Student Athlete Handbook - Substance Abuse Policy

Adopted by President’s Cabinet 12/11/15; 2/2/23

Students participating in EGSC intercollegiate athletics enjoy a privilege, not a right, to represent the college. Violations of college policies and rules and violations of the law could result in expulsion from the team and/or the college. Because of the fundamental importance of maintaining drug-free athletics competition, and the grave danger that substance abuse poses, substance abuse on the part of student-athletes (or any member of the East Georgia State College student body) will be viewed as a most serious violation of the student code of conduct. This policy is not to be construed as a contract between EGSC and the student athlete. However, signed consent and notifications forms shall be considered affirmation of the student athlete’s agreement to the terms and conditions contained in this policy. The policy may be amended at any time and is separate and distinct from any other drug testing.

Drug Education and Testing Program

Drug Education The EGSC Athletic Department is committed to making every effort to prevent the use of illegal drugs by its student-athletes and educate athletes about the dangers of drug use and abuse. Therefore, athletes and athletic staff are required to attend a series of drug education workshops during the regular academic year. The workshops inform the athlete about the EGSC Substance Abuse Policy and review the testing process and sanctions, NJCAA policy, EGSC Student-Athlete Handbook, and the EGSC student disciplinary process. Athletes are provided copies of all relevant policy and educational materials. Athletes that fail to attend the mandatory sessions will be subject to disciplinary action by the Head Coach or Athletic Director.

Each individual covered under the policy is asked to sign a "Drug-Testing Consent" form at the Drug Education Seminar. Students under 18 years of age must obtain his or her parent or legal guardian's signature. This form states that the student understands the drug testing program and is aware that his/her urine may be submitted for testing and voluntarily consents to testing for prohibited substances. This is also consent for release of information to a limited number of individuals responsible for the administration of this program. (See Attachment- “A”-East Georgia State College Drug Testing Consent Form).

Drug Testing and the Purpose of Drug Testing The high profile status of student-athletes and the scrutiny given athlete’s calls for a standard procedure covering drugs and drug abuse that is consistent with the example expected of student-athletes. The athletic administration and staff are directed to communicate this standard and level of expectation to each student-athlete.

While the Department makes an effort to educate students concerning the dangers of drug abuse, drug testing is conducted not only to give students an additional reason to say "no," but also to identify any student-athlete who is using prohibited substances. Drug testing ensures that students are medically competent to participate in intercollegiate athletics, to minimize his/her risk of being injured, and minimize the risk of injury to others.

Athletes taking prescription medications should register the details of use with Athletic Trainer. This is necessary to determine medical qualification to participate in the sport and to communicate the possibility that the prescription drug will result in a positive drug test.

Coverage: Student athletes, student athletes who are academically ineligible, student assistants in the athletic department and student managers are covered under this policy.

Random Selection: Students will be randomly selected periodically during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters to provide a urine sample for drug testing. The Athletic Director will manage the drug testing process. Testing will be conducted by a third party medical provider. The Athletic Director will provide a current team roster for each intercollegiate athletic squad to the testing provider. The testing provider’s computer randomly selects students to be tested from the current roster, and the Athletic Director notifies the student/athlete that he/she has been selected. Students/athletes selected randomly for testing will be given “no more than 24 hours’ notice to testing.” (See Attachment- “B”-East Georgia State College Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Student/Athlete Notification Form).

Reasonable Suspicion: Any student participating in the intercollegiate athletic program is subject to reasonable suspicion testing if there is reason to believe the student may be using banned substances or prohibited drugs. Reasonable suspicion includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. 1. 1. 1. current or past involvement with the criminal justice system for drug or alcohol related activities
      2. prior treatment for drug or alcohol problems
      3. admission of a current drug or alcohol problem
      4. prior positive test for any banned substances
      5. physiological signs of possible impairment from drugs or alcohol
      6. a pattern of aberrant behavior (e.g. increase/decrease in weight in a short period of time, increase in absence from class or athletic activities, increase in injury rate, mood swings, etc.)
      7. observed possession or use of substance or use of substances appearing to be prohibited drugs.

