Jun 26, 2002 By April Straughters 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – Community members and representatives from different Cal U campus organizations discussed goals and initiatives to make positive changes in the areas of drug and alcohol abuse and sexual assault in the upcoming school year. The group, in a meeting Tuesday, reviewed statistics and discussed different goals, then chose the most important ones to be implemented in the upcoming year. Among the favorites were extended hours of transportation services for students; freshmen outreach; program consistency; increased community services; and development of community police.

The meeting was sponsored jointly by the PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy for Change and Empowerment) Project and the California Campus Community Coalition on Underage and Dangerous Drinking.

This was the first time the two organizations held meetings together, according to Nancy Skobel, project director of PEACE.

“We’re not separate entities. We do need to work together. We’re really doing good work, working together and we all benefit,” Skobel said.

Liz Gruber, project director for the California Campus Community Coalition said she was very pleased with the meeting and what it accomplished.

“We got a lot of discussion. Everyone here has expertise in some field and we have a nice representation from all the groups,” Gruber said.

In addition to representatives from various campus-sponsored organizations, several representatives from various Washington County social service agencies and local law enforcement attended the meeting.

California Mayor Galvie Gardner, California Police Chief Steve Silbaugh, District Justice William Pelkey, Campus Police Chief Jim Hansen and Jim Zeaman of the state bureau of liquor control enforcement all attended. They are all members of the Campus Coalition.

Officer Lori Swift, with campus police, said she thinks it’s important that law enforcement be included in these meetings. She said being more involved with initiatives to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and sexual assault can help police to get better acquainted with students themselves thus helping to change students’ perceptions of police.

“We need to let them know that we do not only provide law enforcement but also assistance to victims,” she said.

Swift also said she was happy to see a couple of the local bar owners, who are members of the Campus Coalition of Underage and Dangerous Drinking, at the meeting.

Cheryl Erdley, owner of a local bar, said she would like to see the campus provide a car service to students at night. She said she has driven many students home after 2 a.m. Many of whom she said she saw walking the streets and not coming from her business.

She said she would also like more education on sexual assault saying it is not always related to alcohol consumption.

“You don’t have to be drunk to be a victim of date rape,” she said.

Gruber agreed but said you can’t deny that there is a connection.

“Alcohol doesn’t cause rape, but you can’t overlook there is a connection,” she said.

Gruber said they welcome the ideas of all involved at the meeting. She said suggestions made will be reviewed and possibly implemented next year.

“We’re all addressing the same problems, we might as well do this together,” she said.