UR updates alcohol policy

Students, or friends of students, who have committed alcohol violations may call emergency services without fear of punitive sanctions from university administrators starting this semester.

The new Medical Assistance and Responsible Action Protocols were approved after 12 students submitted anonymous testimonies about cases where a medical assistance policy would have made them more inclined to call emergency services. Hundreds more signed a petition supporting it.

"The goal of the policy is to remove any hesitation to call 911 when someone is having a medical emergency related to alcohol consumption," said Andrew Slater, a student emergency medical technician with UREMS who lobbied for the policy. "The policy ensures that conduct sanctions are not placed on the person needing help or anyone in the area committed to getting that person help as long as students follow these guidelines:

"Call: Call campus emergency services at 804-289-8911, and state that someone needs medical care related to alcohol consumption.

"Stay: Stay with the patient until the arrival of emergency services or the area becomes unsafe to do so."

"Cooperate: Cooperate with the 911 dispatcher, Emergency Medical Services and Law Enforcement personnel."

Slater hopes the policy will eliminate all cases of students putting their friends' lives in jeopardy by not calling, or delaying calling, 911 out of fear of punishment. "We received feedback that many students were finding the 'most sober' person in the group to drive the patient to the hospital in order to bypass university sanctions," he added.

Those sanctions included fines and housing probations. "All of our policies are directly related to precedent, prior record, attitude and severity," Dr. Steve Bisese, Vice President for Student Development, said. "On the average year there are only a couple of students who leave school for serious policy reasons. They have accumulated academic difficulties and have had serious run-ins with the law."

A committee of student EMTs from UREMS consisting of Gabriel Giggliotti (RC '10), Joe Wilding (RC '10), Andrew Slater (RC '11), Daniel Mahoney (RC '13), Emily Kluball (WC '12), and Laura Zemcik (WC '12) researched the implementation of similar policies at other universities. "The idea for this policy was first tossed around towards the end of the fall semester in 2009," Zemcik said. "It gained final approval from University administrators at the end of the Spring 2010 semester."

Both the Richmond and Westhampton College Student Governments, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council, the Deans' offices, Bisese, Director of Greek Life Alison Bartel Keller and Dr. Joseph Ornato, the medical doctor whose license governs emergency medical care for students at the University of Richmond, supported the policy and provided their input.

But both Bisese and the EMTs warn that the new policy does not grant students amnesty. "I wouldn't want anyone to think that this is a 'get out of jail free' card that can be used as an excuse to get outrageously drunk on the weekends," Slater said. "Not only will be getting education to those who are treated, the Dean's office has plenty of leeway to make sure that those who have a chronic problem get the help and treatment they need."

Richmond will continue to notify parents of alcohol violators who are transported to receive medical care. "It's truly not an amnesty policy because something happens to you," Bisese said. "The new policy emphasizes what we always tried to: we wanna get you into the Deans' offices."

The policy is being advertised through page 38 of The 2010-2011 University of Richmond Student Handbook. "We were really rushing to make the deadline of the handbook," Bisese said. "We try to communicate our policies well and it is up to each individual to make a choice."

Slater and Zemcik encourages students to make the right choices. "Practically every barrier to calling for help has been eliminated at this point," Slated said. "Opting to stay up with your semi-conscious friend or letting them 'sleep it off' instead of calling for help could turn from what seemed like a 'good idea at the time' to the worst decision you'll ever make.

"Alcohol Poisoning is a life-threatening condition, plain and simple."

Contact staff writer Tanveer Ahmed at tanveer.ahmed@richmond.edu.