Health & Safety

Student health and safety is the top priority of the festival organizers. The festival grounds are designed to be a safe space for students. Heightened enforcement will occur at festival entrances to prevent intoxicated students and prohibited substances and items from entering the event. All attendees will be screened at the entrance prior to entering the venue. Similar to other large music festival entrances, drug recognition experts will be present to intervene with any intoxicated students, and security staff will use drug-detection dogs as a safety measure to ensure the festival is a drug-free space. Students who arrive under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be unable to enter the Sun God Festival. In addition, they may be subject to arrest and/or referral to the Office of Student Conduct for violation of the UC San Diego Student Conduct Procedures. Intoxicated students will receive appropriate medical care, which may include transport to the hospital.

As in years past, educational programs around the festival focus on key topics such as drug and alcohol safety and sexual assault prevention. In addition, the “floaties” bystander intervention training program has been expanded and student “floaties” who have gone through the training program will have a large presence at this year's Sun God Festival. ASCE is also supporting other initiatives and groups on campus working to educate and support the development of students' understanding of these issues.

You are encouraged to remain updated on your COVID vaccinations, stay home if sick, test if you experience symptoms, and wear masks in high density areas.

To ensure the festival grounds are a safe space, students visibly intoxicated and under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be unable to enter the Sun God Festival. Heightened enforcement will occur at the festival entrance. All attendees will be screened, including a pat down and scanning of pre-registered UCSD student IDs, prior to admission. Similar to other large music festival entrances, drug recognition experts will be present to intervene with any intoxicated students, and security staff will use drug-detection dogs as a safety measure to ensure the festival is a drug-free space. Students who do show up under the influence of drugs or alcohol may be subject to arrest and/or referral to the Office of Student Conduct for violation of the UC San Diego Student Conduct Procedures.

Call the Sun God Sobering Center hotline at (858) 534-2342. A volunteer will let you know if your friend is in the Sobering Center or if they have been taken to jail. Volunteers cannot disclose if your friend has been transported to the hospital.

If your friend was taken to the Sobering Center, you can call (858) 534-2342 to confirm whether they have been admitted. It takes about 20 minutes from the time a student is picked up before they are fully checked into the Sobering Center. Please note that if you call right away, there might not be a record of them yet. If your friend is checked in, a volunteer will let you know the estimated time to call back (approx. 4 hours) and where to pick them up.

Yes, to ensure that the UC San Diego campus is a safe space for all members of our community, enhancements and revisions to campus policies and protocols will be in effect during the week of the festival. To learn more, please contact your college's Residence Life office or visit the UC San Diego Office of Student Conduct's website.

1. Do NOT mix drugs with alcohol or other drugs. There is no way to anticipate how your body will react to the mixture-the reaction could be very serious or even fatal.
2. Remember: You never know what you are actually taking. Though distributors may assure you that you are getting a certain drug, there is a high likelihood that this drug has been cut with something else, or is a different drug entirely. This is especially common with pills.
3. If you do choose to engage in drug use:
   • Test your pills with an affordable drug testing kit, like those sold at dancesafe.org. DISCLAIMER: Drug testing kits do not indicate that a substance is safe. Drug use is never 100% safe.
   • Do not use more than one drug at a time.
   • Know the strength of the drug you are taking, go slow, and use less.
   • Make sure to remain hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink about two cups of water (500ml) every hour. Be careful to not consume water too quickly- this can cause an electrolyte imbalance that could become fatal.
   • If you do not feel well, seek help immediately! DO NOT SLEEP IT OFF. The symptoms of drug overdose can be the same, more exaggerated, or totally different than those of excessive alcohol use.
   • Students that seek help for a medical emergency related to alcohol and/or drugs WILL NOT be penalized (see Medical Amnesty Program). Your safety is our first priority.
4. For friends of people who are engaging in drug use:
   • Monitor your friend, and make sure they are drinking enough water.
   • If they are displaying extreme or out of character behavior, get them help. It could be the result of drugs or excessive alcohol in their system, and their health may be at risk.
   • By speaking up you could save your friend from serious harm, and could even save their life.
   • Students seeking help for others experiencing a medical emergency related to alcohol and/or drugs also qualify for the Medical Amnesty Program, and will not be penalized for alcohol or drug use.

1. Eat before, during, and after the event.
2. Alternate between alcoholic, and non-alcoholic and non caffeinated drinks.
3. Choose beer or cider instead of shots.
4. Keep track of the number of drinks you have (especially the amount of liquor). Determine in advance the number of drinks you will consume, and stick to it! Keep in mind that one drink is a 12 oz beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of liquor.
5. Pay attention to ABV (alcohol by volume) - not all alcohol has the same ABV, and a drink of Bud Light vs. a heavy Stout beer, will impact you differently.
6. Certain prescription drugs may exacerbate the effects of alcohol. Check the labels of your medication, and follow the medical advice of your doctor.
7. Tell your friends to let you know when you've had too much to drink.
8. Pace your drinks to one or less per hour, and avoid drinking games.
9. Don't take (or give) unwanted peer pressure
10. Have a designated driver
11. Watch over your friends and peers. If you see someone in medically dangerous conditions, do not be afraid to reach out to a security guard, police officer, event staff or event volunteer to ask for help. Your health and safety is our first priority!

