BILL LETS COLLEGES TELL PARENTS OF DRINKING, DRUGS

WASHINGTON - Congress has approved legislation that would allow colleges to
notify parents when students younger than 21 commit an alcohol or drug
violation, a measure sparked by a string of five alcohol-related deaths on
Virginia campuses last fall.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and the House, needs only President
Clinton's signature to become law. Clinton said he is likely to sign the
measure.

Current federal law prohibits universities from disclosing their records on
students 18 and older. Most schools interpreted that to mean that they could
not notify parents about a student's drug and alcohol use.

A Virginia task force on college drinking recommended in July that Congress
exempt drug and alcohol records from the privacy requirement. Advocates of
the change argued that many parents have no idea their children are abusing
drugs or alcohol and thus cannot intervene to help them.

Some advocates also said students might think twice about such behavior if
they knew that their parents would be told.

Under the measure passed by Congress, colleges would be allowed to tell
parents not only about violations of alcohol and drug laws, but also about
violations of school rules against drinking and drug use.

Some privacy advocates criticized the legislation, saying it strips young
adults of their rights.

"It's a ridiculous amendment," said David Banisar, policy director of the
Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Even drug and alcohol violations
shouldn't override an adult's right to privacy. An adult student, for better
or worse, is still an adult. . . . This amendment would basically be turning
the university into a baby-sitter for them."

But Sen. John Warner, R-Va., who sponsored the amendment, said some
restrictions on privacy rights are appropriate. "I just felt we had to make
an exception, as much as I believe in personal freedom," he said.
WASHINGTON - Congress has approved legislation that would allow colleges to
notify parents when students younger than 21 commit an alcohol or drug
violation, a measure sparked by a string of five alcohol-related deaths on
Virginia campuses last fall.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and the House, needs only President
Clinton's signature to become law. Clinton said he is likely to sign the
measure.

Current federal law prohibits universities from disclosing their records on
students 18 and older. Most schools interpreted that to mean that they could
not notify parents about a student's drug and alcohol use.

A Virginia task force on college drinking recommended in July that Congress
exempt drug and alcohol records from the privacy requirement. Advocates of
the change argued that many parents have no idea their children are abusing
drugs or alcohol and thus cannot intervene to help them.

Some advocates also said students might think twice about such behavior if
they knew that their parents would be told.

Under the measure passed by Congress, colleges would be allowed to tell
parents not only about violations of alcohol and drug laws, but also about
violations of school rules against drinking and drug use.

Some privacy advocates criticized the legislation, saying it strips young
adults of their rights.

"It's a ridiculous amendment," said David Banisar, policy director of the
Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Even drug and alcohol violations
shouldn't override an adult's right to privacy. An adult student, for better
or worse, is still an adult. . . . This amendment would basically be turning
the university into a baby-sitter for them."

But Sen. John Warner, R-Va., who sponsored the amendment, said some
restrictions on privacy rights are appropriate. "I just felt we had to make
an exception, as much as I believe in personal freedom," he said.
WASHINGTON - Congress has approved legislation that would allow colleges to
notify parents when students younger than 21 commit an alcohol or drug
violation, a measure sparked by a string of five alcohol-related deaths on
Virginia campuses last fall.

The bill, which has passed the Senate and the House, needs only President
Clinton's signature to become law. Clinton said he is likely to sign the
measure.

Current federal law prohibits universities from disclosing their records on
students 18 and older. Most schools interpreted that to mean that they could
not notify parents about a student's drug and alcohol use.

A Virginia task force on college drinking recommended in July that Congress
exempt drug and alcohol records from the privacy requirement. Advocates of
the change argued that many parents have no idea their children are abusing
drugs or alcohol and thus cannot intervene to help them.

Some advocates also said students might think twice about such behavior if
they knew that their parents would be told.

Under the measure passed by Congress, colleges would be allowed to tell
parents not only about violations of alcohol and drug laws, but also about
violations of school rules against drinking and drug use.

Some privacy advocates criticized the legislation, saying it strips young
adults of their rights.

"It's a ridiculous amendment," said David Banisar, policy director of the
Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Even drug and alcohol violations
shouldn't override an adult's right to privacy. An adult student, for better
or worse, is still an adult. . . . This amendment would basically be turning
the university into a baby-sitter for them."

But Sen. John Warner, R-Va., who sponsored the amendment, said some
restrictions on privacy rights are appropriate. "I just felt we had to make
an exception, as much as I believe in personal freedom," he said.

Checked-by: Don Beck