Committee work and updates

September 26, 2008
Committee Minutes

CAMPUS CULTURE WORKING GROUP
Meeting #1:  12 Noon, September 26, 2008
Smith Room, 2^nd floor Roberts Union

     I.     Introductions

    II.     Review Background information

   III.     Review Charge from President Adams

                          i.      Committee discussed the Board of Trustees  Resolution and 
                                  President Adams' Charge to the Committee to eliminate high
                                  risk/dangerous drinking.  Objective of the committee is to
                                  identify and recommend concrete, readily implementable
                                  action steps to limit high risk/dangerous drinking.

   IV.    Discussion of Working Group process

                    a.       Work strategy

                          i.      Committee will hold full group meetings to coincide with the
                                  Board of Trustee meeting schedule – October, January, April
                                  and May.

                         ii.      Sub-committees will work on issues between meetings and
                                  communicate electronically.

                     b.      Timeline

                     c.       Future meeting schedule

                     d.      Sub-committee assignments for Oct. 23 meeting

        > Subcommittees will meet to provide framework for future work. Each
        sub-committee will come into next meeting with a more detailed understanding  
        of what is going on at Colby and nationally in regard to high risk drinking.

        Four subcommittees

• National data & "literature" review
• Colby data review – alcohol edu (5-6), alcohol data, disciplinary data,
• Colby student  interviews
• Colby Faculty/staff/local perspective view

       On 23^rd each subcommittee will report back to group – approximately 10 minutes.

   V.      Q&A

  VI.      Adjourn

October 23, 2008

CAMPUS CULTURE WORKING GROUP
Meeting #2:  6-9 p.m., October 23, 2008
Whitney Room, 2^nd floor Roberts Union

   I.             Update on developments since last meeting

                  a.      Jim shared with the group that Sally Drescher has stepped down from the
                           committee due   to other commitments. Jim acknowledged Sally's contributions to
                           the campus in regard to  the alcohol issue. Jim will identify and invite a student to
                           replace Sally.

                  b.      Barbara Moore updated the group on the progress of the Champagne Steps
                           Working Group.

                  c.      Discussion of the Campus Culture Working Group web page for the community and
                           the Colby wiki for the working group to share reports and information.  Whitney King
                          and Martha Arteberry provided a tutorial for the group.

  II.           Sub-committee reports and discussion

                 a.     The four working groups presented reports on the data and the information each had
                         compiled. Reports will be made available on the wiki and the CCWG website. 

                 b.     The Colby Student interview will continue to collect data and report back to the group.
                         Jim encouraged others to assist with the student interviews, Margaret McFadden
                          to lead.

III.            Visioning Exercise

                a.     Jim Terhune led the group through a visioning exercise.  The group was asked to
                        share their thoughts and expectations about what the ideal Colby could look like in
                        respect to the issue  of alcohol.

                        i.     Change our perspective and move outside of our experience and looking ahead
                               at  what  the ideal Colby looks like.

                       ii.     Thinking about what the community at Colby we would like to see with respect to
                               alcohol culture.  The group brainstormed about the ideal campus culture.
                               Specifically, we identified the qualities we are looking for as we think about
                               solving the excessive drinking culture which has come to define Colby's culture.

 IV.         Next Steps

              The working group will be divided into four sub-committees to conduct a SWOT exercise on
              the four themes developed during the visioning session. The groups will meet separately
              in early November, then reconvene as a large group in December.

             Community – Colby as a vibrant academic community of engaged citizens, who value
             difference, respect others, and take ownership and responsibility for the home in which they
             live and learn.     

             Culture of Integrated Learning –A community comprised of individuals who have a healthy
             respect  for themselves and others and who contribute actively to the academic and social
             environment. 

             Safe and Caring Environment – An healthy environment that is conducive to learning, one
             where students respect authority and rules, look out for each other, and take a long view of
             their experience at Colby and beyond.

             Enhanced Social Climate –A co-mingling of the social and the intellectual throughout
             campus life; a community in which the social culture is dominated by respect and values
             traditions not centered around drinking.  An environment that encourages and rewards
             intellectual and positive community relations.

  V.        Wrap Up

Sub-Committee Reports

Henry Wechsler

Student Interviews

Parents/Employees/Community

Core Alcohol and Drug Survey Results