BOG Addresses Substances On Campus

CHAPEL HILL – Earlier this year Governor Pat McCrory challenged the UNC Board of Governors to look at its substance abuse challenges on campus.

Vice Chairman, Frank Grainger, engaged with Governor Pat McCrory, head of the ABC Jim Gardner, Frank Perry from Public Safety, and a few others on Sept. 4 about the strong presence of drugs and alcohol on campus.

“It appears that drugs are becoming more and more prevalent on our campuses” Grainger said.

Grainger says that campuses across the state have been seeing a higher level of substances because drug “pushers” are moving away from the areas they used to frequent.

“Drugs pushers are moving to the campuses more than to the urban parts of the cities now, because they feel that the campuses have more money on them, etcetera and is an easier push for them,” Grainger stated “and the Governor is not messing around with this.”

Another meeting between the Board of Governors and Governor McCrory is scheduled for Tuesday.  Grainger says they plan on working with the campus police chiefs, ABC, and Public safety to coordinate and work together on this issue.

“The president and I have been talking and we’re going to bring all of our police campus chiefs together and let them tell us what’s going on, on their particular campuses so we can report this back” Grainger said.

Along with the drug “pushers,” stores that supply underage students with alcohol will be targeted as a source of the problem.  Working with the ABC and public safety will allow for the BoG to challenge the substances that are coming to campuses.

The next Board of Governor’s meeting is October 11 and will discuss the  September 17 meeting with Governor Pat McCrory.