Outcomes Based Assessment: Alcohol Awareness Event

Megan Marshall

Higher Education Student Affairs, Western Carolina University

Higher Education Student Affairs 670: Professionalism in Higher Education

April Perry, Ph. D

 Planning

Program Purpose

The purpose of Game Night with UPD is to inform students at Western Carolina

University (WCU) about risks associated with substance (drugs and alcohol) use. It also aims to

inform students on the university policies regarding substances on campus and introduce students

to members of WCU’s police department (UPD). This event supports the purpose of UPD by

working to maintaining an active community partnership. This event provided space for both me

as a Residential Living staff member, and Officer Sara Shiner to collaborate and work together to

provide residents with a unique educational experience. The purpose of this program also

supports the mission of Residential Living in that it is not only facilitated by the job

responsibilities of my role, but also supports the continued education of members of the campus

community.

University Police Department

Our mission is to provide professional community-oriented police service. We are

committed to creating and maintaining an active community partnership and assisting the

community in identifying and solving problems to improve the quality of lives on our campus.

We are dedicated to protecting life, property, and maintaining order while assuring fair and equal

treatment to everyone. We respect the cultural and ethnic diversity of our university.

Department of Residential Living

The Mission of the Department of Residential Living states, "We provide clean, safe, and

healthy living environments that enhance and support the educational mission, goals, and creed

of Western Carolina University."

Program Goals
 1. Foster student learning and reflection.

2. Build community among students who live in on campus residence halls.

Program Outcomes

1. Students will be able to understand WCU’s alcohol policy.

2. Students will be able to describe the change in their vision when wearing substance

simulating goggles.

3. Students will be able to learn about the risks associated with the consumption of

substances.

4. Students will be able to meet new people in their living community.

Implementing

The event was held on Monday, November 27th, 2023, at 7pm in The Bridge on the 4th

floor of Blue Ridge Residence Hall. This program initially started with first reaching out to

WCU’s police department to make a reservation for the event. This is done through UPD’s

website, on the right side of the website there is a menu labeled “Programming” where various

types of educational events can be requested. I requested an “Alcohol Risk Awareness

Program.” In my request I detailed the time and location of the event and specifically asked that

the goggles that simulate various substances be brought to the event. This event was planned in

order to create a stronger relationship between Blue Ridge and UPD as well as to work on the

educational goals of the program. After the event was approved by the University Police

Department, I made a flyer and printed it. The flyer was hung up around Blue Ridge to inform

residents of the event (Appendix C).

I was responsible for the planning and implementation and planning of the event. I

hosted and set up for the event, as well as determined which items needed to be purchased for the
event (Appendix A). In this selection I tried to be understanding of various dietary needs and

interests. Light snacks were served along with soft drinks and juice. All supplies were

purchased by my supervisor Gabriel Foust (Area Coordinator) the morning of the event and

delivered to the Blue Ridge office around 2pm that same day.

At around 6pm on November 27th, I went to the 4th Floor Bridge of Blue Ridge and

starting set up the room. I had three tables: one for the game Spoons, one for paint supplies, and

the other one for food.

As students began to arrive, I started to facilitate the event. The first activity students did

was a field sobriety test wearing substance goggle. The goggles’ main purpose is to simulate

various levels of eye impairment while using drugs and alcohol. Officer Shiner put a line of tape

about 10 feet long on the carpet and student would need to take seven steps, heal to toe. At the

end they could take off the goggles and see where the need in comparison to where they end of

the line was. There were ten pairs of goggles, eight of which showed varying degrees of alcohol

impairment, while others showed differencing drug impairments.

The next activity that students engaged in was a game of Spoons, also wearing the

goggles. In the game Spoons, the object of the game is to get four number matches, but you have

to draw cards very quickly, and discard them very quickly so that you only ever have four cards

in your hand. This was a way for students to see what trying to do daily tasks like reading and

grabbing for things would be like with disrupted vision.

Assessment

To assess this program, I completed a RISE Community Wide Evaluation through the

department of Residential Living’s Engage page (Appendix B). This form asks primarily about
attendance, in that for the department an indicator of program succuss is attendance at the

program.

A limitation of this method is that it did not adequately measure student learning and

determine if the students felt that they met the outcomes that were set forth for the program. The

evaluation that was conducted is the Residential Living RISE Community Wide Assessment

form on Engage (Appendix D). It is not concerned with the learning outcomes. In fact, the

proposal and evaluation process that was used for the event does not ask for explicitly stated

outcomes, objectives, or goals.

