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Amnesty Policy

The overarching priority of Saint Michael's College with respect to alcohol and other drugs is to promote the safety and well-being of our students. For those students who choose to consume alcohol or other drugs, Saint Michael’s College expects that they will do so in moderation and thereby minimize the incidence of alcohol and/or other drug poisoning and alcohol- and/or drug-related injuries. The College also expects students to abide by local, state and federal laws governing possession and consumption of alcohol and drugs.

However, the College acknowledges there may be times when students may face medical emergencies involving excessive drinking and/or drug use. In these situations, students are expected to call for assistance (e.g., resident assistant, resident director, any on-call personnel like Public Safety, switchboard 654-2000 or 911) when concerned for their own health or welfare, or that of another student. In order to encourage students to seek prompt and appropriate attention for alcohol or any other drug intoxication, the College has instituted an Amnesty Policy.

Saint Michael’s College’s Amnesty policy is applicable to the student requesting medical assistance for oneself, the student seeking medical assistance for another person, and the student for whom medical assistance was sought.

The College values and promotes responsible decision making. When a report clearly documents that a student sought help for themselves or another student that was required because of excessive alcohol or other drug consumption, the incident will be referred to the Student Conduct Process as outlined in the Code of Conduct, but since the incident will typically be covered by the Amnesty Policy the sanctioning recommendations will focus solely on getting the help and support needed to address the presenting concerns of the incident. Upon receipt of a report that a student was acting under the Amnesty Policy, Student Life will reach out to the students involved, which may include the student(s) who sought medical assistance to process the incident. Students contacted are expected to cooperate with any instructions provided by Student Life. When the Amnesty Policy is applied to an incident, there will not be a formal hearing, however students may be required to participate in educational programs designed to help prevent future safety risks. Such programs can include, but are not limited to: CHOICES, Substance Abuse Assessments, and Wellness Center referrals. However, when processing an Amnesty incident, Student Life will not assign disciplinary fines or sanctions and will not report the incident, or any follow up to a student’s extracurricular endeavors on campus.

To the extent permitted by FERPA, the College may inform a student’s emergency contact of a student’s transport to a hospital or medical facility for the reported misuse of alcohol or other drugs.

A record of the incident and use of the Amnesty Policy will remain on file. Please note that this policy does not excuse or protect those who repeatedly or flagrantly violate the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy. If the Amnesty Policy has been applied to a student for a prior incident, the availability of the Amnesty Policy for a subsequent incident is at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee. The Amnesty Policy for alcohol or drug violations, however, will not be given to students whose conduct placed the health or safety of any other person at risk.

Amnesty for Students Who Report Sexual Misconduct/Harassment

Saint Michael’s College encourages reporting of sexual misconduct and seeks to remove any barriers to reporting by making the procedures for reporting an incident of sexual misconduct (“an incident”) transparent and straightforward. The College recognizes that a student who has been drinking or using drugs at the time of an incident also may be hesitant to make a report because of potential disciplinary consequences for their own conduct. Thus, a student who reports sexual misconduct, either as a complainant or a third-party witness, will not be subject to disciplinary action by the College for their own personal consumption of alcohol or drugs at or near the time of the incident, provided that any such violations did not and do not place the health or safety of any other person at risk. The College may, however, initiate an educational discussion or pursue other educational remedies regarding alcohol or other drugs.

Recognizing Signs of Intoxication/Overdose

If you drink or have friends who drink, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning; it’s not necessary for all of these symptoms to be present before you seek help. Those signs followed by an asterisk (*) may also indicate opiate or sedative/hypnotic drug overdose.

  • Vomiting

  • Confusion, stupor *

  • Seizures

  • Slow breathing

  • Irregular breathing *

  • Blue-tinged skin or pale skin

  • Low body temperature (feels cold and clammy to touch) *

  • Unconsciousness (“passing out”) *

Signs of an amphetamine overdose may include:

  • Rapid heartbeat

  • Increased temperature / sweating

  • Behavior changes indicated by increased anxiety, delirium, or psychosis

  • Saucer-like dilation of pupils or unequal pupils in eyes

A person who is unconscious or can’t be roused is at risk of dying. Seek assistance!

Even if you don’t see the classic signs and symptoms, but suspect someone has alcohol poisoning, err on the side of caution and seek immediate medical care. In an emergency, follow these suggestions:

  • If the person is unconscious, slow breathing, or has repeated and uncontrolled vomiting, call 911, call the switchboard at 654-2000, and get help. Remember that even when someone is unconscious or has stopped drinking, alcohol continues to be released into the bloodstream and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise. Never assume that a person will “sleep off” alcohol poisoning.

  • Don’t leave an unconscious person alone. While waiting for help, turn the person on their side; don’t try to make the person vomit. People who have alcohol poisoning have an impaired gag reflex and may choke on their own vomit or accidentally inhale (aspirate) vomit into their lungs, which could cause a fatal lung injury. Your assistance and support in helping keep yourself and your fellow students safe may be crucial when faced with these types of high-risk incidents.