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Broncos Act

About Broncos Act

Broncos Act was created in partnership with the JED Campus initiative to encourage students to seek help for medical issues related to alcohol and drug consumption. Broncos Act is in place to address situations that may involve illegal activities, such as underage drinking and/or drug use, BUT also involve help seeking behavior(s) for those in need of medical assistance. It is our belief that students who seek help for themselves and/or others should be able to do so without having to worry about “getting in trouble” with the University. Simply put, Broncos Act is Boise State University’s amnesty protocol.

Things to Know

How to identify Alcohol Poisoning:

 

PUBS infographic, description on page
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Signs of Alcohol Poisoning: PUBS

  • Puking while passed out
  • Unresponsive to pinching or shaking, unconscious or semiconscious
  • Breathing is low, shallow, irregular or absent
  • Skin is blue, cold, or clammy
  • See one of these symptoms? Call 911!
  • Unsure? Call Poison Control 1-800-222-1222

How do I know if I should call for help?

If someone is experiencing any of the signs in the PUBS section, call for help as soon as possible

Who can I call for help?

9-1-1 should be your first call for help if you or a friend is experiencing signs of alcohol poisoning/drug overdose. If you are living on campus you can also call Public Safety or your Resident Assistant.

Who initiates Broncos Act?

Our first priority is to make sure you and your friends are safe. After you have called for help, you must remain with the person you called for. After an incident has been responded to and documented, it will initiate a response from the Office of the Dean of Students, which will result in a meeting with your Resident Director. The goal of that meeting is to check in on you and gain a better understanding of what happened. After your meeting, the hearing officer you met with will review the situation and decide if the Broncos Act Policy can be applied to your situation. If yes, you will be asked to complete educational sanctions meant to help you identify healthy and safe ways to navigate being a Bronco. If you complete those sanctions, you will not have a conduct record.

Examples of Broncos Act in action:

Scenario 1

John and Kyle attend an off-campus party with several friends. John and Kyle are drinking together, when John notices that Kyle begins to be unresponsive. John calls 9-1-1; though both Kyle and John were drinking underage, they were able to have Broncos Act applied because John called for help and stayed with Kyle while he waited for help to arrive.

Scenario 2

Rylie and Kelsey were coming back from a Boise State football game. When entering Chaffee Hall, Rylie collapsed in the hallway by a Resident Assistant. The RA called 9-1-1 for Rylie. Rylie and Kelsey were unable to use the Broncos Act due to the fact that they did not call for help and the RA was responding to the incident.

Scenario 3

Lexi is walking back from an off-campus party and begins to feel ill by the Alumni and Friends Center. She calls Public Safety for a Security Escort and lets them know she had too much to drink and would like to be evaluated by EMS. Lexi is able to have Broncos Act applied to her situation due to the fact that she sought out help for herself.

Scenario 4

Greg is with a group of friends in the Student Union building. They decide to walk over to B Plaza and shotgun several beers to celebrate the end of the semester. While at the Plaza, a police officer pulls over to check on a student who is lying by the B. The officer ultimately cites each student for underage drinking. The Broncos Act policy cannot be applied since the police officer had to respond to the students’ behavior.

When does it NOT apply?

If Broncos Act is applied to a student situation, it can only be used once. Moreover, Broncos Act cannot be used for students who are engaging in behaviors other than possession/consumption, including but not limited to driving under the influence, manufacturing/distribution/delivery of drugs, possessing with intent to manufacture/distribute/deliver drugs.

Broncos Act can only be applied to students whose behavior is being addressed through the Student Code of Conduct process. This process does not apply to other disciplinary measures that students may be held accountable to.

Here For You

Being a student can come with many challenges and stressors. At Boise State, we are here for you. We are committed to supporting students’ wellbeing. Check out the resources available to support your success and wellbeing.