The purpose of this Symposium was to develop specific strategies to address substance abuse issues for the workplace, campus, home and community. The panelists addressed best practices acknowledging that the development of public policy is necessary, but that strategies must work “on the ground” to be effective and practical for the community. That is why this year’s symposium was titled “Sharing Solutions to Substance Abuse.”

Tri-College Provost Tim Flakoll greeted and welcomed the participants. He stressed the efforts of the many individuals on the Community Stakeholders Committee in the development of the program and agenda and thanked them for their efforts. He expressed the hope that participants and others would find “nuggets” of information and ideas that will help to make education, business, professional and personal lives better in our communities. Mr. Flakoll thanked Concordia and its staff for hosting the program and taping the presentations for delayed broadcast, future use and reference. He also thanked the Synergy on the Plains Board of Directors for their efforts in supporting the project, raising the funds and judging the student essay entries. He expressed his appreciation to all the Symposium sponsors.

Provost Flakoll told the group that Tri-College University (TCU) is a consortium involving NDSU/MSUM/CC in the sharing of resources in innovative ways to provide better services and more opportunities to students. Currently, TCU involves 23,000 students and over 5,000 employees. As a result, the institutions have been able to do many things together that none could have accomplished alone. Tim also noted the contributions of the current TCU Board of Directors and thanked them for their ongoing interest and investment in Tri-College.

He advised the participants that substance abuse is a dangerous and costly problem. In the workplace it contributes to decreased productivity, higher injury rates and increased insurance claims. The total cost to employers is estimated to be over $80 billion/year. He noted some of the supporting workplace data including:
20 - 25 % of all workplace accidents involve alcohol;
35% of patients brought to emergency rooms had alcohol levels that were at risk for driving and16% of all people with injuries treated at emergency rooms had detectable levels of alcohol;
Substance abusers have a 2 to 3 times higher absentee rate and 4 times the number of injury claims; and
24% of all workers admitted drinking on the job at least once in the past year.

To combat these problems will take a broad approach, multiple disciplines and participant approaches. He noted the importance of the diversity of those attending for creating such action. Provost Flakoll stressed, in particular, the students’ role and participation within the community and described the student essay contest, which was new to the Symposium this year. Students at each of the colleges were encouraged to write a brief essay on the Symposium topic. Members of the Synergy on the Plains board judged the essays and the winners (one from each campus) would present their essays later in the day. Tim noted that the essays are timely, on-point and inspiring.

Over 30 Community Stakeholders, together with the members of the Board of Directors of the Synergy on the Plains Foundation and the Consensus Council staff colleagues, have worked with Tri-College in putting the symposium together. They emphasized that they wanted to hear specific strategies applicable to the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo metro area, to address substance abuse issues. They have learned during the prior two Symposiums that these issues need to be addressed in a unique way, depending on community characteristics and culture, and that the whole community needs to be involved. Substance abuse issues need to be addressed in an integrated way, not through a silo approach. The first panel of Symposium presenters was developed based on a desire to learn more about approaches and models that have been successful elsewhere in similar communities.

The student essay contest is a new Symposium activity that has required a great deal of work by people from the three campuses, and it has proven successful. Each winner presented her essay addressing the issue of substance abuse. The winners were Sarah Timian, Concordia College, Stella Situma, Minnesota State University Moorhead and Rebecca Rasmussen, North Dakota State University. The emphasis of the essays was on the difference individuals can make in each of their environments. The scholarship winners offered their services as future guest presenters for classes and service groups.

The next group of panelists provided presentations on “how-to” approaches for employers dealing with substance abuse issues in the workplace. They covered general experiences, employee assistance programs, drug testing and employment laws and policies (ND and MN). The panelists stressed that employers need to be educated about the issue, be able to recognize substance abuse problems in their workplace and have a plan for dealing with them quickly and appropriately.

At the end of the day, the Governor and Provost were asked to reflect on the three Symposiums, share their thoughts on what they have heard and suggest what may happen as a result of these efforts. It also provided an opportunity for them to thank all of the participants, attendees and the three colleges for their involvement.

Governor Sinner pointed out the following:
We have heard many things today and in the previous symposiums. Now we need to narrow down, focus and make something happen. It must be a Cass/Clay approach that is a full lifespan approach. But to be effective and keep the momentum going, we must first have a couple of manageable and achievable objectives.
The Moorhead Healthy Communities Initiative is a sound model. It focuses on younger age groups, but could be expanded to other age groups.
Judge Irby’s work in the area of drug court affects many people and the program needs to be fully funded and expanded.
We need to develop a package of practical information and policy templates for distribution to the business community. We need to help businesses to find reasonable ways to deal with this problem.
I remain grateful for the community stakeholder support, the Synergy Board support (financial and otherwise), to the sponsors, especially the Bremer Foundation and Concordia College, and to the Consensus Council staff for their work on this Symposium. I am honored to have had this opportunity to spend time with so many great folks.

Tri-College University Provost Tim Flakoll provided the following closing comments:
Special thanks goes to Concordia College for this event, and I am pleased at number of students in attendance from all three campuses.
Remember that students are not the problem; they are just involved in the cycle and impacted by what others are doing. A recent survey showed that 67% of students say getting drunk is not important, 98% never drink and 74% drink only once a month or less. I am proud of students for bringing and sharing their messages. Not just the essay competitors and winners, but all of the students who carry and share the message.
TCU is initiating a public service message (media and billboard) campaign developed jointly with student body presidents and funded through Dakota Medical Foundation addressing substance abuse issues.
We are a community that cares about people, and we need templates of information to share approaches and solutions.
There are workable alternatives to incarceration. During the 2003 Legislative session, a bill was passed that introduced in-home drug testing. As technology continues to change and grow, it will be helpful in these types of efforts.
The recent record number of DUI arrests in Fargo has been attributed to the change from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. bar closing. That was a policy change and there was a direct result.
We need to identify commonalities – try to get people off the treadmill and on to a bridge to success – one person, one individual, alone is easier to break, sway or corrupt. Changing the culture one person at a time was the theme of the student essays, but if the individuals have peer support and people stand together it will make a difference and it will be much more difficult to get them to go down the wrong paths. SADD, MADD, AA, students, parents, law enforcement, private and public sector agencies, churches and congregations need to add their support networks and services to build this bridge.
I once had to intervene and take away the car keys of an intoxicated friend in college. It was a tough thing to do, and the friend was not happy about it. But I would rather he hate me for life than be killed on the way home.
Thanks for all that all of you have done and for what you will do in the future. Special thanks to you, Governor Sinner, for your commitment to Tri-College and these communities.

Further information about the symposium (including the panelists presentations and other documents) is posted on the Tri-College University website. To view the complete symposium executive summary, click here. Or, to request hard copies of the executive summary please contact Shelly at shelly@agree.org.

A private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to education, advocacy and research efforts on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, the Arc of Bismarck has a rich history of service and advocacy.

With a relatively small staff (lead by Mike Schwab, the Executive Director), the Arc depends heavily on volunteers to support its various services and their thrift store operation. Rita Geitzen heads their all-volunteer Board of Directors.

A highly motivated group of Board members, staff and general members dedicated three long evenings to the strategic planning process. They reviewed and revised their vision, mission and values statements; identified the organizations strengths; discussed and outlined the trends (local, state, regional and national) that are and will affect the organization; and listed and prioritized a series of opportunities/goals that they will focus on during the next 2 to 3 years.

Their goals included: