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Substance abuse is inconsistent with participation in Purdue's intercollegiate athletics program. Therefore, Purdue has established a system of drug education and testing to which all student-athletes must give their consent. It is explained in detail in the policy that follows.

Purdue Student-Athlete Drug Testing Policy

• Introduction
• Procedures
• Table I: Classification for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Drug Testing Program

Purdue University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Drug Education and Testing Program

For the mutual best interest of Purdue University and all Purdue student-athletes, the following drug education and testing procedures will be in operation. The purposes of the program are to inform students about the serious physical, mental, and emotional harm caused by illegal/banned substances, serve as a diagnostic aid for the identification of individuals affected by substance abuse, and deter the use of such substances. The goal at Purdue University is to maintain an athletic environment free of substance abuse that is consistent with the high standards of the university and with the overall development and education of its student athletes. The program will be administered in a manner consistent with the personal rights and privacy interests of the students. Substance abuse (whether disclosed through drug testing or otherwise) is inconsistent with academic and athletic excellence, and will not be tolerated. Procedures for implementation of this program are outlined below.

Procedures back to top

1. As a part of the orientation process for each intercollegiate sport, the head coach will arrange for all squad members to attend a drug education and testing orientation, which will be given by the Department of Sports Medicine. During the orientation program for individual sports, the Department’s drug testing program will be explained and consent forms will be distributed to all students who have not previously signed a consent form. The drug education and Testing Program will apply to all athletes participating in intercollegiate sports.
   
   
2. The testing program will be administered in the Athletic Department by staff Athletic Trainers through the team physicians acting in a doctor/patient relationship with each student, under the terms of the consent forms signed by all participating students. The testing program is intended primarily to test for the presence in the body of “street drug” residues such as amphetamines, cannabinoids (substances contained in marijuana), cocaine and other controlled substances, but may also include procedures to detect anabolic steroids and other “performance enhancing” drugs. A current list of NCAA banned substances is included (Table 2). Also be aware that “nutritional supplements” may contain banned substances that may or may not be listed on the label.
   
   
3. The testing will be done through chemical analyses of urine specimens (“urinalysis”). The testing procedures will follow appropriate, NCAA approved chain of custody procedures. Patient confidentiality will be maintained by code numbers known only to the team physicians and the head athletic trainer. The analyses will be performed only through qualified professional laboratories. The urine specimens will be collected in a random, unannounced procedure. These collections may be done several times per year and more frequently if deemed appropriate by the team physicians. (Failure to provide a urine specimen will constitute a positive test result.)
   
   
4. There are three possible categories in which a student-athlete may be placed in the Department’s drug testing program: Category 0,1,or 2. All student-athletes enter the program in category 0 (i.e., assumed to be drug-free and/or never have had a positive test). A positive test will result in entry into one of the other two categories as defined on Table I.
   
   
5. The team physician may recommend or prescribe professional counseling to any student who tests positive on one or more occasions. The team physician may provide initial counseling, if the student agrees, through the University sports medicine personnel or the Student Health Center. However, unlike the situation where an athlete is injured while participating in his/her sport, the University will not assume financial or other responsibility for continuing treatment and rehabilitation of student-athletes with drug usage or drug dependency problems. The University will encourage and be supportive of student-athletes who participate in such rehabilitation programs but will not assume any responsibility for these programs or for any physical, mental, or emotional damage or disability suffered by a student-athlete related to alcohol or drug usage.
   
   
6. Apart from the drug testing program, the coaching staff of each intercollegiate sport will have their own training rules and requirements which include prohibitions concerning the use of drugs. Individual team rules and sanctions may be more comprehensive and/or restrictive than those listed in this drug education and testing document. As in the past, each coach will have the necessary authority to enforce these rules. A student-athlete whose system contains drug residues may not be capable of performing sports activities and may detract from team performance and/or be a hazard to himself/herself and others. Accordingly, coaches may properly take positive drug test results into consideration along with any other indications of drug use, as a factor in determining whether, and to what extent, a particular student-athlete should be permitted to practice, workout, or compete in her/her sport. The coach will consult with the team physician and athletic trainer in such cases. However, the following provision will apply in all situations:

   Because under Big Ten Conference rules formal suspension or dismissal from an athletic team for drug usage may result in non-renewal of financial grant-in-aid, a coach may only take such formal action with regard to positive drug test results under circumstances stated in Paragraph 7 below.

