Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 1 Case Presentation and Analysis Rita Dunston Stevara Clark Johnson Lynanne Jamison Yndestad
Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 2 Abstract Drinking alcohol, in excess or binge, has become a ritual on many campuses affecting the health and safety of students. Such behavior is an inherent part of the overall college experience as expressed by current students. The abuse of alcohol has created a subculture on some campuses bringing about injuries and deaths. Many institutions struggle finding solutions to the excessive use of alcohol. Although clear policies about underage drinking and alcohol use on campuses exists, many stakeholders are lenient in these policies. This paper will present two different case studies that focus on excessive drinking. since it may interfere with alumni and boosters who support long-standing traditions that often center around drinking. The supporters may resist approaches that involves an excessive amount of policing of students. The analysis of the case studies provided an overview of excessive drinking behavior and factors that lead to such actions including the culture of drinking on campus. This paper also examines students’ attitudes toward campus alcohol policies, perceptions regarding drinking behaviors, and alcohol social norms. Each case study analysis provides an examination of addressing campus drinking and recommended action plans for ethical leadership to promote healthy behaviors on campuses and to develop comprehensive college-community interventions.
Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 3 Case Presentation and Analysis: The Fourth-Year Fifth and Homecoming Drama Case Two centers around the University of Virginia (UVA). UVA is a public research, predominately white institution located in Charlottesville, Virginia. This institution has a proud legacy of academic quality and notable accomplishments. However, at the center of its’ notability is the university’s reputation of alcohol abuse among students. UVA has a tradition called the fourth-year fifth. Survey data presented in this case study suggest that 20% of the fourth-year students participate in the tradition, attempting to drink a fifth or 750mL of liquor on the day of the last home game of the football season. This practice has been taking place since the mid-1980s. Analysis There are several concerns to address regarding the fourth-year fifth tradition. The most alarming of these include a student death in 1997. Students indicated in subsequent conversations that they would not change their drinking behaviors considering the death of a fellow student. According to the case study, another concern came to light when one student indicated in an interview that most UVA traditions involve alcohol and students do not graduate with “honor” among their peers if they do not participate. Lastly, despite education and efforts to reduce the number of students who choose to take part in the tradition of the fourth-year fifth, there has been no significant decline in participation over the past decade. The Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) plays a significant role in ensuring the safety of students. While it is impossible for the VPSA to guarantee students will choose to participate only in safe behaviors, it is their responsibility to create and sustain a safe environment that does not promote dangerous activities. Through programmatic efforts and educational resources, various offices under the VPSA have the potential to influence the alcohol
Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 4 culture on campus and promote safe drinking behaviors. The lack of concern from students about risky drinking behaviors, shortage of traditions not involving alcohol, and steady decade-long participation in the fourth-year fifth tradition indicates a need for direct leadership evolution by the VPSA to make significant changes that more positively influence student drinking behavior. Theories and Research Social scientists believe that ethics as critical theory is part of the behaviors and qualities needed in a leader (Ciulla, 2004). Addressing the fourth-year fifth requires the Vice President of Student Affairs to have sensitivity to traditions while addressing mounting safety concerns. Reactions to altering traditions may be negative, but change are necessary to reduce deaths and other health-related issues associated with the fourth-year fifth tradition. As an ethical leader, the VPSA should communicate concerns with students regarding the tradition, allow opportunities for students to be involved with the change process, and develop rewards and punishments that are congruent with UVA student conduct policies (Brown & Treviño, 2006). Tenets from social learning theory suggest that by involving students in the development of a solution, this allows for the students to see the VPSA as a role model that is not susceptible (Brown & Treviño, 2006) to continued inaction towards a hazardous tradition. While this might not amount to success, “ leaders who fail at something are worthy of forgiveness when they act with deliberate care and for the right moral reasons” (Ciulla, 2004, p. 309). The VPSA, when confronted with defining moments, must be able to make decisions based on what matters most, the impact of the college community, and the greater good. Leaders must challenge themselves to see ethical issues through various frameworks to gain perspective and develop solutions. While there are no set standards for ethical decision-making, there are general models to emulate (Johnson, 2018).
Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 5 Most ethical decision-making models are systematic methods of analysis that could assist the ethical leader in making clearer and comprehensible judgment (Johnson, 2018). A model for ethical decision- making that is applicable to this case is Nash’s 12 questions. Laura Nash, an ethics consultant, uses 12 practical steps for resolving ethical dilemmas. Nash ’s model requires leaders to identify the problem, understand the ethical dilemma from other perspectives, determine the origination of the ethical dilemma, distinguish who has loyalty to each other, clarify all parties’ intentions, and the possible results (Johnson, 2018). The remaining steps for leaders’ consideration focus on the decision-maker ’s self-awareness regarding their decision- making. This is an appropriate model to consider when thinking of appropriate change strategies for the VPSA. Recommended Actions A recommended action for this scenario is to increase alcohol education on campus. The steady participation in the fourth-year fifth even after a student death indicates a lack of awareness about the dangers of consuming a substantial amount of alcohol in a short span of time. An assumption regarding this case is the understanding that students are aware that drinking copious amounts of alcohol is unhealthy, but they may not understand the gravity of its effects when consumed so quickly. The VPSA should challenge professionals in their departments to provide education that might help students to make a more informed decision about participating. A potential problem with this solution is that some students may not take the educational offerings seriously or may even be more excited to participate knowing the danger involved. There is clearly a competitive spirit at this institution which could drive students to want to rise and meet the challenge of the fourth-year fifth despite how dangerous it is.
Running head: CASE PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 6 Another recommended action is to highlight the number of students choosing not to participate in the tradition and to provide an alternative new tradition that does not involve alcohol. Many students may choose to participate because they feel it is an expectation, but if they knew that 80% of students do not participate, they might decide not to. Providing an alternative activity on the day of the last home football game that is exciting and impossible to do while drinking, might reduce participation in the fourth-year fifth. A potential problem with this solution is that some students may view the alternative activity as being unpopular and refuse to participate. If the VPSA involves students in the creation of this new tradition, participation in the new alternative tradition should be significant as more students might participate in a tradition developed by their peers. Of the two recommended actions, the latter might produce the best results. Most collegiate educational programming about alcohol use typically targets first year students without understanding their role in the campus culture (Reis & Riley, 2008). Reis and Riley (2008) also state that “students may respond to messages on the negative consequences of excessive drinking and how students can create expectations for group behavior” (p. 203). By having students design and promote anti-drinking programming, the VPSA is building a campus culture that affirms the students ’ role in developing and self-policing their conduct. Ethically, the VPSA can ground his decision in his application of social learning theory and student-centered intervention through the reframing of his laissez-faire leadership (Brown & Treviño, 2006; Johnson, 2018). The Fourth-Year Fifth Conclusion Even though alcohol is illegal for most undergraduate students, alcohol use is vast on college campuses. The consequences of binge drinking have posed serious risk for drinkers; in
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