Alcohol-Wise Online Course
Ithaca College expects all incoming freshmen to complete the Alcohol-Wise on-line alcohol education program. Access to the Fall 2012 course will be available on August 1, 2012. Incoming students will receive a letter in the mail from President Rochon in late July with detailed information.
Alcohol-Wise is a web-based course designed to assist students in making healthy decisions regarding alcohol use in college. Incoming freshmen are expected to take the course prior to arriving on campus. The program takes about 90 minutes to complete,and includes information on:
- How expectations influence behavior
- Alcohol’s effect on learning and memory
- Recognizing and responding to an alcohol-related emergency
- Blood alcohol concentration and low-risk drinking strategies
Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Alcohol-Wise.
Q. How do students access the course?
A. Access to the Fall 2012 Alcohol Wise course will be available on August 1, 2012. On or after this date, incoming students can enroll in the course by following these steps:
1. Go to the Alcohol-Wise website
2. On the left hand side of the screen, go to "Course Enrollment," and then "College."
3. Enter the Control Number for Ithaca College, which is ITHCAW.
4. You will receive a password immediately on the screen and also by email. Use that password, and your email address, to begin the course. DO NOT include payment or credit card information. The course is free for IC students.
5. If you have any questions, contact Nancy Reynolds in the IC Center for Health Promotion, at nreynolds@ithaca.edu or 607-274-7933.
Q. I am a transfer student. Do I need to take Alcohol-Wise?
A. We encourage transfer students to take Alcohol-Wise, but it is not mandatory.
Q. What about students who do not have easy access to computers at home or in their community?
A. We ask that you consider all the possibilities for accessing a computer. A friend or family member may be willing to let you use their computer for this purpose. Also, many local libraries have computers available with internet access.
If it is truly impossible to access a computer with necessary technical capabilities, you may receive an extension to complete Alcohol-Wise in the fall semester in order to take the course on an Ithaca College computer. Please email Nancy Reynolds in the Center for Health Promotion at nreynolds@ithaca.edu.
Q. What if a student’s home computer freezes or crashes while trying to run the program?
A. First, contact Alcohol-Wise’s 24 hour technical support at 888-810-7990 to see if something can be done to optimize the performance of your computer. If that does not solve the problem, email Nancy Reynolds in the Center for Health Promotion at nreynolds@ithaca.edu for an extension in order to take the course on an Ithaca College computer early in the fall semester.
Q. Why is Ithaca College implementing Alcohol-Wise? Is there a drinking problem here?
A. Ithaca College is pretty typical of most college campuses when it comes to alcohol use. Most people drink moderately or do not drink at all. The info on Alcohol-Wise is really about helping people think through decisions related to alcohol use.
Online alcohol education is a new strategy available for addressing the college’s ongoing goal of reducing high-risk drinking and related harm. The President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs recommended that all incoming students complete Alcohol-Wise.
Q. What does the evaluation research say about Alcohol-Wise?
A. Preliminary research on Alcohol-Wise is promising. Research conducted with Alcohol-Wise and on one of the program’s components, e-CHUG, have shown encouraging results for college retention rates, GPA’s, and decreased weekly alcohol consumption. For detailed product information, research articles, and contact information, please visit the Alcohol-Wise website.
