Pubdate: Wed, 02 Mar 2005 Source: Daily Tar Heel, The (U of NC Edu) Copyright: 2005 DTH Publishing Corp Contact: http://www.dailytarheel.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2001/09/28/3bb4e48629448 Website: http://www.dailytarheel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1949 Author: Georgia Cherry Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test) DRUG POLICY COULD CHANGE A re-evaluation of the student-athlete drug policy was brought to the table of the Faculty Athletics Committee on Tuesday afternoon, marking the first in-depth look at the code in six years. Although the revision was not fully addressed, Director of Athletics Dick Baddour briefed the committee on the initiative. Baddour said that in examining the policy, the athletic department is looking to tap into the multiple options for support that the University already provides. "We've met with some people in the hospital and in the pharmacy school - also, in the Department of Psychiatry," he said. "We're trying to understand what other options exist." Baddour then asked the committee to come to next month's meeting with suggestions and insights about the direction of the evaluation. "As I've said before, I really do like the structure we have now, but I just want us to take a look at all of this," he said. The existing "two strikes, you're out" policy states that one failed drug test will result in counseling and the possible suspension of athletic eligibility. A second failed test means a student's athletic eligibility is terminated. Drug testing can be conducted either as a preseason requirement or in response to reasonable suspicion. Entire teams or randomly selected individuals also can be subjected to unannounced tests. The frequency of testing varies from team to team. The policy has received extra attention during the past year after the arrest of four football players in marijuana-related incidents. While administrators said they are concerned by the arrests, that's not why the committee met Tuesday. According to Baddour, the change is more of a "clean-house" initiative to make sure the department's policies are working and effective. The committee is not planning to rewrite or rework the entire policy, he said. "I want to do this right, and we can start looking into that at our next meetings," Baddour said. The committee will further evaluate the policy at its next two meetings April 5 and May 3. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth