A recent study by Columbia University blames college presidents, deans and trustees for enabling a culture of alcohol and drug abuse to thrive on college campuses.

The report, completed by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia, concluded that binge drinking and drug use and abuse now occur more frequently among college students.

According to the report, alcohol and drug abuse are "linked to poor student academic performance, depression, anxiety, suicide, property damage, vandalism, fights and a host of medical problems."

The issue of binge drinking is not only the universities' fault, however, but is a combination of both on and off campus problems that leads to binge drinking, the report said.

Therefore, universities must introduce a "comprehensive" system to revisit and improve campus policies, punishments for violators, social norms, number of alcohol-free social events, community service and intervention strategies.

Sophomore Julie Reavie said she places blame for campus drinking with the students - not the administration.

"Non-drinking events are not as popular, but it's not because they aren't promoted, it's because of the culture, and students alone propagate this culture," she said.

Likewise, many students form their ideas about drinking and college life before they step foot on campus, according to the Tennessean article on the study.

"It is mainly freshmen that have the biggest problem, because they come into college with preconceived notions about drinking a lot in college, and the fact that they don't know their limit leads to them binge drinking," Reavie said.

Reavie said that many freshmen drink in order to fit in at the beginning of their time in college.

"Usually by the end of freshman year, much of the drinking has subsided because the freshmen have established their lives on campus, and they don't feel they need alcohol as a big social tool anymore," she said.