Rules and regulations
The rules and regulations apply to every member of Laurea, and they are applied in the daily activities of the university community. The rules guarantee a safe study and working environment for members of the university community. Rules and regulations of Laurea University of Applied Sciences instruct that students and staff must behave properly and appropriately in all activities of Laurea University of Applied Sciences.
The use of intoxicants and appearing intoxicated on the premises and in all learning situations is prohibited. A student may be ordered to leave events related to Laurea University of Applied Sciences activities due to behavior that disrupts studies or teaching.
Substance-free and smoke-free policy
Laurea is a substance-free and smoke-free study and work environment. Possession of, use of, or appearing under the influence of intoxicants is prohibited in teaching and training situations. The use of alcohol for intoxication is not permitted in the activities of the university community. Laurea follows a substance policy. In accordance with the Tobacco Act, smoking is prohibited indoors as well as in the immediate vicinity of entrances. The university must have a valid written substance policy.
The University of Applied Sciences may require the presentation of a certificate concerning a drug test from all its students if there is a justified reason to suspect that
- the student is under the influence of drugs during practical tasks related to studies, work-based learning or training, or
- the student has a drug dependency and
- testing is necessary to determine the student’s ability to function and
- the student performs tasks that require particular accuracy, carefulness, reliability, independent judgement, or good reaction capability, and
- the student works in tasks where acting under the influence of drugs or acting as drug-dependent may
- seriously endanger the life or health of the student or another
- seriously endanger traffic safety
- seriously compromise the protection or integrity of information safeguarded by confidentiality regulations
- significantly increase the risk of illegal trade or dissemination of narcotics or medicinal substances in the possession of the education provider, the university, the training place or workplace learning site, or the employer.
- the student works in tasks where acting under the influence of drugs or acting as drug-dependent may
If a student is observed to have a substance-related problem, Laurea University of Applied Sciences will verify that the aforementioned conditions are met and will refer the student for necessary examinations. The university will pay the costs arising from the certificate and the travel expenses of the person to be tested. If the student disputes that the conditions for drug testing are met but gives consent to testing, it is justified to perform the test and it will be carried out in accordance with this guideline. The certificate must be presented to a university representative within a reasonable time determined by the University of Applied Sciences.
Laurea University of Applied Sciences provides the student and the health care unit responsible for arranging the sample collection and issuing the certificate with the Transfer of Information Form to health care (downloadable: SORA-legislation based drug testing – YTHS), which justifies the university’s right to receive a certificate concerning a drug test and indicates a free-form description of the assessment of intoxication made at the institution, workplace learning place or training place and the student’s functional capacity.
Laurea University of Applied Sciences contacts YTHS immediately when it has obliged a student to provide the certificate. The student and the university representative call together to YTHS’s assessment of care need, from which the student is directed for treatment by the responsible team the same day under the ‘urgent’ reason. The student may also, by arrangement, call the assessment of care need themselves, in which case the university representative contacts the nurse appointed for the university. The student delivers the Transfer of Information Form completed by the university to the responsible health care professional.
Testing must be done within 48 hours of the occurrence of the matter.
Reporting
If a student or another member of our community appears under the influence of narcotics or other intoxicants in the activities of the university community, this must always be intervened. If the situation appears threatening, the police must be alerted to the scene.
A report of possible drug use or a substance problem is always made, and it can be submitted by any member of the university community. A concern report can be submitted to Head of Studies Satu Kaunio, satu.kaunio@laurea.fi, or by contacting security services. In urgent cases, e.g. in the presence of an acute threat, contact is always first made to the general emergency number.
A student’s participation in teaching may be denied for up to three working days. This is decided by the Director responsible for safety. In some cases, the completion of practical training may also be suspended or the start of training postponed; these decisions are made by the authorized Head of Studies together with the Head of Education Development.
Addressing the issue
Means appropriate for addressing the issue are always situation-dependent. At Laurea this is the responsibility of the Head of Studies and the director appointed for the matter, as well as the Chief of Security. Addressing the issue is the first step in intervening in a student’s substance problem or risky behaviour. The person who made the observation has an obligation to report their concern onward. This concern is handled and then the course of action is agreed. The teacher can support the student, but they are not an active intervener in such situations.
Clarification
If the student denies drug use and the conditions set out in the University of Applied Sciences Act are met, the student may be obliged to present a certificate from a drug test. The primary aim is to proceed in good cooperation with the student.
The student must be enabled to present his or her own view at all stages of the referral to treatment. The student must be offered the opportunity to request a support person and/or a health care professional of their choice to support them.
An appointment will be arranged for the student with the on-call doctor through YTHS. A urine sample is given at the laboratory under supervised conditions. The student must prove their identity with a photo identity document (passport, driving licence or identity card).
The student receives the written drug test result from the treating physician. The student submits it and the related medical statement to those who sent the test.
Referral to treatment
The health care professional and the unit representative will draw up a written treatment guidance agreement together with the student. The agreement will define at least the treatment provider to which the student is referred, possible drug tests and the documents to be delivered from them, the exchange of information between the university, the student and the treatment provider, studies during commitment to treatment, return to the study community and possible consequences for breaching the agreement.
Monitoring and return to the study community
Special attention must be paid when drafting the treatment guidance agreement to ensure that the student’s return to the study community as a member is made possible without delay even after difficult situations. It must also be ensured that contact between the student and the university is possible even when the student’s studies are interrupted for the time of treatment. The student’s return to the study community is also facilitated by planning it in a cooperation meeting with the drafters of the treatment guidance agreement.
If the student does not comply with the matters agreed in the treatment guidance agreement and no mutual understanding is reached, the Head of Studies assigned to handle the case, together with a representative of YTHS and the Director responsible for safety, may decide to transfer the matter to further investigation. Particular attention must be paid to documenting the implementation of the substance action programme. The storage of these documents must also be carried out in accordance with specific provisions on confidentiality and the expiry of documents.
According to the Universities of Applied Sciences Act, sensitive information must be stored separately from other personal data. In addition, sensitive data must be removed from the register immediately when there is no longer a statutory basis for retaining them for the performance of statutory tasks, however no later than four years after the information was entered in the register.
The rules of Laurea University of Applied Sciences apply during study and training periods abroad; in addition, the student must comply with the laws of the host country and respect the culture. If the student’s use of intoxicants affects the progress of their studies abroad or endangers the student’s health, they will be asked to return to their home country, where they will be referred to treatment if necessary. Action regarding possible referral for a drug test is taken as in domestic training as well.
A student who has violated the rules of Laurea University of Applied Sciences may be disciplined depending on the severity of the breach with a written warning issued by the President or by being expelled for a fixed period, up to one year. As a last resort, the revocation of the right to study is possible, which is decided by the university’s board. If a student refuses examinations and tests carried out to determine their state of health, the right to study may be suspended until they consent to them. Before deciding the matter, the student must be given an opportunity to be heard.
Laurea’s substance policy is based on the Universities of Applied Sciences Act (932/2014), Rules and regulations of Laurea University of Applied Sciences and the degree regulations.
YTHS service points close to Laurea’s operating area:
Espoo, Otakaari 12
Helsinki, Töölönkatu 37 A
Helsinki, Malmin kauppatie 8
If the student does not live in the campus localities, they can attend an appointment at the YTHS service point nearest to their home municipality. See the nearest service point on YTHS’s front page.
YTHS appointment booking by telephone callback:
General and mental health appointment booking
046 710 1073