The University of Colorado at Boulder will continue to enforce its "3 Strikes" policy for the 2003-04 academic year.
Twenty-nine students were suspended from CU-Boulder for at least one semester during the 2002-03 academic year as a direct result of the alcohol and drug policy that was put into place in the fall of 2000.
Suspension could cost an out-of-state CU-Boulder student more than $13,000 this semester -- the cost of lost tuition, room and board -- or about $5,000 for an in-state student. When a student is suspended, costs and fees are not refundable. Notification of the policy is being communicated to students via newspaper ads, posters, e-mail bulletins and letters to parents.
"Despite some highly unscientific reports to the contrary, we did show some improvements in problem drinking last year," said Bob Maust, CU's principal investigator for alcohol abuse on the Boulder campus. "The 29 students that were suspended for at least a semester or expelled for alcohol violations last year represented a 17 percent decrease in suspensions from the previous year."
Under the "3 Strikes" policy, any CU-Boulder student found responsible for one offense, on- or off-campus, will be placed on probation for one semester and be required to perform community service and attend alcohol awareness classes.
After two offenses, parents are notified and students are placed on one-year probation. They also must complete 10 hours of community service, read a book on alcohol and academics and write a report on it for the hearing officer.
After three alcohol offenses, students are subject to suspension from the university for at least one semester or expulsion.
According to Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs, "Whether an offense occurs on campus, in town or even at Invesco Field at a university event, it is still considered a strike if it meets the policy criteria.
"We're happy to report that the majority of our students don't receive any strikes at all," Stump said. "Our incoming freshman class boasts an average grade-point average of greater than 3.5, which is even higher than last year's."