Any coach, athletic administrator or athletic staff member concerned with a particular student should express this information confidentially to either the Athletic Director or Athletic Trainer and complete the East Georgia State College Department of Athletics Drug Testing Reasonable Suspicion Reporting Form ( Attachment- “C”). The Athletic Director will review the form, meet with the student and make a determination to uphold or deny reasonable suspicion that the student is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If the Athletic Director completes the form based on his/her observations, the Counselor will review the form, meet with the student and make a determination to uphold or deny reasonable suspicion that the student is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These individuals are available to all athletic personnel to explain further the signs that may point to the need for reasonable suspicion testing. All athletic personnel are required to participate in regular drug education workshops concerning common signs and symptoms associated with drug use and abuse.

Pre-Season Screening: Student/athletes are subject to pre-season drug testing and may be notified of such by the Athletic Director or his/her designee at any time prior to their first competition.

Testing Procedures: Students will provide urine samples using the urine collection guidelines on Attachment “D”. Students that refuse to provide a sample for testing or fail to show for a scheduled drug testing will be considered to have a positive test. Students selected for testing will report to the EGSC locker room with photo ID. The student will complete a form in the presence of an athletic staff member disclosing all medications (prescription and over the counter) as well as beta 2 antagonists, caffeine, nutritional and dietary supplements that he/she is taking. The test will then be conducted in the EGSC locker room / restroom and collected with the assistance of a same gender EGSC staff member instructed in collection techniques by the third party medical provider. Each sample will be coded to protect confidentiality.

Re-entry Testing: A student/athlete who has had his or her eligibility to participate in intercollegiate Sports suspended as a result of a drug and alcohol violation may be required to undergo re-entry drug and/or alcohol testing prior to regaining eligibility. The Athletic Director or his/her designee shall arrange for re-entry testing after the counselor or specialist involved in the student/athlete’s case indicates that re-entry into the intercollegiate sports program is appropriate.

Follow-up Testing: A student/athlete who has returned to participation in intercollegiate sports following a positive drug test under the policy may be subject to follow-up testing. Testing will be unannounced and will be required at a frequency determined by the Athletic Director or his/her designee in consultation with the counselor or specialist involved in the student/athlete’s case.

Manipulation of Sample: Any attempt to substitute, manipulate, adulterate or intentionally dilute a urine specimen will be treated as a positive drug test. Manipulation refers to the use of any product, including excessive water consumption, used for the purpose of providing a dilute urine sample or substitution of a urine sample. Adulteration refers to the use or attempted use of any chemical or product (including water) added directly to the urine sample for the purpose of interfering with the testing procedures used to identify the presence of drugs.

Prohibited Substances as Defined in This Policy: The substances or classes of substances listed on Attachment “E” are prohibited substances. The presence of other drugs (local anesthetics, prescription medications, over the counter medications, etc.) as well as beta 2 antagonists, caffeine if exceeds specific concentration, and nutritional and dietary supplements will affect test results and should be disclosed by the student.

Supplements

Policy Statement on Use of Supplements

It is noted that the East Georgia State College Athletic Department does not condone the use of dietary supplements. See Attachment – “E”: “NCAA Nutritional and Dietary Supplement Warning.” The EGSC stance on dietary supplements is that student-athletes should be advised that the most effective and safest way to enhance their performance is to avoid dietary/nutritional supplement products and rely on a combination of healthy diet, appropriate conditioning, rest and recovery, and avoid substance abuse.

Student-athletes should always bring all supplement products to the designated athletic staff before using. The student must disclose the supplement used or proposed to be used to the EGSC Athletic Trainer including its brand name and ingredients. See Attachment- “F”: Student-Athlete Dietary Disclosure and Review Form.

Products labeled as dietary supplements sold over the counter, in print advertisements and through the internet are under-regulated by the U.S. FDA. Dietary supplements are at risk of contamination or may include ingredients that are banned under your drug testing policy. Student-athletes have tested positive and lost their eligibility using dietary supplements. Any product containing dietary supplement ingredients is taken at the student-athlete’s own risk.

Classification of a Positive Drug Test

If a student-athlete tests positive, their medical record will be reviewed at that time to determine whether any medications (prescription and/or over-the-counter) or dietary supplement may have caused the positive test. In this event, the Athletic Director and Athletic Trainer would consult with the appropriate personnel (prescribing physician, toxicologist) to confirm whether the use of the medication or dietary supplement was appropriate and used properly in the correct dosage. If so, this would be considered a “medical exception”. Absent a medical explanation the test is considered positive. If possible, testing is quantified in order to ascertain the exact amount of the prohibited substance in the student’s urine. A forensic toxicologist may be utilized as a technical resource to clarify any questions pertinent to the follow-up positive test result.

