By Dr. Michael O’Friel
Alcohol and Drug Education Coordinator
You have heard the scenario before. Maybe you have been personally involved: a wild party, drinking games which your friend won. You have no idea how much alcohol he drank, but he suddenly is not being very responsive. He falls on the floor and appears to be asleep. As you try to rouse him you notice how cold and clammy he feels. He remains unresponsive despite shouting at him, and you become aware that his breathing is irregular.
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The dilemma you face is what to do next. Part of you is scared and wants to call for help, another voice in your head tells you to get him back to his room quickly, so you do not get into trouble for underage drinking. You rationalize the decision by recalling other times your friend has blacked out from alcohol consumption and was okay the next day.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota recognizes the risks associated with heavy alcohol consumption which can be fatal in extreme cases. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota places a high value on the health and safety of its students and wishes to avoid students making decisions based on fear of disciplinary sanctions from the university. A new policy was created to address the issue of seeking medical attention due to excessive consumption of alcohol.
The policy includes these provisions:
If a student receives medical assistance or seeks assistance for a peer as the direct result of excessive alcohol consumption or due to a serious injury resulting from alcohol intoxication, he/she may avoid formal disciplinary sanctions for violating the university alcohol policy if she/he takes the following steps:
1. Within two days of the incident (for those students hospitalized within two days of returning to campus), the student schedules a meeting with the Dean of Students.
2. The student completes in a timely fashion any recommended alcohol education, assessment, or treatment as determined at this meeting.
3. If a student does not follow these conditions, he/she will not qualify under the Good Samaritan Policy and will be subject to formal disciplinary action.
Simply put, if you seek out medical help for yourself or a friend due to heavy alcohol use you can avoid a formal record of the incident in your judicial file, avoid associated fines, and community service. More importantly, you may have saved your friends or your own life.
For more information about the Good Samaritan Policy and to become familiar with the Signs of Alcohol Poisoning visit the link below: http://www.smumn.edu/sitepages/pid3565.php
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