Stephen F. Austin State University

AlcoholEDU

AlcoholEDU @ SFASU

IntroductionWelcome to AlcoholEDU for all new students at Stephen F. Austin State University. If you are a new SFA student this summer you will be asked to complete this three-hour alcohol abuse prevention and educational tool before you arrive on campus in August. This program is mandatory for all incoming SFA students. On this page you will find the answer to a number of your questions and contact information for further information should that need arrive. So, get ready for AlcoholEDU.

What is AlcoholEDU

AlcoholEDU is a web based learning tool designed to teach students about the affects and dangers of over consumption of alcohol. This program takes about three hours to complete, however can be completed in stages once the program goes live. This program is designed and maintained by a company called Outside the Classroom from Boston and has developed a program that is research based and non-judgmental. AlcoholEDU uses information you provide about your current drinking habits and develops a personalized program to teach you more about yourself. AlcoholEdu for College offers a confidential, personalized experience for each student. The course includes:

Why AlcoholEdu for College?

Surveys from more than 70,000 students who completed AlcoholEdu for College in the summer and fall of 2005 demonstrate the effects of the program. After taking the course:

72% said they now know more about blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and 44% of men know more about how alcohol affects consent for sex.

70% said they would recommend the program to other students.

Further, an independent study of AlcoholEdu for College showed that students who took the course had 50% fewer negative personal, health, and academic consequences than those who did not take it.

When does AlcoholEDU begin?

You can start your AlcoholEDU experience on July 25th, 2011 and must have completed it by August 25rd.

How do I access AlcoholEDU?

We have implemented a program called Single Access Authentication. This program allows for you to access AlcoholEDU without the use of usernames and passwords. All you need to do is to log onto mySFA at: http://mysfa-prod.sfasu.edu/.

Once you do that you will need to click on the button labeled AlcoholEDU. It should be in the right hand corner of the page. From there you will be directed on how to proceed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not leave the AlcoholEDU system without first logging out. If that happens you will lose all of your work and have to repeat the course. Once you arrive at the end of a section the best move is to log out to retrun to where you left off.

Do I need any special software to access AlcoholEDU?

No, in fact the entire course is web based and you will not need to download any software. You will need the following configuration in order to have a glitch free experience.

Windows PC

Macintosh OS

If you do have a problem accessing AlcoholEDU please contact us (Michael Preston, Director of Student Life) at bfarmer@sfasu.edu, describe your issue and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Please include your name, student ID and a phone number where you can be reached.

What happens if I do not complete AlcoholEDU?

Any student who does not complete AlcoholEDU will be targeted with a non-compliance notation in your disciplinary record. What this means is if you do receive an alcohol violation you will then be treated in your judicial hearing as if this is your second violation.

I have never consumed alcohol and intend on being a non-drinker, why do I have to take AlcoholEDU?

We understand many of our students are abstainers. Studies show about 20% of our students will not consume alcohol during their 4 years at SFA. While we certainly applaud this decision in the spirit of fairness and in order to arm you with the best information possible to support your decision we will require you still take this program. It is our hope this program will support your good decision and allow you to continue. Peer pressure is tough and you will have to make the decision not to consume a number of times in college.

Is there a drinking problem at SFA among its students?

Not anymore than your average college campus. As a matter of fact SFA was found to have a slightly lower rate of alcohol consumption by its students when compared with five other similar AlcoholEDU institutions. We just feel this is an important program to ensure our students are as knowledgeable as possible about their choices. While AlcoholEDU is not a silver bullet and prevent all students from drinking, research shows AlcoholEDU does help many students know more about blood alcohol and stop drinking sooner.

What do you do with my answers?

In order for AlcoholEDU to work we need to assure your answers are confidential and your own. Administrators and the folks at AlcoholEDU cannot see your individual answers. All we know abour you is if you have logged into the course and if you have passed the final exam. SFA is not interested in your past drinking habits as much as we are interested in helping you make better decisions in the future. All other information is encrypted to your account and then dissolved once you complete the program. In order to ensure maximum confidentiality we also ask you complete AlcoholEDU alone and with minimal distractions.

Who do I contact if I have any other questions?

Beverly S. Farmer, Director of Student Activities at 936-468-1102 or by email at bfarmer@sfasu.edu.