Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Policies

Drug and alcohol abuse affects the health, safety, and well-being of all students and restricts Dunwoody’s ability to carry out its mission. Dunwoody prohibits the possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs, narcotics, medical marijuana, recreational marijuana, and alcohol on any campus property or as part of any Dunwoody sanctioned activity.

Health Risks of Alcohol and Drug Use

Short term health risks of alcohol include risky sexual behaviors, car accidents, violent or aggressive behavior, and/or miscarriages. Long term health risks of alcohol include high blood pressure, learning and memory problems, alcohol dependency, and/or depression. For more information on the health risks associated with alcohol please see the Center for Disease Control’s website: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm

The health risks as a result of drug use varies with each drug. The following links provide more information on drugs:

National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Commonly Abused Drugs”: https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs-charts

List of Addictive Drugs A-Z—Prescription Abuse Drug List (drugabuse.com)

Sanctions for Drug and Alcohol Policy Violations 

Students who violate Dunwoody’s policy against illegal drugs, narcotics, recreational marijuana, and alcohol are subject to Dunwoody College of Technology’s student code of conduct which can be found here: https://nextcatalog.dunwoody.edu/catalog-student-handbook/student-rights-responsibilities/student-code-conduct/

Student Code of Conduct Sanctions

The following sanctions may be imposed on any student or student organization found to be in violation of the code of conduct or any other college policy. The sanction will be in relation to the violation as more severe or pervasive violations will result in more severe sanctions. The following list is not exclusive as other sanctions may be imposed that fit within the guiding principles of this policy. The following sanctions may include additional conditions such as a reflection activity, restitution of financial damages, mental health counseling, meeting with staff on a rotating basis, removal of college property, failing an academic course, or pursuing legal actions. Additionally, a student housing resident may be transferred to a different room or may be evicted from our student housing facility. 

Warning: A written or verbal notification to a student that their behavior has violated the code of conduct.

Probation: The conditions of the probation are based on the intensity of the violation. While on probation, if the student violates another college policy or does not follow the stipulations of the probation, then they may be suspended from the College. The probation notification explains: the stipulations of the probation, the length of the suspension, assigned probation conditions, appeal options, and an explanation that any further violation of the code of conduct or failure to follow the stipulations of the probation may result in immediate suspension from the college.

Suspension: A suspension means that the violation was severe enough to involuntarily separate the student from the College for a certain length of time. The suspension notification explains: the stipulations of the suspension, the length of the suspension, assigned suspension conditions, appeal options, and college reentry conditions.

Expulsion: An expulsion means that the violation was severe enough to permanently and involuntarily separate the student from the College. The notification explains: the stipulations of the expulsion and the assigned expulsion conditions.

Federal Laws and Sanctions

Federal laws carry penalties for controlled substance convictions. These range from one year imprisonment and up to a lifetime of imprisonment. Along with imprisonment federal convictions carry fines ranging from $1,000 to $2,000,000 depending on the severity of the conviction. Please see the following for a detailed list of federal controlled substance convictions:

The Controlled Substances Act (dea.gov) 

Federal Trafficking Penalties: https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/drug_of_abuse.pdf#page=30

Minnesota Laws and Sanctions

Minnesota laws carry penalties for controlled substance convictions. These range from underage drinking laws with a penalty of $100 to 40 years prison sentence and $1,000,000 fine. Please see the following for a detailed list of Minnesota controlled substance and alcohol statues:

Minnesota Controlled Substances Statues: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=152

Minnesota Underage Alcohol Statues: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=340A.503

Minnesota Driving while Impaired Statues: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169A

Drug and Alcohol Education and Treatment Programs 

Dunwoody College of Technology recognizes drug and alcohol dependency/abuse as a major health problem, as well as a safety and security problem. If you have a drug or alcohol problem or know of another student with such a problem, please consult with anyone in Student Affairs for information and referral resources for a variety of public and private educational and treatment programs in the state and metropolitan area.  Any student can call our counseling service, All One Health, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. We also have a telephonic counseling office in the Pinska Center. For the number to call, please click on the link in Launchpad or see anyone in Student Affairs in the Pinska Center.

There are also local counseling centers such as the Walk In Counseling Centers that are located throughout the Twin Cities. They do not require an appointment and have a variety of office hours.

Walk In Counseling Center Locations:
Main Number: 612-870-0565
2421 Chicago Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Tobacco-Free Environment 

The use of all forms of tobacco, including chewing tobacco and smokeless cigarettes, is prohibited at Dunwoody except in designated areas. Dunwoody’s designated areas are located near the north entrance of the main building as well as the west entrance of the lower level of the Warren Building. Smoking on the west side (main entrance) and east side of the Main Building is prohibited at all times. Students residing in our student housing facility have a designated tobacco area at the Delaware Street entrance. Violation of the tobacco regulation is a violation of our student's code of conduct and may result in conduct sanctions.  

Electronic Cigarettes

The use of electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes) is prohibited at Dunwoody except in designated smoking areas. For more information please refer to the student handbook.