I. Drug-Free Policy

*The Drug-Free Policy was approved by the State Board of Technical and Adult Education July, 1990.

A. Policy

1. The Federal Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Amendment of 1989 (Public Law 102-226) contains Section 22, Drug-Free Schools and Campuses, which was enacted to ensure that any institution of higher education that receives funds under any federal program has adopted and implemented a program to prevent the use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol by students. It also incorporates the statutory mandates required under the state Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990 (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-20 et seq.)
2. No student may engage in the unlawful manufacture, possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol on the College's property or as part of any of its sponsored activities. Such unlawful activity may be considered sufficient grounds for serious punitive action, including expulsion.
3. If a student is convicted (including a plea of nolo contendere) of committing certain felony offenses involving any criminal drug and/or alcohol statute of any jurisdiction, regardless of whether the alleged violations occurred at the College or elsewhere, the student will be suspended immediately and denied state and/or federal financial aid funds from the date of conviction.
4. The College shall notify the appropriate state/federal funding agency within 10 days after receiving notice of the conviction from the student or otherwise after receiving the actual notice of conviction.
5. Within 30 days of notification of conviction, the College shall with respect to any student so convicted:
   1. Take additional appropriate action against such student up to and including expulsion as it deems necessary.
   2. Provide such student with a description of any drug or alcohol counseling treatment, or rehabilitation, or re-entry programs that are available for such purposes by a federal, state or local health, law enforcement or other appropriate agency.

B. Responsibility

1. The College is responsible for ensuring the development and implementation of a drug-free awareness program to inform students of the following:
   1. The dangers of drug and alcohol abuse on the campus and elsewhere.
   2. Any available drug and alcohol counseling, rehabilitation, and assistance programs.
   3. Any penalties to be imposed upon students for drug and alcohol abuse violations occurring on the campus.
2. Each College shall conduct a biennial review of its program to determine its effectiveness and implement changes to the program if they are needed and to ensure that the sanctions required by the program are consistently enforced.

C. Alcohol, Drugs and Narcotics

1. The use, possession, or distribution of alcohol, narcotics, amphetamines, barbiturates, marijuana, hallucinogens, and any other dangerous or controlled drugs, not prescribed by a physician, is prohibited on College property or at College sponsored events.
2. Title 20-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated states that any student of a public educational institution who is convicted, under the laws of the state, the United States, or any other state, of any felony offense involving the manufacture, distribution, sale, possession, or use of marijuana, a controlled substance, or a dangerous drug shall, as of the date of conviction, be suspended from the public educational institution in which such person is enrolled. Except for cases in which the institution has previously taken disciplinary action against a student for the same offense, such suspension shall be effective as of the date of conviction, even though the educational institution may not complete all administrative actions necessary to implement such suspension until a later date. Except for cases in which the institution has already imposed disciplinary sanctions for the same offense, such suspension shall continue through the end of the term, semester, or other similar period for which the student was enrolled as of the date of conviction. The student shall forfeit any right to any academic credit otherwise earned or earnable for such term, quarter, semester, or other similar period; and the educational institution shall subsequently revoke any such academic credit which is granted prior to the completion of administrative actions necessary to implement such suspension.