Why a specific alcohol policy?
Alcohol is freely available, it is part of our daily lives and it’s hard to imagine life without it. As UCLL students, we frequently come into contact with alcohol at parties, on student nights out, gala balls and graduation events. `Cause there ain`t no party, like an alcoholic partyyy! Well.... Of course there is !
Drinking alcohol may have a negative impact on the well-being and safety of students and their environment. UCLL is very much engaged in raising awareness about alcohol use through prevention campaigns and scientific research, we also cooperate with local partners who have relevant expertise (e.g. CGG Zorggroep Zin), we provide staff trainings about detecting signals and where to refer to and we provide (referral to) appropriate (online) care.
In addition, UCLL is committed to offer a healthy environment and has issued clear alcohol policy rules and guidelines that apply to all UCLL campuses and to staff and students alike. Cheers to that!
So... what does it mean in concrete terms?
Actually, little will change. As a general rule, UCLL does not make alcohol available to students (nor to staff, for that matter). Furthermore, it is not permitted to carry around, drink, or sell alcoholic beverages (regardless of the alcohol percentage) on UCLL premises or on any other place of work outside UCLL premises.
On campus, the only exception (allowed by a senior staff member) is to hand out, offer for free, sell, or consume alcoholic beverages during organised events. What is an organised event and who is authorised to grant permission for which events? You find answers on the intranet page 'Rules about alcohol use at UCLL'.. On this page, you will also find information about situations or events during which students and/or staff come into contact with alcohol and how UCLL deals with it.
What is reasonable alcohol use?
Drinking alcohol is socially accepted and is therefore the most commonly used legal drug in Flanders/Belgium. It has become part of our culture, although it is not a harmless product. Drinking alcohol is a personal choice. If you choose to drink alcohol, the alcohol consumption guidelines (link in Dutch only) may help you determine when and how (much).
Additional information can be found on the website van het Vlaams expertisecentrum Alcohol en andere Drugs (VAD) (Dutch only).
As a student - or student club or student council - you can promote reasonable alcohol consumption when you organise an event or offer free drinks. How to organise a non-alcoholic party? A few simple precautions to start you off: provide a delicious non-alcoholic alternative and offer it at a lower price (definitely not at a higher price) than the alcoholic beverages, provide free (tap) water, do not encourage alcohol consumption -> avoid happy hours or do not hand out free alcohol beverages without any non-alcoholic alternatives. Easy peasy!
Still looking for a delicious non-alcoholic alternative? Five passionate students of the SME & Entrepreneurship programme created their own mocktail for their Small Business Project: Otro. Cheers !
Do you have a project of your own that needs to be promoted here? Let us know by email (email address below)!
Do you need help or support or do you have questions about organising an event that promotes responsible and balanced alcohol consumption? Feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities.
What if you are worried about someone?
How do you deal with fellow students who may be drunk?
It's not that simple, nevertheless we want to encourage an open culture where we can talk to each other openly about violating the alcohol consumption rules or concerns about alcohol use. If a fellow student often comes to class drunk, or repeatedly shows up with a hangover, you may be affected or concerned about it. On alcoholhulp.be (Dutch only) you can find some tips on how to deal with these situations.
For instance, there are signs indicating that someone has an alcohol problem. You’d better not play detective. The effect of alcohol can be different for everyone. Talk to the person and refer him/her to support services. These guidelines (Dutch only) may be helpful.
Or what if a lecturer is teaching while drunk?
Be sure to bring up the incident. You can report it or discuss it with a third party, such as a lecturer you trust or with the ombuds service.
Where can you find help and information?
- Do you have a question or do you want to report problematic alcohol use that has an effect on your performance in class? Please contact student services, a lecturer you trust, the student psychologists, your programme manager, ...
- On this website (https://moodspace.be/en/infotheek/alcohol-and-abuse) you will find lots of information about alcohol use, its effects and how you can talk to others (friends or support services) about your own alcohol consumption or of someone you are concerned about.
- On the website alcoholhulp.be (Dutch only) you will find information about alcohol use (self-test, drinking tips, effects of alcohol, ...), problematic drinking (forms and risks of excessive long-term drinking, ...), information for the environment (recognizing signals, information for partners, ...) and much more.
- The “Druglijn” (druglijn.be Dutch only) is open to everyone asking all kinds of questions about alcohol, drugs, other substances, gambling and gaming. You can contact them anonymously for a sympathetic ear, objective information and first-line advice or you may be referred to support or prevention services. This intranet page (https://intranet.ucll.be/nl/node/37280) will provide additional information.
- The Vlaams expertisecentrum alcohol en andere drugs (Dutch only) provides fact sheets and articles about alcohol, and alcohol use prevention and assistance, and also training offerings about alcohol use.
- Or, for more general information and support, you can visit the online self-help platform Mirro, more information can be found on this intranet page https://intranet.ucll.be/nl/node/44170.