The substance-free residence hall is located in Oren Gateway Center.
The Augsburg University StepUP Program is a college recovery-based support program aimed at providing structure for enrolled students. We work to address addiction and mental health concerns by collaborating with The Center for Wellness and Counseling which provides on campus mental health support for students. We also help students connect with outside providers for mental health counseling and medication management. This provides a more comprehensive support system for new and ongoing student recovery efforts.
The StepUP Collegiate Recovery Program is for any person in recovery looking to pursue an undergraduate or graduate education at Augsburg University. See how to apply on the admission requirements page.
When participating in the Augsburg University StepUP Program, students are required to:
Attend classes regularly
Attend mandatory meetings
Abstain from using drugs or alcohol
Students in the collegiate recovery program are expected to:
Attend weekly counseling sessions
Attend community circle meetings
The services provided to students enrolled in the StepUP collegiate recovery program include the following:
Weekly meetings with alcohol and drug counselors in the StepUP Program designed to monitor and enhance a student’s recovery, academic success, and community living issues
Big circle meetings with the entire sober college community
Access to our community of strong alumni from the college recovery program
The StepUP Program is not a treatment program. There is no curfew set in place, and students will not be monitored during their daily activities. Instead, this college recovery program is meant to give students a full, enriched collegiate experience with the support and encouragement they need to stay sober.
Use the button on the following heading to expand content on About the Augsburg University StepUP tiered collegiate recovery program
If you haven’t had six months of sobriety, but think you may have a problem or are concerned about substance abuse, please come to our office and talk with us. While students need six months of recovery to live in our sober residence in Oren Gateway Center, we can still offer support.
Our staff is here to work with you so you can achieve your goals, which is why we’ve formed a collegiate recovery tiered model.
1. Stepping In
Stepping In is our introductory model for students who do not yet have six months of recovery time. While you won’t be able to live in Oren Gateway Center until six months of recovery, Stepping In gives you access to weekly counseling.
We’ve also extended Stepping In to graduate students who don’t live on campus and would like support, but for various reasons may not be eligible to live in Oren Gateway Center.
Based on each individual student’s needs, it may or may not be appropriate or needed to also attend our circle meetings.
2. StepUP
The Augsburg University StepUP Program is our traditional collegiate recovery program and residential model for undergraduate students. They must have at least six months of recovery, live in Oren Gateway Center, and participate in the full StepUP Program requirements.
3. Stepping Forward
Stepping Forward is a support system for students who are graduating from Augsburg University and want either short-term or one-time support as they make transitions. Support is offered from a member of the StepUP staff or one of our StepUP alumni volunteers.
Stepping Forward also welcomes recent graduates.
For more details on our collegiate recovery tiered model, call (612) 330-1405 or email stepup@augsburg.edu.
Use the button on the following heading to expand content on Why Collegiate Recovery Programs Work
Collegiate recovery programs are not entirely new. The idea of providing specialized support for college students in recovery actually became a reality in the 1970s at Brown University. Rutger’s University and Texas Tech University followed suit in the 1980s and the Augsburg University StepUP Program began in the late 1990s (White & Finch, 2007).
What makes a program a Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP)? These programs are more than a “dry” or “sober” residence hall. Colleges and universities designate first and second-year student residence halls as “alcohol-free” but unfortunately, this designation and the reality can be quite different things. A CRP is much more than simply an “alcohol-free” space. A CRP is a program which offers specialized and strategic support to help students achieve growth and success in their recovery and academic journey. At StepUP we also recognize that addiction and mental health are often experienced in tandem, and our innovative program addresses both addiction recovery as well as ongoing mental health support for students to be able to have a holistic recovery support experience.
On another level, CRPs are counter-cultures to the “party scene” in the college environment. Research for several decades has illuminated the entrenched culture of binge drinking and drug use on college campuses (Wechsler & Weithrich, 2002). CRPs offer an alternative, safe and supportive environment and culture for students attending college while maintaining their recovery.
Research is bringing to light the effectiveness of CRPs for students in recovery. A strong community of recovering peers provides an important buffer to the risky environment of college drinking. This community also provides an important social network that helps to meet the belonging needs of these students (Harris, Baker, Kimball, & Shumway, 2007). The community also helps to provide multiple opportunities for sober and safe recreation to help students get the entire “college experience” but without the negatives and regrets.
Furthermore, having program staff trained and experienced in addiction disorders provides another element of critical support for these students. Given that a significant percentage of students who enroll in CRPs such as StepUP also have co-occurring mental health challenges, the availability of licensed counseling staff becomes an even more critical support component for their success (Botzet, Winters, & Fahnhorst, 2007).
References
Botzet, A., Winters, K., & Fahnhorst, T. (2007). An exploratory assessment of a college substance abuse recovery program: Augsburg college’s StepUP program. Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 2: 2-4, 257-270.
Harris, K., Baker, A., Kimball, T., Shumway, S. (2007). Achieving systems-based sustained recovery: A comprehensive model for collegiate recovery communities. Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 2: 2-4, 220-237.
Wechsler, H., & Wuethrich, B. (2002). Dying to drink: Confronting binge drinking on college campuses. Rodale Press.
Use the button on the following heading to expand content on Frequently Asked Questions
For people interested in joining our collegiate recovery program, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions. If you have a question that you don’t see answered here, call (612) 330-1405 or email stepup@augsburg.edu.
When did the Augsburg University StepUP Program begin?
StepUP began in September 1997 with 23 enrolled students.
Why was the StepUP Program for collegiate recovery formed?
At the time, there were a significant number of students in recovery who were enrolling at Augsburg University. Upon realizing that the university had no sober living college environment or formal support program for students in recovery, a proposal was created to start the StepUP Program for collegiate recovery. The President’s Council quickly approved the proposal and StepUP was formed.
Has the Augsburg University StepUP Program been successful?
StepUP is a model that works. Students enrolled in the StepUP college recovery program have a current mean cumulative GPA of 3.26 and a cumulative abstinence rate of 93%. The StepUP Program has been successful in supporting students in their academic studies and collegiate recovery.
How many alumni are active in the StepUP community?
There are approximately 300 StepUP alumni that remain in close contact with the StepUP Program with continued sobriety. More than 800 alumni have gone through the StepUP collegiate recovery program.
How much does the Augsburg University StepUP Program cost?
There are no additional costs for the StepUP Program collegiate recovery services. The only costs required are associated with the tuition, activity fees, and room and board costs required of all students of Augsburg University. Students enrolled in the StepUP Program are still eligible for the same need- and merit-based financial aid available to all students.
Do StepUP college recovery members have to remain in the program and college housing until graduation?
No, StepUP does not require students remain in the program until graduation. While many students indicate they do want to stay in the college recovery program until graduation, others have chosen to participate in the program for one or two years then live elsewhere as they finish their degrees.
How do Augsburg’s administration, faculty, and staff support the StepUP Program?
Experienced, caring, knowledgeable, and licensed counselors in addictions and mental health lead the StepUP collegiate recovery program. The President’s Leadership Team offers extensive support and counsel to the StepUP Program. Professors often comment on positive qualities that have manifested in students enrolled in StepUP, including honesty and an increase in the desire to learn. The Department of Residence Life and the StepUP Program collaborate to provide safe, comfortable sober dorms, as well as leadership opportunities for StepUP students. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area is home to many 12-step support meetings.
