Drugs Alcohol and Weapons on Campus - Useful Resources

Drugs and Alcohol

South Georgia State College is an Alcohol and Drug-Free Campus

SGSC recognizes and supports local, state, and federal laws and policies of the Board of Regents, with respect to the sale, use, distribution, and possession of alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs, as well as the Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990 with respect to the manufacture, distribution, sale, possession, or use of marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs on college campuses and elsewhere.

Drug Prohibition

• It is unlawful to be under the influence of, use, possess, distribute, sell, offer, or agree to sell, or represent to sell narcotics, hallucinogens, dangerous drugs, or controlled substances, except as where permitted by prescription or law.
• SGSC prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs and alcohol by students and employees on campus or as any part of the College's activities, whether on or off campus.

Alcohol Prohibition

• SGSC expressly prohibits the use, possession, sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages on campus by any campus constituency.
• Student activity funds or state funds may not be used for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
• The SGSC Police Department is committed to recognizing, upholding and enforcing the laws of the State of Georgia. Violation of those state laws, incorporated into the College Alcohol Policy, will not be condoned on campus or at any activity held off campus by any constituency.
• Exceptions to the policy of no alcohol on campus may, from time to time, be permitted at the discretion of the President of the College.

Weapons

HB 280, the "Campus Carry" legislation, became effective July 1, 2017. For more information on this new law (which amends O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127.1) and how it has been implemented on University System of Georgia campuses, refer to Chancellor Wrigley’s guidance to the USG community, dated May 24, 2017. In April 2022, SB 319 was singed into effect allowing permitless carry of a concealed handgun by a lawful weapons carrier. Below you will find additional information in response to common topics of inquiries that members of the USG community have posed.

Any lawful weapons carrier may carry a handgun may do so – in a concealed manner only – anywhere on Georgia’s public college and university campuses, except in certain areas that are specifically listed in the law. If an area of campus is not mentioned in one of those exceptions, license-holders may carry guns there. Unlike “campus carry” laws in some other states, HB 280 does not give colleges and universities in Georgia discretion to prohibit handguns on their campuses or to add any additional exceptions to the ability to carry handguns beyond those already contained in the law.

Are handguns prohibited wherever enrolled high school students go while on campus?
Handguns are prohibited in rooms and spaces that are being used for classes in which high school students are enrolled. Legal weapons holders may carry concealed handguns in other areas where those high school students may go while on campus.

Can any faculty member or student ask the registrar whether high school students are enrolled in their classes?
Yes.

Can faculty members ask students to identify themselves if they are carrying handguns or ask students who carry handguns to take different classes?
No. State law grants lawful weapons carriers the ability to carry handguns to public college and university classes (except those in which high school students are enrolled), and faculty members may not ask the individual to reveal that they are carrying concealed handguns or in any way discourage them from doing what they are legally allowed to do.

Are faculty members responsible for announcing to their classes that guns are (or are not) prohibited because high school students are (or are not) enrolled?
No. It is the responsibility of those who choose to carry handguns on campus to make themselves aware of where and when they can do so. They can learn which of their classes include high school students by asking the registrar, as can faculty members and their classmates. In fact, the USG does not recommend that faculty members make announcements in class because it may lead to confusion among students resulting from inconsistencies between different professors and different classes.

May faculty members provide information about campus carry in their course syllabi?
Yes. Faculty members can provide information by linking to the USG guidance at the usg.edu website.

If USG institutions will not be providing storage lockers, where can license- holders store their handguns while they go to places on campus where handguns are prohibited?
It is the responsibility of those who choose to carry handguns on campus to make arrangements for the proper and safe storage of those guns. Current law already allows for the securing of guns in parked cars. License-holders can also make arrangements for storage off-campus.

Are handguns prohibited from athletic sporting event facilities at all times or only during the events?
Handguns are prohibited in buildings or property that are used for intercollegiate games at all times, not just during the events. Similarly, handguns are prohibited throughout the entire facility, not just those specific areas of the facility in which games are played. The same is true of student housing facilities; handguns are prohibited throughout the facilities, not only in the specific areas where students reside.

Does campus carry apply to off-campus field trips or work trips?
No. It applies “in any building or on real property owned by or leased to any public college, or university or other public institution of postsecondary education.” When students, faculty or staff leave campus for school-related activities, they will be governed by the weapons laws that apply to their off-campus locations.

If a student or employee violates the provisions of the campus carry law, may the institution treat that conduct as a violation of its student code of conduct or personnel rules?
Yes. The immediate situation should be handled by law enforcement, but afterwards the conduct may be treated as a violation of the student code of conduct or the personnel rules. That process should then be handled in the same manner as any other student or employee misconduct case would be handled.

Electroshock Weapons

A provision regarding "electroshock weapons" was added to O.C.G.A. 16-11-127.1 during the 2015-16 legislative session. Subsection (19) of 16-11-127.1(c), effective 07/01/2016, allows any person who is 18 years of age or older or currently enrolled in classes on the campus in question to carry, possess, or have under such person's control an electroshock weapon while in or on any building or real property owned by or leased to such public technical school, vocational school, college or university or other public institution of post-secondary education; provided, however, that, if such person makes use of such electroshock weapon, such use shall be in defense of self or others. The exemption under this paragraph shall apply only to such person in regard to such electroshock weapon. As used in this provision, the term “electroshock weapon” means any commercially available device that is powered by electrical charging units and designed exclusively to be capable of incapacitating a person by electrical charge, including, but not limited to, a stun gun or taser as defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-11-106.