This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We continue our series of reports about foreign students atAmerican colleges and universities.

Students at American colleges are on winter holiday until earlynext year. Many young people are making plans to attend celebrationsin honor of New Year. At this time of year, parents of collegestudents worry about how young people use alcoholic drinks. Parentsalso worry about alcohol use at school. This is our subject today.

American education officials have been concerned for years abouthow students use alcohol. Some of it has had deadly results. Forexample, a student at the University of Oklahoma died in Septemberfollowing a fraternity party. His blood alcohol level was five timesthe legal limit.

Such extreme use of alcohol isknown as "binge drinking." It means having four to five drinks inless than one hour. Studies have found a link between binge drinkingand parties at college fraternity houses. Reports say the deaths ofone thousand four hundred college students in the United States lastyear were linked to alcohol use.

College officials say dangerous drinking has taken place atcolleges for many years. But they still have not found a way to stopit. Now, the University of Oklahoma at Norman has decided to ban theuse of alcohol.

The ban goes into effect on January eighteenth. It affects alltwenty two thousand students at the University, including the onethousand six hundred foreign students attending this year.

Parents of students will be told if their child is found with anykind of alcohol. The students also will take part in an alcoholeducation program. A second violation of the rule will result inpunishment. The student will be suspended from school after threeviolations.

All new students will be required to complete an alcoholeducation program. And the University of Oklahoma will cooperatewith the local police force to stop parties where binge drinkingtakes place.

University President David Boren says the goal of the plan is toreduce dangerous drinking by students and to develop a successfulprogram that other schools can follow.

For more information about the alcohol ban and admissioninformation for the University of Oklahoma, go to its web site atwww.ou.edu.

This VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT was written by NancySteinbach. This is Gwen Outen.