College Policies

Animal Policy

Pets

Students are not allowed to have pets in classrooms, residence halls, in College vehicles (including shuttle buses) or at College-sponsored events. Exceptions to this policy are listed below.

Exceptions:

Fish

Fish are permitted in residence halls in an aquarium that holds 10 gallons of water or less. Fish must be removed from the residence halls during extended break periods.

Service Animals and Assistance Animals

Champlain College recognizes that Service Animals and Assistance Animals can play an important role in facilitating the independence of some individuals with certain types of disabilities. In addition, the health and safety of Champlain College students, faculty, staff, and the Service Animal or Assistance Animal is an important concern. Therefore, Service Animals and Assistance Animals that meet the criteria described below will be exempt from the pet provision above.

College community members who have questions about the presence of Service Animals or Assistance Animals on campus should direct those questions to the Counseling Center and Accommodation Service (CAS) office.

Service Animals

A Service Animal is defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as any dog (or in some cases, a miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The work or task must be directly related to the person’s disability. The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition (see “Assistance Animals,” below). The ADA and US Department of Justice state that service animals in training are not considered service animals.

Students with Service Animals are permitted generally to bring their Service Animals in all areas of a place of public accommodation, such as classrooms, residence halls (including the private residence assigned to the student), activities and events, and dining facilities. However, Service Animals are not permitted if they pose a direct threat to health or safety, if their presence constitutes a fundamental alteration to the nature of a program or service, if they cannot effectively be controlled, or if they are not housebroken.

Students planning to bring a Service Animal to campus are encouraged to work closely with the Counseling Center and Accommodation Service (CAS) office. Students intending to keep a Service Animal in a residence hall must notify the Counseling and Accommodation Service office. CAS may ask the student if the animal is required because of a disability, and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform, but will not ask about the nature of the student’s disability for this purpose. CAS will not require documentation about the training of the Service Animal.

Students are encouraged to provide identification that the animal is a Service Animal so that others are aware it is a working animal, but Service Animals are not required to wear a vest, identification tag, or specific harness.

See below for a description of the student’s responsibilities and the reasons for removal of Service Animals.

Assistance Animals

An Assistance Animal provides emotional support, comfort, companionship or therapeutic benefits. A person qualifies for reasonable accommodation involving an Assistance Animal under the Fair Housing Act if:

(1) The person has a disability; (2) the animal is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the residence halls; and (3) there is an identifiable relationship between the disability and the assistance the animal provides.

Assistance Animals are allowed only in the residence halls and only in the room of the student who has been approved for this accommodation.  Assistance animals are not permitted in other College buildings or college vehicles. The College will not, however, permit assistance animals in residence halls if they: pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others; would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others; would pose an undue financial and administrative burden; or would fundamentally alter the nature of the College’s operations.

Students planning to bring an Assistance Animal to campus must obtain approval from the Counseling Center and Accommodation Service (CAS) office by submitting a request to CAS by July 1^st for incoming students and by March 15^TH for returning students.  Applications for assistance animals can be found on the CACS website or at the Counseling Center. CAS will ask the student about the student’s disability and will ask for annual documentation from a physician, psychiatrist or other mental health professional that the animal provides support that alleviates symptoms of the disability.

See below for a description of the student’s responsibilities and the reasons for removal of Assistance Animals.

Requirements of Service Animals, Assistance Animals and their owners include:

• The owner of the animal must be in full control of the animal at all times.
• Animals must be licensed in accordance with city regulations and, if appropriate, must wear a valid vaccination tag.
• Animals must be in good health. Any service/assistance animals occupying college housing must have an annual clean bill of health from a licensed veterinarian.

 Students are encouraged to provide identification that the animal is a Service Animal so that others are aware it is a working animal, but Service Animals are not required to wear a vest, identification tag, or specific harness.

• Students will provide documentation of the continuing need for the assistance animal on an annual basis.
• The owner is responsible for appropriate waste clean-up and overall cleanliness of the animal.
• The owner is responsible for the appropriate management of his or her animal in all College facilities. Disruptive and/or aggressive behavior on the part of the animal may result in the owner being asked to remove the animal from College facilities.
• The owner is responsible for any property damage or personal injury caused by the animal, or pest control (i.e. flea treatment) required because of the animal.

Etiquette with Service Animals and Assistance Animals

• Do not pet a service animal or assistance animal without permission of the owner; petting a Service Animal when the animal is working distracts the animal from the task at hand. Service dogs typically wear a leather harness, scarf or sign to indicate they are working animals.
• Do not feed a Service Animal or Assistance Animal. The animal may have specific dietary requirements.
• Do not deliberately startle a Service Animal or Assistance Animal.
• Do not separate or attempt to separate an owner from her or his Service Animal or Assistance Animal.

