OKLAHOMA CITY
University of Oklahoma regents will consider slightly relaxing the school’s “Three Strikes Policy” for alcohol use that was put into effect after a student’s death from alcohol poisoning three years ago.
Students who have three alcohol-related violations or “strikes” under the policy can be suspended from school.
The regents, who will meet Wednesday in Lawton, will take up a proposal that would formalize the school’s practice of not issuing a “strike” to drunk students who use OU’s SafeRide program or seek medical attention.
“I’m extremely encouraged by the cultural change which appears to have taken place on our campus as demonstrated by a dramatic drop in alcohol offenses,” OU President David Boren said Tuesday in a statement. “It is important to continue to work to improve our policy as there is still too much unsafe behavior on campuses across the country, indicated by approximately 1,800 student alcohol-related deaths on college and university campuses last year.”
The proposed new rule also would automatically defer “first strikes” for the charges of minor in possession and-or public intoxication.
It would provide that the deferred first strikes not be considered official “offenses” or maintained in OU disciplinary records as long as no additional alcohol offenses take place within 12 months of the first strike.
