E-Clips, Sept. 18

1. Youth drinking at ‘crisis’ point (The Oregonian):  Underage and youth drinking has become Oregon's "hidden crisis. "That's the conclusion of a report to be issued today on alcohol- and drug-abuse trends in Portland's tri-county area. The second edition of the report, known as the Portland Profile, will also show that about 40 percent of Oregonians ages 18 to 25 binged on alcohol in the previous 30 days. A binge is defined as five or more drinks within a couple of hours. Rear Adm. Kenneth P. Moritsugu, the U.S. acting surgeon general, laid out a stark view of the nation's youth, noting about a third of people younger than 21 -- about 11 million -- drink illegally, which lays the groundwork for future addiction and health problems. Noting that about 5,000 underage drinkers die annually from alcohol-related injuries, Moritsugu outlined his call to action during a news conference at the annual meeting of the National Prevention Network at the Portland Hilton Hotel … Many adolescents don't want to go to treatment, Wheeler said, so the state is turning to prevention. That includes targeting middle-school parents with messages about how alcohol harms brain development. The University of Oregon and Oregon State University help get out anti-underage drinking messages to nearly 500,000 football fans through radio, print and the Internet. Oregon also offers treatment for parents who lose custody of their children, in an effort to reunite families and head off the drug and alcohol problems foster children often experience.)

2. Student fees to be clearly defined (The Oregon Daily Emerald):  While high statewide tuition continues to plague students, an additional financial obstacle -- one essentially disregarded by most until recently -- has become a major concern for the Oregon University System and several University community members. Formed after the Legislature concluded last spring, a fee committee comprising students from three Oregon universities, administrative representatives, and OUS representatives is conducting research to reform the system. "We are going to try to find a solution that works best for the system and at the same time creates the most transparency for students," said Brett Rowlett, legislative director of the Oregon Student Association. "That's why it's extremely important that the students on the campuses that have been impacted by these fees be included at every level of this discussion." The investigation into student fees began last April when State Sen. Vicki Walker threatened to push a bill through the Legislature that would freeze all University fees unless the OUS thoroughly examined them. The main question at issue was whether students knew what they were paying for and why they were paying. Walker ultimately dropped the bill, but the primary objective was achieved: to get people talking about university fees and raise the question of "fee transparency."