Allow a service animal to accompany the owner at all times and everywhere on campus except where service animals are specifically prohibited. Assistance animals are not afforded this right, and may only be present in the student’s housing if approved by CAS.

Area Coordinators

Area Coordinators are professional staff who are required to live on campus in apartments located in student residence halls. In recognition of Area Coordinators’ unique circumstances of establishing their permanent homes within student residence halls, the College permits Area Coordinators to keep pets in their apartments in accordance with the People Center Animal Policy. The Office of Residential Life is responsible for interpreting and enforcing animal policies applicable to residence halls, and may enact additional rules and procedures for Area Coordinators to follow as it deems appropriate. Students who have questions or concerns about Area Coordinators’ pets should contact the Director of Residential Life.

Appearance Standard

Appropriate appearance is expected of all members of the College community. Employers and supervisors on-campus and off-campus, as well as faculty members, may require standards of dress and behavior relevant to places of employment, classes or College-sponsored activities.

Communication

All students are given a mymail.champlain.edu e-mail address. Students who live on campus excluding those residing at Spinner Place are given a mailbox in the mailroom. Students living at Spinner Place will receive mail and packages there. These channels are used for all official Champlain College correspondence. It is our expectation that students will receive and send information through these channels.

Computer Network Services and Policies

We are pleased to be able to provide you with e-mail network accounts and connections in all residence hall rooms. It is important to understand, however, that these services are privileges. We expect you to use these privileges in an appropriate, professional manner and to respect the rights of others. The Champlain College Standard of Conduct applies to electronic communications.

Champlain College has two computer policies to be aware of.  The Acceptable Use Policy and Password Policy are important so please review and abide by them.  These policies are subject to change but the latest versions will always be available on the website at the URLs listed below.

Acceptable Use Policy

http://www.champlain.edu/acceptable-use-policy

1.0 Overview

The computing resources at Champlain College support the educational and administrative activities of the College, and the use of these resources is a privilege that is extended to members of the Champlain College community. Users of these services and facilities have access to valuable College resources, to sensitive data, and to internal and external networks. Consequently, it is important that all members of the Champlain College community use these resources in a responsible, ethical and legal manner.

2.0 Scope

This policy applies to all users of computing resources owned or managed by Champlain College. Computing resources include all hardware and software owned, licensed or managed by the College (including telephone equipment), and use of the College network via a physical or wireless connection, regardless of the ownership of the computer or device connected to the network.

Specific users bound by this policy include:

• Champlain College students, including undergraduate, graduate, and online students and alumni
• Faculty, including full-time, part-time and retired faculty members with Champlain accounts
• Staff, including full-time, part-time and temporary workers
• Guests
• Members of 3rd-party organizations given access to Champlain systems, such as vendors, contractors or consultants

Users will be required to annually certify that they have read, understand and agree to follow this policy.

3.0 Your Rights and Responsibilities

As a member of the Champlain College community, the College provides you with the use of educational and/or work-related tools, including access to certain computer systems, servers, software and databases, to the campus telephone and voicemail systems, and to the Internet. You have a reasonable expectation of unobstructed use of these tools, and of protection from abuse and intrusion by others sharing these resources. You can expect your right to access information and to express your opinion to be protected as it is for paper and other forms of non-electronic communication.

In turn, you are responsible for knowing the regulations and policies of the College that apply to appropriate use of the College’s technologies and resources. Current versions of these policies are available on Champlain’s website:champlain.edu.

You are also responsible for exercising good judgment in the use of the College’s technological and information resources. Just because an action is technically possible does not mean that it is appropriate to perform that action.

