The following message was sent by President Glenn McConnell to all students on Aug. 24, 2016:

Dear Students:

 As we begin a new school year together, I want to extend best wishes to you for a productive, safe and fun fall semester and academic year. I hope you will see us as a home away from home and a warm and welcoming environment to pursue your educational goals.  

 I want to remind you to please conduct yourselves in a manner consistent with the alcohol and drug policies of our campus. Misuse or abuse of alcohol, drugs and prescription medications should have no place at the College of Charleston. We want you to lead healthy and productive lives at the College, and the misuse of any type of drug can be extremely dangerous, especially synthetic drugs because you do not know what is in the final product. The abuse of alcohol and drugs are in conflict with our mission and fundamentally harmful to you and the fabric of our community. So please be smart, and think before you act.

 As we begin the academic year, I ask you to commit to the following:

  • Take the lead among your friends and social organizations in choosing alternatives to high-risk drinking and drug abuse;
  • Intervene and help anyone whose judgment is impaired by alcohol or drugs. The College has a Good Samaritan policy, which grants conditional amnesty from any student conduct action to students needing help or requesting medical assistance on another student’s behalf for an alcohol or drug problem. Remember, your classmates, friends, roommates, teammates, fraternity brothers and sorority sisters are your community and extended family. Please treat them with dignity and respect.
  • Direct those with a problem to the appropriate resource for assistance. As a reminder, if you need confidential help or have a concern about someone else, please call our Counseling and Substance Abuse Services staff at 843.953.5640 or go online and submit a report on the Dean of Students’ website. After hours, you can call Public Safety at 843.953.5611.  
  • Report criminal behavior to the College’s Department of Public Safety. Keeping our community safe is everyone’s business. If you see something, say something. If you would like to make an anonymous report, please visit our Silent Witness website and fill out the form.

 As always, the College will continue promoting and funding late-night alcohol-free events and enforcing College policies and local laws. We welcome you to join the vast majority of students who avoid alcohol or drug misuse. Perception is one thing; facts are another. It is our goal to provide an environment for students that is as fun as it is enlightening, and as supportive of rich social lives as it is of your boundless futures.

 Good luck during your first week of classes and throughout this academic year. I wish you all the best as you strive to make this a year of educational excellence and personal growth.

 Sincerely, 

 Glenn

 

 Glenn F. McConnell ’69

President

College of Charleston

66 George Street

Charleston, SC 29424

843.953.5500