DRUG POLICY COULD CHANGE

A re-evaluation of the student-athlete drug policy was brought to the table
of the Faculty Athletics Committee on Tuesday afternoon, marking the first
in-depth look at the code in six years.

Although the revision was not fully addressed, Director of Athletics Dick
Baddour briefed the committee on the initiative.

Baddour said that in examining the policy, the athletic department is
looking to tap into the multiple options for support that the University
already provides.

"We've met with some people in the hospital and in the pharmacy school -
also, in the Department of Psychiatry," he said. "We're trying to
understand what other options exist."

Baddour then asked the committee to come to next month's meeting with
suggestions and insights about the direction of the evaluation.

"As I've said before, I really do like the structure we have now, but I
just want us to take a look at all of this," he said.

The existing "two strikes, you're out" policy states that one failed drug
test will result in counseling and the possible suspension of athletic
eligibility. A second failed test means a student's athletic eligibility is
terminated.

Drug testing can be conducted either as a preseason requirement or in
response to reasonable suspicion. Entire teams or randomly selected
individuals also can be subjected to unannounced tests.

The frequency of testing varies from team to team.

The policy has received extra attention during the past year after the
arrest of four football players in marijuana-related incidents.

While administrators said they are concerned by the arrests, that's not why
the committee met Tuesday.

According to Baddour, the change is more of a "clean-house" initiative to
make sure the department's policies are working and effective.

The committee is not planning to rewrite or rework the entire policy, he said.

"I want to do this right, and we can start looking into that at our next
meetings," Baddour said.

The committee will further evaluate the policy at its next two meetings
April 5 and May 3.