Dear Penn Families:

As Vice Provost for University Life and as a Penn parent, I look forward to the arrival of our newest students on campus in the coming weeks. This is the start of an extraordinary time of academic achievement, social development, and personal growth for our first-year students, and an exciting time for our Penn families.

College life challenges students in many ways. First-year students and their families will encounter new situations -- academic and social -- and face many personal choices. This booklet addresses one of these challenges -- the use of alcohol -- and what parents and guardians can do to help.

Along with other collegians across America, our first-year students will have decisions to make about the use of alcohol, and we encourage them to be smart and responsible. My Penn colleagues and I are here to support them. At the same time, we rely on our Penn families to be our partners as we foster a healthy campus environment.

This website aims to inform you about the realities of collegiate alcohol use and to assist you in addressing this issue with your Penn student. Even if your son or daughter does not drink, the information on this website can help you initiate discussions about pressures of the first year or the use of alcohol or other drugs by those around them. If you have any questions about the University's alcohol policy and programs, I invite you to contact Julie Lyzinski, Interim Director of Alcohol & Other Drug Program Initiatives, at 215.573.3525 or at lyzinski@upenn.edu.

We urge you to spend some time as a family talking about alcohol and other challenges of college life. When your son or daughter arrives on campus, our faculty, upper class students, residential staff, and other members of the Penn community will be ready to help our new students adjust. We are committed to making the Penn years wonderful and memorable, and our partnership with you in this venture is integral.

Our first-year students were selected for their intelligence and academic potential. We have high hopes for them all, and know that -- with your support -- they will rise to the occasion. Together, we can make the experience of our students happy, safe, and exceptional.

I look forward to welcoming you this fall!

Dr. Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum
Vice Provost for University Life