Below, is the Outcomes Delivery matrix that details the learning outcomes of the event

and which activities in the event were meant to target each of them. The first learning outcome

is “students will be able to understand WCU’s alcohol policy.” This was meant to be attained by

having conversation with participants. Due to the nature of residence hall events being very

casual and very community based, participants dropped in at various times throughout the event,

which made a formal presentation seem less useful. The next outcome was “students will be

able to describe the change in their vision when wearing substance simulating goggles.” This

was meant to be attained by the simulated field sobriety tests and the general activities involving

wearing the goggles. The third outcome was that “students will be able to understand the risks

associated with substance use.” This was meant to be achieved through conversation and the

field sobriety test simulation. The last outcome is that “students will be able to meet new people

in their living community.” This outcome could have been met throughout the entirety of the

event.

Learning Outcomes Conversation Simulated field General

between facilitator sobriety test activities
and participants. administered by the wearing the
University Policy substance
 Department simulating
goggles.
Students will be able X
to understand
WCU’s alcohol
policy.
Students will be able X X
to describe the
change in their
vision when wearing
substance simulating
goggles.
Students will be able X X
to learn about the
risks associated with
substance use.
Students will be able X X X
to meet new people
in their living
community.
Results

While several outcomes were identified for this program, the method that was used for

assessing the program did not verify whether or not they were met. However, based off of

attending and facilitating the event, I can estimate the effectiveness of some of the activities and

make suggestion for improvement to the assessment measure.

1. Students will be able to understand WCU’s alcohol policy.

a. This outcome was not met. While some of the conversation with Officer Shiner,

and the participants revolved around the WCU alcohol policy, the information

was not presented in its entirety.

2. Students will be able to describe the change in their vision when wearing substance

simulating goggles.

a. This outcome was met, as students throughout the event made comments on their

vision and how difficult it was to walk in a line or to play Spoons with the
 goggles on. In fact, much of the critique regarding using the goggles is that it

does not impair your hearing, which makes it unlike the use of substances. While

playing Spoons, participants commented on how it was difficult to know if

someone had picked up a spoon, because they thought they heard someone pick

one up. In actuality, someone likely touched a spoon accidently, resulting in

others trying to pick one up at the incorrect time. Participants commented on how

their sense all felt altered during this game.

3. Students will be able to learn about the risks associated with the consumption of

substances.

a. This outcome was partially met. Participants had conversations with one another

about how their sense had been altered, and how doing many activities would be

dangerous with altered senses. However, there was little conversation

surrounding the effect on the body in relation to substance use.

4. Students will be able to meet new people in their living community.

a. This outcome was met. Several people attended the event that did not know one

another, and they made introductions and had conversations about the topics

presented during the program.

Evaluation

I am proud of this program for several reasons. It provided a space for residents to learn

about alcohol awareness. In addition, this partnered with UPD, a resource that student

occasionally utilize on campus, but one that several students are sometimes uncomfortable
around. This program served a way to bring in a university resource in a way that was

nonthreatening.

1. Students will be able to understand WCU’s alcohol policy.

a. For this outcome, the recommendation would be to make pamphlets to share the

information regarding risk of substance use and the WCU Code of Conduct. This

would allow the event to still be a drop in event but would provide clear

information to each participant. Or a quiz game or matching game utilizing this

information somehow.

2. Students will be able to describe the change in their vision when wearing substance

simulating goggles.

a. No recommendations for this outcome. This outcome was met, and participants

actually displayed this outcome while at the event.

3. Students will be able to learn about the risks associated with the consumption of

substances.

a. For this outcome, the recommendation would be to include this information in a

pamphlet, similar to outcome one.

4. Students will be able to meet new people in their living community.

a. There are no recommendations for this outcome, as it was met, and participants

showed this outcome while at the program.

Overall, these outcomes do well at getting to the purpose of the event. The evaluation

of the event should be different in the future. In addition, more campus partners can be

utilized and brought in to present. These campus partners would be reached out to

sooner. For example, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) would be an

excellent resource to work with to create a resource for student on substance use. This

way the event could also focus on not only the dangers and risks associated with

substance use, but also the reasons students may engage in substance use and validate the

emotions students may have surrounding the topic. The goal is not to villainize students,

especially if substance use is something they struggle with, a well-rounded event that

includes education on prevention and coping could positively impact students.

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C

Appendix D