SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM

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1 SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM

2 SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM The Department of Athletics at Shippensburg University believes that the use and abuse of alcohol and/or drugs (excluding those drugs prescribed by a physician to treat a specific medical condition) can be detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of its student-athletes. The use of alcohol and/or drugs can seriously interfere with the performance of individuals as students and as athletes and can be extremely dangerous to student-athletes and their teammates, particularly when participating in athletic competition or practice. For health, safety, and social concerns, the Department of Athletics administers a mandatory substance abuse program that may include education, counseling, and rehabilitation efforts to assist and benefit the student-athletes at Shippensburg University. This program remains in effect throughout the calendar year including holidays, vacation periods, semester break, and where applicable, during pre- and post-seasons. PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM The purpose of the Shippensburg University Department of Athletics Substance Abuse Program is to aid and assist the student-athletes at our institution. This program is based on the athletic department s stance that the use and abuse of alcohol and/or drugs is detrimental to the student-athlete. Specific goals of this program are: To discourage any alcohol and/or drug use or abuse by Shippensburg University studentathletes; To identify any student-athlete who may be using or experiencing problems with alcohol and/or drugs; To identify abusive patterns and provide a means of intervention and treatment; and, To provide reasonable safeguards that every student-athlete is physically and medically competent to participate in athletic competition. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM At the beginning of the academic year, a presentation will be made to all student-athletes at Shippensburg University to outline and review the Substance Abuse Program. A copy of this program will be given to each student-athlete. Each student-athlete will be asked to sign a form indicating receipt and acknowledgement of the program. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE PROGRAM 1. Participation in intercollegiate athletics at Shippensburg University is considered a privilege. As a required condition for any student to be a member of a Shippensburg University athletic team, the individual must agree to follow the Substance Abuse Program. 2. All violations of the Substance Abuse Program are considered CUMULATIVE for the studentathlete s career. 3. All Substance Abuse Program regulations are in effect throughout the calendar year including holidays, vacation periods, semester break, and where applicable, during pre- and post-seasons. 2 P a g e

3 4. The athletics administration will notify the student-athlete of the violation and appropriate sanctions at the conclusion of the University and/or police judicial processes. 5. Any exceptions to the above regulations must be authorized by the Director of Athletics. The following actions will constitute a violation of the Substance Abuse Program: 1. Unlawful use, possession, or sale of alcohol and/or drugs by student-athletes. 2. Any alcohol and/or drug infraction, occurring on or off-campus, which is adjudicated through the criminal justice system or University policies, most typically the Student Code of Conduct process set forth in Swataney. Officials of the criminal justice system, the Dean of Students, or staff from the University s Office of Judicial Affairs may contact the Director of Athletics regarding the facts and extent of any alcohol and/or drug infraction. Staff of the Department of Athletics shall notify appropriate University officials. 3. Student-athletes must adhere to all sanctions set forth in the Substance Abuse Program and the Student Code of Conduct. If the student-athlete does not meet with the Connection staff or fails to abide by any declared sanction, the student-athlete may be assessed additional sanctions. 4. The Director of Athletics reserves the right to sanction a student-athlete prior to the completion of criminal justice proceedings or University student conduct proceedings based on an assessment of the pending alcohol and/or drug charges. SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM VIOLATIONS Pennsylvania state law sets a minimum age for the purchase of alcoholic beverages at 21 years of age. Alcohol consumption is illegal and unacceptable for student-athletes under the age of twenty-one. Even after reaching 21 years of age, student-athletes are prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages when traveling with or representing their teams on the road or at home events (including all facilities such as the competition field/court/pool, locker rooms, etc.) Additionally, alcoholic beverages are not to be consumed prior to or while attending athletics-sponsored events (e.g., team banquets, SAAC events, etc.). The following disciplinary guidelines have been established by the Department of Athletics and are in addition to the Shippensburg University Judicial Sanctioning Guidelines for Violations of Drug and Alcohol Policies which can be found in the Student Handbook, Swataney. Department standards are only minimal sanctions. Additional sanctions may be imposed at the discretion of the coach and/or the Director of Athletics. The Director of Athletics has the authority to indefinitely or temporarily suspend or remove a studentathlete from participation in athletics for any violation that is contradictory to the mission of Shippensburg University or the Department of Athletics. PROGRAM VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS UNLAWFUL POSSESSION/USE OF ALCOHOL Office and the Head Coach. 3 P a g e

