claims made against the greek system within the last six months.

However, Zaglool said the fraternity is participating in the program not because alcohol is a problem with greeks at the U, but merely because it provides a preventative step to remind chapter members not to be irresponsible when consuming alcoholic beverages.

“I disagree with the statement that there is a major problem with alcohol throughout greek chapters at the U,” he said. “I think this program would help any greek system throughout the nation.”

Though Zaglool has not yet completed the four-hour program, he said it did have a positive effect on other members of the chapter.

“Everyone that completed the program seemed to like it,” he said.

Zaglool said the program was different than the usual modules that require students to read a page and move on.

“It was quite extensive and had a lot of multimedia clips,” he said. “It was unlike the other programs because it requires more participation from the person.”

Zaglool said though he cannot speak for any of the other chapters at the U, Sigma Nu has not had any major problems with alcohol abuse in the past.

“We are not doing this because of an event that happened,” he said. “I have never encountered any problems with alcohol in my chapter and this program is really a step forward in the prevention of alcohol abuse.”

Concerning the subject of alcohol consumption at the U in general, Zaglool said, “There will always be someone drinking on campus. It’s college.”

Zaglool encourages greeks at the U to always use caution when drinking alcohol.

“There is a right way to drink and a wrong way to drink,” he said. “Hopefully this program will help students remember that.”

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