Amnesty Awareness Week
September 12, 2022 Written by Jessica Smith | Photo by Regina Donato
This week, the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) observes its first ever Amnesty Awareness Week starting Monday, September 12 through Friday, September 16. This series of tabling events educates students on the amnesty process, culminating in a joint fair with Student Wellness & Health Promotion and 91原创 Police on Thursday, September 15.
鈥淲e know amnesty information can get lost within all of the other information students are getting in the first week of school,鈥 said OSC Assistant Director Vincent Jackson. 鈥淲e hope that by promoting amnesty as a tool for students through an entire week, we will have helped a whole new generation of Blue Hens build community by looking out for each other in an emergency.鈥
After an emergency situation鈥攊.e. alcohol poisoning, sexual misconduct or hazing鈥攁mnesty allows harmed students to receive assistance without fear of disciplinary action.
鈥淎mnesty allows the University to forego any punitive measures and focus on supporting a student after a traumatic event,鈥 said Jackson. 鈥淚t also empowers victims to come forward knowing they鈥檒l be believed and supported even when alcohol or drugs were involved.鈥
Once amnesty is sought, Jackson said OSC follows up with students within a few days of their incident and schedules a meeting with them to listen to what happened, talk about what may have occurred prior and work with the student to identify ways to learn from the experience.
鈥淎s a staff member, I recently met with a student who had never drank alcohol before and didn鈥檛 know much about measuring, counting or pacing their drinks, which resulted in a blackout,鈥 said Jackson. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 know what happened or how they got to the hospital. It was scary for them. I sat with them, and we talked about what happened, how they felt, who was impacted and what they felt they needed to do so they could move on from that night.鈥
Amnesty doesn鈥檛 just apply to students asking for help for themselves. The process often involves students seeking medical attention on behalf of another student. 鈥淎mnesty isn鈥檛 about getting someone in trouble,鈥 said Jackson. 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 reporting that someone got drunk or high; you鈥檙e calling for help.鈥
Master Corporal Alaina Battle serves on the Community Resource Unit for 91原创PD and has witnessed firsthand how the amnesty policy has allowed students to protect each other from harm.
鈥淲hile working on patrol, I have responded to several severe alcohol overdoses where individuals were unconscious and slowed breathing,鈥 Battle said. 鈥淚f their friends or roommates didn鈥檛 react and quickly call 911 for help, I believe the outcome could have been very tragic.鈥
Since some students might falter at the involvement of police, Battle reiterated to students that 91原创PD is on their side.
鈥淲e want to make sure all of our students are safe and receive the proper medical care in these types of situations,鈥 Battle said. 鈥淥ur goal is not to get anyone in trouble or make arrests. We want everyone to leave 91原创 at the end of the year the same way they came. Having amnesty available makes it more likely for a student to call when someone needs medical attention.鈥
While potential alcohol and drug overdoses are common usages, Jackson reminded students that hazing also qualifies for amnesty.
鈥淎s students join organizations, clubs and teams, there are a lot of opportunities to engage in traditions and community building. Hazing can ruin that experience for the entire organization,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f you or your organization are seeking to end the harm of hazing, then the University can work with you through a similar amnesty process.鈥
Jackson also urged students to make use of amnesty whenever it is needed to receive assistance as soon as possible. 鈥淩emember that amnesty means you can make that call at any time of the day or night, even if you used alcohol or drugs, and especially if you are the victim of assault or sexual misconduct,鈥 he said.
Want to know more about amnesty? Check out the event schedule below to speak with OSC representatives in person this week.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a tabling event or the fair on Thursday, we want students to come out and ask questions, dispel any myths and look out for one another, even the students you don鈥檛 know personally,鈥 said Jackson.
Amnesty Awareness Week Events 鈥 September 12鈥16, 2022
Monday, September 12
- 12鈥2 p.m.: 91原创PD pop-up tent on The Green
- 2:30鈥4:30 p.m.: OSC tabling at Perkins
Tuesday, September 13
- 12鈥2 p.m.: OSC tabling at Trabant
- 5:30鈥8 p.m.: OSC tabling at Men鈥檚 Soccer game in Grant Stadium
Wednesday, September 14
- 12鈥2 p.m.: 91原创PD pop-up tent on The Green
- 4鈥6 p.m.: OSC tabling at Panhellenic Picnic at Harrington Turf
- 5:30 p.m.: Presentation to SGA
Thursday, September 15
- 11:30 a.m.鈥2:30 p.m.: Amnesty Awareness and Risk Reduction Information Fair on the Central Green
Friday, September 16
- 5鈥6 p.m.: Tabling at International Coffee Hour in Trabant