The Office of Student Standards and Conduct Adopts New Amnesty Protocol for Alcohol and Other Drugs

Effective immediately, the U of A and the Office of Student Standards and Conduct have adopted a newly revised protocol for the application of amnesty regarding policy violations related to the use of alcohol and other drugs. 

The U of A is committed to the safety and welfare of its students. It is critical for the safety of the campus community that students immediately call for help when they are faced with an alcohol- or drug-related emergency that requires immediate medical intervention for themselves or others. To encourage students to seek emergency medical care in these situations, the university has instituted this amnesty protocol. 

This protocol is a mechanism for appropriate university officials to apply an alternative resolution process in lieu of disciplinary action under the U of A Code of Student Life, for minor violations related to the possession or use of alcohol and drugs that arise out of a bona fide attempt to seek emergency medical care for someone experiencing alcohol intoxication or a drug overdose. The purpose of this protocol is to encourage students to call for help in these emergency situations, and to cooperate with the university's reporting and investigative processes, by facilitating an educational and safety-focused response rather than focusing on disciplinary outcomes.   

This protocol is designed to be applicable to alcohol- and drug-related violations of the U of A Code of Student Life. It does not ordinarily apply to other types of conduct violations, or violations of other university policies or procedures, although its use may be considered in situations involving victims and witnesses of other types of student conduct violations. Application of this protocol will have no bearing on criminal, civil or other legal proceedings in federal, state or local courts. Additionally, this protocol does not limit the authority of law enforcement personnel or university staff to act as required at the time of an alleged violation of university policies or federal, state or local laws. 

The newly revised protocol and application can be found here: https://ethics.uark.edu/policies/amnesty-policy.php

For more information on this protocol or to request a presentation, please contact judicial@uark.edu.