Some ETSU students and faculty are mad. They are not upset about tuition or book expenses. They are not angry about parking or lack thereof. But they are MADD and they are planning to do something about it.
UMADD is a college campus chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. MADD’s mission is “to stop drunk driving, support victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking,” according to the organization’s web site.
This kind of program is always needed on campuses because alcohol and drug-related problems are going to affect colleges and universities, said ETSU Public Safety Officer Jerry Hughes, district coordinator of the program.
Within a two-mile radius of ETSU’s campus, there are 73 bar and alcohol outlets, including grocery stores, bars and convenience centers. In 2003 at ETSU there were 13 counts of driving under the influence (alcohol or drugs), 24 cases of drunkenness and 41 liquor law violations. “As long as you have colleges and as long as you have student organizations, you have alcohol, drugs, assaults, vandalism and date rape,” Hughes said. “Alcohol causes you to do things and take chances you normally would not take – in driving, dating, fights – and you become more offensive at things that normally wouldn’t bother you.”
Tennessee has a zero tolerance policy for underage alcohol offenders. A person at least 16 years old, but not yet 21 years old can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor if he or she purchases, attempts to purchase, receives, consumes or has alcohol in their possession in a public place.
Even for a first offense, underage offenders will face 48 hours of detainment, a $350-$1,500 fine, one year license withdrawal, alcohol treatment and 200 hours of community service.
ETSU is a “dry” campus, meaning any alcohol or drug possession on school property is punishable by law. ETSU’s policy for a drug-free campus “prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of alcohol and illicit drugs on the ETSU campus, in the workplace (on- or off-campus), on property owned or controlled by ETSU, or as part of any activity of ETSU.
Under the Institutional Student Disciplinary Rules, the unlawful possession, use, sale or distribution of any drug or controlled substance is prohibited. The use and/or possession of alcoholic beverages on university-owned or university-controlled property is also prohibited by TBR policy.”
From Feb. 7 to March 12, 2004 75 arrests for using alcohol underage, buying alcohol underage, bartenders selling to underage, etc. occurred within two miles of the university, ETSU Public Safety department reports showed.
UMADD’s goal is to decrease those numbers, as well as the number of alcohol and drug-related injuries and deaths. “You don’t have to have massive amounts of injuries and deaths,” Hughes said. “It just takes one. If we can save one life, the program is worthwhile.”
Many college students feel invincible or believe that they won’t be affected by alcohol and drug impairments. “Sometimes we as students feel we are larger than life and we can do anything without being hurt or hurting someone else,” said Lacie Tullock, senior political science major and UMADD advocate.
“That is not the case and education is the key overcoming that mind set. Students are more than capable of accomplishing big tasks.”
Students will develop UMADD for the ETSU campus and concentrate on the issues that most affect this area, such as underage consumption. The group will also work within the community to educate and inform. “Students impact students,” Tullock said. “Whether or not they believe it, the best educator is your peers. Over 85 percent of what you learn in college is learned outside of a classroom and that is where the education from UMADD will come into play: the power of students educating students to better their world together.
“We all are affected by what happens on our campus, in our community, and our world so why not put forth a huge effort to keep us all safe and protect each other.”
Although UMADD at ETSU is still in the “crawling stage,” student involvement will make or break the effectiveness of the program, Hughes said. A minimum of five students is needed to officially start the organization, so UMADD can get approval from ETSU and national MADD.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, April 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Forum of the D.P. Culp University Center. For more information, call Hughes at 439-6900.Students, faculty get ‘MADD’

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