DRUG TESTING REMAINS MANDATORY DESPITE SENATE RECOMMENDATION

Faculty And Staff Make Plans To Bring Objections To Wagner

The drug testing policy that has caused months of heated debate among
faculty and staff will remain in place.

For now, at least.

Former University President William M. Chace decided the policy, which
mandates drug screening for all new staff hires, will stand, despite a
cohesive effort from the University Senate to repeal it.

The Senate, an advisory board comprised of representatives from all
University divisions, reached a compromise for the policy after months
of research. It recommended to the administration that only
safety-sensitive employees, including police, shuttle drivers and
hospital employees, be subject to pre-employment drug testing. Any
other division wanting to drug test would have to apply for special
approval.

In June, Vice President of Human Resources Alice Miller issued a
concise response to the University's deans, directors and department
heads on Chace's behalf.

"After extensive consultation with the University Senate and
institutional leadership, President Chace has affirmed the policy of
pre-employment drug testing for all new hires," she wrote in an e-mail.

Chace sent a lengthier response to Senate President John Snarey
further explaining his rationale for rescinding the compromise.

Employees have vocally doubted the policy's fairness and effectiveness
since its quiet inception in the spring of 2002, but now they have
additional concerns.

Gabrielle Mertz, a Carter Center employee and an early opponent of the
policy, said it troubles her that the administration would make such a
major decision in opposition to the majority opinion of faculty and
staff.

"As an alum of Emory University, I'm disappointed in that process,
because one of the things I've always thought was wonderful about
Emory was that it was a community that held democratic values close to
its heart and valued research-based decision-making," Mertz said.
"This doesn't fall in line with those ideals."

For the past several months, employees have expressed concerns that
the testing applies only to new staff hires and not faculty, that the
policy was implemented without any input from current employees, that
it does not effectively weed out drug users and that it unnecessarily
infringes on civil liberties.

"I'm just very surprised that with all the problems we brought out
about the policy and all the opposition, they couldn't even reach a
compromise," said Bryan Conley, a Carter Center employee and early
opponent of the policy.

Conley added that the faculty and staff were never totally opposed to
drug testing, but that they see many flaws in the policy as it stands.

"There are appropriate circumstances for drug testing," he said. "But
this policy was overly broad and just not appropriate. It's
disappointing that [Chace] decided on no change."

The administration countered that all major companies in Atlanta
conduct pre-employment drug testing and that, by not doing so, Emory
was becoming a haven for drug users. Miller said the policy was never
intended to be so controversial.

"I was extremely surprised with the negative reaction, because [drug
testing] is so commonplace in Atlanta," she said. "I have children,
and my children take drug tests, and they don't think anything of it."

Beyond the importance of the specific policy at hand, Mertz said
Chace's decision raised questions about the administration's
willingness to work with the Senate in an effective manner.

"The hope that I have for [new University President James W.] Wagner
is the same that I have for the University," she said, "and that is
that we all work to create a fair and just community in which all the
members of the community are respected and their civil liberties are
supported."

Chace deferred comment to the new administration.

With Wagner at the helm, the University Senate realizes that the
opportunity for change lingers. Sharon Strocchia, president-elect of
the Senate and chair of the committee addressing the drug testing
policy, said she has opened the lines of communication with Wagner,
and drug testing is one of the first issues the Senate will address at
its Sept. 23 meeting.

Strocchia met with the president Tuesday to prepare him for the
intensity of the drug testing debate and to educate him on what has
happened in the past year.

"The Senate executive committee had a very positive, productive
meeting with [Wagner] about a wide variety of issues," she said.
"We're looking forward to working with him."

Mertz added that she does not expect Wagner will take as long to
review the issue or make a decision as Chace did last year. Because so
many independent bodies have already conducted research and made their
findings available to the administration, and because there has been
widespread dissatisfaction with the current policy, Mertz said this
decision should be less tiresome to reach.

"I think people are really ready for a change in policy more in line
with how the community feels, and I think that will speed up the
process," Mertz said. "And I was shocked at the decision Chace made,
but like I said, I still have strong hope. I believe in Emory. I
believe very strongly that Emory is a strong university that respects
civil liberties."

At Case Western Reserve University, where Wagner served as provost and
interim president before coming to Emory earlier this month, only
safety-sensitive positions are subject to pre-employment drug testing
- -- much like the recommendation issued by the Senate.

But Wagner wrote in an e-mail that he does not plan to become an
expert in the details of the drug testing policy at Emory. He added
that this is more of an administrative or human resources issue but
that he will, of course, have to be involved and protect the University.

"It is the president's role to insist that all of our policies adhere
to the sorts of values that make us more and more a destination and
resource university," he wrote. "In this case, such values would
include safety, responsibility, academic and personal freedoms,
justice and even progressive leadership."

Miller said that she understands perspectives both in favor of and
opposed to drug testing and looks forward to the ongoing discussion.
She said the Senate's work so far has been "thoughtful, and in many
ways, thought-provoking" but that the management had to make the
decisions while bearing in mind the responsibility it has to all the
University's employees.

"I think the dialogue is very healthy, but [Chace] made up his mind
for himself and wrote at length about his rationale," she said. "We
need to respect that, but this is an open campus. The Senate is a very
thoughtful and proactive group, and it's a new president, so we'll see
what happens."

Strocchia said that though she was disappointed with Chace's decision,
the Senate will be looking for a new ally in Wagner.

"I want to emphasize two things," she said. "The Senate has expressed
its disappointment, but with new leadership, we are hoping we can
arise at a better policy."

Snarey said Wagner seems eager to collaborate with the Senate, and
with a new year and new leadership -- both of the Senate and the
University -- the Senate is poised to take a fresh look at everything.

"We are very impressed with [Wagner's] integrity," Snarey said. "He is
approachable and listens very well. It's hard to know where this will
all go, but he is open-minded, and I know we are very pleased that he
is the president."

For now, Wagner does not promise change, and Chace's decision and the
existing drug testing policy both stand. But he has shown he is and
will continue to be receptive to the employee's concerns.

He will be at the Senate meeting Sept. 23 and will go from
there.

"It is clear that [drug testing] is likely to be part of the
University Senate's agenda for this year," Wagner wrote. "I will be
pleased to work with the Senate in their efforts to ensure that
Emory's policy going forward reflects the principles of a great
university."