Spring Break
University Senate to weigh Samaritan policy
Nathan Cohen
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
A university senator has proposed shielding students who seek medical help for someone who has overdosed on drugs or alcohol from university punishments.
Junior communication major Stacia Cosner wants to create a "good Samaritan" policy in which students who call for emergency service in an alcohol- or drug-related incident would not be charged with violating the student code of conduct.
Yet the proposal - which could be years away from implementation - faces some opposition from officials who say students who call for emergency services in such situations are not harshly punished under current rules and that a good Samaritan policy could be abused by students who repeatedly abuse drugs or alcohol.
"I don't know why I'd get opposition to this," said Cosner, who introduced the proposal to the university's most important policymaking body last month. "It's not about drugs. It's about students' lives. It's about calling 911 and not getting in trouble for it."
Though the proposal does not include details, a good Samaritan policy on some university campuses protects both the victim of alcohol and drug use and the student who called 911 for medical help.
Associate Director of Resident Life Steve Petkas said he thinks a good Samaritan policy will make drug use appear acceptable to students who would call for help without fear of repercussions for their behavior. He also said internal campus studies show that a change in policy is unnecessary because punishments for students who call emergency services for situations involving alcohol or drugs are usually lenient.
"If they are drinking with that person, there are very minor penalties," said Petkas. "Nobody has ever lost their housing for picking up the phone, even when the violation was an A-level violation."
A-level violations, which include illegal drug use in the dorms and supplying alcohol to minors, are punished more harshly by the Office of Student Conduct. A-level violators typically lose housing if convicted.
Junior communication major Stacia Cosner wants to create a "good Samaritan" policy in which students who call for emergency service in an alcohol- or drug-related incident would not be charged with violating the student code of conduct.
Yet the proposal - which could be years away from implementation - faces some opposition from officials who say students who call for emergency services in such situations are not harshly punished under current rules and that a good Samaritan policy could be abused by students who repeatedly abuse drugs or alcohol.
"I don't know why I'd get opposition to this," said Cosner, who introduced the proposal to the university's most important policymaking body last month. "It's not about drugs. It's about students' lives. It's about calling 911 and not getting in trouble for it."
Though the proposal does not include details, a good Samaritan policy on some university campuses protects both the victim of alcohol and drug use and the student who called 911 for medical help.
Associate Director of Resident Life Steve Petkas said he thinks a good Samaritan policy will make drug use appear acceptable to students who would call for help without fear of repercussions for their behavior. He also said internal campus studies show that a change in policy is unnecessary because punishments for students who call emergency services for situations involving alcohol or drugs are usually lenient.
"If they are drinking with that person, there are very minor penalties," said Petkas. "Nobody has ever lost their housing for picking up the phone, even when the violation was an A-level violation."
A-level violations, which include illegal drug use in the dorms and supplying alcohol to minors, are punished more harshly by the Office of Student Conduct. A-level violators typically lose housing if convicted.
Submit a letter to the editor or post a comment below.
Be the first to comment on this story