USM OKS NEW DRUG POLICY FOR FACULTY

Some say rules permitting testing too stringent From staff and wire reports

The University of Southern Mississippi has adopted a new drug policy, but
some faculty and staff say it's too stringent.

The substance abuse policy prohibits employees from reporting to work or
remaining on the job with any detectable level of alcohol or illegal drugs
in their systems.

"The standards it sets are outrageous," said Frank Glamser, president of the
Southern Miss chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

"Does it mean if you have a beer with your Mexican lunch, you're in trouble?
If you have a cognac-laced cherry, are you in trouble? If you have a few
beers at night and come in early, are you in trouble?"

Southern Miss officials approved the policy Nov. 3 and began distributing it
by mail this week. Employees are required to verify that they have read and
understand the policy.

The policy gives the university the right to periodically test employees in
law enforcement, public health or safety, those with national security
clearance or who have access to sensitive information and those who use
vehicles or heavy equipment or whose work presents a safety hazard.

Risk management director Jack Hanbury wrote the document to bring the
university into compliance with the federal Drug Free Workplace Act.

"There wasn't any particular incident that led to this," he said. "If you
look at the studies, you will find the major reasons for the increase in
workplace injuries is the consumption of alcohol or drugs. That presents a
danger not only to the employee but to co-workers."

The university could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if its
policy doesn't comply with the act, university spokeswoman Lisa Mader said.

Mader would not discuss hypothetical situations such as the beer with lunch
mentioned by Glamser.

"I would suggest that they don't drink a beer during lunch," Hanbury said.

Any employee who is tested and found to have a detectable amount of an
illegal drug or alcohol in his or her body is subject to discipline, up to
and including discharge, the policy states.

"I honestly think that if I go home and have a drink or imbibe illegal
substances and come in the next day and my performance is not affected, its
not the university's business," said Stephen Judd, associate theater and
dance professor.