University Encourages Student Safety Over Prosecution in Alcohol Emergencies

03/12/09

According to Randy Hyman, Vice Chancellor for Academic Support and Student Life at UMD, ''the idea is for us to encourage students to help one another. We would be looking at ways to forgive and not necessarily look at punitive sanctions for students attempting to be helpful to other students.”

Hyman acknowledges that ''though the university had no power over decisions made by the Duluth Police Department, the police have been actively involved in the development of the proposal and been clear they would be more forgiving and supportive of students who take the initiative to help other students in need.''

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Hyman acknowledges that the policy changes were initiated after researching high-profile cases involving student alcohol overdoses across the country. He believes the new changes in policy will increase the overall safety and well being of the students.

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Aaron Brower, director of PACE, a University of Wisconsin’s campus awareness group against high-risk drinking, notes that UW has a similar policy and remarked, ''if your friend is in trouble the first priority is getting them help, and if you do that there is some lenience in the ticketing. What they are really trying to do is promote safety, rather than [having students] worry about getting themselves or a friend in trouble.”

Brower points out that unlike the University of Minnesota-Duluth's program, UW students will be held accountable for their actions and be ticketed for misconduct upon being sent to Madison County's rehabilitation facility. Brower also notes that the UW stance is ''not exclusive to UW and is a statewide policy.''

Carl Bergman, associate director of UW student life, maintains that ''the residence life staff is primarily interested in student’s safety and well-being.''