About BACCHUS:

BACCHUS (Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students) is an international association of college and university based peer education programs focusing on alcohol abuse prevention and other related student health and safety issues. It is the mission of the association to actively promote peer education as a useful element of campus health education and wellness efforts.

BACCHUS began in 1975 as a student leadership organization at the University of Florida founded by Gerardo Gonzalez and Tom Goodale as a response to the need for alcohol awareness and abuse prevention needs on their campus. This first group chose to call themselves “BACCHUS”, an acronym for Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students. This was the first student organization of its kind, and word quickly spread throughout higher education and the term “peer education” was born.

Thanks to wide acceptance in the student affairs profession and through our early government and corporate supporters, the organization incorporated in 1980 as BACCHUS of the U.S., Inc., and we began to offer services, educational materials and training conferences to a fast growing network across the country.

While Cal U began this endeavor through the BACCHUS network, the Underground cannot use the BACCHUS name with its events. The group decided that the ample resources, staff, and offices on campus to deal with university health issues should focus on many of the concerns of the current mission of the BACCHUS network. The Underground will remain conscious to the fact that the environment at its events is alcohol-free and provides an alternative atmosphere away from negative behavior. We also understand our roots and salute BACCHUS for all its work.

For more information on BACCHUS, visit http://www.bacchusgamma.org/