SAAC to adopt new drug testing policy

Audrey Tempelsman Guest Writer

On Feb. 19, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will vote on the “Drug Testing and Education Program,” a policy that would empower the Vassar Athletics Department to test student-athletes for drugs.

According to the policy, Athletics could implement the drug tests both randomly and under circumstances of “reasonable suspicion,” in which a coach, trainer, or fellow teammate felt a team-member was using performance-enhancing or illegal substances. SAAC Vice President Laura Burnett ’07 revealed that grounds for “suspicion” would include a decrease in class attendance or a noticeable change in mood.

“This is not a witch-hunt. This is not an opportunity for someone who has a vendetta against you to go to the coach and say ‘so-and-so is taking steroids,’” said SAAC President Christine Lewis ’08. “This involves a thoughtful process between the athletic trainers, the coach, and the athletes.”

An updated version of Vassar’s drug policy has been in the works since 2003, according to Lewis. At that time, coaches and trainers became concerned about a group of students known to be taking performance-enhancing drugs.

The Athletics Department, however, was powerless to interfere. “There was no legal way to approach the individuals,” Lewis said. “This new drug policy arises from the lack of agency of the trainers and coaches to work for the safety of the student-athletes.”

“The policy is educational and preventative,” insists SAAC Faculty Athletics Representative and Professor of Political Science Steve Rock. “People can do serious damage to their bodies, and can even kill themselves by sustained use of performance-enhancing drugs or by overdosing.” When asked whether he felt steroid use was an issue among Vassar athletes, Rock declined to comment.

Yet Vassar Student Organization (VSA) Academic Executive Rachel Zoghlin ’07 believes that the tests may inadvertently promote the use of harder drugs among athletes: “There are many more serious recreational drugs, like cocaine, that pass through the body quickly and don’t show up on drug tests, while other more benign drugs, like marijuana, stay in one’s system for longer periods.

“Instituting a drug policy like this one may have the adverse effect of encouraging some students to experiment with more serious drugs, for fear that the more benign ones will show up on a drug test,” Zoghlin said.

With a urine sample taken from the student in question, it would be possible to determine whether steroids, marijuana, cocaine, or other NCAA-banned substances were in his or her bloodstream. If the policy is approved, between two and 10 percent of student-athletes will be tested.

Though further details of the policy will not be released until next Monday, students are already wrestling with the issues it raises.

“Vassar prides itself on both granting students autonomy and respecting their privacy,” said track team member Colin Sanders ’08. “Athletes at Vassar respond to this by assuming a very high level of integrity. Drug tests would be a significant affront to the trust Vassar places in its athletes.”

Like Colin, others see the drug tests as an invasion of privacy. “I have major concerns regarding the presumption of guilt until proven innocent and think the policy could set a troubling new precedent,” said VSA President Abel McDonnell ’07. “I urge SAAC and Athletics to engage the campus and open the discussion to include interested students, faculty and administrators.”