Southern Polytechnic State University P & P No. 423.0 
Policy and Procedure Manual Date: March 1988
  Revised:
 
Student-Athlete Drug Education Program

I. Introduction
Southern Polytechnic State University recognizes the need for concern with regard to the prevalence of drug use/abuse in our society. It is with this concern that we have undertaken the responsibility of providing a formal drug education program for our student-athletes.

We recognize that athletic achievement is the result of individual and team ability, training, and motivation. Tolerance of drug abuse by student-athletes encourages others to use drugs to equalize the competition. Drug use may pose a risk of injury and/or long-term harm to self and others. Additionally, drug use by student-athletes damages the institution in the eyes of the public.

It is with this concern for the physical and mental well-being of our student-athlete that we have set forth the following guidelines for this Drug Education Program.

II. Purpose of the Program
The Purpose of the Drug Education Program is:

1. To provide a comprehensive drug-education program to student-athletes with pertinent information concerning problems of drug use and/or abuse.

2. To deter the use of performance-affecting drugs that undermine the integrity of athletic competition; and to promote the physical and/or psychological well-being of our athletes.

3. To provide a professional counseling program for the student athletes.

 III. Implementation of the Program
One major drug education activity will be scheduled for the student-athlete each semester. These activities will be in the form of a lecture and/or workshop type of learning experience. The activities will be mandatory for all student-athletes who are official members of a varsity squad, during each semester that he/she is a team member.

Evaluation instruments will be used at the conclusion of each activity to ascertain student-athletes' understanding of both content material and instructor's presentation.

In addition a systematic drug education program will be created and housed in the Southern Polytechnic Library. This will be a student self-exploration program. It will consist of learning experiences designed to allow the individual student-athlete to master material at his/her own pace. Each experience will culminate with an examination. Earning a passing score on an examination will allow the student-athlete to advance to the next drug education learning experience. Each student-athlete will be required to pass (score of 75% with unlimited re-takes) all of these learning experiences each academic year. Each coach will be responsible for monitoring his/her players. Syllabus for these three learning experiences will be developed in the following areas:

The student-athlete may request counseling through the Southern Polytechnic Counseling Center. Professional counselor/psychologist confidentiality will be maintained for the student-athlete requesting counseling.

Finally, the lectures and/or workshop experiences of each semester will be coordinated by the University Counseling Center. It is anticipated that besides the professional resources of Southern Polytechnic State University, additional professional resources from the surrounding communities will also be utilized on a voluntary basis.

IV. Conclusion
It is believed and hoped that the implementation of this Southern Polytechnic State University Drug Education Program will serve to benefit all connected with intercollegiate athletics at the Southern Polytechnic State University. While ultimate decisions with reference to drug usage and/or substance abuse are dependent upon the interests, values, motivations, and determinations of the individual involved, it is believed and hoped that participation in this program will make the men and women who participate in intercollegiate athletics better athletes, and better able to make individual, informed, and intelligent decisions with reference to drug usage, both now and in the future.