TESTING POLICY GOES INTO EFFECT

After an easy approval by the University Senate and a quick rubber stamp
from University President James W. Wagner, Emory implemented a
less-intrusive drug testing policy last month.

The updated policy, which requires drug testing for hires in
safety-sensitive positions only, passed the Senate unanimously. The often
criticized old policy, implemented under the administration of former
University President William M. Chace, made drug testing mandatory for all
new staff hires.

Employees who provide animal or patient care, work with dangerous equipment
or chemicals, provide campus security and transfer from non-testable jobs
into safety-sensitive positions are among those subject to testing under
the new policy, which passed the Senate in October.

Employee Council President Don Newsome described the old policy as
"seriously flawed."

Even Wagner was required to undergo a drug-test when he first came to the
University last semester.

"We felt that it was too broad, it included too many prospective employees
to be tested," Newsome said.

Vice President for Human Resources Alice Miller was responsible for
implementing the new policy. Miller had to contact Senate members via
e-mail over break to get approval for the final policy.

"We did all that in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which was not the
prime time," Miller said. "We were glad everybody was willing to work
together on it. Technology really did help facilitate the implementation."

Senate President John Snarey invited Miller to the Jan. 27 Senate session
to thank her for working to get the new policy in place so quickly.

"Alice implemented it in an expedited manner, which we appreciate," Snarey
said. "Of course, it wasn't what she wanted originally."

Miller described the old policy as reflecting the institutional values of
the old administration, values she said she agreed with when the
drug-testing policy was first implemented.

"At the time the policy was implemented there was a very, very strong and
unequivocal decision that it needed to apply to everybody and I could
accept that and understand it," Miller said. "I could also understand that
a more stratified approach could work as well."

Miller said in the end, it was the senior administration who had pushed the
original policy through.

"It was not related to my wants, it was related to the senior leadership
and President Chace who felt that we should have one policy that applied to
all staff," Miller said.

Wagner, who could not be reached for comment as the Wheel went to press on
Wednesday, "heartily endorses" the policy, Miller said.

Newsome said he supported the compromise, but that not everybody is
satisfied with the new policy.

"It's still pre-employment drug testing, which some people are opposed to
entirely under any circumstances," Newsome said. "But we feel that the new
policy is fair."

Miller said Emory's approach to drug testing is different than most major
Atlanta employers, who apply their policies to all employees.

A previous effort to amend the old blanket policy passed the Senate last
April, but was rejected by Chace, who affirmed the University's policy of
testing all new hires.

"This was a second attempt with much better results," Newsome said.