Medical Amnesty Policy

Campus Life recognizes that the potential for disciplinary action by the RES Office may act as a barrier to students seeking medical assistance for themselves or other students in alcohol or other drug-related emergencies; therefore, Campus Life maintains a medical amnesty protocol. In these incidents, the primary concern is the well-being, health, and safety of students.

Students needing medical assistance during an alcohol or other drug-related emergency will not face formal conduct action by the RES Office for the mere possession or use of alcohol or drugs. The recipients of medical attention will avoid formal conduct action through the conduct process if they participate in a referral with the Associate Dean of Campus Life within 5 days of the incident and comply with any recommendations prescribed by that individual.

Additionally, student(s) or a student organization seeking medical assistance for another person during an alcohol or other drug-related emergency will not face formal conduct action by the RES Office for the mere possession or use of alcohol or drugs. In order to acquire medical amnesty, these individuals or representatives from organizations may need to meet with the Associate Dean of Campus Life within 5 days of the incident and comply with any recommendations prescribed by that individual.

Medical amnesty applies only to alcohol or other drug-related medical emergencies but does not apply to other prohibited conduct such as assault, property damage or distribution of illicit substances. In cases where an individual or organization fails to seek emergency medical assistance when it is clearly indicated, formal disciplinary action may be taken against the individual(s) or organization.

What does medical amnesty mean for me?

Medical amnesty is meant to ensure and protect the health and well-being of undergraduate students at Emory by allowing them to receive necessary medical attention in an alcohol- or drug-related emergency without having a conduct case.

In order to qualify for medical amnesty, the student must obtain medical attention at the time of the incident and must meet with a representative from the Associate Dean for Campus Life within 5 days of the incident and agree to comply with the conditions set forth by the representative. If these conditions are met, there will be no conduct case and the incident will not become part of the student's record.

If the student does not follow these stipulations, she or he does not qualify for medical amnesty and is subject to the conduct process as provided by the Undergraduate Code of Conduct.

It is the expectation of Campus Life that a student use the medical amnesty policy once; it is an opportunity for a student to learn from a mistake and avoid such mistakes in the future. Therefore, after the first incident, the availability of medical amnesty to the student is at the discretion of the Dean and/or the Associate Dean of Campus Life.

Medical amnesty may also apply to any student(s) or student organization(s) who help the student in need to receive medical attention. This will allow students who may also have been drinking to care for their friends without worry of facing a potential judicial process for themselves. Students and organizations that assist those in need may also have to meet certain conditions for medical amnesty, but they will not be charged under the Undergraduate Code of Conduct.

Students and organizations that help others seek medical assistance are not limited to one use of the medical amnesty policy, as they should always feel empowered to help those in need.

Medical Amnesty FAQs

The Good Samaritan/Medical Amnesty Policy emphasizes that Oxford College’s first concern as a community is the physical wellbeing of our students. It is encouragement to seek the necessary assistance in time of medical or physical crisis. Our first priority is the health and safety of our students. This policy combats ambivalence and hopes to send the message that Oxford College of Emory University wants students to be clear about making responsible, lifesaving decisions during confusing and stressful emergency situations. Our students’ health is most important

When a situation arises that is life-threatening or serious in nature, particularly where excessive alcohol consumption/ alcohol poisoning or drug overdose is suspected or where other medical treatment is reasonably believed to be needed, students are asked to call for help. :

  1. Call 911 (or Oxford College Police Department at 770-784-8377, if on campus).
  2. Stay with the person needing assistance until help arrives.
  3. Be prepared to give the emergency medical personnel as much information as possible including the amount and type of alcohol or substances consumed.
If the student(s) followed the steps above and sought medical assistance for themselves or another person the student(s) will not face a conduct charge even if they themselves have used alcohol or another substance at that time.

If the situation qualifies, the student(s) will still have to meet with the Chief Conduct Officer. After the Chief Conduct Offer has evaluated the situation, they will determine appropriate educational sanctions for the student(s). These educational sanctions are required to be completed by a set deadline. If the specific deadline is not met, the student(s) may be subject to additional sanction and possibly a conduct charge of “failure to comply”.