7. The Big Ten Conference financial grant-in-aid forms contain the following
   provision:
   
   “The financial aid provided in this tender may not be renewed if I am
   suspended from athletic competition or dismissed from an athletic team
   for participating in the use, sale, or distribution of any narcotic drug
   or controlled substance”

   Even where formal suspension or dismissal from an athletic team has occurred,
   Big Ten and NCAA regulations would require that a student be given the opportunity for a hearing, within the division of Financial Aids, if the University proposed not to renew any athletic scholarship or grant-in-aid previously awarded to the student.
   

8. It has been agreed by the office for Student Services and the Office of the Dean of Students that they will not be entitled to request information as to results of drug tests of any student-athlete, nor to use any information or evidence as to such test results, for any disciplinary purpose whatsoever. The Division of Sports Medicine
   and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will make every effort to keep all such test results confidential except to the limited extent otherwise provided in Table 1, and will oppose the disclosure thereof to any other persons within or outside the University. The results will be considered part of the student athlete’s medical record and are, therefore, confidential by law.
   

Table I. Classification for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Drug Testing Program back to top

Category 0: No history of a positive test for banned substances.

Category 1:

Qualifications:

1. At least one positive test for banned substance; and
2. Clinical assessment shows only occasional use without evidence for physical or psychological dependence.

Resulting Actions:

1. Student-athlete may be subject to mandatory counseling.
2. Student-athlete will be subject to increased frequency of testing for banned substances.
3. Student-athlete may be subject to coach/team sanctions and will be warned of the consequences of future positive tests or failure to comply with either future drug testing procedures or professional counseling procedures.
4. Test results confined to team physicians, head athletic trainer and athletic trainer for that sport, and head coach.
5. Parents/guardians may be notified and kept informed of progress.

Category 2:

Qualifications:

1. At least one positive test and determined by a professional substance abuse counselor to be a regular user with physical or psychological dependence; or
2. Two or more positive tests within a twelve-month period.

Resulting Actions:

1. Student-athlete will enter professional counseling, the frequency of which will be determined by a professional substance abuse counselor.
2. Student-athlete will be subject to increased frequency of drug testing.
3. Student-athlete will be subject to team/coach sanctions and will be warned of the consequences of future positive tests or failure to comply with either future drug testing procedures or professional counseling procedures.
4. Parents/guardians will be notified and kept informed of progress.
   
   The student-athlete may revert to category 1 by repeated negative tests over an 18-month period and if the student-athlete shows satisfactory progress reports from the professional counseling sessions.
   
   The athletic director and associate athletic director to whom the head coach reports will be notified of all student-athletes who enter category 2.

Category 3:

Qualifications:

1. Student-athlete will have tested positive after having been placed in category 2; or
2. The student-athlete does not fulfill the professional counseling requirements.

Resulting Actions:

1. Student-athlete will enter professional counseling, the frequency of which will be determined by a professional substance abuse counselor.
2. Student-athlete will be subject to increased frequency of testing.
3. Student-athlete will be subject to team/coach sanctions. Furthermore, the individual will be given a final warning of the consequences of a positive test while in category 3.
4. Student-athlete may be suspended from participation in practice and intercollegiate contests until effective treatment is instituted and clinical improvement can be established. The head coach and athletic director will initiate any suspension actions. The team physician will initiate treatment and assessment.
5. Parents/guardians will be notified and kept informed of progress.
6. A student-athlete who tests positive after being placed in category 3 will not have his/her athletic financial aid renewed and will be dismissed from the team.
   
   The student-athlete may revert to category 2 by repeated negative tests over a 12-month period and if satisfactory progress is shown in the counseling sessions.
   
   The athletic director and sport administrator will be notified of all student-athletes who enter category 3.