DWI Will Make You Stupid and Poor

Just returned from my stepson's orientation and registration at the University of Florida. One of the sessions for students and parents alike was on alcohol and UF's policy concerning infractions dealing with alcohol.

If you ask people why they're going to college, you'll likely get the answers:

1. To get an education

and

2. To get a good job

Money and smarts – the two biggest reasons people choose to continue their education. While at the alcohol seminar at UF, there was a DWI deterrent I'd never before considered...

If a UF student gets a DWI on campus, he/she is immediately suspended. The semester's classes? Gone. They'll possibly get to start back the following semester.

One thing UF talked about is tracking; i.e., is a student on track in his/her chosen field of study. For instance, if a student is tracking, he/she will have their pre-reqs in order and they're on track to get their diploma in the correct amount of time. Due to how classes are arranged, if one gets a DWI, tracking becomes impossible.

For instance, let's say an engineering student needs to take trig. Trig is only offered in the fall semester (this is just a "for example", folks). If that student is pulling an A in the class and it's two days before the final exam, if the student gets a DWI on campus, BAM! Everything from that semester is gone. Next semester doesn't offer trig. The student will, in all likelihood, now be one year behind. No longer on track, the student will have the double whammy of paying the DWI, increased insurance rates and they now have a black mark on their criminal record which won't be looked on favorably by employers.

College students are known for partying and alcohol consumption. While that reputation is deserved by approx. 20% of college students, the deterrent UF has for combating DWI on its campus is a great, great way to help students stay on track.