Chancellor's Letter to UW-Madison Parents
August 5, 2005
Dear Parent or Guardian,
As chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison - as well as a parent - I know that August can be a hectic, emotional month as you prepare your son or daughter for university life. I'm asking for a few minutes of your time to help us address an important issue before your student joins our campus community.
Like hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide, we are undertaking a significant campus-community effort to prevent and reduce excessive alcohol consumption among our students.
We're concerned because our research and our years of experience show that high-risk drinking has a serious effect on students and those around them, including roommates, friends and classmates. One of the most critical times for students - especially freshmen - is the first few weeks of the fall semester. Consequences range from missed classes and poor grades to violence, vandalism, sexual assault and serious health risks. High-risk drinking is one of the prime reasons that some students don't succeed at UW-Madison.
During the past decade, we've made substantive changes to university policies to reflect the serious nature of these issues. We've also advocated with the city of Madison for changes benefiting student safety, new entertainment options for students, and responsible operation of campus-area taverns and house parties.
You can play a vital role in our effort. If you haven't done so already, I urge you to have an honest and direct conversation with your student about alcohol use before the semester begins. For more information on ways to start this conversation, and for more details about our campus efforts to address high-risk drinking, please visit http://pace.uhs.wisc.edu/.
Thanks for adding one more important task to your August to-do list. We look forward to welcoming your student to a successful year at UW-Madison.
Sincerely,
John D. Wiley
Chancellor