Mission
The mission of the Bader Alcohol Task Force is to provide the RIT student community with alcohol education and prevention initiatives specifically for 4 high-risk groups:

• First year students
• Athletes
• Greek-affiliated students
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing students

Since 2000, RIT has been the recipient of multiple grants from the Helen Bader Foundation in access of $300,000 to fund alcohol and other drug-related programming, education, national speaker series and a student advisory group (PAWS). The educational initiatives have been based upon a modified Social Norming Theory approach, using surveys from the four high risk groups listed above as the basis for a mass media campaign to educate RIT student regarding smart choices fellow students are making regarding their use of alcohol and other drugs.

The Bader Alcohol Task Force has worked diligently with many RIT departments, colleges and student organizations to bring a new perspective on the issues of over consumption of alcohol and use of drugs by our student population. We have partnered with many programs on campus, but have maintained strong ties with the following areas:

• Center for Student Conduct and Conflict Management Services
• NTID Student Life Team
• Center for Athletics and Recreation
• Center for Residence Life
• Center for Campus Life
• Greek Affairs
• S.A.I.S.D. (Substance and Alcohol Intervention Services for the Deaf)
• Student Health Center
• First Year Enrichment Program

Objectives

1. Provide the RIT student community with alcohol and other drug education and prevention initiatives including, but not limited to:
• National speakers on the topics of alcohol and other drugs
• On-campus educational classes for students and student organizations (SpiRITS)
• Alcohol and substance-free programming during Week of Welcome/RIT Orientation and other times throughout the academic year
2. Student assessment surveys regarding alcohol and other drug use/abuse within our targeted high risk groups
3. Media campaign using student data collected annually from the targeted high risk student groups at RIT, providing students with real information regarding the responsible choices their fellow classmates are making regarding alcohol and other drugs
4. Peer leadership group entitled PAWS (Pair Alcohol with Safety) provide the Bader Task Force with student perspectives and input regarding our media campaigns, events and national speakers
5. Training and implementation information to other colleges and universities regarding our program and it’s potential use on their campuses.
6. Regional symposium on alcohol education (Spring 2008) colleges and universities in the New York/Ohio valley area.