Senior government and politics major
Much like every other potentially dangerous activity, drug and alcohol use on the campus is governed by a set of university policies to ensure students’ safety and success. While some of these policies are not surprising, others may not be common knowledge.
As one might expect, the Code of Student Conduct prohibits the use or possession of any controlled substance or illegal drug, in part 10(i). Part 10(h) prohibits the unauthorized distribution of a controlled substance or illegal drug, or their possession for purposes of distribution. These prohibited substances are consistent with the state’s criminal law. Part 10(r) prohibits the use or possession of alcohol while younger than21 and knowingly providing alcoholic beverages to a person younger than 21.
As with the rest of the Code of Student Conduct, any of the aforementioned violations would be processed through the Office of Student Conduct. A student either resolves the charge informally or attends a full hearing of student adjudicators. One caveat of violations 10(i) and 10(r) is that these charges may be deferred under Part 30 of the conduct code as consistent with the Promoting Responsible Action in Medical Emergencies Policy, also known as the Good Samaritan policy.
This policy provides relief from disciplinary action for students under the influence of alcohol or drugs on the campus who call for medical assistance for their friends or themselves. Students should absolutely invoke this policy if there is even a question about the health of someone under the influence. While those who call may not get off scot-free (in lieu of disciplinary charges, many students are required to complete an evaluation and alcohol or drug intervention program at the University Health Center) these additional measures are well worth potentially saving a life.
For on-campus students, the Resident Life Alcohol Policy outlines expectations in the dorms. Consistent with the Code of Student Conduct, possession or use of alcohol by anyone younger than 21 is prohibited by Resident Life. However, this policy gets a bit more complicated. While students of legal drinking age are permitted to consume alcohol in their rooms, apartments or suites, alcohol may not be present in common areas of the dorms.
Parties involving alcohol in the dorms are prohibited, even if every guest is of legal drinking age. This could be a result of capacity and fire safety concerns, but it seems more motivated by yet another part of the Resident Life Alcohol Policy: kegs, punch bowls and other “common sources of alcohol” are prohibited. So if you are a student of legal drinking age living in a dorm, you may possess alcohol for individual consumption in your own space as long as you don’t share it, leave the room with it, sell it or drink it out of a keg.
While these policies define expectations for behavior, they unduly restrict students who are of legal drinking age. If a 21-year-old student wants to buy a keg and share it with other students of legal age while in his or her apartment, it does not appear to immediately threaten students’ safety as a result. In the end, the Good Samaritan policy is our most progressive drug and alcohol policy because it does the most to preserve campus safety.
Return to the Opinion section’s discussion of drugs and alcohol on the campus.
