The recent death of University of Maine soccer player Adam Baxter is just the latest tragedy involving the volatile mix of college-aged kids and alcohol.

The 19-year-old native of Skegness, England, who had earned America East All-Rookie honors during his freshman season with the Black Bears this fall, died early Saturday at the Portland home of a former UM soccer teammate. While the exact cause has not been pinpointed, police have linked the incident to alcohol consumption.

Baxter’s death, coming in the aftermath of a series of alcohol-related incidents involving University of Maine student-athletes and coaches during the last year, has some among the general public playing the blame game with all eyes focused on the university, its administration and its athletic department.

What are they doing, and why don’t they do more?

Certainly there is soul-searching taking place in all corners of the Orono campus, contemplation about what can be done to improve the educational efforts already in place to heighten awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.

Clearly the educational component must become even more relentless, because the stakes are much greater than mere success or failure in the athletic arena. But one area of additional focus could be in the penalties applied to those who violate the university’s student conduct policy in areas of drug and alcohol abuse – and live to be penalized.

Fear can be a great motivator, and just as potential academic suspensions are used as a hammer of sorts for high school and college athletes, the fear of lengthier suspensions or the loss of a scholarship may help some college kids think again before taking that next, potentially tragic step.

While the world has grown softer since generations past, there’s still a place for tough love.

But the larger point in this discussion is that while the University of Maine is getting the headlines because it is the lone Division I athletic program in the state, the issue of student substance abuse transcends any single institution.

Consider that Baxter’s death came only a week after an 18-year-old Auburn man just a few months out of high school died in an alcohol-related incident.

And that came less than two weeks after an 18-year-old Maine Maritime Academy student died in Castine while driving back to campus, a crash traced by police to speed and alcohol. Those are the most recent examples, but they’re really nothing new.

Think back to your own experience as a young adult, whether at college or in the real world. Many of us partook or at least experimented with alcohol or drugs, made mistakes and moved on.

But anyone reading this has at least lived and learned – and learned and lived. Not everyone has been so lucky. Adam Baxter is the latest sobering reminder, but reflect on your formative years and it’s likely you also can recall a similar tragedy.

What can we do about it?

The school system – from elementary school through college – surely can play a significant role in exposing the dangers of drugs and alcohol to our kids.

But can we really ask any university to be the ultimate 24-7 disciplinary watchdog over its population of young adults, particularly when much of the alcohol and drug abuse involving students is taking place off campus?

When it comes to substance abuse, schools are just part of the educational equation. We all have a role to play.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net