Chapter Leader of the Week: Drew Stromberg, WVU

Chapter Leader of the Week

Basics:

• Drew Stromberg
• Founder and President
• West Virginia University SSDP

SSDP: When did you 1st get involved with SSDP?
Drew: I got involved during in the summer of 2009 when a friend of mine told me I should start a chapter at WVU.


SSDP: What issues are important for your chapter?
Drew: Good Samaritan Policy - We started working on ours last year and we are slowly but surely moving ever closer to it becoming a real university policy. (bureaucracy is designed to discourage you. Don’t let it.)

Drug education - We are working with WVU’s Senior Wellness Coordinator to incorporate drug education into the University 101 curriculum. The current program does include alcohol education fortunately. At this point in the process, we’re looking for universities with good drug education programs already in place. Do you have an open, comprehensive, and science-based program at your school? If you do, get in touch with me!

SSDP: Do you have any events planned for the this semester?
Drew: We hope to host an art show fundraiser in February. And of course we wouldn’t miss the National Training Conference in Washington, DC! Mountaineers en mass on the mall in March!

SSDP: What do you like best about being part of SSDP?
Drew: The work that we do is important and the changes we make are real. We’re shaping our world into a more sensible form.


SSDP: Do you have any advice for other chapter leaders?
Drew: As part of my technology internship with SSDP this semester, I've been working on our chapter's website, and developing the SSDP Tech Tips group on Facebook, so use these and me as a resource for improving your chapter's online presence.

Also, taking your chapter to a conference is the fastest way to turn regular members into drug policy reform samurai warriors.

Columbia University SSDP now closer to policy change

The SSDP chapter at Columbia University in New York came one step closer to passing a Good Samaritan Policy at the Ivy League school. The Columbia College Student Council and Engineering Student Council have both voted unanimously in support of the policy proposal.

Katharine Celentano, who is this week's featured SSDP chapter leader, says the next step is to bring the policy change to the school's Dean and the senior assistant dean of judicial affairs and community standards who will make the final decision.

Columbia is the only Ivy League school that has not adopted a “Good Samaritan” policy, which advocates like Katharine Celentano, GS and a member of SSDP, say will curb the consequences of alcohol poisoning and drug overdose.

“It’s very important that it’s clearly stated that people aren’t going to get in trouble,” Celentano, an author of the proposal, said. “Making that life-saving call is all about the psychology of the moment.” 

If the proposal passes, it would create official policy allowing students to call the  Columbia University Emergency Medical Services (CAVA) for help during drug related emergencies without the threat of punishment from the school.

Find out more about SSDP's Good Samaritan Policy work here: http://www.ssdp.org/campaigns/good-samaritan-policies