• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee announced it will not discipline students in emergency situations

• The e-mail announcement emphasized a bigger effort by UWM police against distribution/selling of illegal substances

• The e-mail also detailed the Make Good Decisions program run by students

• Safety is number one priority at UWM

As of last week, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee announced students will not be disciplined if they report an alcohol or drug-related emergency that involves themselves, friends or other students.

The announcement was made via e-mail to all students by university Chancellor Carlos Santiago.

“Students typically were not disciplined in such cases in the past,” said Tom Luljak, vice chancellor of university relations and communications. “But it has never been made an official policy. Now it has.”

In the e-mail, Santiago outlined four steps the university is taking in wake of the deaths of UWM freshmen Luke Murphy and Ali Raddatz. Both deaths appear to have involved the combination of alcohol and drugs.

“We are deeply saddened by their deaths,” Santiago said in the e-mail. “As a campus we must do everything we can to prevent this from happening again.”

Murphy, 19, was found dead in his dormitory on March 30. Raddatz, 18, died on Feb. 21 at an off-campus party.

The university announced a list of other commitments as well. It will also promote a campaign to help students make better decisions, expand UWM police efforts against the distribution or selling of illegal substances to students and possibly create a new course on alcohol, drugs and personal safety for incoming freshmen.

The campaign, Make Good Decisions, is a student-based initiative that intends to educate other students regarding safe drinking practices, according to the campaign’s Web site.

“It’s really a rich initiative,” Luljak said. “It’s a great resource for students, and it’s run by students, which may be its best quality.”

Luljak also said the potential new course was approved by the UWM Student Association. The university already has other courses and orientations in place for incoming freshmen and their families.

Kris Rickaby, a sophomore at UWM, said he had a friend in high school that died because friends were too scared to call for help.

“I think it’s not just a good thing, but it’s very important that people know not to be scared to call for help,” Rickaby said.

Danielle DeMorrow, a freshman at UWM who lives in the dorms, said the announcement was comforting.

“It’s good to know that they’re trying to do something about it,” she said. “Their deaths were so shocking, and safety needs to be a priority.”

In the e-mail, Santiago also highlighted the Make Good Decisions program, and emphasized the need for a safe campus.

“Our goal at UWM continues to be to safeguard our students,” Santiago said.

Luljak said the safety has always been a big priority, and the school has counselors that are ready to assist students at all times.

“Stress at school can be a real burden,” Luljak said. “Especially for freshmen who are leaving home for the first time, they need to know that they have counselors and peers that they can turn to for help.”