Back on TRAC (Treatment, Responsibility and Accountability on Campus) Program
The Back on TRAC program is an assessment-based, collaborative campus approach that uses a community drug court model to address alcohol and drug issues among students. Students who are facing suspension from Oklahoma State University or removal from the residence halls or from fraternity/sorority housing for alcohol and/or drug incidents may be eligible for participation in the program. As a condition for remaining in school or in housing, students must apply, be accepted to, and successfully complete the program or suspension and/or housing removal will be enacted. Students are typically referred to the program by a hearing officer.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Back on TRAC program is to provide an assessment-based intervention for students whose substance use behavior is jeopardizing their standing within the Oklahoma State University academic community. The program offers opportunities for treatment and recovery through support and accountability as students make substance use and lifestyle changes in an effort to achieve their academic goals.
Program Goals
Program Eligibility
Students who have been sanctioned to removal from housing or suspension from Oklahoma State University for alcohol and/or drug offenses through the Oklahoma State University judicial system are eligible to apply to Back on TRAC.
Program Admission
Students who apply to participate in Back on TRAC will be screened by the staffing team. Students should submit a letter to Student Judicial Affairs explaining their interest in participating, their commitment to the program and to lifestyle changes. The screening process will normally involve meeting with the staffing team to discuss admittance, a criminal background check, as well as an alcohol and drug assessment with the licensed alcohol and drug counselor.
Exclusion Criteria
The staffing team reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant. Some examples of exclusion criteria include the following: drug trafficking offenses, violent or sexual offenses, child abuse, and other criteria as determined by the staffing team.
Program Requirements
At a minimum, participants will be expected to participate in the following:
Additional requirements may be implemented as determined by the Staffing Team, which may include the following:
Individual requirements may be implemented based on a participant’s individual treatment plan and goals.
In addition, participants will be required to get permission before leaving Stillwater for any length of time, as well as notifying Payne County Drug Court if they are given permission to leave town. For extended periods away from Stillwater, participants will be expected to sign Break Contracts with program requirements to hold them accountable while they are away.
Performance-based sanctions and incentives will be administered. While it is recognized that participants will need time to change, they will be held accountable for making progress in the program.
Students are expected to remain abstinent while participating in the program. Students may not patronize any establishment where alcoholic beverages are exclusively sold or used.
The Staffing Team
The Back on TRAC Staffing Team meets with participating students once a week during court proceedings. The staffing team also reviews student cases each week, prior to court. The team makes decisions regarding student participants, and determines incentives and sanctions, as appropriate. The staffing team, in addition to the Judge, will periodically ask questions during court proceedings. The various Staffing Team roles are described below.
Judge/Coordinator—Dr. Tawny Taylor
The judge presides at court, where participants make a weekly report about their progress in the program, academics, and in life. The Judge provides orientation to the program; performs contract signing with participants; administers incentives and sanctions, as appropriate; and authorizes break contracts. Oftentimes, the Judge also adjudicates and refers students to the Back on TRAC staffing team.
Assistant Coordinator--Mr. Kevin Kraft
The assistant coordinator assists the coordinator in oversight of the Back on TRAC program. The assistant coordinator may also adjudicate and refer students to the Back on TRAC staffing team.
Case Manager—Mr. Matt Sullivan
The case manager meets with participants each week and tracks their progress, as well as assisting in drafting break contracts. The case manager updates the Back on TRAC staffing team on students’ progress in the program each week. The case manager also serves as the record keeper for court proceedings.
Alcohol and Drug Counselor—Mrs. Linda Myers
The alcohol and drug counselor conducts treatment with participants and provides an update on students’ progress in the program to the Back on TRAC staffing team each week.
Police Representatives—Lieutenant Leon Jones and Officer Richard Balfanz
The police representatives perform background checks, breathalyzers, and home visits to check for substances.
Residential Life Hearing Officer—Dr. Scott Blackwell
The residential life hearing officer adjudicates and refers cases involving residence hall removal to the Back on TRAC staffing team.
Residential Life Staffing Team Member—Mr. Nathan Roberts
The Residential Life staffing team member communicates with the staffing team about any Residential Life participants and trains Residential Life about the program.
Greek Life Referral Facilitator—Mr. Ival Gregory
The Greek Life referral facilitator refers Greek students to the Back on TRAC staffing team, communicates with the staffing team about any Greek participants, and trains the Greek community about the program.
