Health & Safety Statement

The health and safety of Students are of primary importance to the University. Students are expected to take immediate action when a person’s health or safety is threatened. As members of the University Community, we all must take care of each other and take steps to help promote the Health & Safety of one another and help each other thrive at DU. Students should understand that they are not medically qualified to assist their peers in situations where there is a concern for another individual’s health and safety.

The Medical Amnesty Process is designed to reduce barriers to Students taking immediate action for fear of being held responsible for alcohol or drug related Honor Code violations. Situations in which the Medical Amnesty Process may apply include, but are not limited to, instances of physical injury, discrimination, harassment, sexual assault, mental health concerns, or other medical situations that occur in relation to alcohol consumption and/or drug use.

When, out of a concern for health and safety, a Student chooses to take intentional action and seek assistance from a University Official or emergency services for themselves or others, SRR will not initiate a formal conduct process for alcohol and/or drug violations if the Medical Amnesty Process applies. As a result, for the specific incident in which the Medical Amnesty Process is applied, a finding of responsibility for alcohol- and/or drug-related violations will not appear on their Student Rights & Responsibilities Record. During emergency conditions, the University may extend this Medical Amnesty Process to include violations of the University’s emergency conditions specific plans, protocols, procedures, and instructions, as applicable.

The University intends that the Medical Amnesty Process will extend to situations in which any Student makes a complaint or provides a statement to the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX in the course of an investigation or resolution pursuant to the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX Title IX Sexual Harassment Procedures or the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX Comprehensive Discrimination & Harassment Procedures. However, the Medical Amnesty Process does not extend to the distribution, sale, or otherwise providing another individual with alcohol or drugs for the purposes of inducing incapacitation, as defined in those procedures.

The University may determine in its sole discretion that the Medical Amnesty Process does not apply to an incident in which (1) a Student did not cooperate with University Staff or emergency personnel at the time of the incident; (2) a Student provides assistance to another individual without actively informing a University Official or emergency service; or (3) other extenuating circumstances weigh against application of the Medical Amnesty Process.

The Medical Amnesty Process is not guaranteed to apply to all situations in which a Student contacted a University Official or emergency services. Students should know that providing assistance to another Student without actively informing a University Official or emergency service does not meet the expectations associated with the Medical Amnesty Process.

When the Medical Amnesty Process is applied, SRR may issue a Student an Educational Letter to provide the Student with information and support regarding concerning use of alcohol and/or drugs. Additionally, SRR may refer Students to resources or assign other Educational Outcome(s) intended to promote health and safety. This Educational Letter and any referrals or Educational Outcomes will not constitute a reportable violation of the Honor Code.

The University expects that Students will always prioritize their own and others’ health and safety. Moreover, this commitment does not preclude legal consequences or Alleged Policy Violations for non-alcohol or drug-related Honor Code violations related to the incident.

More information regarding being an Active Bystander can be found here.

When to Call for Help:

  • Someone is unresponsive or unconscious
  • They are cold, clammy, pale or have blotchy skin
  • Shallow or irregular breathing
  • Vomits multiple times, or vomits while sleeping
  • Unable to answer basic questions

Who is a University Official?

  • Resident Assistants (RAs)
  • Housing Front Desk Staff
  • Campus Safety Officers
  • Denver Police Department Paramedics