Miami Oxford Substance Abuse and Information Committee (MOSAIC)

Wall in Armstrong that reads the Code of Love and Honor, with a male student sitting at a desk and looking at laptop in front of it.

Updated March 2022

In 2014, President Hodge commissioned the Alcohol Task Force to examine issues related to high risk alcohol abuse. In the final report, the creation of a permanent Alcohol Coordinating Committee (ACC) was recommended to ensure ongoing assessment and progress to reduce high risk alcohol use. The ACC has regularly met since 2015 and outlined its various accomplishments and efforts on its webpage.

Due to the steadily increasing prevalence of poly-substance use/abuse on college campuses, including Miami University, the focus and charge of the ACC will be broadened to include other substances in addition to alcohol. In concert with this newly broadened focus, the ACC will now be called the Miami Oxford Substance Abuse and Information Committee, MOSAIC.

MOSAIC will provide regular updates to the Vice President of Student Life as well as submit an annual report to the Board of Trustees. The work of MOSAIC will be guided by a philosophical approach to student substance use, rooted in the values of Miami University, and in strong partnership with partners within the City of Oxford, Ohio. 

MOSAIC: Amended Charge

  • Inform the selection of specific evidenced based strategies by offices and departments for addressing substance use in students.
  • Receive, share, analyze, and respond to local data related to alcohol and other drug use to assess and improve strategies and/or develop new strategic approaches.
  • Communicate the efforts to Miami University and Oxford stakeholders. This would include a summary of MOSAIC developments annually on the MOSAIC website.
  • Develop and maintain working relationships with key stakeholders, including relevant commissions of Oxford City Council, the Coalition for a Healthy Community, Oxford, Ohio, and other Town-Gown efforts and initiatives.
  • Serve as an advisory board regarding university and community programming and policy matters related to alcohol and other drug use.

Measuring Success

  • MOSAIC will have a current familiarity of the high-risk behaviors of students, its influence on campus culture, and community impacts.
  • MOSAIC will have an expert understanding of best practices, current research, and emerging trends for addressing alcohol and poly substance use.
  • Topics will be informed by best practices, local data, and broad community input (i.e., students, faculty, staff, Oxford resources and residents).

2015 Charge

In its final report (PDF), The Alcohol Task Force recommended the creation of a permanent Alcohol Coordinating Committee (ACC). The work of the ACC will focus on three elements: (i) the creation of a website that includes a philosophical statement regarding alcohol and its place at Miami University; (ii) an inventory and gap analysis of existing data related to student alcohol use and the development of a plan to improve tracking and assessment efforts, and (iii) the establishment of focused workgroups. 

The ACC will:

  • Set priorities and outline expectations for the development and implementation of specific evidenced based strategies, and create workgroups to address specific issues as needed.
  • Collect, analyze, and respond to local data related to high risk alcohol and other drug use so as to assess and improve strategies and/or develop new strategic approaches.
  • Communicate the efforts and results from the workgroups to Miami University and Oxford stakeholders. This would include an annual report each year that would be shared with the Miami University President (and broader community), and the Oxford City Council and community.
  • Develop and maintain working relationships with the Student Community Relations Commission and the Coalition for a Healthy Community, Oxford, Ohio.
  • Serve as an advisory board regarding university and community programming and policy matters related to high risk alcohol and other drug use.

The initial workgroups established by the ACC will have a specific emphasis, broad representation, and a charge to propose and execute innovative and creative interventions aimed at positively affecting community attitudes, behaviors and consequences related to high risk alcohol use. Over time, as the environment and local conditions change, these workgroups will evolve as they conclude their work and new issues emerge. The initial workgroups include:

  • policy and enforcement
  • off-campus interventions and partnerships
  • academic support
  • education and prevention
  • intervention and treatment.