4.0 Acceptable Use

• You may use only the computers, computer accounts and computer files for which you have authorization.
• You may not use another individual’s account or attempt to capture or guess other user’s passwords.
• You may not enable unauthorized users to access Champlain resources by using your credentials.
• You should make a reasonable effort to protect your passwords and to secure resources against unauthorized use or access. This includes securing your system with a password-protected screensaver or by locking the system when it will be unattended.
• You must not attempt to access restricted portions of the network, such as those containing confidential or restricted data, an operating system, security software or other administrative applications without appropriate authorization from the Information Systems team.
• Technology resources in classrooms, labs and other public areas may not be removed or physically altered without permission from the Information Systems team.
• You must not disable system and security software pre-installed by the College on College-owned computers. This includes, but is not limited to, encryption, anti-virus and license management software.
• Sending “junk email” or other unsolicited advertising email to individuals who did not specifically request such material is prohibited.
• Personal Internet use shall be permitted provided it does not interfere with the work of other students, faculty and staff; does not affect job performance; and provided that the personal use is not unlawful and otherwise complies with College policies. Users are discouraged from installing personally owned software or data on College-owned resources. Champlain College is not responsible for the loss of any personal data or software installed on College computers.
• You must not use Champlain computing and/or network resources in conjunction with the execution of programs, software, processes or automated commands that are intended to disrupt other computer or network users, or to damage or degrade performance, software or hardware components of a system, other than in lab areas specifically designated for this type of activity and authorized by faculty or staff. Devices or accounts found to be doing so may be disabled without warning.
• Champlain College’s status as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code prohibits it from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. As such faculty, staff and students may not use Champlain College computing resources, including but not limited to email, web servers or networks, for political campaign fundraising or supporting or opposing a candidate for public office on behalf of the College or in a manner that gives the appearance of being on behalf of the College.
• Tools that are normally used to assess security or to attack computer systems or networks (e.g., password ‘crackers,’ vulnerability scanners, network sniffers, etc.) are permitted only in lab areas specifically designed for these purposes and authorized by Champlain faculty or staff, or unless you have been specifically authorized to do so by the Chief Information Officer.
• You must not use Champlain’s computing services and facilities for personal economic gain. The only exception is the “For Sale” email distribution list, which Champlain provides as a benefit to faculty and staff who choose to participate. For Sale is a means to exchange, sell or give away personal items. Examples include such things as household goods, houses for sale or rent, and services wanted or available. Advertisements for commercial products and services are not acceptable.
• You must comply with the policies and guidelines for any specific set of resources to which you have been granted access. When other policies are more restrictive than this policy, the more restrictive policy takes precedence. Here is a list of other Information Security policies:
  • Password Policy http://www.champlain.edu/password-policy

5.0 Compliance with Federal, State and Local Laws

As a member of the Champlain College community, you are expected to abide by local, state and federal laws, including laws regarding license and copyright, and the protection of intellectual property.

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

This includes software licensed by Champlain College. Such software may not be copied to personally owned devices unless Champlain’s software license explicitly authorizes such activity.

It is also prohibited to use Champlain College computing resources to actively engage in procuring or transmitting material that is in violation of sexual harassment or hostile workplace laws.

Champlain College reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities and will fully comply with investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies.

6.0 Privacy and Personal Rights

All users of the College’s network and computing resources are expected to respect the privacy and personal rights of others.

• Do not access or copy another user’s email, data, programs or other files without consent.
• Be professional and respectful when using computing systems to communicate with others. The use of computing resources to libel, slander or harass any other person is not allowed and could lead to disciplinary and/or legal action. While Champlain College does not generally monitor or limit content of information transmitted and stored on the campus network, it reserves the right to access and review such information when necessary or in response to a judicial or governmental request, requirement or order.

7.0 Violations

Any individual found to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from enrollment at the College. Individuals are also subject to federal, state and local laws governing many interactions that occur on the Internet. These policies and laws are subject to change as state and federal laws develop and change.

7.1 Specific Penalties for Copyright Infringement

In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages set at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

For more information, please see the website of the U.S. Copyright Office at: copyright.gov, especially their FAQ’s page:copyright.gov/help/faq.

7.2 Policy Subject to Change

This policy is subject to change. You will be notified of any changes to the policy. You agree to abide by the policy as updated from time to time.

Password Policy

http://www.champlain.edu/password-policy

1.0 Overview

The purpose of this policy is to establish a standard for creation of strong passwords, the protection of those passwords and the frequency of change. Passwords are the most frequently utilized form of authentication for accessing a computing resource. Due to the use of weak passwords, the proliferation of automated password-cracking programs, and the activity of malicious hackers and spammers, they are very often also the weakest link in securing data.

A poorly chosen password may result in unauthorized access and/or exploitation of Champlain College resources, possibly including the confidential data of students, alumni, applicants, faculty and staff. All users, including contractors and vendors, with access to Champlain College systems are responsible for taking the appropriate steps, as outlined below, to select and secure their passwords.

2.0 Scope

This policy applies to all users of computing resources owned or managed by Champlain College. Computing resources include all licensed or managed hardware and software (including telephone equipment) owned by the College, and use of the College network via a physical or wireless connection, regardless of the ownership of the computer or device connected to the network.

