Page 1 of 2

TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:52 am
by BrianTinBigD
Not sure that there is a ZERO tolerance drug policy at TCU.

Drug Abuse Policy and Penalties
Students enrolled in Texas Christian University are subject to disciplinary action for the possession, manufacture, use, sale or distribution (by either sale or gift) of any quantity of any prescription drug or controlled substance or for being under the influence of any prescription drug or controlled substance, except for the use of an over-the counter medication or for the prescribed use of medication in accordance with the instructions of a licensed physician.

Controlled substances including but not limited to:
marijuana, K2 and other synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic stimulants (such as bath salts), cocaine, cocaine derivatives,heroin, amphetamines, barbiturates, steroids, LSD, GHB, Adderall, Rohypnol, and substances typically known as "designer drugs" such as "ecstasy." Possession of paraphernalia
associated with the use, possession or manufacture of a prescription drug or controlled substance is also prohibited

Students having prohibited substances in their residence and students in the presence of these substances or paraphernalia may be subject to the same penalties as those in possession. There are some instances where a student may be asked or required to submit to a drug screen examination. The minimum penalty for a first-time non-incident based positive drug screen will be referral to drug education counseling or to a drug treatment program and disciplinary
action at the discretion of the Dean of Campus Life. A letter may be sent to the parents or guardians of any student under 21 years of age who had a positive drug screen.
The minimum penalty for a first-time violation of the Drug Abuse Policy for use or possession of a prescription drug or controlled substance may be disciplinary probation for a full year, participation in drug education counseling, 40 hours of community service, and a $200 fine (or 40 hours of additional community service), and subject to random drug-testing for a full year. The student may be evicted from University residence halls, especially if the use or possession happened in a University-owned facility or at a University-sponsored event. The parents or guardians of any student found in violation of the drug policy may be contacted regarding the violation.

Any student who violates the Drug Abuse Policy for use or possession of a prescription drug or controlled substance for a second time or has an additional positive drug screen may be suspended from the University for at least one year. Readmission to the University will occur only after the suspended student provides proof of drug counseling and/or treatment from a licensed counselor or
certified treatment program. Possession of drug paraphernalia, including but not limited to "bongs", pipes, hookahs, and/or other devices that may be used to facilitate consumption of drugs, may subject a student to the same penalties as those imposed for use and possession of a prescription drug or controlled substance.

The penalty for a violation of the Drug Abuse Policy for sale, distribution, or manufacture of a prescription drug or controlled substance will be permanent expulsion from the University.

Looks like the only way ZERO tolerance applies is if you are a drug dealer.

TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:18 am
by BigT3x
It's the same at SMU...

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:11 am
by Junior
where did the zero drug policy come from? what did i miss? did someone say they had a zero tolerance policy?

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:34 am
by jtoutloud
It may say that here but from what I read, the football team has no penalty for first time failed drg tests.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:36 am
by Stallion
Maybe they really meant ZERO tolerance.
Its significant to point out that: it is UNDISPUTED by the FWPD that:

1. TCU initiated this investigation based on prior complaints
2. TCU reached out to FWPD to assist in investigation
3. TCU did not give special favors to high profile Football players-FWPD were instructed to be aggressive no matter whether it involved even son/daughter of influential alumni
4. TCU immediately removed students from campus rather than simply disciplining them
5. TCU broke its own story in conjunction with FWPD-there was no coverup

I'd say that's not being very tolerant of drugs on campus

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:46 am
by Grant Carter
Stallion wrote:Maybe they really meant ZERO tolerance.
Its significant to point out that: it is UNDISPUTED by the FWPD that:

1. TCU initiated this investigation based on prior complaints
2. TCU reached out to FWPD to assist in investigation
3. TCU did not give special favors to high profile Football players-FWPD were instructed to be aggressive no matter whether it involved even son/daughter of influential alumni
4. TCU immediately removed students from campus rather than simply disciplining them
5. TCU broke its own story in conjunction with FWPD-there was no coverup

I'd say that's not being very tolerant of drugs on campus

I would add that, if true, Patterson immediately giving the entire team a drug test after hearing from a recruit that a lot of players were doing drugs is also something they can point to as being serious about the issue.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:49 am
by SMUer
Hooray, TCU! You caught the culprits! That was really what you were doing the entire time--Leading the fight to stop a national epidemic!

^^^Great Spin^^^

If no internal punishments are handed out to players that tested positive, it might just as well never have happened. I'm not saying it's 60 or 82 guys, but you test the entire team and don't find a handful of others?...meaningless. I'm not going to praise someone for gaining facts and doing nothing about it.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:52 am
by Mustangs_Maroons
Grant Carter wrote:
Stallion wrote:Maybe they really meant ZERO tolerance.
Its significant to point out that: it is UNDISPUTED by the FWPD that:

1. TCU initiated this investigation based on prior complaints
2. TCU reached out to FWPD to assist in investigation
3. TCU did not give special favors to high profile Football players-FWPD were instructed to be aggressive no matter whether it involved even son/daughter of influential alumni
4. TCU immediately removed students from campus rather than simply disciplining them
5. TCU broke its own story in conjunction with FWPD-there was no coverup

I'd say that's not being very tolerant of drugs on campus

I would add that, if true, Patterson immediately giving the entire team a drug test after hearing from a recruit that a lot of players were doing drugs is also something they can point to as being serious about the issue.


