<p>That is the standard mechanism for all college surveys these days: a mass mailing to student e-mail accounts. 50% participation isn’t that low. </p>
<p>The results weren’t shocking. The binge drinking rate was actually about 5% lower than the last time they surveyed several years ago. That would be consistent with minority enrollment increasing about 5%, especially of Asian-American and African-American students – the two ethnic groups with the lowest binge drinking rates. Williams has also cut back about 8% on the number of recruited athletes with below average academic qualifications and most of that cutback has come at the expense of football and ice hockey (historically big drinking groups).</p>
<p>If there were any bias effects, it may have been that the large amount of attention to the drinking issue on campus over the last two years.</p>