June 30, 2008

The faculty and staff of the University of Miami share your exceptional vision and ambition for all aspects of your life, in and out of the classroom. Your personal and professional development, and that of your peers, is the cornerstone of a partnership that will last during your years here and beyond. It is an exciting journey on which we embark together.

As you well know, alcohol is a significant issue in the lives of students in both high school and college and throughout our lives. Whether you abstain from alcohol entirely or not, it is an influence in our lives and in the lives of our family and friends. The University of Miami has joined together with many top schools in the country in adopting AlcoholEdu for College as a component of our alcohol prevention initiative. This is not an over-simplified, lecture style diatribe about the use of alcohol. It is a thoughtful, educated, and educating program for adults committed to thinking about their life choices.

Your physical and emotional health, now and throughout your life, will serve as a critical foundation for the greatness that your intellect and creativity afford you. And, as always, your commitment to yourself comes with a shared commitment to the health and welfare of others. Just as you have throughout your life, you will have a special opportunity to impact the lives of your peers in positive and productive ways, and we are committed to helping you do so in any way that we can.

To this end, we require every new incoming University of Miami student to take AlcoholEdu for College.

• You will receive log in instructions and may access the course beginning July 29, 2008.
• You will need to complete Part 1 (approximately 3 hours) by August 18, 2008.
• Approximately 45 days later, you will receive an automated email asking you to complete the course. At this time, you will need to log in again to complete Part 2 which takes approximately 15 minutes.
• NOTE: Only once you’ve finished Part 2 have you completed the program.

To take the course, you will need a computer with Internet access and audio capabilities. If you do not have access to a computer, you can use any publicly available computer with Internet access.

Please note that the course includes three surveys that offer you feedback on your alcohol-related attitudes and behaviors. All survey responses are strictly confidential; University of Miami will only receive information about the student body as a whole and will NEVER see any individual student's answers.

The University of Miami is deeply committed to the greatest health, welfare, and ultimate success of all of our members. I hope that you enjoy the course.

Sincerely,