Waco: Baylor accepts $2.5 million gift for campus addiction center

While stopping short of saying addiction is a problem on the Baylor campus, officials say an addiction recovery center is a good idea, and on Monday the school accepted a $2.5 million gift from Bob and Laura Beauchamp of Houston to open the Beauchamp Recovery Center.

Bob Beauchamp is a Baylor regent and he and his wife are longtime Baylor supporters.

The Beauchamp Addiction Recovery Center will be situated in the East Village Residential complex, one of the university's high traffic areas, and officials said it will help with students suffering from a number of addictions ranging from alcohol, drugs, and even pornography.

"College students suffer from these kinds of addictions and we want to do everything we can to help them and not be stigmatized in looking for help,” Interim Baylor President Dr. David E. Garland said Monday.

About 100 students per year will use this facility.

Officials say it will offer counseling, a sober place to hang out to talk to their peers, do homework, and get support and encouragement for their continued recovery.

The National Institutes of Health conducted a study on drinking in college students ranging in age from 18 to 25.

It found 696,000 students were assaulted by a drunk student and 97,000 were sexually assaulted or date raped by a student who had been drinking.

"When students come to a college campus they have a lot more freedom than they did there are greater Temptations and what we want to do is develop healthy attitudes that will prevent them from having problems,” Garland said.

Baylor officials said the campus has always had resources for people suffering from any type of mental health issues.

Counseling services have been available at different locations on campus but this center will give a centralized place where students can stroll into.

The center is expected to be open by next fall.