In many cultures in Southern Europe, teens are taught about drinking in moderation, according to research conducted by Dwight Heath, professor emeritus of anthropology. Heath’s findings are included in this article about underage drinking.

According to an annual study by Campus Compact, students at the coalition's nearly 1,000 member schools contributed an estimated $5.6 billion worth of service to their communities. Based at Brown University, Campus Compact is a national organization dedicated to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education.

The anti-alcoholism drug naltrexone may exert a paradoxical effect on some patients, fueling the craving for drinking rather than quelling it. John McGeary, postdoctoral research fellow in public health, reported the findings in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

Concerned about “barnacles” on its aging, bicameral board structure, Brown University turned its standing and advisory committees inside out. University Chancellor Stephen Robert and Russell C. Carey, vice president and secretary of the University, describe the restructuring process. Trusteeship is a magazine published by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

In Trusteeship magazine’s “A Question For ...” feature, Beverly E. Ledbetter, vice president and general counsel, responds to the query: Are race-based scholarships still an appropriate way to improve diversity? Trusteeship is published by the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

This article about the latest research into telomeres, which are important factors in human aging and the development of certain cancers, notes the research being done by a team of scientists at Brown University.

In this opinion piece, Rhett E. Jones, professor of history and Africana studies, imagines what might ensue if, as was done in the late 18th century, “certificates of whiteness” were issued to 21st century Afro-Americans.

Providence College will no longer require applicants to take the Scholastic Assessment Test or the ACT as part of its admissions process, making it the first four-year institution in Rhode Island to adopt a "test-optional" policy. Providence College's president said three factors persuaded him to make the policy change: evidence that test scores were not as good an indicator of student performance as grades and the rigor of classes in high school; a desire to increase access to minority and first-generation college students; and a perceived inequity in the current college application process.