Security emphasizes health, not write-ups for sick students

Nadine Reitman Guest Writer

It is a situation with which many college students are familiar: friends are overly intoxicated and need medical attention. But should one call Emergency Medical Service (EMS) at the risk of prosecution for underage drinking? At the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council meeting on Sunday, Sept. 17, Davison House President Alberto Apodaca ’08 expressed concern that freshmen seem afraid to call for help despite the College’s Good Samaritan policy.

Under the policy, “you can’t get into trouble if you report an intoxicated friend—even an underage friend—who needs assistance,” according to Director of Security Don Marsala.

The College’s official policy from Part E of the Vassar College Regulation for 2006-2007 states that “no student seeking medical treatment for his or her alcohol or other drug-related overdoses, or assisting another student in obtaining such medical treatment, will be subject to College discipline for the sole violation of using alcohol or drugs or of providing alcohol or drugs to the student they have assisted in obtaining treatment.”

Despite this, Apocada said he has heard of many situations in which freshmen helped their drunk friends back to their dorms, but were too afraid to call Security. “That’s bad,” said Apocada. “It’s a safety issue. I’d rather do AlcoholEdu again than have a dead friend.” AlcoholEdu is an online science-based course about alcohol and its effects on the body that incoming freshmen complete prior to arriving on campus.

The Vassar Emergency Medical Service (EMS) team agreed that the problem exists, especially among freshmen, but noted that the problem of being afraid to call EMS exists among upperclassmen as well.

Apocada believes the Good Samaritan Policy was not emphasized enough during Freshmen Orientation.
“Hearing about the Good Samaritan Policy one time isn’t enough. The College needs to do more to inform the students,” he said. Apocada suggested flyers advertising the policy, adding that “even passive advertising is better than nothing.”

Amanda Waterhouse ’10 disagreed: “I think people know about the policy, but I think people only use it as an absolute last resort.”

Coordinators in EMS stated that their primary concern is the safety of students, not punishment for underage drinking.

Marsala also stressed the importance of safety. “We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to notify the [Campus Response Center] whenever a community member is in need of assistance,” said Marsala. “We are here to help, and the fear of getting a friend in trouble should be the last thing on your mind.”

Under the policy, members of the EMS team explained, an intoxicated student does not necessarily have to go the Emergency Room. In addition, Security cannot record the names of the students involved unless there is property damage or the police are needed.

Still, many students understand and appreciate the Good Samaritan policy. Evan Altshuler ’09 encouraged underclassmen to utilize EMS when necessary. “It’s comforting to know I can be taken care of without disciplinary action being an issue,” he said.

Marsala emphasized this point, saying, “We are there to help our community, not to ‘write them up.’”