Just days into the semester-as the University has garnered attention for its affiliation with the Amethyst Initiative-Tom Szigethy, recently appointed Duke's first associate dean and director of the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Center, is beginning to take an internal look at instances of alcohol and substance abuse.
Szigethy, former director of Alcohol and Other Drug Services at the University of Connecticut, will consult students, faculty and interest groups on issues surrounding substance use at the University.
"His role is not to be just another programmer-it's not just to throw three more things out there," said Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta. "His role is to step away from the fray of interventions and step back and collectively look at we do."
These programs, however, are unlike more conventional rehabilitation procedures. Szigethy's plans incorporate community involvement, social relationships and sometimes, monetary incentives linked to education. Many members of the Duke community are also taking part in the effort.
"For the most part, there are a lot of entities happening, but no cohesive thread," he said. "That's where this office comes into play-by putting together the pieces through health education with student involvement, policies, residential life and faculty running classes around alcohol and substances."
During his four years at the University of Connecticut, Szigethy implemented many creative substance abuse programs that he said he plans to bring to Duke as well. He started a forum for the university to discuss topics surrounding substance use and launched programs that encouraged students to think about drinking.
One such program is centered around community engagement and social activism, a model that Szigethy said would be a better fit for Duke than his former institution because of the University's emphasis on social engagement.
The plan would require students to commit to reducing their alcohol intake by a self-designated amount. Students would then use the amount of money they would have spent on alcohol to sponsor charities or special interest groups. Szigethy said that after students choose to whom they would donate, they would continue communication with the recipient and build a relationship to "personalize the drinking."
"People begin using [alcohol] with the chance of making friends quickly," he said. "If it becomes a priority, relationships begin to fall apart. With this, if someone's drinking an obscene amount, you can ask, 'How much are you taking away from these people that could use the help because you chose to get obliterated tonight?' It brings the relationship back to social activism."
Szigethy also created a discount card that includes information about all the signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Students can receive discounts on purchases at participating retailers while improving their ability to identify alcohol poisoning by having the information on hand.
Szigethy said his goal at Duke is to promote moderate drinking instead of high-risk consumption and identify the causes of students' decisions. Research has shown that a student-centered and student-driven approach has decreased risky drinking by presenting a stronger relationship between students and their university, Szigethy noted.
"Tom is a nationally renowned expert in the arts and sciences of alcohol use and substance abuse," Moneta said. "He will bring a more scientific approach to the unique challenges of Duke and will help us through interventions that will be more likely to be effective. We'll have a real data-driven, public-health-focused agenda to provide a safer campus for our students."
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