As an academic community, Ripon is seriously concerned about those things which might interfere with the educational development of its students, interrupt their academic programs, injure their health or irreparably prevent their entering useful and successful careers.

For a considerable time, there has been a realization that, for many people, chemical abuse can create a constellation of problems, including a serious negative effect on academic motivation and effectiveness — not only for the user, but also, in many cases, for those around the user. Therefore, the following policies in this general area have been developed.

Alcohol
Ripon College expects its students to know and respect the statutes of the State of Wisconsin which govern the possession and use of alcoholic beverages. The most relevant laws on this subject are summarized below:

1. Wisconsin law permits the drinking of alcoholic beverages starting at age 21. The law provides, in general, that no one under legal age may possess alcoholic beverages. The law also provides that any person who sells or furnishes alcoholic beverages to a minor is in violation. The law provides fines for convicted violators (both minors and those who furnish alcoholic beverages to minors), or imprisonment, or both. In addition, the court will restrict or suspend the motor vehicle operating privileges of violators (under legal age) for any period not to exceed one year.
   
2. The law also provides that persons who purchase, provide or serve alcoholic beverages for those under legal age may be charged with “contributing to the delinquency of a minor."
   
3. State law also prohibits misrepresentation of age or falsification of identification cards or use of another person’s identification. Those who provide others with false identification also are subject to prosecution.
   
4. State law also prohibits:
   • Anyone, regardless of age, from opening or drinking from a container of beer or intoxicating liquor in a moving vehicle, and
     
   • Anyone under legal age from having intoxicating liquor in a motor vehicle, and
     
   • Anyone of legal age or older from having alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle while any minor is in such vehicle.

Because of the restriction of Wisconsin statutes, the College considers use and possession of alcoholic beverages on campus by students under legal age as a violation of institutional standards.

In addition to the expectation that students will obey the law, the College wishes to make explicit its position on the following:

1. Improper behavior arising from excessive use of alcoholic beverages will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action.
   
2. Certain non-college agencies prohibit alcoholic beverages at locations frequented by Ripon College students (e.g., Green Lake Conference Center). Students are expected to know and to observe the regulations established by proprietors of off-campus establishments.
   
3. Use or possession of alcoholic beverages at any College function open to the general public is prohibited. This prohibition includes on- and off-campus activities. Ingalls Field is not owned by Ripon College, and those responsible for the field, as well as the College, have a policy prohibiting the use of alcoholic beverages at that site.
   
4. The College does reserve the right to have residence life staff and/or deans immediately contact the local police to confront suspected violations, particularly in the case of uncooperative residents or repeated situations.
   
5. Publicity that promotes alcohol consumption is prohibited. Alcohol industry promotion of College events is also prohibited. Approval for either must first be granted by the dean of students or director of residence life.

Alcohol in Residence Halls

1. Ripon College students who are at least 21 years of age may possess and consume alcoholic beverages in residence hall rooms as long as minors (persons under age 21) are not present. Room doors must be closed.
2. Underage students may never be present in a room where students who are of age are consuming alcohol or where alcohol is present.
3. While consuming, or in possession of alcohol, students must have a valid proof of age in their possession and must produce it upon request.
4. Kegs of beer, drinking game devices and common containers (party balls, pony kegs, WOP containers, beer bongs, beer pong tables, etc.) are prohibited on campus. Students found consuming alcohol via common containers may be found in violation of both this (common container) policy (minimum $100 fine) and the overall campus alcohol policy.
5. Open intoxicants (bottles, cans, glass, etc.) are not allowed in hallways, public areas (only at approved lounge parties) or outside.
6. Underage students should not be in possession of alcohol, open or unopened. Additionally, underage students in attendance at or participating in any gathering where alcohol is present are considered in violation of the alcohol policy and subject to disciplinary action.
7. A gathering in an individual student room where some or all of the following are present may result in disciplinary action being taken: a large number of people present (eight or more in a double room, five or more in a single room), alcohol being consumed in an unhealthy manner (drinking games, shots, common containers, etc.), noise levels becoming increasingly excessive or significant traffic in and out of the room.
8. Students may apply to host events in a residence hall lounge at which alcohol is present (limited to 70 people including hosts). Permission to host an event must be obtained any time alcohol is present. Application for permission to host such events must be made to the assistant director of residence life at least five days in advance using the lounge event application form, available from the residence life office. Notification of approval or disapproval of each application will be made no later than two days prior to the requested date for an event.
9. Consumption of alcohol at these events must be restricted to persons of legal drinking age as per Wisconsin statutes, and compliance with this restriction is the responsibility of the individuals who sign the lounge event application form and the members of the group hosting the event. Alcohol may not be purchased for or provided by the student hosts. All such events will be of a “bring your own beverage” (BYOB) format. Specific procedures are provided on the lounge event application form.
10. The location, duration, and frequency of such events will be managed in such a manner as to balance student needs for social activities and for a good environment in which to study. It is expected that events be limited to weekends (Friday and Saturday evenings), and may not occur during periods of final examination.
11. As alcohol is never allowed in common spaces (such as lounges, hallways, etc.), four or more students found consuming alcohol in a lounge will be found in violation of the College's alcohol policy as well as assessed an additional $50 charge for participating in an unrecognized lounge party.

Alcohol Misuse/Abuse
In residence halls there has always been the question of what should be a staff member’s response to students possessing alcohol in areas where it is not permitted. In answer to this statement, the following guidelines are generally adhered to.

• Blatant, public, and/or irresponsible behavior most often precipitates a staff member’s response.
  
