The law school is committed to a drug-free learning environment. The law school, while recognizing the privilege of students of the age of 21 to consume alcoholic beverages, requires students to do so responsibly and in accordance with applicable New York State and New York City law, as well as the New York Law School alcohol policy.
Drug and alcohol abuse can lead to severe health problems, including ones that are life threatening, accidents on and off the job, and an unsafe environment for fellow members of the law school community. The law school encourages all students, faculty, and staff experiencing problems with drug or alcohol abuse to seek confidential help.
Student Policy
The law school is committed to a drug-free learning environment. The law school, while recognizing the privilege of students of the age of 21 to consume alcoholic beverages, requires students to do so responsibly and in accordance with applicable New York State and New York City law, as well as the New York Law School alcohol policy outlined below.
Any student having such problems can contact the Office of Student Life for confidential information about treatment programs and/or self-help groups. Emotional support is also available through Student Counseling Services ("SCS"). To schedule an appointment call SCS staff between the hours of 9:00A.M. to 5:00P.M. 24 hour coverage is available in the event you urgently need to speak to someone on the telephone. In both instances, contact SCS staff at 212-935-3030. You should identify yourself as a New York Law School student. SCS is a confidential service located in midtown Manhattan and there is no charge to students. Staff at SCS are not New York Law School employees, and New York Law School does not receive personally identifiable information about individual students.
A. Illegal Drugs
In accordance with federal and state laws, no student may possess, use, or distribute any illegal drug on New York Law School premises or at official law school functions. Any instances of illegal drug distribution, or possession for distribution, will be referred to local authorities. If convicted, permanent notation will be placed in the student's file and will be forwarded to the appropriate Bar Certification Committee. Students convicted of possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs also may be subject to disciplinary action by the Academic Responsibility Committee and the Dean. These actions include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: expulsion, suspension, reprimand and permanent notation on the record of the violator. (The Code of Academic Responsibility and accompanying procedures are set out in the New York Law School Student Handbook.)
B. Alcohol
The use of alcohol will be permitted on New York Law School premises or at official law school functions only in accordance with the following guidelines:
1) No person less than 21 years of age may be served an alcoholic beverage.
2) No visibly intoxicated person may be served an alcoholic beverage.
3) The Office of Student Life must be informed when alcohol will be served at a student-sponsored event.
4) At each event at which alcohol is served, one or more students must be designated as responsible for the enforcement of the New York Law School Alcohol Policy. A member of the Office of Student Life staff will meet with those students before each event where alcohol is served to insure that the responsible student(s) understands the policy. The student(s) responsible for the event must inform the Office of Student Life of the number of guests expected and the amount of alcohol to be purchased. The Office of Student Life reserves the right to limit the amount of alcohol purchased for an event.
5) Food and non-alcoholic beverages must be served at any event at which alcoholic beverages will be served.
6) Alcoholic beverages, when served, may be consumed only in "public areas" of the law school designated for the event in question. These areas may include the Shepherd and Ruth Broad Student Center (which comprises the student cafeteria, lounge, and student office areas), the Ernst Stiefel Reading Room, and the Harry H. Wellington Conference Center. Law Review offices, Moot Court offices, clinic offices, and student organization offices are not considered "public areas" for these purposes. Permission for exceptions to this rule must be requested through the Office of Student Life on an individual basis.
7) Alcoholic beverages may not be stored in Law Review offices, Moot Court offices, clinic offices, or student organization offices.
Students found to be in violation of the above policy may be referred to the Academic Responsibility Committee for disciplinary action in accordance with the Academic Responsibility Committee's procedures. These actions include but are not limited to one or more of the following: expulsion, suspension, reprimand and permanent notation on the record of the violator.
Advertisements should not encourage the misuse of alcohol and if necessary any such materials will be removed from law school property where they appear.
C. Actions for handling impairment at a Law School event
1) If a student observes that another individual is impaired by the use of drugs or alcohol at a law school event, that student should alert the student(s) responsible for the event at which alcohol is served and/or a member of the law school staff.
2) No seriously impaired individual should be allowed to leave the law school premises by him/herself. If no funds for a taxi are available, the responsible student(s) should contact a security officer. Under no circumstances should an impaired individual be allowed to drive.
3) If an individual is impaired to the point where medical attention may be required, the responsible student(s) should contact a security officer to request an ambulance.
Faculty and Staff Substance-Abuse-Free Workplace Policy
Each member of the faculty and staff is required to comply with the terms of this policy as a condition of employment. Individual grant recipients and contractors are required by the federal government to certify, in writing, that they will not use unlawful controlled substances in the workplace.
A. Prohibited conduct
1) The abuse of alcohol while on law school premises or while engaged in law school business.
2) The unlawful manufacturing, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of any controlled substance within the scope of this policy at the law school or while engaged in law school business.
3) The abuse of any illegal drugs or alcohol [that results in impaired performance even though the actual abuse does not occur in the workplace.] within the scope of this policy even while not engaged in law school business.
4) The failure to notify New York Law School of any conviction for a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace within five days of the conviction. Members of the faculty are required to notify the Associate Dean for Faculty Development (Office: 53 Worth Street, 304, 212-431-2392). All other employees are required to notify the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources (Office: 41 Worth Street, First Floor, 212-431-2131).
New York Law School is required to notify the appropriate federal funding agency or agencies within ten days of receiving notice of the conviction of an employee for a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace.
B. Consequences
If a member of the faculty or staff engages in any prohibited conduct, the consequences of that action will be in keeping with existing guidelines governing the resolution of cases of unprofessional conduct, up to and including dismissal. Furthermore, although New York Law School may offer help to employees to address their substance abuse problems, nothing in the policy will ultimately insulate an employee from the consequences of unprofessional conduct, poor work performance, or attendance problems that may have been induced by the abuse of drugs or alcohol up to and including dismissal.
C. Information toward a Substance-Abuse-Free Workplace
New York Law School recognizes that some forms of drug and alcohol abuse are viewed as illnesses. As a step toward encouraging members of the faculty and staff to seek treatment, New York Law School will not impose discipline on any member of the faculty or staff solely on the ground that the individual has acknowledged a drug or alcohol-related problem and sought help.
The Employee Assistance Program ("EAP") provides information, assessment, crisis intervention, short-term counseling and referral for a range of problems that may include family matters, financial concerns, child and eldercare or personal growth transition. Information about these options is available from the Benefits Manager, Office of Human Resources (click here). To achieve a substance-abuse-free workplace, New York Law School also provides information relating to substance abuse awareness as a regular part of its new employees’ orientation and internal communications programs. The Office of Human Resources staff will make this information available through periodic memoranda, articles in This Week At New York Law School, and brochures.
Other Support Programs
Other support programs can also provide assistance:
Additional Information
Brochures which describe the danger of drug and alcohol abuses are available at the Office of Student Life (Office: Fifth Floor, 57 Worth Street, 212-431-2851), the Office of Human Resources (Office: 41 Worth Street, First Floor, 212-431-2131), and the Safety-On-The-Run information rack opposite the ATM at 53 Worth Street, first floor. Additional information about the law school drug and alcohol policy for students, faculty and staff can be found in the Annual Report of Campus Security Policies and Procedures. To learn more about the use of legal and illegal substances in incidents of sexual assault, see the section entitled Sexual Assault Prevention.
