Ensign College (the “College”) encourages an academic environment that promotes the health, safety, and welfare of all College members. As a condition of enrollment or employment, the College requires that all students and personnel abide by a personal commitment to the Church Educational System Honor Code (“Honor Code”), which includes abstaining from the possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs or alcohol, and abstaining from the intentional misuse or distribution of any prescription or legal drugs without specific medical authorization. These prohibitions apply both on and off campus.
The Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 provides that, as a condition of receiving federal funds under any federal program, a higher education institution must certify that it has adopted and implemented a program to prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs and alcohol by students and personnel.1 To comply with this law and further its commitment to support society’s effort to eliminate drug and alcohol abuse, the College has adopted this Drug-Free School Policy to supplement the Honor Code. If there is a conflict between this policy and the Honor Code, the Honor Code will be the controlling document.
This Drug-Free School Policy should not be confused with the College’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy, which is designed to comply with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and which governs the workplace environment of College personnel engaged in research sponsored by the federal government.
Drug Prevention Program
The College has adopted and implemented a drug prevention program for its students and College personnel. This program includes annual distribution in writing to each student— regardless of the length of the student’s program of study—and to all personnel the following information: (1) the standard of conduct expected of students and personnel in relation to the possession, use, or distribution of drugs and alcohol; (2) the standard of conduct related to the misuse of prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco; (3) a description of the applicable legal sanctions under state and federal law that may arise from the unlawful possession or distribution of drugs; (4) a description of the health risks associated with the use of illegal drugs; (5) a description of the College’s substance abuse counseling and treatment resources available to students and personnel; and (6) a clear statement of the disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed upon students and personnel for violations of the College’s Drug-Free School Policy.
Disciplinary Sanctions for Drug Violations
Personnel or students found to be knowingly possessing, using, or distributing illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco are subject to College disciplinary action and, if applicable, to legal sanctions pursuant to federal, state, or local law. A student or employee who violates this policy or the related prohibitions on drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the Honor Code will be subject to applicable disciplinary sanctions up to and including dismissal from the College or termination of employment.
The College will determine the appropriate sanction(s) on a case-by-case basis and may consider all of the circumstances involved, including, but not limited to, the following factors: (1) whether the violation constitutes a first offense; (2) the scope and duration of the individual’s drug, alcohol, or tobacco use; (3) whether the individual has requested assistance to obtain substance abuse treatment; and (4) any other efforts the individual has undertaken to correct the misconduct, such as counseling with an ecclesiastical leader about the drug, alcohol, or tobacco use. In applicable cases, discipline may involve referral to local law enforcement for criminal prosecution.
Individuals involved in the unintentional misuse of prescription drugs are not subject to the sanctions stated in this policy, but rather are encouraged to seek assistance through professional resources.
Available Drug Counseling and Treatment
The College supports student and personnel participation in programs to prevent the abuse of illegal drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The College’s counseling office is available for students and can help refer them to professionals in the community for long-term assistance.
The general College prevention program of information dissemination, consultation, and referral is available as follows:
- The College will educate students and personnel about the detrimental effects of illegal drugs, misuse of prescription drugs, alcohol, and tobacco through the College’s annual Clery Act Campus Security Report (“Security Report”) publication and distribution. Additional educational training for those who request the service may consist of College sponsored workshops, seminars, and lectures as determined appropriate by the Dean of Students and approved by College administration.
- A description of the health risks associated with any particular drug (i.e., physical and psychological addiction; physical, psychological, and spiritual deterioration; disease; and death) may be obtained from the College’s annual Security Report, which is available online or can be requested in hard-copy form from Director of Human Resources.
- The College recognizes that potential legal sanctions may accompany an individual’s use of drugs. The applicable legal sanctions under federal, state, or local law may include significant fines and imprisonment. A summary of applicable legal sanctions from the unlawful use of drugs may be obtained from the College’s annual Security Report, which is available online or can be requested in hard-copy form from the Clery Officer.
- Students involved in the intentional use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco may seek counseling from the Manager of Counseling for possible referral to an outside medical provider. All discussions will be handled in a confidential manner to the extent permitted by law.
The College supports the premise that personnel and students should cooperatively help one another to solve alcohol and substance abuse problems. Persons aware of those with substance abuse problems enrolled at or employed by the College are encouraged to act responsibly by consulting with the Dean of Students, Human Resources Director, or by submitting a report through the Compliance Hotline. Remaining silent or waiting until a situation has escalated is unwise and often dangerous.
Biennial Drug-Free School Program Review
In conjunction with the submission of the College’s annual security disclosure report, the Director of Human Resources and the Dean of Students review the College’s substance abuse prevention program to determine its effectiveness, implement changes to the program as needed, and confirm that appropriate disciplinary sanctions are consistently enforced against students and personnel who violate this policy.