CHL Debuts Revised Amnesty Policy

A student group leader who seeks medical assistance for an intoxicated or drug-impaired undergraduate will not face disciplinary charges from the College administration, according to the College’s revised amnesty policy, which was debuted at the Committee on House Life meeting last Thursday.

But if the student leader hosting a social event fails to take an incapacitated student to University Health Services, he or she could still face disciplinary action.

The policy’s new stipulations address student concerns with the former policy, specifically its “responsibility” clause, which stated that the hosts and executive leaders of a student club-sponsored party in which dangerous drinking occurs would face punishment if a party-goer seeks medical attention.

Changing the rule on behalf of student leaders was a priority of the Undergraduate Council, said Tamar Holoshitz ’10, chair of the UC’s Student Affairs Committee.

Last semester, student leaders approached the College administration concerned that student safety was being compromised, since they feared punitive measures for seeking medical attention. Both the UC and College administration empathized.

“This proposal makes it clear that student group leaders are protected under the amnesty policy just as much as any other student,” Holoshitz said. “If it is something like hazing, then I think everyone would agree that we have the Ad Board for this reason.”

In a Crimson interview last November, outgoing Associate Dean of Student Life and Activities Judith H. Kidd recommended an “educational” component of a revised amnesty policy, a focus that is featured in the new policy. Student organization leaders are “urged” to take part in yearly “education efforts”—which may include lessons on risk reduction, event planning, and bartending—with the Office of Alcohol and other Drug Services and the Student Activities Office.

“I think the revision is really important because the old policy created an environment in which social groups were hesitant to hold social events—which I think was problematic to college life,” UC president Andrea R. Flores ’10 said. “I’m happy that a lot of UC members worked to clarify it.”

—Staff writer Ahmed N. Mabruk can be reached at amabruk@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Bita M. Assad can be reached at bassad@fas.harvard.edu.