Ball State officials say they believe the "Police Yourself" campaign is working, despite some students saying otherwise.
While Ball State officials say the "Police Yourself" ad campaign is a success, a recent Students Speak survey of 151 Ball State participants suggests some students are not changing their partying ways. More than 60 percent of Ball State students say they do not party less because of the university's "Police Yourself" ad campaign. Furthermore, almost two-thirds of respondents disagreed that they are more hesitant to drink now then at the beginning of the school year.
Although some students protested the campaign, Ball state officials say it is working.
"We took some hits on the campaign, but we did get their attention," Doug McConkey, vice president for student affairs said.
Although the hardcore tactics of the advertisements might have caused ruckus on campus, Ball State officials say they plan to bridge the communication gap among students come next fall. They have no doubts that the campaign will continue to be a success.
"I think it's one of those things that students don't want to admit, but they are responding to the campaign," said Layne Cameron, media relations manager at Ball State. "It shows in the T-shirts and the sarcastic slogans students are joking about around campus."
McConkey said the concerns of local residents in and around Ball State's campus prompted organizers to act against underage drinking in Muncie, particularly on campus.
The recent string of tragedies at Ball State caused Muncie residents to be more vocal about their displeasure with the noise and trash caused by partiers, he said. The campaign had less to do with students and partying than it did with a desire to respond to the complaints and build relationships with the community, he said.
"Neighborhoods around the Ball State area were fed up with the disrespect that was going on in the community," McConkey said.
It's obvious that "Muncie clearly needs the university, but the university also needs Muncie," McConkey said.
Although some Ball State students were against the campaign, graduate student Katie Rasmussen said the campaign has made students more aware of underage drinking.
"Back when I was a freshman, I probably would have felt the man was out to get me too," Rasmussen said. Now, "I would say be careful and don't get too upset about it because it will pass."
According to information gathered by Ball State's counseling center, 58 percent of students reported they drink between zero and four drinks per occasion. Although the counseling center survey reflects that 62 percent say they drink alcohol about two times a month at the most, 64 percent of Students Speak respondents say they drink at social activities at least once a week.
"The truth is, people that are going to drink are going to no matter what," Beth Messner, associate professor of communications, said.
At the least, the campaign was clear and its arresting nature forced students to pay more attention to alcohol awareness, Messner said.
"Maybe the real question here is who was the real audience?" Messner said.
The secondary audience, Messner said, could have been the Muncie community and definitely the parents of students.
"A lot of people who applauded what we did was BSU alumni and parents," McConkey said.
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