Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Felty, Wade P." <>]

-Our institution, Randolph-Macon College does have an alcohol amnesty policy, 
although we have called it the "Friendly Referral Practice." It was adopted 
in January 2009.  The text is as follows:


Friendly Referral Practice
The "friendly referral" policy was adopted by the Dean of Students Office in 
effort to prevent a student's possible hesitation in obtaining assistance 
needed for an intoxicated friend for fear of getting "in trouble."

In general, this practice means that if one student calls the Office of 
Campus Safety, or informs a Resident Assistant or contacts another College 
office, or emergency services for medical assistance out of concern for 
another's health and safety resulting from alcohol consumption, neither 
student involved will be held judicially responsible. Neither the one who is 
calling for help, nor the one for whom help is being called will be held 
judicially accountable for his/her consumption, instead they will be required 
to meet with the appropriate designee of the Dean of Students to discuss the 
incident. Follow-up education may be required, but an alcohol related charge 
for violation of the Code of Student will not be issued, impacting the 
student's judicial record.

If other policy violations occurred (e.g., violence, property damage, 
possession of drugs), those issues may be addressed judicially. A student has 
only one "friendly referral" opportunity, should the intoxicated student need 
medical attention due to consumption on a subsequent occasion, any related 
alcohol violations will be addressed judicially.

For further information concerning this practice please contact the Dean of 
Students.



-           We have had a separate amnesty policy for sexual assault victims 
for a much longer time (since before I can remember), it is in our "Policy on 
Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct"  and it states 
"Even if you are under the influence at the time of an incident, you can 
report sexual misconduct, assault or rape without incurring judicial 
sanction. This means that a victim, or anyone helping a victim, can report 
the incident without fear of receiving a judicial referral."

-           The amnesty policy on sexual assault has been around so long, it 
is non-controversial. There was some resistance when the friendly referral 
practice was being discussed, as some felt it would lead to a sharp increase 
in drinking incidents, or people would drink so much they got sick, so that 
they could then get out of trouble. Others thought we would see the same 
people using it again and again. None of these happened.

-           I strongly support our friendly referral policy - I helped author 
it. Originally some people only wanted it to only include the people who were 
calling in - not the actual victim, who would still face judicial 
consequences. I felt that this would defeat the purpose, so those of us who 
wanted it to include both caller and victim, won out. This policy has not 
resulted in abuse or over-use. A person who uses it, will get an alcohol 
strike, towards our three-strikes and you're out policy, but not the 
sanctions that go with it. So a second incident, would result in a second 
strike. All they have to do for this is take an alcohol abuse evaluation with 
an outside agency.

-           You can quote me if necessary.








Wade Felty
Wade Felty
Office of Residence Life & Housing and Judicial Affairs
Macon Peer Response
Randolph-Macon College
(804)-752-3234 (Office)
(717)-813-3513 (Mobile)

























I'm interested to hear from you all regarding alcohol amnesty policies on 
campus. I know our colleague Adriane Bang has done some work in this area and 
posted about this a while back, but I'm actually more interested in the 
OPINION side than the actual policies you may or may not have implemented. 
Here are my questions:



-          Does your school have some type of alcohol amnesty policy?

(Or have you tried setting one up?)



-          Does it include specific language regarding victims of sexual

violence, or is it general (covering any emergency medical situations)?



-          Have you faced resistance from others on campus in setting

this up? If so, who and why?



-          Do you support an alcohol amnesty policy? Are there elements

of such policy that you do NOT support (e.g., forced alcohol assessments)? 
Please be specific.



-          Please state if you are willing to be quoted in the National

Sexual Violence Resource Center's newsletter The Resource, on this topic.







I'm on a tight deadline for finalizing this article (lest my coworker who 
edits it throws my computer out the window), so the sooner the better! THANK 
YOU!



Lauren







E. Lauren Sogor, MPH



Prevention Campaign Specialist







National Sexual Violence Resource Center



123 North Enola Drive, Enola, PA 17025



717.909.0710 x118



877.739.3895 Toll Free       717.909.0714 Fax







collaboration  |  prevention  |  resources











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Wade Felty
Wade Felty
Office of Residence Life & Housing
Judicial Affairs
Randolph-Macon College
(804)-752-3234 (Office)
(717)-813-3513 (Mobile)