• Room occupants are always responsible for the actions of their guests, which the consequences stated below will reflect. Violations where a party occurs in a room of underage occupants, or where underage persons are present in an of-age room where alcohol is being consumed, may prompt the consequences to jump a step (i.e., 1 to 2, or 2 to 3) from the following stated penalties designed for an individual consumption violation.
  
• Using false IDs will cause an immediate jump to step 2.
  
• Dollar values will be assessed room occupants who are responsible for the event. Thus, in the case of a #2 violation, a student with a single room would be billed $100, while two roommates who are present would each be billed $100. Residence hall staff may confiscate alcohol if underage persons are present. The College reserves the right to notify parents/guardians of students’ alcohol policy violations.
  
• Alcohol violations will be cumulative over the course of one’s time at Ripon College.

Alcohol Enforcement

1. For a first time individual offense, the appropriate hall director will discuss the College policy violation with the student(s) involved, pointing out the problem and the implications of this violation. A written warning and a $50 deferred fine will be issued. This deferred fine will not be assessed the student (and thus deferred), pending the student has no future alcohol violations during his or her time at Ripon. Attendance at an alcohol and drug education course, sponsored by the office of residence life, may also be required at the discretion of the hall director.
   
2. If the above actions prove ineffective and a second violation should occur during his or her time at Ripon, the hall director or assistant director of residence life will talk with the student(s), and a minimum $100 penalty will be assessed in addition to the $50 deferred fine from the first violation. A referral to the College counselor and/or a chemical assessment may be required. A student in this situation may also be required to participate in educational or community service projects as deemed appropriate by the director of residence life.
   
3. A third infraction will lead to a $200 penalty, and the matter will be referred to the director of residence life for consideration of additional penalties, which may include but are not limited to disciplinary probation, removal from the residence halls, or suspension.
   
4. Additional infractions will be referred to the dean of students for additional penalties.

Marijuana and Other Drugs

State Law
In the statutes of the State of Wisconsin, within the “Uniform Controlled Substances Act,’’ marijuana is one of many substances included within the Schedule I category. The act prescribes the imposition of fines up to and including $5,000 and/or prison sentences of up to and including one year for a first offense. For a second or subsequent offense, penalties go up to $10,000 and/or a two-year sentence. For manufacture or distribution, the penalties go up to $25,000 and/or 15 years.

College Policy
Violations of federal and Wisconsin state laws regarding drugs are also violations of Ripon College policy and are subject to disciplinary action up to and including permanent dismissal from the College. This policy applies equally to administrative, faculty, and student members of the College community.
As a guideline to students, the following statements are offered:

1. Drug misuse includes (but is not limited to) possession, using, selling, giving away, dispensing, mixing, administering, aiding or assisting others, participating with others in such activities, or being present where such activities are taking place.
   
2. If a drug case is initiated in civil court rather than on the campus, serious College sanctions may await disposition of the case in the court. The College’s policies are, however, separate from those established by federal or Wisconsin state statutes.
   
3. The College does reserve the right to have residence life staff and/or deans immediately contact the local police to confront suspected violations, particularly in the case of uncooperative residents, repeated situations, or to help determine the source of a violation.
   
4. While empowered only to take action within its own provinces, the College will cooperate with the law enforcement agencies in accordance with statutory procedures.
   
5. Conversely, as an educational institution rather than a law enforcement agency, the College recognizes the appropriateness of handling certain drug problems individually and from a counseling and medical, rather than from a disciplinary, point of view.
   
6. Students are urged to reflect very seriously upon their own attitudes and actions with regard to drug abuse and to seek out information and counseling assistance as it may seem most appropriate to them. In the latter instances, it should be noted that information given to the College counselor (as well as to other physicians and clergy) is protected under the laws of “privileged communication.’’

Marijuana Enforcement
The College reserves the right to notify parents/guardians of students’ drug policy violations. Drug violations will be cumulative over the course of one’s time at Ripon College. A student may be found in violation of the College's marijuana policy even if no physical evidence is present but rather if a hall director, the director of residence life, or the dean of students detects the odor of marijuana in the air of a student's room.

1. For a first time individual offense, the appropriate hall director will discuss the College policy violation with the student(s) involved, pointing out the problem and the implications of this violation. A $100 minimum penalty will be assessed and attendance at an alcohol and drug education course, sponsored by the office of residence life, or an AODA counseling session may be required.
   
2. If the above actions prove ineffective and a second violation should occur during the academic year, the director of residence life will talk with the student(s), and a minimum $200 penalty will be assessed. A referral to the College counselor and/or a chemical assessment may be required. A student in this situation may also be required to participate in educational or community service projects as deemed appropriate by the director of residence life.
   
3. A third infraction will lead to a $300 penalty, and the matter will be referred to the dean of students for consideration of additional penalties, which may include removal from College housing or suspension.

Other Drugs: Enforcement
The College reserves the right to handle the assignment of penalties for the use, possession and sale of other drugs in a manner appropriate to the severity of the incident. This means that, in the case of certain “hard drugs’’ the infraction might be sent to the committee of deans for even a first violation. It also means that students found guilty of dealing may face immediate, serious consequences including suspension and/or expulsion.

Since possession of illegal drugs is also a violation of College policy, any such drugs that are in plain view may be confiscated and destroyed. Other drug-related paraphernalia used in the violation of College policy may be taken and held.

Students involved in campus disciplinary cases while under the influence of a chemical substance may be required to have a chemical abuse assessment.