Students

Student Drug Testing

Colby Community College maintains a drug-free educational environment and requires all students to remain free of the unlawful and/or inappropriate use of controlled or illegal substances while enrolled as a student. Students will be held accountable for consuming illegal substances, regardless of state or local laws in the location where the substance was used. A student is subject to testing to show proof of a physical condition free from the unlawful and/or inappropriate use of controlled or illegal substances or the use of prescription medication for which the student does not have a valid prescription or which a student is using in a manner inconsistent with a physician’s directions.

The Executive Vice President, or their designee, shall be responsible for oversight and implementation of the College’s drug testing program.

Basis for Drug Testing

Drug testing will be required whenever the administrator over Student Affairs, or their designee, has reasonable suspicion that a student may be engaging in the unlawful and/or inappropriate use of a controlled or illegal substance, or the inappropriate use or abuse of a prescription medication, whether on or off campus.

Grounds for developing reasonable suspicion to require a student to submit to a drug test may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Incoherent communication or inexplicable behavior.
2. A pattern of tardiness and/or absenteeism from class.
3. Suspicious odors on person, clothing, and/or other property.
4. Possession of drug paraphernalia.
5. Arrest, citation, or conviction for a substance-related offense.
6. Observations of substance abuse or physical symptoms or manifestations of impairment, incoherency, or erratic, inexplicable conduct.
7. A report of substance abuse or use provided by a reliable and credible source.

Such grounds shall be articulable and particularized to the individual student to be subjected to drug testing.

Definitions

Drug Test

A scientifically substantiated method to test for the presence of controlled substance or illegal drug as determined by a urine test.

Illegal Drugs

The synthetic or generic equivalent or derivative drugs that are illegal under federal, state, or local laws, including but not limited to marijuana, alcohol, heroin, hashish, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamines, opiates, hallucinogens, depressants, and stimulants not prescribed for the user. This term includes, but is not limited to, all drugs listed on 65-4105, 4107 Kan. Stat. Ann., and Section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 812.

Non-Negative Test

Any test showing an initial positive result that has not been verified.

Positive Drug Test

A toxicological test result that is considered to demonstrate the presence of a controlled substance or illegal drug or the metabolites thereof using the standards customarily established by the testing laboratory administering the drug use test. This term alternatively may be referenced as a “positive,” a “positive test,” or a “positive result.”

Confidentiality

Student health information derived from the results of drug testing is a type of student record that is particularly sensitive and protected by numerous state and federal laws. Student information shall be protected from unauthorized, illegal, or inappropriate disclosure by adherence to the principles of confidentiality and privacy. The information shall be protected regardless of whether the information is received orally, in writing, or electronically and regardless of the type of record or method of storage. All appropriate laws and CCC policies will be used to enforce violation of confidentiality.

Notification and Consent

Upon enrollment in Colby Community College, students shall receive a copy of this policy in both the Student Handbook and Residence Life Handbook. Notice of this policy is also found on CCC’s website and discussed at new student orientations.

Submission to drug testing in accordance with this policy is a condition of enrollment with CCC. This policy does not affect other policies and practices of CCC in dealing with drugs or alcohol use or possession.

Testing Procedure

Any drug test required by CCC under the terms of this drug testing policy will be administered by or at the direction of a professional laboratory chosen by CCC using scientifically validated toxicological methods and certified to conduct drug testing. The professional laboratory shall be required to have detailed written specifications to assure chain of custody of the specimens, proper laboratory control, scientific testing, and verification of samples.

The testing method to be administered will be urinalysis. Appropriate steps will be taken to respect the privacy of students while simultaneously preventing falsification of testing. Upon receiving notice from the Executive Vice President and/or their designee that the student has been identified, pursuant to the College’s reasonable suspicion standards, to require drug testing, the student will immediately go to a designated laboratory and wait until it is their turn to produce a specimen.

The testing lab will follow standard protocols to confirm the student’s identity, verify any prescription medications the student is taking that may impact the testing result, and collect a specimen. If the specimen is deemed unacceptable for testing by the designated lab, the student will be required to produce another specimen. If a student is unable to produce a urine sample within three (3) hours, the student must schedule an appointment with a doctor within one (1) day of the test to see if a medical reason exists to explain the inability to produce a urine sample. The doctor’s exam will be conducted at the expense of the student. If the student does not have the exam, or if the doctor does not find a valid medical reason, then the test will be deemed positive.

Any non-negative and/or positive results received during the initial urinalysis will be sent to Quest Laboratories at the College’s expense to confirm results. All test results will remain confidential and will only be released to the student and approved CCC officials. All files regarding the participants in any drug testing, as well as test results, shall be kept strictly confidential and will be kept separate from the mandatory CCC files required for each student.

Violations and Consequences

A positive drug test that confirms a student has engaged in the unlawful or inappropriate use and/or abuse of controlled or illegal substances will result in disciplinary action as outlined in CCC’s Student Handbook and/or Residence Life Handbook.

Refusal to Submit to Drug Use Test

Any student who refuses to submit to a request for drug testing from an authorized CCC official, refuses to authorize the release of test results to CCC, or tampers with a drug testing sample will be treated as if the test was positive.

Any student who has a positive initial test and refuses to complete the requirements for a confirmation test will be treated as a refusal.

Drugs Subject to Testing

Any illegal drugs as defined by this policy may be tested for. CCC will pay for all drug screenings and follow-up screenings required by this policy. Any participation in substance abuse evaluation and education/counseling programs is at student expense.

[Adopted March 2026]