According to the reports of some football players that were arrested for dealing, I would also add the alleged inaction by GP to do nothing when they indicated the vast majority would not or did not pass is also something noteworthy.

This investigation was not initiated out of self-righteousness. It was initiated by external factors that forced the university's hand.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:25 pm
by ojaipony
Mustangs_Maroons wrote:
Grant Carter wrote:
Stallion wrote:Maybe they really meant ZERO tolerance.
Its significant to point out that: it is UNDISPUTED by the FWPD that:

1. TCU initiated this investigation based on prior complaints
2. TCU reached out to FWPD to assist in investigation
3. TCU did not give special favors to high profile Football players-FWPD were instructed to be aggressive no matter whether it involved even son/daughter of influential alumni
4. TCU immediately removed students from campus rather than simply disciplining them
5. TCU broke its own story in conjunction with FWPD-there was no coverup

I'd say that's not being very tolerant of drugs on campus

I would add that, if true, Patterson immediately giving the entire team a drug test after hearing from a recruit that a lot of players were doing drugs is also something they can point to as being serious about the issue.


According to the reports of some football players that were arrested for dealing, I would also add the alleged inaction by GP to do nothing when they indicated the vast majority would not or did not pass is also something noteworthy.

This investigation was not initiated out of self-righteousness. It was initiated by external factors that forced the university's hand.


Very, very good point not being covered in the media so far -- TCU getting nothing but love from the national news media. Especially this guy: http://espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/i ... ameful-day ... kind of makes me sick to my stomach.

"Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU's student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff. Period." - Patterson (not true as it already has been - what's happening to all those that supposedly failed the drug tests??)

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:41 pm
by Pony ^
"What can they do, all of us failed"

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 1:22 pm
by Junior
couple of points.

if the problem is really as widespread as publicized (i.e. almost the entire team), did GP really not not about it? it seems like he would have had to have had an idea prior to feb 1. or is he really that far removed from HIS team?

i have to believe that any internal investigation being done by the university or the football program into widespread drug usage would be done behind the scenes, and not publicized, if for no other reason than potential privacy law concerns.

the drug dealer busts would fall under criminal investigations and the university knew those would be made public very soon. i think that's why the university put out their own press release. so they could spin it how they wanted before having to try to do some as a reaction to what was made public elsewhere.

if it weren't for the arrest warrants, i think the internal football team drug use investigation would still not be public, again for privacy concerns. the news has reported that the drug tests were done after numerous complaints by parents, students, and at least one recruit. all this makes me think that GP had to have known about this longer than feb 1. is this something he sat on or ignored up until then? when did he learn that his players were going to arrested for distribution?

again, just a few thoughts i had. i'm not an attorney, so i could be wrong.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:07 pm
by Stallion
Both DMN and FtWST with multiple articles/columns generally complimentary of the way TCU handled the situation.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:14 pm
by Mustangs_Maroons
Stallion wrote:Both DMN and FtWST with multiple posts/columns generally complimentary of the way TCU handled the situation.


The DMN and the FTWST bring about as much investigative reporting as a blind squirrel. Consider the source. These guys get fed information and try to spin it. Neither of them are newsworthy newspapers.

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:16 pm
by Stallion
Major swing and a miss by you:

The pictures of the suspects in the DMN pretty much tears to shreads the idea this has to do with low academic standards. 15 White guys, 1 African American(who was a walkon), two Woman including 1 Hispanic. At least 3 Fraternities involved including my own (Phi Delta Theta). Bottom down collars-short hair preppies. Has nothing to do with some conspiracy by TCU lowering standards to be competitive in Football. They look like your average every day Private School kids

Re: TCU ZERO Tolerance Drug Policy?

Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:24 pm
by Mustangs_Maroons
Stallion wrote:Major swing and a miss by you:

The pictures of the suspects in the DMN pretty much tears to shreads the idea this has to do with low academic standards. 15 White guys, 1 African American(who was a walkon), two Woman including 1 Hispanic. At least 3 Fraternities involved including my own (Phi Delta Theta). Bottom down collars-short hair preppies. Has nothing to do with some conspiracy by TCU lowering standards to be competitive in Football. They look like your average every day Private School kids


Wrong. I never said it had anything to do with academic standards. Our previous discussion had to do with the focus on football from an institutional perspective and that we place different emphasis on academic programs.

Oh, and if you're really trying to gauge academic prowess based on how kids look, then I'm afraid I have nothing else to add to that...