VCOM Administrative and Classified Staff Handbook

Alcohol and Drug Testing VCOM promotes a safe, healthy, and productive learning and working environment free from the influences of drugs and alcohol and to ensure the safety and welfare of students, faculty, staff, and patients cared for by VCOM representatives. VCOM policy requires employees to be free from illicit drug use and free from addiction. This policy, while in place to ensure safety of students, faculty, and patients, does not preclude criminal action by means of other institutional policies and/or state and federal law. Any student, faculty member, or other VCOM staff may be required to submit to drug and/or alcohol testing based upon what the faculty and administration consider to be reasonable suspicion, including, but not limited to: • Direct observation of drug or alcohol use or possession;

• Physical symptoms related to the influence of drugs or alcohol; • Abnormal or erratic behavior that is disruptive or a risk to others; • Arrest or conviction of a drug or alcohol related offense on- or off-campus; • Documented information from a credible source submitting a complaint; • Evidence that a previous drug or alcohol test was tampered with; or • Possession of drug paraphernalia.

Testing will be conducted by order of any member of VCOM administration and may be performed on campus or at a qualified designated laboratory site identified by the College. A positive drug test on campus will result in a repeated test within a forensic laboratory as arranged by administration. In general, the laboratory site will carry a forensic certified testing program certified by the College of American Pathologists for testing. Any employee who fails the alcohol or drug test or refuses to comply with testing when requested by VCOM administration will be subject to disciplinary action. Refusal to consent to testing may result in dismissal of faculty or staff for student safety. All testing is done in confidence and results are held in confidence, excluding the employee’s supervisor, the Department of Human Resources, and in cases where there is a committee review. Additional sharing of such information includes when it is required for long term external monitoring by the State Medical Board. All supervisors are responsible for ensuring compliance with the alcohol, drug, and tobacco free policy. Employees who violate the policy will be counseled regarding their compliance with this policy. Continued violations may cause further action such as dismissal. Building and Grounds Etiquette When VCOM’s lecture halls are not used for formal instruction, VCOM encourages students to use the rooms for quiet study. Periodically, the lecture halls will be used for other events; therefore, students are requested to pick up their personal possessions daily. Items left behind will be turned into Facilities. VCOM is not responsible for items left behind. Items not accounted for within 30 days will be disposed of or donated to charity. Study areas are available for students throughout the building and each campus may have specific procedures in place for the use of certain areas (i.e. reservations), while other areas may have open access on a first come/first serve basis. Areas are often reserved for student use such as peer tutoring sessions or other curricular events. Students will be made aware of the procedures regarding the use of these study areas annually. Students are asked to be considerate of others and refrain from placing belongings in study areas when not in the room to occupy or reserve the room for future use. Concerns regarding student abuse of study areas should be brought before student leadership and the Honor Code Council. While on campus, it is important for everyone to consider the immense effort it takes to keep the property and its landscapes in order. These are provided for the student’s sake and VCOM encourages students to take advantage of

55