Background Information

Established in 2009, the Partnership for Alcohol Safety is a joint project of The University of Iowa and the City of Iowa City. It unites representatives from throughout the community around issues related to alcohol use, especially among young people.

The Partnership brings together individuals with different perspectives, insights, and ideas. It recognizes that its members have different interests, but focuses on identifying areas where they can find common ground and develop joint solutions.

For the University, the Partnership is one of several projects that aim to reduce unsafe drinking by UI students and their peers. The University of Iowa is committed to advancing alcohol safety through initiatives that:

Reduce risks of physical or emotional harm while respecting students’ rights to drink legally
Provide an environment that supports learning, health, and success
Create and sustain essential campus-community partnerships

Research has shown that University of Iowa students tend to drink more than their peers at other schools. They also report more adverse consequences related to drinking—everything from missing class to unsafe sex to trouble with the police.

These problems are not limited to University of Iowa students. Many young people charged with alcohol-related offenses in Iowa City don’t attend the University. In addition, many UI students report that their drinking patterns began during high school.

The Partnership will target these and other problems, developing programs that support a strong and diverse downtown, offer targeted education and intervention, reduce underage access to alcohol, develop social and recreational alternatives, and track results.