Biennial Review Summary 2016

All institutions of higher education are required by federal law to conduct a biennial review of campus alcohol and other drug programs and policies.

The 2016 Biennial Review Committee was comprised of faculty, staff and students and met May-August 2016 to conduct the federally required biennial review. Several subcommittees also met during these months, discussing student organization accountability, consistency of enforcement, and alcohol storage on campus.

The committee determined that the University of Michigan is in compliance with federal requirements for the University of Michigan Alcohol and Other Drug Policy for Students, Faculty and Staff. The policy document is distributed electronically to every student, faculty and staff member on an annual basis and is also included in the Annual Security Report & Annual Fire Safety Report. It is also linked in the mandatory online course required for all incoming first year and undergraduate transfer students, and is referenced in parent and student orientation materials. Recommendations on enhancing distribution are detailed below.

The committee unanimously endorsed including the following: 1) Language to address alcohol storage on campus, 2) Expansion of the Medical Amnesty provision, and 3) Other minor revisions. They also noted that most of the 2014 recommendations have been implemented successfully, most notably the formation of the Law Enforcement Collaborative, which brings together campus and community officials to share data and evaluate potential legal strategies. Other recommendations require more attention and are in progress.. 

The committee reviewed accomplishments, as well as the Alcohol and Other Drug Typology Matrix, to determine program effectiveness. Committee members were asked to identify strengths and weaknesses in program components. Members sited the strong collaborations within Student Life departments as well as law enforcement as the major strength surrounding this work. The challenges of working in a decentralized environment and the limited time and resources available to implement improvement measures continue to be areas for improvement. 

Recommendations for continued improvement include:

  1. Communicate/promote AOD Policy more often to students, faculty and staff using modes that will better reach them.

    1. When sending out the new policy, bring attention to the recent changes.
    2. Work with Conference & Event Services to better integrate the policy into their communication outlets.
  2. Determine ways to better address student, faculty and staff travel –
    1. Work with Parking and Transportation to require faculty/staff to review AOD policy before renting a U-M vehicle.
  3. Better disseminate information regarding trends that impact the use of AOD to the campus community.
  4. Increase outreach efforts to alums and donors of the University of Michigan.
  5. Promote substance-free events, especially around high-profile athletic events.
  6. Solidify committee representation from departments that have, in the past, not had a strong presence in the Biennial Review process.

For a complete report or more information, please contact Wolverine Wellness at [email protected] or 734-763-1320.

See a list of all report summaries at Biennial Review for Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act.