In a typical Dartmouth term, the Good Sam policy allows an intoxicated student or a concerned friend to call Safety and Security and, with no questions asked and no disciplinary ramifications from the College, the student will be taken to Dick's House and receive medical attention.
On rare occasions in other terms, Dartmouth students are taken to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center due to severe intoxication, but during the Summer term, DHMC is the only recourse for undergraduates who need immediate medical help over the weekend. This fact poses an additional complication, as the Hanover Police is notified of all ambulance dispatches, resulting in the arrest of any underage, intoxicated student who is taken to DHMC.
Harry Kinne, College Proctor and director of Safety and Security, noted that his priority is always the safety of all Dartmouth students, adding that this holds true during the Summer term
"Our processes don't change when Dick's House is closed," Kinne said. "If the student is in need of medical attention we will make sure that they will get that attention regardless of whether Dick's House is closed. We will call Hanover dispatch and get an ambulance right away, but if someone is only mildly intoxicated we might contact a roommate and get them home."
Kinne emphasized that the Good Samaritan policy is an "internal process," and though Safety and Security cannot prevent any requisite legal problems that might result from a trip to DHMC or a run-in with the Hanover Police, he stressed that his officers are on the students' side.
Kinne also said there has been a rise in Good Samaritan calls in past years and that he hopes to see the trend continue, despite the change in Dick's House hours over the summer.
"I know that students have been using the Good Sam and have been calling in more Good Sams in the past few years, and I think that's great," Kinne said. "I couldn't speak for students who might be reluctant to use it this summer, but we want to do everything we can to encourage students to use the Good Sam policy."
Dr. John Turco, director of Dick's House, also noted that students must use good judgment and should not hesitate to call for help, regardless of possible ramifications.
"Hopefully we're trying to emphasize to people that if they are concerned about somebody they need to get some help," Turco said.
He noted that there is always a Dick's House physician on call and that it is not uncommon for a student to call looking for advice or a medical evaluation during the weekends.
Turco said that Dick's House has never been open on the weekends during the summer, with a single exception about 20 years ago, when former President of the College John Sloan Dickey had a stroke and was cared for in the infirmary. The summer hours relate to staffing and financial issues, he added.
"The infirmary is closed due to the fact that we have less usage during the summer," he said. "It comes down to a financial issue. The problem with an infirmary is that you either staff it completely or you don't staff it at all. From a medical climate anyone that needs to be seen can be sent to the emergency room, so it just doesn't make sense from a financial standpoint to keep things open during the summer weekends."
Some students consider this situation to be a potential hindrance to getting intoxicated students the medical attention they may need.
Michael Bamberger '09 said that the Good Samaritan policy is only relevant as a resource if students are comfortable using it.
"The Good Samaritan policy is meant to help students without the risk of being punished," he said. "If students who are seriously in trouble run the risk of getting arrested, it defeats the entire purpose."
Oleg Seletsky '09 also noted that students might be reluctant to call Safety and Security for fear of an ambulance dispatch and subsequent arrest, which could ultimately result in larger problems related to transportation to DHMC.
"[A concerned friend] may decide to drive the student to DHMC themselves so that the police do not get involved and thus you are not charged with possession of alcohol," he said. "There are two problems with this situation. One is that this could result in drunk driving. Secondly, it is illegal in the state of New Hampshire to drive an intoxicated minor because it is equivalent to 'transporting alcohol.'"
Confronted with such problems, Kinne encouraged students to party responsibly over sophomore summer.
"I would remember that the summer is just like any other time of the year at Dartmouth," he said. "All the precautions we encourage students to take during the fall and the winter, we would urge them to take in the summer. We would also encourage a person that if they think a friend is in trouble not to second guess whether that person would end up getting into trouble and do the right thing -- call Safety and Security to assist them."
