Learning and living with the genie

Abstract

History and current conditions point us to the conclusion that gambling is likely to continue to be a part of human culture. It also seems likely that members of our campus communities, particularly students, will continue to be engaged in gambling behavior. Some will do so in fairly developmental and transient ways, but others in ways that are sustained, intense, and sometimes destructive to themselves, those around them, and their institutions.The authors of this volume have offered us information regarding a variety of aspects of campus gambling, and there are a number of recurring messages throughout the various chapters. Our goals in this chapter are to identify these messages, stress a few additional points, and offer some summary thoughts on where we in higher education go from here in addressing campus gambling. Seven MessagesThe first of the messages recurring throughout the volume is that campus gambling is an issue that demands greater attention from all those concerned with student development and success, with the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and our institutions of higher education, and with the health of our communities-campus and beyond. To do otherwise would be to fail our students, our institutions, and our ethical obligations.Second, just as we have learned with our work on other challenging social issues, there are no simple solutions or universal templates for action. It is essential in focusing our attention and efforts on campus gambling, just NEW DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENT SERVICES, no. 113, Spring 2006