Clarifying Consent

• Consent is a mutual, affirmative, voluntary, and revocable agreement by each participant to engage in sexual activity. An informed verbal “yes” must accompany positive and engaging body language.
• The initiator of sexual activity is responsible for receiving consent from their partner. Obtaining consent is a continuous process, meaning consent to kissing doesn't mean consent to everything else. Consent is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. Consent must be given without coercion, force, threats or intimidation by the initiator.
• Consent cannot be given when someone is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. However, perpetrators may attempt to use alcohol and/or drugs to facilitate a sexual assault. Statistically, the majority of reported sexual assaults occur while one or both parties are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol or drugs is never an excuse for choosing to violate another person.
• There are a number of drugs that may be added to beverages with the intent of altering the consciousness or incapacitating a person without their knowledge. Substances are particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol, and often produce amnesia, leaving a victim unclear about what occurred. These drugs can facilitate criminal activity, most often acts of sexual misconduct or sexual assault.
• Sexual assault is any unwanted, non-consensual behavior from kissing and fondling to rape. Ignorance of the law or of University policy concerning sexual assault, sexual misconduct and sexual harassment is never an excuse for non-consensual sexual behavior.

Preventing Sexual Assault
Keeping UC San Diego safe is a community responsibility. Check out the tips below on how you can help prevent sexual assault:

• Identify common behaviors that often precede an assault. Recognizable red flags include seeing someone who is attempting to separate an intoxicated individual from their friends, or continuing to pour drinks for an individual who is clearly beyond their limit.
• Take action as a responsive bystander and remember to use IDEAS if you see those behaviors happening. You can help someone who is intoxicated by reconnecting them with their friends, or calling a CSO to escort that person home. You can also notify any of the festival volunteers or law enforcement officials on site if you are concerned for someone's safety and well-being.

Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault
If something happens to a friend, know you can be a responsive bystander by showing your support:

• Listen and believe them. Let them know that you care.
• Remember sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor.
• Be aware of your response and respect their decisions.
• Know the resources and seek support for yourself.

Resources
CARE at the Sexual Assault Resource Center is a confidential and free resource for all students, staff, and faculty affected by sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. If you or a friend need to speak with a confidential CARE advocate, call 858-534-5793.

• Individuals not contracted to live in a particular residential area will not be allowed entry to those areas during the weekend of Sun God (May 12 - 14). Please refer any questions to your Office of Residence Life or the Office of Student Conduct.
• All students are expected to abide by the University Standards of Conduct, including the Residential Life Community Standards while in residential areas. Residents are responsible for the conduct of their guests and may not host more than two guests per resident of a room or apartment, regardless whether alcohol is present.
• DO NOT serve alcohol to anyone under 21 and if you are under 21, don't consume alcohol.
• If your neighbors call or stop by to tell you the party is too loud, be a good neighbor and turn down the volume.
• It's okay to call the police if a party gets out of hand.
• If a guest has had too much to drink, don't let them drive home. Call a taxi or arrange for a ride with another guest who is sober, or invite them to stay over.
• Acquaint yourself with the San Diego County social host laws and the consequences of breaking those laws. If caught breaking these laws, social hosts will be held accountable and may be:
  1. cited/arrested
  2. fined up to $1000 or more
  3. serve up to 6 months in jail
  4. be billed for law enforcement services
• Inside the festival or out, if you are approached by a police or security officer, comply with them. This will minimize your chances of further consequences and will help them get you the help you need.

Students are strongly encouraged to seek medical assistance for emergencies related to alcohol, controlled substances, COVID-19 tracing, or Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment by contacting the closest University or Public Official (e.g., R.A./H.A., Staff, law enforcement, etc.), campus police (858-534-HELP(4357)), or 911 to request help. Students who are afraid to seek help because of violations of the Student Conduct Procedures will not be subject to the formal student conduct process, so long as they are seeking help for themselves or others. For more information about the program or to read it in greater detail, visit studentconduct.ucsd.edu or Medical Amnesty Program.

What is Sun God IDEAS? Prevention has begun to focus on bystanders - third party witnesses to situations where there is a high risk of violence. With their presence, bystanders could do nothing, make a situation worse by supporting or ignoring perpetrator behavior, or possibly prevent a situation from escalating. This approach shifts the focus of prevention efforts to peers and community members with the hopes of moving beyond changing individual behaviors to changing campus culture.

IDEAS stands for Interrupt, Distract, Engage Peers, Alert Authorities, and Safety First. Below are some examples of how someone can use IDEAS:

I - Ask a question that's not related to what's going on. "Excuse me, where's the bathroom?"