Typically, we encourage our students to call their parents/guardians themselves but depending on the circumstance we will notify parents and in some cases the hospital will notify them also.

No. The Medical Amnesty Policy only applies to particular code violations in the Oxford College Code of Conduct and RES policies. It does not prevent or preclude police or other legal actions.

No. Medical Amnesty Policy incidents will not be entered on the student's official academic record and will not be listed on a student’s conduct record.

Medical Amnesty does not apply to the person that is intoxicated if they are not specifically the individual that requested help. Other prohibited behavior is also not covered under this policy (including but not limited to: distribution of illegal substances; harassment; physical misconduct; sexual misconduct; and hazing).

No. Students are always encouraged to look after their friends and peers, and are encouraged to take responsible actions anytime they are necessary. However, after the first incident, the availability of medical amnesty to the student is at the discretion of the Chief Conduct Officer. The situation will be evaluated by the Chief Conduct Officer to determine if the student qualifies for Medical Amnesty.

The availability of Medical Amnesty for students with repetitive violations will be determined on a case by case basis.

Alcohol poisoning is another term for an alcohol overdose, which may occur when individuals consume so much alcohol that their bodies can no longer process it fast enough. Alcohol poisoning and overdoses are potentially lethal; the human body simply cannot tolerate or process excessive amounts of alcohol. Too many college students have died as a result of alcohol poisoning.

The signs or symptoms of alcohol poisoning include (not all of these need to be present):

  • Confusion or stupor
  • Vomiting while passed out, not waking up after vomiting, or incoherent while vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Breathing is slow (less than 8 breaths per minute) or irregular, with 10 seconds or more between breaths
  • Weak pulse, very rapid pulse, or very slow pulse
  • Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin
  • Loss of consciousness: Inability to awaken a person with loud shouting, or inability of a person to remain awake for more than 2-3 minutes or to carry on a coherent conversation when awake (semi-conscious)
  • A person who has lost consciousness and cannot be awakened is in danger of dying. Help is needed immediately.

  • Call 911 or Oxford College Police Department at 770-784-8377, if on campus.
  • If you are in a residence hall on campus, send someone to notify an RA or RLC, but do not leave the person alone.
  • Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.
  • Be prepared to give the emergency medical personnel as much information as possible including the amount and type of alcohol or substances consumed.

  • Do not hesitate to call 911 or Oxford College Police Department at 770-784-8377, if on campus. The person's life is in danger. Better to be safe than sorry.
  • Do not leave the person alone. The person may seem to be okay, but the alcohol ingested may take some time to be absorbed before peak levels are reached in the brain.
  • Do not try to give the person anything to eat or drink.
  • Do not put the person in a cold shower. The person could fall or the shock could make him/her pass out.
  • Don't just let him or her "sleep it off” or “take care” of the person.

No. It means that while it is preferable for students to make responsible choices in the beginning by avoiding alcohol and drugs altogether, they must also be encouraged and empowered to make the responsible choice to get help if and when things go wrong.

Medical Amnesty Myths

In cases where a student requires medical attention related to alcohol or other drugs, Emory doesn't want fear of getting into trouble to prevent that person and/or that person's friends from calling for help. For this reason, Campus Life developed the Medical Amnesty protocol, which can apply to all Emory undergraduate students. Medical Amnesty sparks a lot of questions from students, as well as a lot of myths and misconceptions about what it is and what it isn't. The info below is meant to correct some common myths.

Under Georgia state law, possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21 years of age is prohibited; furnishing alcohol to persons under 21 is also prohibited. So the bottom line is, if someone is under 21 and possesses alcohol, that person was not following Georgia state law. And Emory expects students to follow the law.

