University Alcohol/Drug and Tobacco Free Campus Policy

Alcohol Policy

Valley City State University, in accordance with ND State Board of Higher Education Policy 918, prohibits the possession, sale, dispensation, use or consumption of alcoholic beverages upon land, or in buildings owned by the Board or its institutions. Exceptions to the policy are provided for university apartments or as permitted with the approval of the president.

The VCSU Alcohol Policy applies to students while participating in off-campus university sponsored events including university sponsored travel to and from events.

Alcoholic beverages and the possession of empty alcoholic beverage containers are prohibited in the residence halls. Residence hall students found to be responsible for hosting events where alcohol violations occur, will be subject to additional sanctions. Hosting is defined as having more than one non-resident of the room or suite present at the time of the violation.

Behavior while in a state of intoxication that is loud, disruptive, potentially harmful to the health or safety of self or others or affecting the cleanliness or maintenance of university facilities is considered a violation of the policy.

Sanctions

Students found to be in violation of any standard of conduct regarding alcohol will be subject to the following sanctions:

1st Offense:

Attend and complete Alcohol Violators Seminar
$200.00 contribution to the Alcohol Education Fund
Eight hours community service

2nd Offense:

$350.00 contribution to the Alcohol Education Fund
15 hours community service
Possible Alcohol Evaluation at student’s expense
Conduct probation for six months.

3rd Offense:

$500.00 contribution to Alcohol Education Fund
Required alcohol evaluation.
25 hours community service
Conduct probation for one year.

Suspension from the University.

Alcohol violations carry from one year to the next. For example, if you received a violation last year and one this year, it would be your second violation.

All fines collected are applied to substance abuse education programs, speakers, and materials. VCSU reserves the right to assign additional sanctions as deemed necessary or appropriate. The above sanctions are subject to review and change, as necessary.

Residence Hall students found to be responsible for hosting events where alcohol violations occur, will be subject to additional sanctions. Hosting is defined as having any non-resident of the room present at the party. Residents of party rooms will be assessed an additional $150 fine.

Illicit Drug Policy

The illegal possession of paraphernalia or use of compounds that produce hallucinations or illusions when introduced into the body and all compounds covered under federal and state drug control laws are prohibited. They are not allowed on campus or in the residence halls. Individuals who engage in such illegal acts are subject to disciplinary and/or legal action.

To find out more about North Dakota drug laws, visit www.legis.nd.gov

Sanctions

Students found to be in violation of any standard of conduct regarding illicit drugs will be subject to the following sanctions:

1st Offense:

Parent notification
Conduct probation for six months.
$250 contribution to the Substance Abuse Education Fund
20 hours of community service
Complete e-toke program

2^nd Offense:

Parent Notification
$375 contribution to the Substance Abuse Education Fund
30 hours of community service
Conduct probation for one academic year.

Possible suspension
Possible removal from housing

3^rd Offense:

Suspension from the University

Parental Notification Policy

The Vice President for Student Affairs has the authority to notify parents or guardians when students under the age of 21 are found to have committed violations of university policies related to the possession, use, or distribution of alcohol or drugs. The notification of parents is warranted in any of the following cases:

The violation involved harm or threat of harm to persons or property.
The violation involved an arrest in which the student was taken into custody.
The violation resulted in or could result in the student being suspended from the university and/or dismissed from the residence halls.
The student has shown a pattern of violations.
The student who committed the violation became ill and/or required medical intervention as a result of consumption of alcohol or drugs.

When possible, students will be notified that parental notification will take place. Students will be encouraged to discuss the situation with their parents prior to notification. A record of the notification will be kept on file in the student's record.

Tobacco Free Campus V917

Rationale for Prohibiting Smoking, Tobacco, and Cannabis Products Use

Valley City State University is committed to a healthy and safe environment for students, employees, and visitors. Use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, cannabis products, and vaping products is prohibited on all campus property. Campus property includes all property, both indoor and outdoor, that is owned, operated, leased, occupied, or controlled by Valley City State University, all buildings, green spaces, athletic fields, parking lots, sidewalks, walkways, and state vehicles. This policy applies to all employees, students, visitors, and contractors. The purpose of this policy is to protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking and the use of tobacco products, including Electronic Smoking Device (ESDs); to guarantee the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke free air, while recognizing that the need to breathe smoke free air shall have priority over the desire to smoke; and to encourage a healthier, more productive living/learning environment for all members of our campus community. The smoking of tobacco, hookahs, or cannabis products and the use of ESDs are forms of air pollution and constitute both a danger to health and a material public nuisance.

