USC offers new programs through health coalition


By
 in

As part of USC’s new partnership with the Alcohol Prevention Coalition, the university will begin offering optional online courses covering topics relevant to university life, such as sexual assault and mental health.

Incoming students are currently required to complete the AlcoholEdu course before their first week of classes, a requirement first implemented seven years ago.

The added courses are designed and offered through Outside the Classroom, the same entity responsible for AlcoholEdu.

MentalHealthEdu is available for faculty and staff, while SexualAssaultEdu is geared toward the student body.

Another course, GreekLife, targets specific drinking problems and conflicts found predominantly in the Greek community.

The coalition also plans on conducting studies on USC’s student body and behavior in order to develop more customized curriculum for the university.

While the university is not planning to require staff or students to complete the online tutorials, the new partnership vastly increases the amount of resources available to those wanting to delve further into potential social dilemmas.

Staff members will have the chance to attend semi-annual research summits and experts plan on conducting campus research on the school’s drinking culture, according to the Health Promotion and Prevention Services department.

“Outside the Classroom is sitting on one of the largest databases of college students in the world,” said Paula Swinford, director of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, to USC News. “We need to move this conversation forward, and we need more information about USC — the coalition is able to provide that.”

The AlcoholEdu tutorial provides basic information on what amount constitutes a single alcoholic drink, the meaning of blood alcohol content and how the body metabolizes alcohol. Through use of the online program, the university safely ensures that each incoming student will receive the same information on prevention and problem solving.

Students and staff can access the newly instituted programs beginning July 1.