D - Draw attention to something else. "Hey, your car is getting towed!"

E - Involve a friend or someone else around you. "Let's do something"

A - In some situations, authorities may be the best source for help. Ex. Police, Deans, RA's, party hosts.

S - Keep your safety and the safety of others in mind and let that determine how you respond.

Scenario 1: During Sun God, you recognize an extremely intoxicated or unconscious person with another person who is forcing the individual to leave the venue with them. The intoxicated person is unaware of the entire situation, and the sober person is quickly trying to make their exit. How would you use IDEAS in this situation?

Interrupt - "Hello! I'm so sorry, but do you know where the bathrooms are? I'm a little lost" Engage Peers - Ask your group of friends to approach them and ask the two if they need to be brought to the aid station where they will be taken care of. Alert Authorities - Alert security outside the venue and mention the situation so that they can be stopped for further questioning

Scenario 2: Near the stage, you start to notice many people pushing and shoving and the crowd becoming more and more compressed, You also notice someone looking increasingly nervous and unwell. How could you use IDEAS to help them? Interrupt - "Hey, let's go out of this crowd and sit down for a minute." Engage Peers - "I think this person might need some help. Can you tell others around you to try to make more space?" Alert Authorities - "The crowd seems like it is getting out of control. Can you make sure everything is okay?" Safety First - "Let's stop by the medical tent first to make sure everything is fine."

Scenario 3: During the festival in the crowd, you notice someone getting uncomfortable by the person next to them. How could you use IDEAS to help them? Interrupt - "Hey! Glad I finally found you! Everyone is still grabbing food right now but they'll come soon."

Distract - "This place is pretty crowded, let's move somewhere else" Alert Authorities - "There's someone that has been making people uncomfortable in the crowd. Can you check to make sure they're not causing problems for others?"

Scenario 4: After the festival, you decide to keep the party going and go out with friends. Your friend offers to drive insisting "I haven't had that many drinks, I'm fine." How could you use IDEAS to help them?

Interrupt - "Let's grab a snack before we make our next move" Distract - "I'm getting kind of cold. Can we stop by my dorm and grab a jacket?" Safety First - "I can check to see how much a LYFT would be. That's probably safer."

Scenario 5: During the festival, someone standing by you is staggering and breathing really heavily. You ask them if they are okay but their response was blurred. How could you use IDEAS to help them?

Interrupt - "Hey, let's go grab some water and sit down for a moment" Engage Peers - "I think your friend might need some help. Can you make sure they're okay" Alert Authorities - "There's someone who needs help. Can you check on them?"

• UCSD Police Department: Call (858) 534-4357(HELP) or ask for help from the nearest security guard or staff member. Learn about and use the Medical Amnesty Program (MAP), and how it can help you prioritize the health and safety of yourself and others.
• Sobering Facility: If your friend was taken to the Sun God Festival Sobering Facility, you can call the hotline at (858) 534-2342 for information. It takes about 20 minutes for a student to be checked-in, so there may not be a record of them yet if you call right after they are picked up. If your friend is checked in, the volunteer will let you know the estimated time to call back (approx. 4 hours) and where to pick them up.
• CARE at SARC: CARE at SARC is on-call 24 hours a day, including weekends. If you need urgent support during non-business hours, weekends, or holidays, please call us at (858) 534-5793.
• ADA Guest Services: Call (858) 864-8242 to reach a liaison who will happily assist with providing a seamless Sun God Festival experience.

Health & Wellness
Sleep: Sleep impacts your physical health and your cognitive functioning. Be sure to get plenty of sleep prior to the event. Be aware that alcohol and caffeine can have a negative impact on your sleep.

Exercise: Regular exercise and physical activity help to improve your mood and cope with stress and anxiety.

Eating: Eating right is an important part of stress management, helps you maintain energy throughout the day, improves cognitive performance, and keeps your mood steady.

Time Management: Prepare in advance for the amount of time you'll need to study for midterm exams. When you know you have a large event coming up that will take a lot of time (e.g., attending a wedding, a birthday party, SUN GOD!), it's important to plan effectively. Start weeks in advance and schedule study time around this large event. This way you can actually enjoy the event while you are there! It will also reduce the likelihood of you having to cram and pull an "all-nighter".

Social support: Relationships are one of the most important factors of well-being. Developing, deepening, and maintaining close, supportive relationships help us to flourish. While at UCSD, it's important to not just focus on academics, but to find a sense of belonging and community; to be part of a group in which you feel you are a valued member. Close relationships help to reduce loneliness and provide support during stressful times.

Find your passion: Find at least one interest or hobby that you can pursue and look forward to once or twice a week. “Engagement” in activities in which you get completely absorbed and feel perfectly challenged, neither bored nor overwhelmed, can be extremely rewarding and help us to flourish.

For more information about Tritons Flourish, please visit https://caps.ucsd.edu/flourish.

For more information about Counseling and Psychological services available on campus, please visit http://caps.ucsd.edu.