4 SECOND VIOLATION Minimum suspension of 10% of competition schedule. * THIRD VIOLATION Minimum suspension of 50% of competition schedule. * FOURTH VIOLATION FIFTH VIOLATION USE AND/OR POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA Minimum suspension of 50% of competition schedule. * SECOND VIOLATION THIRD VIOLATION USE AND/OR POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL DRUGS (INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND EXCLUDING MARIJUANA) 4 P a g e

5 SECOND VIOLATION NOTE: A VIOLATION will be applied to any student-athlete who tests positive through drug testing administered by the NCAA/Drug Free Sport. DEALING DRUGS (INCLUDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND MARIJUANA) DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE Minimum suspension of 50% of competition schedule. * SECOND VIOLATION THIRD VIOLATION NOTE: If a student-athlete has been proven guilty of Driving Under the Influence (DUI), the studentathlete will not only receive a under this respective program but will also automatically advance to the SECOND VIOLATION under Unlawful Possession/Use of Alcohol. *See appendix for explanations and definitions. APPEAL PROCESS Appeal of Program Violations and Sanctions must be presented in writing within three business days following written notice. Appeals should be directed to the Assistant Director of Athletics. Appeals will be heard by a three-person committee of Department of Athletics representatives. The committee will provide recommendations to the Director of Athletics who will render all final decisions. INDIVIDUAL TEAM POLICIES Each athletic team at Shippensburg University may have a specific drug and alcohol code of conduct that addresses drug and alcohol violations. While each student-athlete will be governed by the Department of Athletics Substance Abuse Program, each sports program reserves the right to enforce additional sanctions above and beyond those specified in the athletics program. 5 P a g e

6 CONCLUSION It is the hope of the Department of Athletics that the Substance Abuse Program will serve to benefit all who are connected with intercollegiate athletics at Shippensburg University. Further, we believe that participation in this program will assist student-athletes to make individual, informed, and intelligent decisions with reference to substance use and abuse, both now and in the future. The Shippensburg University Department of Athletics Substance Abuse Program may be found online at APPENDIX Specific sanctions will result in a student-athlete being banned from 10 percent, 50 percent, or an entire year of the scheduled championship season. The suspended events will be the next consecutive championship season events in the schedule of the sport in which the violation took place. Post-season events (i.e., PSAC Championships and NCAA Championships) are also included in the suspension. Although the student-athlete may practice, he/she will not participate in any other activity(s) surrounding competition (e.g., travel, dressing out, sitting on the bench or being in the team area during competition, pre-competition meals, being in the post-competition locker room, etc.). If a team completes its competition schedule while a student-athlete is under sanctions, the studentathlete s suspension will be carried over into that sport s next competition season. If a multi-sport student-athlete completes the season or exhausts eligibility in one sport before fulfilling the suspension, it will be carried over into the student-athlete s next sport s competition season. If a student-athlete is suspended from the University for one calendar year, the student-athlete will be charged with the loss of one season of competition. A red shirt season or medical hardship cannot be used for the loss of the season of competition. It will be the responsibility of the involved student-athlete to pay for all costs associated with required tests (i.e., drug test for reinstatement) or additional expenses that may be incurred prior to returning to competition. Holds may be put on a student-athlete s academic record if payment has not been received. Collaboratively authored by the Shippensburg University Department of Athletics Substance Abuse Program Committee (Rebecca Fitz, Matt Jones, Mark Maciejewski, Wes Mallicone, Carrie Michaels, Jeremy Spering, Kristy Trn), July 2010 Revised by: Ashley Grimm and Jeff Michaels, July 2013 Revised by: Ashley Grimm, June 2015 Revised by: Carrie Michaels, Ashley Grimm, and Jeff Michaels, February 2016 Revised by: Ashley Grimm, Matt Jones, Mark Maciejewski, Carrie Michaels, Tanya Miller, Leanne Piscotty, Kristy Trn, Rich Zumkhawala-Cook, April 2016, June 2016 Revised by: Jeff Michaels, July P a g e