2008 Woodie Awards
Student-athletes face stiff penalties for policy violation
By Mike Mallory
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: Sports
It's Friday. Many student athletes are looking to forget about a week full of overbearing stress due to classes, games, practices and meetings. Some student athletes decide to let loose, go to a party, and drink until they forget the week ever happened.
However, their stress may intensify to a much higher degree by the end of the evening.
If a student athlete at Slippery Rock University is caught for violations of the law such as underage drinking or disorderly house conduct by campus police or Slippery Rock borough police, a University-wide, three-strike policy takes effect.
SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken said there have been 10 violations of the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs policy throughout the current semester. The provision was implemented in September 1997 by SRU student athletes. Seven of those violations came from representatives of the men's and women's soccer teams. Last year, a total of 24 strikes were documented by the university.
"Being on an athletic team is a privilege, not a right," Lueken said. "Our rule is; if you get caught then go tell your team about it before I do."
If the athlete commits one offense, he or she receives a written reprimand. Next, the athlete will be encouraged to attend meetings with the SRU Substance Abuse Education Program and subsequently will face individual team penalties as well.
On the second offense, the student is automatically suspended from his or her respective team's games for 20 percent of the season, and is required to attend the substance abuse meetings.
For a third offense, the student is forever banned from competing for any athletic team at SRU. Therefore, for many athletes, they lose their scholarship to attend the university.
Each athletic team governs its own policy on discipline standards involving its members on top of the three strike policy.
The penalties are not limited to underage drinking and improper conduct, but weigh heavily on violence as well. Lueken said in many cases the penalties are more severe.
However, their stress may intensify to a much higher degree by the end of the evening.
If a student athlete at Slippery Rock University is caught for violations of the law such as underage drinking or disorderly house conduct by campus police or Slippery Rock borough police, a University-wide, three-strike policy takes effect.
SRU Athletic Director Paul Lueken said there have been 10 violations of the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs policy throughout the current semester. The provision was implemented in September 1997 by SRU student athletes. Seven of those violations came from representatives of the men's and women's soccer teams. Last year, a total of 24 strikes were documented by the university.
"Being on an athletic team is a privilege, not a right," Lueken said. "Our rule is; if you get caught then go tell your team about it before I do."
If the athlete commits one offense, he or she receives a written reprimand. Next, the athlete will be encouraged to attend meetings with the SRU Substance Abuse Education Program and subsequently will face individual team penalties as well.
On the second offense, the student is automatically suspended from his or her respective team's games for 20 percent of the season, and is required to attend the substance abuse meetings.
For a third offense, the student is forever banned from competing for any athletic team at SRU. Therefore, for many athletes, they lose their scholarship to attend the university.
Each athletic team governs its own policy on discipline standards involving its members on top of the three strike policy.
The penalties are not limited to underage drinking and improper conduct, but weigh heavily on violence as well. Lueken said in many cases the penalties are more severe.
