A new state study, for example, found that 17 percent of more than 1,400 University of Utah students surveyed acknowledged engaging in binge drinking, defined as having five or more alcoholic drinks in a single sitting. First-year U. students binge drink more than students in upper classes. So do the school's athletes, those who are members of fraternities and sororities and out-of-state students.

And the problem is not confined to the U., according to the study by the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

Binge drinking occurs across the state in both urban and rural schools, said Robert Hunsaker, a therapist and manager for U. Campus Wellness Connection.

"While Utah students do have a lower rate of binge drinking - about 11.7 percent compared with 44 percent nationally - we do have concerns, especially with the practice some students have of celebrating their 21st birthdays with 21 alcoholic drinks," he said.

More than 11,828 students age 18 to 24 at Utah's public colleges and private Westminster College participated this spring in the 2005 Utah Higher Education Health Behavior Survey. The survey is funded by a $2.25 million, three-year federal grant aimed at collecting data about Utah colleges students substance abuse prevention purposes.

The survey measured responses to questions about alcohol, tobacco and other drug use on Utah college campuses and the need for substance abuse treatment by college students, said Connie Kitchens, the state research coordinator who led the study.

Grade point average strongly correlates with alcohol, tobacco and drug use, she said. Students with high GPAs have low rates of substance abuse. The opposite is true for students with low GPAs.

Binge drinking is clearly a concern, Kitchens said.

And schools such as the U. are responding with new programs. The U.'s Campus Wellness Connection, for example, has created an interactive Web site for students seeking information about emotional, academic, social, spiritual and physical wellness issues. Under the heading, "We'll hook you up," the site provides students with alternatives to Friday night drinking parties.

Other findings of the study include:

* Male students drink more than female students.

l First-year students binge drink more than members of upper classes.

l International students have higher rates of binge drinking, but lower rates of drug abuse than other students.

l Out-of-state students use more drugs than students from Utah.

l Cohabitating students, as well as those who are divorced or separated, binge drink more than other groups of students.

The study did offer some good news. More than 61 percent of Utah college students have never had more than a sip of alcohol; 74.3 percent have not had more than a sip of alcohol in the past year; and 82.1 percent have not had more than a sip of alcohol in the past 30 days.

In addition, 68.9 percent have never tried any illegal drug; 85.9 percent have not had any illegal drugs in the past year; 91.4 percent have not had any illegal drugs in the past 30 days.

More than 37 percent believe their college campus' alcohol and drug policies are enforced, the study said.

sykes@sltrib.com