Dear BACCHUS Network Peer Educators and Advisors,

Welcome to the 2008 National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week (NCAAW) Resource Guide and Programming Manual!

Every year, The BACCHUS Network™ strives to provide our peer educator affiliates with resources they can use to create quality educational programming and innovative health awareness events on campus. This year is no different. This programming manual is a vital part of our U DECIDE Campaign Kit that has arrived on your campus.

This year, to recognize the close connection between alcohol abuse and impaired driving, we have combined our NCAAW and Impaired Driving Prevention Programming Guides. The new, comprehensive approach will allow your efforts to be tailored to the specific needs of your campus.

In this manual, you will find the following resources designed to help with NCAAW programming and year round alcohol abuse and impaired driving prevention efforts:

• Ideas for using the promotional items in the U DECIDE Campaign Kit
• Latest reports from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and Promising Practices on the issue of alcohol abuse
• The latest facts on impaired driving and on other highway safety issues such as seatbelt use and distracted, fatigued and aggressive driving
• Information and statistics on various aspects of the alcohol abuse issue and how it relates to topics ranging from impaired driving to sexual health decision-making
• Programming ideas from other campuses that you can use as part of your NCAAW educational initiatives
• Tips for fundraising
• Resources for more information on alcohol, impaired driving and other health related topics

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, a strong foundation for fall programming, is observed each year during the third full week in October (October 19–25 this year). This particular time may not work for your campus, so feel free to choose a time that best meets your needs.

It is certainly possible that you have already chosen a theme for your campus NCAAW programming. If so, we hope the items provided to you in the campaign kit will be helpful as a supplement to what you have already planned. We also invite you to use the U DECIDE theme, which highlights students helping each other to make smart decisions that protect their health and safety, now and throughout the year.

In addition to the many resources available in the U DECIDE Campaign Kit, we have a substantial variety of additional resources, articles, and strategies available on our website at bacchusnetwork.org and friendsdrivesober.org

We wish you the best of luck with your alcohol awareness programming!

The BACCHUS Network™ National Staff

Make Note: NCAAW 2009 dates are October 18–24!