Self-Reporting & Bystander Intervention

Statement on Self-Reporting & Bystander Intervention (Good Samaritan)

Onondaga Community College students are expected to be aware of their health and safety and encouraged to help fellow students when their health and safety is in danger. When a person’s health or safety is threatened due to consumption of alcohol, unlawful drugs, controlled substances and/or synthetic materials, or for other reasons, immediate action should be taken. This could include alerting medical personnel, Campus Safety and Security, or an appropriate college official.

In all cases, the incident will be documented. When determining the appropriate response in the conduct process, Student Conduct will consider actions taken by any student who seeks assistance on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another student experiencing a medical emergency related to consumption of alcohol, unlawful drugs, controlled substances and/or other synthetic materials. In some cases, College disciplinary sanctions may be reduced. This practice does not preclude action by Campus Safety and Security or other legal authorities.

1. Statement on Alcohol and other Drug Use Amnesty in medical emergencies

The College recognizes that students who have been drinking and/or using drugs may be hesitant to seek medical help for themselves or others in medical emergencies due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. To ensure that a student obtains the help they need for these potentially life-threatening emergencies, the College seeks to reduce barriers to seeking medical attention. 

This policy eliminates the student conduct consequences for student seeking assistance, for the assisted individual, and for others involved. It applies only to polices involving the use of alcohol and drugs. The policy does not preclude action regarding other policy violations. 

In addition, the assisted student must agree to timely completion of assigned alcohol and/or drug education activities, assessment, and/or treatment. Failure to complete this follow-up will result in revocation of the medical amnesty. 

The Director retains discretion not to apply this policy in situations where the assisted individual has repeated incidents. 

In all cases, the incident will be documented. This practice does not preclude action by Campus Safety and Security or other legal authorities. 

2. Statement on Alcohol and Other Drug Use Amnesty in Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Cases

The health and safety of every student of the State University of New York and its New York state-operated colleges is of utmost importance. Onondaga Community College recognizes that students who have been drinking and/or using drugs (whether such use is voluntary or involuntary) at the time that violence, including, but not limited to, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault occurs, may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. The college strongly encourages students to report incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual assault to college officials. A bystander acting in good faith or a reporting individual acting in good faith who discloses any incident of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to college officials or law enforcement will not be subject to the college's code of conduct action for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies occurring at or near the time of the domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault incident. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the college's ability to provide amnesty in additional circumstances.

3. Safe Harbor

Onondaga Community College has a Safe Harbor rule for students. Onondaga Community College believes that students who have a drug and/or addiction problem deserve help. If any Onondaga Community College student brings their own use, addiction, or dependency to the attention of Onondaga Community College officials outside the threat of conduct sanctions and seeks assistance, a conduct complaint will not be pursued. A written action plan may be used to track cooperation with the Safe Harbor program by the student. Failure to follow the action plan will nullify the Safe Harbor protection and campus conduct processes will be initiated.