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Greek vs Non-Greek Differences in Alcohol and Drug Use Among
CU-Boulder Undergraduates Spring 1997

Introduction
Overall results of Greeks relative to non-Greeks.
Males and Females: Comparing Fraternity members to Sorority members.
Housing differences: On-campus, Greek housing, and off-campus.

Introduction

In 1997 members of CU’s Greek community were "oversampled" for the College Alcohol Study. This means that, in addition to the surveys that were sent to a simple random sample of all full-time CU undergraduates, additional surveys were sent to a random sample of members of Greek organizations.

Overall results of Greeks relative to non-Greeks.

Fraternity and sorority members drink more often and more heavily than non-Greeks. In fact, none of the Greek respondants report that they abstain from drinking. Greeks also suffer to a greater extent from the negative conesquences of drinking and from second-hand effects of others’ drinking.

Summary of Greeks versus non-Greeks:

• 0% of Greeks abstain from drinking (compared to 9% of non-Greeks)
• 54% of Greeks binged 3 or more times in the past two weeks (versus 30% of non-Greeks)
• 52% binged in both High School and college (relative to 31% of non-Greeks)
• 64% missed a class due to drinking (relative to 38% of non-Greeks)
• 77% had to babysit another drunk student (relative to 54% of non-Greeks)
• 77% had their studying or sleep interrupted by a drunk student (compared to 56% of non-Greeks)
• (see Table 1. for full display of results)

Males and Females: Comparing Fraternity members to Sorority members.

Fraternity and sorority members are equally likely to report that they "drink to get drunk" (81% and 80%, respectively); however, fraternity members drink much more often and suffer many more of the negative consequences and second-hand effects of alcohol use. On the other hand, sorority members are more likely to get hurt or injured due to alcohol use (37% of sorority members compared to 25% of fraternity members).

Summary of Fraternity members versus Sorority members:

• 49% of males drank 10 or more times in the last month compared to 21% of females; (also compared to 35% of non-Greek males and 20% of non-Greek females)
• 61% of males were drunk 3 or more times in the past month compared to 35% of females; (also compared to 41% of non-Greek males and 29% of non-Greek females)
• 81% of males and 80% of females drink to get drunk (compared to 65% of non-Greek males and 63% of non-Greek females)
• 49% of males used marijuana in the past month compared to 28% of females
• 29% of males damaged property while under the influence of alcohol compared to 4% of females
• 72% of males reported missing a class as a consequence of alcohol use compared to 53% of females; (also compared to 42% of non-Greek males and 35% of non-Greek females)
• Strikingly, 37% of sorority members reported getting hurt or injured as a consequence of alcohol use, compared to 25% of fraternity members (also compared to 15% of non-Greek females and 16% of non-Greek males)
• 46% of males reported 5 or more alcohol-related problems compared to 27% of females
• 50% of males got in a serious argument or quarrel where alcohol was involved compared to 28% of females
• (see Table 2. for full display of results)

Housing differences: On-campus, Greek housing, and off-campus.

Many factors can cause alcohol-related behavior to differ between Greeks living on-campus, those living in Greek housing, and those living off-campus. For example, in the student population in general Freshmen tend to be the most likely to engage in binge drinking, with binge drinking decreasing as the students get older. If this is true for Greeks as well, we would expect the most problem drinking behavior from on-campus Greeks because they are predominantly Freshmen. Similarly, anecdotal evidence suggests that many upper-division Greeks move into off-campus housing to avoid the alcohol-related problems and disturbances caused by the younger fraternity or sorority members. If this is true we would expect alcohol consumption and second-hand consequences of alcohol use to be greater among Greeks living in Greek housing.

However, strikingly different results are observed. Many indicators show the greatest alcohol consumption among off-campus Greeks (particularly among males), including binging 3 or more times in the past two weeks, drinking on 10 or more occasions, being drunk 3 or more times in the last two weeks, and drinking to get drunk. On the other hand, Greeks living in Greek housing have the highest tendency to "usually binge when drinking" and tend to experience some rather troublesome consequences of drinking (i.e. damaging property, getting in trouble with the police, and needing medical treatment for alcohol overdose).

Summary of differences by type of housing:

Greeks living off-campus drink more than other Greeks, specifically they:

• drink more often (51% of off-campus Greeks drank 10 or more times in the last month, compared to 29% of those living on-campus and 34% of those in Greek housing).
• drink more heavily (62% of off-campus Greeks binged 3 or more times in the last two weeks, compared to 54% of those living on-campus and 51% of those in Greek housing; also, 90% of off-campus Greeks "drink to get drunk" compared to 78% of Greeks living on-campus and 79% of those living in Greek housing).
• drink and drive more often (70% of off-campus Greeks reported drinking and driving in the last month compared to 28% of on-campus Greeks and 36% of those in Greek housing).
• use other substances more often (55% of off-campus Greeks smoked cigarettes in the last month compared to 36% of on-campus Greeks and 44% of those in Greek housing; also, 48% of off-campus Greeks used marijuana in the last month compared to 46% of those living on-campus and only 29% of those living in Greek housing. Looking only at males, 63% of off-campus fraternity members used marijuana in the last month).
• suffer more consequences resulting from alcohol use (100% of off-campus fraternity members reported having a hangover in the last month compared to 77% of the student population at-large; Greeks living off-campus are most likely to report that drinking has caused them to argue with their friends and engage in unprotected sex; and Greeks living off-campus are most likely to have confrontations due to another students’ drinking, including being insulted or humiliated, getting in a serious argument or quarrel, and being pushed, hit, or assaulted).

Greeks living in Greek housing are more likely to say they usually binge when drinking (61% compared to 54% of those living on-campus and 46% of those living off-campus). Also, Greeks living in Greek housing are the most likely to damage property and to have 5 or more alcohol-related problems.

Greeks living on-campus (68%) are much more likely than non-Greeks living on-campus (27%) to miss a class because of alcohol, and are the most likely to have to babysit a drunk student.

(see Table 3. for full display of results)

Alcohol Survey Index

Last revision 07/08/05