Canisius University’s Community Standards promote student health and safety, provide transparency regarding the University’s notification practices, and clarify how the University exercises its discretion under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and applicable New York State law.
What Students Should Know
- Canisius University encourages students to understand how the Community Standards, FERPA, and Beau’s Law may apply in situations involving alcohol or controlled substances.
- Students should be aware that, in certain circumstances, the University may notify a parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact if a student under the age of 21 is involved in an alcohol or controlled substance-related violation, hospitalization, overdose, or related health and safety emergency.
- Students are encouraged to keep their parent, guardian, and designated emergency contact information accurate and up to date in the University’s student information system. This helps ensure that the University can communicate with the appropriate person if a serious health or safety concern arises
Notifications
Addressed in Volume VI: 6.1 Community Standards, which states:
“The proper University authorities shall be notified of any sanction. Parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be notified of alleged violation(s) of the Community Standards and/or sanction(s) when deemed appropriate.”
Consistent with the Community Standards, the University may notify a student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or designated emergency contact(s) when a student under the age of 21 is involved in certain alcohol- or controlled substance-related violations, hospitalizations, overdoses, or related health and safety emergencies, when such notification is deemed appropriate by the University.
Incident Subject to Notification
A parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact may be notified when a student under the age of 21 is involved in one or more of the following, including but not limited to:
- Violations of institutional rules or policies related to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance;
- Violations of federal, state, or local laws involving alcohol or controlled substances; and
- Alcohol or controlled substance-related medical emergencies, including:
- hospitalization;
- overdose; or
- other situations presenting a serious risk to the student’s health or safety.
Who Makes the Notifications?
Notification determinations are made only by designated University offices or authorized officials, including the Dean of Students Office, Community Standards, Residential Experience or Housing, or other appropriate University officials.
Notifications to Student
When feasible and appropriate, students will be informed that a parent, guardian, or emergency contact has been or may be notified. This notification to the student may be withheld if it would compromise health or safety or interfere with an ongoing investigation.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
All notifications are handled with sensitivity and respect for student privacy in accordance with applicable privacy laws. Information shared is limited to what is necessary to address health, safety, or welfare concerns.
FERPA permits institutions of higher education to disclose personally identifiable information from a student’s education record without consent when there is an articulable and significant threat to the health or safety of the student or others, and the disclosure is made to parties who need the information in order to respond to the threat.
New York State Education Law § 6438-d, commonly known as Beau’s Law and effective July 1, 2026, requires institutions to publicly display their policy for notifying a parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact when a student under the age of 21 is involved in certain alcohol or controlled substance-related violations or incidents.
Canisius University exercises its authority under FERPA and New York State Education Law in a manner that limits disclosures to information reasonably necessary to address the circumstances presented.
What Are Considered Controlled Substances?
For purposes of this statement, a controlled substance means a drug or other substance regulated under applicable federal or New York State law, including, but not limited to, substances listed in schedules I through V of the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 812.
Who will the University contact?
When notification is deemed appropriate, Canisius University may contact a student’s parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact.
- Parent means a student’s parent, including a natural parent, adoptive parent, or an individual acting as a parent in the absence of a parent or guardian.
- Guardian means a person legally appointed by a court or otherwise recognized under applicable law to act in place of a parent with respect to the care, custody, or welfare of a student.
- Designated emergency contact means a person identified by the student in the University’s student information system as a contact who may be notified in urgent or emergency circumstances. A designated emergency contact may or may not be the student’s parent or guardian.