Notification to Student Athlete

The third party medical provider will share test results with the Athletic Director. The Athletic Director will promptly notify the student through direct contact or telephone call, and in writing with an acknowledgement form for the student/athlete to sign stating that he/she has been notified of the positive test result (See Attachment –“G”-East Georgia State College Student/Athlete Acknowledgement/Notification of a Test Positive of a Drug/Alcohol Test). The student may, within 5 days of the receipt of this notification, request a meeting with the Athletic Director to contest the positive test, discuss the situation, to review the testing procedures used, and to provide any pertinent facts or mitigating circumstances, including medical justification for the use of a prohibited substance. All requests for a meeting must be in writing. A meeting with the Athletic Director or his designee will occur as soon as is reasonably possible following the written request.

Test results are confidential and may be shared with specific additional individuals at EGSC whose job responsibilities require involvement in the substance abuse program (i.e. Associate Vice President for Student Conduct and Title IX, Counselor, etc.) EGSC employees who release this information to others or allude publicly to any information concerning the test are subject to discipline including termination.

If, as a result of meeting with the Athletic Director, it is determined that the results were based on a defective testing procedure, or that the positive test was otherwise improper, no record of the positive test results is kept.

If the student does not request a meeting with the Athletic Director to challenge the positive test result within the five days; or if the test results after consideration, are determined to be indisputable the matter will be referred to the Associate Vice President of Student Conduct and Title IX and/or the Head Coach.

Consequences of a Positive Test

Students that violate this policy will be referred for disciplinary action as follows:

1. 1. 1. Students that test positive for illegal drugs will be referred to the Associate Vice President of Student Conduct and Title IX and may face sanctions as provided in the Code of Conduct. Students may also face disciplinary action as provided in the Student Athlete Handbook Code of Conduct; and
    2. Students that test positive for prohibited substances as defined in this policy that are not illegal will be referred to the Head Coach for disciplinary action as provided in the Student Athlete Handbook Code of Conduct.
    3. Students who test positive that are over the age of 18 will not have his/her parent’s or legal guardians notified of test results. Students who are under the age of 18 will have their parent’s or legal guardians notified of test results.

Students are advised that because many of the prohibited substances are also classified as illegal, involvement in the criminal justice system for a drug-related offense will be taken into account by EGSC.

Student sanctions may include active participation in drug assessment, counseling and/or a treatment program designated by the Athletic Director and the Associate Vice President of Student Conduct and Title IX. Failure to participate in the specified program results in continued suspension. Participation is monitored by the Head Coach.

Students are advised that positive drug test results may also result in the loss or non-renewal of your athletic grant-in-aid.

Self Report Safe Harbor:

A student-athlete may self-refer to the Athletic Director for voluntary evaluation and counseling. A student-athlete is not eligible for services under this section if the student self refers after notification of an impending drug test or after receiving notice of a positive EGSC drug test. EGSC will work with the student-athlete to prepare a treatment plan, which may include confidential drug testing. If the student-athlete tests positive for a banned substance upon the initial self-report, that positive test will not result in any administrative sanction. The Athletic Trainer may suspend the student-athlete from play or practice if medically indicated. A student-athlete will be permitted to remain in the treatment plan up to thirty (30) days. A student-athlete will not be permitted to take advantage of services under this provision if he/she self-reports thirty (30) days prior to NJCAA or Conference postseason competition. While in compliance with the treatment plan, the student-athlete will not be included in the list of students eligible for random drug testing by EGSC. The Athletic Director, Athletic Trainer, the student-athlete’s Head Sport Coach and the Team Physician may be informed of the student’s participation in the treatment plan. The assistant coach also may be informed. Other college employees may be informed only to the extent necessary for the implementation of this policy.

If a student-athlete tests positive on a second test for any banned substance after entering the treatment plan or fails to comply with the treatment plan, the student-athlete will be removed from the safe harbor program. The initial positive test will be treated as a first positive and the second positive will result in action consistent with a second offense.