Director of University Counseling Services—Dr. Suzanne Burks
The director of University Counseling Services consults with and advises the staffing team concerning student mental health issues.
Vice President for Student Affairs—Dr. Lee Bird
The vice president for Student Affairs serves as the appeal officer for the University discipline process and also refers students to the Back on TRAC staffing team.
Costs
Participants must pay a $100 fee for participation in Back on TRAC, as well as pay $50 for the books that are used in treatment. Participants may also be assigned to complete random urinalysis tests for a period of time, at a fee of $10 per test, or random breathalyzers, at a fee of $5 per breathalyzer. If participants are required to wear a SCRAM (alcohol-monitoring bracelet), the fee is $10 per day, worn for a minimum of three months.
Rules and Regulations
1. Participants shall not violate any city, state or federal law. All arrests or contact with police must be reported to the BOT Team within 24 hours.
2. No acts of violence or threats of violence against a fellow participant or staff member.
3. Participants shall attend group on time. Participants arriving late to group will be considered absent.
4. Participants shall not use, have in their possession, sell, distribute, or have under their control any paraphernalia or drug except as prescribed by a licensed physician.
5. Participants shall not use or possess any alcoholic beverage, including 3.2 beer, nor shall they patronize any establishment where alcoholic beverages are exclusively sold or used.
6. Participants shall not attend any program requirement under the influence of alcohol or any illicit drug.
7. Participants shall not miss any scheduled counseling appointments, BOT Court appearances, or urine drug screens.
8. Participants shall attend all counseling sessions and be on time to those sessions. They are required to attend treatment groups as scheduled. It will be up to the discretion of the participant whether or not they choose to miss group. All participants must be aware that sanctions will be imposed for missing a group.
9. Participants shall attend all case managements sessions and be on time to those sessions. They are required to bring the necessary attendance sheets to these case management sessions for verification by the case manager.
10. Participants shall attend all BOT Court appearances and be on time. Participants must be in the courtroom when the Court is called to order, in proper dress, with appropriate conduct.
11. Participants shall submit to urine drug screens at any time requested by the BOT Team.
12. Participants shall keep the counselor informed of their address and phone number. They shall not change their address or phone number without notifying the counselor in advance.
13. Participants shall keep the case manager informed of their whereabouts. They shall not leave the Stillwater area without first notifying the Case Manager and Payne County Drug Court, if applicable.
14. Participants shall attend classes on time, have regular appointed study times, and maintain at least a 2.00 GPA each semester, unless otherwise stated in their individual contract.
15. Participants shall pay all BOT program fees as agreed at the case management assessment. Participants agree to pay all BOT fees by the time of graduation from the program, or dismissal from the program with failure to fulfill the financial obligations will occur, which will result in either a graduation hold or enrollment hold on your account until the financial obligations are satisfied.
16. Participants shall make satisfactory progress in the program as measured by phase requirements.
17. A positive drug screen after one sanction in the program is grounds for termination from the program.
18. Phase I must be completed within six months of admission to the program. Failure to do so is grounds for termination from the program.
19. Phase I, Step 3 may only be repeated three times during the course of the participation in the program. Any rule violation following that may result in the participant restarting the program requirements.
20. Participants must bring all materials (books, pen/pencil, and manual) to group. If the participant does not have the proper materials, they will be asked to leave group. This will be considered a missed session. There will be sanctions assigned for missed sessions.
21. Participants in Phases II, III, IV must bring documented attendance of required number of NA/AA meetings to group (Phase II = 2 weekly, Phase III = 2 weekly, Phase IV = 1 weekly, Phase V = 1 weekly) .
22. No more than three positive drug screens will be allowed. If more than three occur, the participant will be requested to enter inpatient treatment or possibly terminated from the program.
23. Participants in Phase V must report twice each month to submit a urinalysis. One documented NA/AA meeting per week is required until graduation from the program.
24. All participants entering the program are given a 30-day clean up phase for marijuana. For those participants who use during this phase (detected by an increase in marijuana levels) or those participants who test positive for any other drug other than marijuana, the clean-up phase is automatically terminated and sanctions may be imposed.
25. The program may include in home site visits by the Back on TRAC police officer. Home site visits will be random in nature. These visits are to ensure there is no alcohol or drugs in the participant’s place of residence.
26. Participants agree to let the Staffing Team communicate with all faculty/teaching assistants regarding any and all academic information such as class attendance and grades for verification purposes.