2023-2024 Surry Community College Catalog 
  
    Jun 01, 2024  
2023-2024 Surry Community College Catalog

Alcohol and Drugs on Campus Policy


Surry Community College has become increasingly aware of the health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol, both immediate and long term. These substances can create both physical and psychological dependence. The harmful effects of drug abuse include hallucinations, heart problems, malnutrition, loss of coordination, coma, convulsion; damage to the lungs, brain, liver, and/or bone marrow; and risk of AIDS hepatitis, or death. The harmful effects of alcohol abuse include alcoholism, damage to brain cells, malnutrition, blackouts, memory loss, personality disorders, degeneration of muscles and bones, and the increased risk of cirrhosis, ulcers heart disease, heart attack, and cancers of the liver, mouth, throat, and stomach.

The College offers, as an educational program, instruction in wine production and distribution. The College sponsors and supervises events to achieve the learning outcomes of the Viticulture & Enology program. 

  1. Employees and Students
    Drugs and alcohol are detrimental to the learning process and can endanger the safety of students, faculty and staff. Therefore, the unlawful use, possession, and/or distribution of drugs or alcohol on college grounds or at college functions by students, faculty, or staff will not be tolerated. Surry Community College will impose sanctions on students and employees consistent with local, state, and federal laws for such unlawful use, possession, and/or distribution. In addition, any student or employee suspected of unlawfully possessing or using a controlled substance or alcoholic beverage on college grounds or at a college function may be required to submit to drug or alcohol testing. Refusal to comply with this testing may subject the student or employee to disciplinary action, including expulsion or termination.
  2. Disciplinary Sanctions
    Students or employees who violate this policy shall be subject to disciplinary sanctions that include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
    1. First-time use: Counseling/suspension
      Subsequent use: Expulsion/Termination
    2. First-time possession: Expulsion/Termination
    3. Any sale or distribution: Expulsion/Termination
  3. Resources
    Information regarding national or local resources and services for drug/alcohol abuse prevention and treatment are available to both students and employees on a confidential basis. To obtain this information, students should contact the following:
    Student Contact:  Bri Blackwood Beasley, Counselor
    Office: (336) 386-3226
    Employee Contact: Melonie Weathers, Director of Human Resources
    Office: (336) 386-3207
  4. Program Requirements
    Additional requirements for students enrolled in certain clinical, laboratory, and/or technology programs:
    1. To ensure the safety of patients and other participants in clinical programs, it is imperative that no student possess, use, or be under the influence of any controlled substance or alcoholic beverage while on campus or at any clinical facility. Such possession or use shall be a basis for immediate suspension and for permanent dismissal from the applicable college program. Any student suspected of possessing or using any controlled substance or alcoholic beverage in violation of this policy shall be required to submit to appropriate testing. Refusal to submit to this testing requirement shall be deemed a violation of this policy.
    2. Random or universal sampling of the students enrolled in the applicable college program may be conducted on occasion if deemed necessary by the Vice President of Student Services. Refusal to provide this sample within an appropriate time as requested shall be deemed a violation of this policy.
    3. This section IV shall apply to such college programs of study as the President by Administrative Regulation may direct from time to time and to ensure the safety of students and staff and compliance with contractual agreements.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 11, 2015
Amended by the Board of Trustees, November 13, 2023