Prohibition of Tobacco and Cannabis Products Use and Advertising

Tobacco Use: Valley City State University prohibits the use of all forms of tobacco products on campus property and at all off-campus, school-sponsored events at all times. This tobacco-free policy includes all events held on campus property, whether or not such events are sponsored by, or associated with, Valley City State University.
No tobacco related advertising or sponsorship shall be permitted on campus property or in campus publications. “Tobacco related” refers to the use of a tobacco brand, corporate name trademark, logo, or any other product identifiable with any brand of tobacco or Tobacco Company.
Sales: Valley City State University prohibits the sale or free sampling of Tobacco Products on Campus Property and at Off-Campus, School-sponsored Events.
Electronic Smoking Device includes any product containing or delivering nicotine, CBD, or any other substance intended for human consumption that can be used by a person in any manner for the purpose of inhaling vapor or aerosol from the product. The term includes any such device, whether manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, or vape pen, or under any other product name or descriptor, but does not include medically prescribed inhalers.
Hookah is defined as a water pipe and any associated products and devices which are used to produce fumes, smoke, and/or vapor from the burning of material including, but not limited to, tobacco, shisha, or other plant matter.
Smoking is defined as inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying any lighted or heated cigar, cigarette, pipe, hookah, or any other lighted or heated tobacco or plant product intended for inhalation, including cannabis products, whether natural or synthetic, in any manner or in any form. Smoking also includes the use of an electronic smoking device which creates an aerosol or vapor, in any manner or in any form, or the use of any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this policy.
Tobacco product includes any substance containing tobacco leaf, including but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, bidis, blunts, clove cigarettes, or any other preparation of tobacco; and any product or formulation of matter containing biologically active amounts of nicotine that is manufactured, sold, offered for sale, or otherwise distributed with the expectation that the product or matter will be introduced into the human body by inhalation, ingestion, or absorption; but does not include any cessation product specifically approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in treating nicotine or tobacco dependence.

VCSU has established the following sanctions for cannabis products/smoking/tobacco violations:

First violation:

$200.00 contribution to the Substance Abuse Education Fund
Eight hours community service
Attend appropriate educational seminar through Counseling Services

Second violation:

$350.00 contribution to the Substance Abuse Education Fund
15 hours community service
Possible drug evaluation at student’s expense
Conduct probation for six months.

Third violation:

$500.00 contribution to Substance Abuse Education Fund
Required drug evaluation at student’s expense.
25 hours community service
Conduct probation for one year.

Suspension from the University

Cannabis Products violations carry from one year to the next. For example, if you received a violation last year and one this year, it would be your second violation.

All fines collected are applied to substance abuse education programs, speakers, and materials. VCSU reserves the right to assign additional sanctions as deemed necessary or appropriate. The above sanctions are subject

to review and change, as necessary.

Assistance for tobacco cessation is available through the Office of the University Health Nurse. Individuals requesting assistance with tobacco cessation services will be referred to NDQuits (www.NDHealth.gov/NDquits), the North Dakota Department of Health multi-media tobacco cessation program. This is a free cessation service provided to anyone currently residing in North Dakota.

Exemptions

It is not a violation of this policy for an adult Native American to use tobacco as part of a traditional Native American spiritual or cultural ceremony. Contact the Vice President for Student Affairs to obtain approval for an on-campus ceremony. All parties impacted by the ceremony will be informed and an agreement will be reached regarding the date and time for the ceremony.

“Native American” is a person who is an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe.

Communication of tobacco-free policy

This policy will be printed in the employee and the student handbooks. Valley City State University shall post signs indicating that the campus property is tobacco-free in all locations and in the manner identified in NDCC 23-12-10.4.1(a) and (b). In addition, notices should be posted in other highly visible places on Campus Property including, but not limited to, walkways, athletic fields, parking lots and at all off-campus, school-sponsored events. In accordance with Valley City State University’s plan for communicating this policy, the University Nurse will communicate the importance of the tobacco-free campus policy at least once per semester via campus-wide emailing to all students, employees, and staff.

Responsibility/Enforcement

Enforcement of this policy will depend upon the cooperation of all faculty, staff, and students to not only comply with the policy, but also to encourage others to comply in order to promote a healthy environment in which to work, study and live.

Violations of this policy should be referred to the appropriate administrative office for review and appropriate action: for faculty, the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs; for staff, the Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs; for students, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.