Ready, willing, and 'Abel'

After nearly twenty years of experience in alcohol and drug education, Margot Abels is ready to take on the Tufts campus. Her goal: to smash the smashed and weed out the weed. She is the new Director of Alcohol and Drug Prevention.

Abels is the very first to hold the position of Director of Alcohol and Drug Prevention. Previously, Tufts only had one counselor based in Health Services, an arrangement that had proven inadequate. Michelle Bowdler, Director of Health Services, expressed concern; as a direct result, the rest of the administration agreed that Tufts needed more experienced educators and counselors who would have a real presence on campus.

Consequently, Abels was hired as Director, along with Liz Moore, the new treatment specialist. "Two people are much better than one," Abels said. "We both have extensive backgrounds in education and have much practice working one on one with people suffering from alcohol and/or drug addictions."

Abels does not want the student body to be intimidated by her title. As she enters her third month here, Abels expects she will get to know more of the student body on individual bases. She wishes to be viewed as a friend, not as the enemy; she hopes to be an advocate as well as an authority.

"My charge here is to establish an effective, comprehensive, science-based and collaborative prevention program that responds primarily to the needs of students who over-use and abuse alcohol and other drugs," Abels said.

Along with Moore and Bowdler, Abels has created a system from within Health Services to better connect with the student body and offer education and counseling to those in need.

As well as trying to help out those battling an addiction, Abels also wants to work with students in making Tufts a fun and safe place for everyone.

"Nothing is set in stone," Abels said. "If the current policy is causing students to drink in more risky ways, then it should be changed."

Abels has already met with TCU President Chike Aguh in the hopes of forming a collaboration between the students and administrators. She feels that the lack of communication between the policy makers and those affected by the policy, namely the students, creates tension and confusion.

"Both President Bacow and Dean Reitman want a strong program," Abels said. "Nobody is trying to make drastic changes on campus. Our main concern is your safety."

Abels graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Art History. She received her masters from Sarah Lawrence in American Women's History. She has been in the health education field since 1985, focusing a great deal of energy on alcohol and drug abuse in addition to a heavy emphasis on HIV prevention, women's health, and sexuality education.

Prevention has always been her main focus, which she has applied to the politics of health care and health education as well as gender and sexuality studies. Though her true love is gardening, she has decided to continue along the path of health education and take a chance on the Tufts community.

Since Abels was an undergraduate at a small, private school similar to Tufts, she says the transition to the University has been a comfortable one. She is highly impressed with the Tufts location and size, feels quite welcome, and is "floored" by the Health Services center.

For the most part, Abels does not think the Tufts campus is one that is overly abusive of alcohol. She understands the necessity of a weekend outlet after a long, hard week of classes and tests. It is completely normal. "Tufts is not going to be on the next edition of Dateline," Abels joked. "But, I do see all the TEMS reports and they worry me. Honestly, we adults don't have all the answers, but we're trying our best to find them." One of the ways in which Abels hopes to find those answers is by creating an advisory council consisting of students and adults. Members of this committee will work together to come up with effective policies that they can present to the table of University Directors.

The first "Think Tank on Alcohol and Drug Issues," a precursor to the creation of the advisory council, was held yesterday. Additional Think Tanks will take place on Oct. 27 and 29. Students interested in becoming affiliated with the advisory council should attend these sessions.

Contact Abels at Health Services for more information.