News Release

Diversion Program award

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

St. Cloud State University, in partnership with the City of St. Cloud, was selected for the 2013 Innovative Program of the Year Award by the Association of Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA) for its alcohol diversion program. The award was presented at the national conference on Feb. 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The alcohol diversion program works by offering those receiving a first or second citation for minor consumption in St. Cloud the opportunity to enter the program instead of paying fines. In the program, participants are educated about the many dangers and negative impacts of high-risk drinking. Upon completion, their records are expunged of the minor-consumption charge — an important move for young adults seeking to start careers.

Since the program started in 2010, the rate of repeat offenders for minor consumption violations in St. Cloud has been dropping rapidly as a result of this work. From July 2010 through May 2012, the recidivism rate plummeted from 12 percent to 6.9 percent.

ASCA is a national professional organization composed of various student affairs conduct professionals. It has about 700 members from campuses nationwide.

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