The Missouri Students Association supported adopting a Good Samaritan Policy at MU during full Senate on Wednesday night.
According to the legislation, MU currently punishes students with drugs or alcohol on campus who are caught only after calling for assistance in the case of medical emergency. The resolution adopted by MSA Wednesday shows support for repealing this policy in the interest of protecting intoxicated minors who call 911 for a friend.
The policy had been brought to MSA’s attention by MU’s chapter of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy organization, which concerns itself with the impact of drug abuse in the community.
“What it boils down to is that the city will not press charges and the university would not enforce the student conduct policy for doing the right thing,” Operations Chairman Justin Mohn said Wednesday night.
According to the bill, without this policy, students will be discouraged from seeking aid for friends and fellow students who may be in dire need of medical attention.
“Say you’re out drinking underage and your friend becomes a medical emergency and you call an ambulance,” MSA Senator Garrett Bergquist said. “Because you and your friend were drinking underage you would be arrested. If you are arrested for possession of drugs or alcohol, the university will take disciplinary action.”
If adopted, this policy would grant students caught with drugs or alcohol legal protection for making a 911 call.
“The university is already very reasonable,” Mohn said. “The policy would increase the amount of students who would call for help.”
Although the policy would ensure the amnesty of students, students will be monitored for policy abuse.
According to the SSDP website, standards to address habitual use are components of the policy itself. Most universities apply a standard of two or three calls within an academic year as a definition of habitual use.
According to the SSDP website, a 2006 study in the International Journal of Drug Policy found that emergency calls doubled after Cornell University’s Good Samaritan Policy was enacted in 2002, although alcohol abuse rates have remained relatively constant.
“This policy is very circumstantial,” Mohn said. “Whether or not the university will take action upon student arrest is up to them.”
The policy also will extend to off-campus housing and Greek Life housing, Mohn said.
“The way I understand it, this policy covers MU students period,” Bergquist said. “Wherever you are, you are an MU student and if the city takes action, so will the university.”
Mohn plans on working with the Student Affairs and Campus and Community Relations Committees to push the city of Columbia to adopt the Good Samaritan policy.