An Emory education will open many doors for you, but it can’t “get you out of jail” on this one. It doesn’t relate to law enforcement at all. It relates to Emory’s Undergraduate Code of Conduct, which prohibits the use or possession of alcoholic beverages under the age of 21, as well as the use or possession of any illegal drug or controlled substance. What the Medical Amnesty protocol can do is eliminate disciplinary consequences through the Office of Student Conduct.

If an undergraduate student is deemed eligible for Medical Amnesty, they have the opportunity to complete educational, assessment and/or treatment sessions instead of having a Conduct violation on their academic record for possession or use of alcohol or other drugs. This process also applies to students who called for help for someone else.

However, choosing to use alcohol if you’re under 21 and/or illegal drugs and controlled substances brings risks, including the risk of interactions with state and local law enforcement. You can’t plead “Medical Amnesty” in a Newton County, DeKalb County or Fulton County court

Medical Amnesty applies to potential conduct violations for the use of alcohol or other drugs. But it does not eliminate disciplinary action for other violations of the Undergraduate Code of Conduct concurrent with alcohol and other drug use, including but not limited to:

  • Sexual misconduct
  • Physical assault
  • Property damage
  • Unlawful provision or distribution of alcohol or other drugs.

The Associate Dean of Campus Life determines whether or not a student’s case can go through the Medical Amnesty process. The student does not have to claim or apply for Medical Amnesty. Soon after the incident, the student will receive an email informing the student of the course of action.

There are many myths here. First, a student does not choose whether or not they will go through Medical Amnesty. It’s not something you can choose to use or not use (or to save). Again, Campus Life determines whether or not a student’s case can go through the Medical Amnesty process. After the incident, the student will receive an email informing them of next steps.

Also, the idea of “saving” your medical amnesty doesn’t really make sense because a student may be eligible for Medical Amnesty on more than one occasion.

Finally, planning to engage in future high risk drinking or drug use is concerning. Even though students may tell each other that “everyone gets transported” at some point, this is not accurate. If you’re engaged in frequent high risk use to the point that you foresee multiple medical emergencies related to alcohol or other drugs, it may be time to talk with Amanda Yu. She can clarify actual patterns of use on campus and help you identify strategies to lower the risks associated with drinking.

A student may be eligible for Medical Amnesty on more than one occasion, depending on the specific circumstances of the incidents and at the discretion of the Campus Life. Repeat incidents may prompt Campus Life to have a higher degree of concern for the individual’s health. The type of intervention required will increase in intensity and may involve connection to off-campus services.

Any incident involving an undergraduate student who receives medical attention for an emergency related to alcohol or other drugs will be reviewed for Medical Amnesty.

Medical Amnesty can also be an option for the people who called for help and sought medical assistance for another person experiencing an alcohol or other-drug related emergency.

Medical Amnesty is a process. Soon after the incident, the student will receive an email informing them of the course of action. If the case is identified for Medical Amnesty, the student will meet with the Associate Dean for Campus Life to talk about what happened. At that time the student and the Associate Dean will discuss if additional alcohol and/or drug education, assessment and/or treatment is necessary and if the case qualifies for Medical Amnesty.

If the student completes assigned alcohol and/or drug education, assessment and/or treatment, the incident will not be documented as disciplinary/institutional action on the student’s conduct record. If the student fails to complete the recommended follow-up, Campus Life will cease to use the Medical Amnesty protocol and instead will follow the conduct process as provided by the Undergraduate Code of Conduct

Medical Amnesty has no bearing on any medical expenses related to the medical emergency.

Medical Amnesty represents the university’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of students. It provides an option so fear of an alcohol or drug-related conduct violation doesn’t prevent students from calling for help when they or their friends need it.

The main message is: If at any time you think a friend may be experiencing a medical emergency related to alcohol or other drugs, the Emory community expects that you will call for help. If you’re on-campus, you can call 911 or Oxford EPD at 770-784-8377.

Questions about the medical amnesty policy should be directed to:

Michele Hempfling, Associate Dean of Campus Life
michele.hempfling@emory.edu

Amanda Yu, Center for Healthful Living Director
amanda.p.yu@emory.edu