Specific users bound by this policy include:

• Champlain College students, including undergraduate, graduate and online students and alumni
• Faculty, including full-time, part-time and retired faculty members
• Staff, including full-time, part-time and temporary workers
• Guests
• Members of 3rd-party organizations given access to Champlain systems, such as vendors, contractors or consultants

Users will be required to annually certify that they have read, understand and agree to follow this policy.  

3.0 Password Policy

All passwords for Champlain College systems and applications (e.g., email, web, desktop computer, etc.) should be strong passwords and follow the standards listed below. In general, a password’s strength will increase with length, complexity and frequency of changes.

Use of multi-factor authentication is strongly encouraged when available (such as with Google Mail) and may be required when accessing high-risk systems, such as those containing restricted or confidential information.

3.1 Password Creation

All passwords must meet the following minimum standards, except where technically infeasible. Longer passwords are inherently more secure because it takes hackers longer to guess them when employing a brute force method. So make your password longer and some of the complexity requirements can be reduced. This has the added bonus of making it easier to type your password on a mobile device.

Here are a couple of suggestions for making long passwords:

• Select four or more random words to make a 20+ character password:
  • horror earth leap natural  (25 characters including spaces)
• Transform a memorable phrase such as “What would an ideal College look like? A lot like this!” into a password such as this: “WwaiClL?AlLt!”

Please don’t use these suggestions for your password!

• To help prevent identity theft, personal or fiscally useful information such as Social Security or credit card numbers must never be used as a user ID or a password.

3.2 Password Management

• All passwords are to be treated as Confidential information as defined in Champlain College’s Data Classification Policy (to be released in 2016) and should therefore never be written down or stored electronically unless properly encrypted.
• Do not use the “Remember Password” feature available in Internet browsers or operating systems. This feature may store your password in a file that is vulnerable to hackers.
• Unencrypted passwords should never be inserted into email messages or other forms of electronic communication. Communicate passwords to people verbally over the phone or in person.
• Do not use your Champlain College password for any other systems external to Champlain (e.g., 3rd-party vendor sites, personal Web accounts, etc.). Should those systems become compromised, someone could use those credentials to access your Champlain account.
• It is recommended that passwords be changed at least every 6 months, unless a shorter change interval is mandated (such as computers subject to the PCI Data Security Standard (those that take credit cards), which require passwords to be changed every 90 days).
• Individual passwords must not be shared with anyone, including administrative assistants, IS personnel or family members. Necessary exceptions may be allowed with the written consent of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO will review the request and, if in agreement, then request approval from either the President or the Provost of the College. Examples of such exceptions are as follows:
  1. Employees on short-term or extended leave that require contact with faculty, staff, students, etc., via network services and have limited to no access to those services. Upon return, the password should be changed so that only the primary account holder has access to the account.  
  2. Job positions that oversee critical monitoring services (for example, water monitoring, physical security workstations, heating/cooling systems, etc.)
• The use of shared accounts should be avoided whenever possible.
• Shared passwords used to protect network devices, shared folders or files require a designated individual to be responsible for the maintenance of those passwords, and that person ensures that only appropriately authorized employees have access to the passwords.
• Any user suspecting that their password may have been compromised must immediately change the password and report the incident to the Champ Support Help Desk.
• Bypassing password security to access a Champlain College system is strictly forbidden.
• Champlain College may perform password cracking or guessing on a periodic or random basis. If a password is guessed or cracked during one of these scans, the password owner will be required to change it immediately.
• Password cracking or guessing by unauthorized users is strictly forbidden, except on lab systems used for classes that explicitly teach password cracking.

3.3 Changing your Password

To change your password, use your web browser to go to welcome.champlain.edu.

4.0 Violations

Any individual found to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from enrollment at the College. Individuals are also subject to federal, state and local laws governing many interactions that occur on the Internet. These policies and laws are subject to change as state and federal laws develop and change.

Conduct Review Process

Champlain College places special emphasis on the development of student character, personality and ethical conduct. The conduct review process is initiated when a member of the Champlain College community or the local neighborhood brings a problem to the attention of the College. Potential violations of the College’s Standard of Conduct (including certain conduct that may also violate the College’s Academic Honesty policy), and disputes regarding the College’s initiation of involuntary withdrawals that are for more than a temporary period, may be addressed through this conduct review process. This Conduct Review Process does not apply to misconduct that is covered by the College’s Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Special Provisions, the College’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy, its Complaint Procedure and Investigation Procedures, and/or to misconduct that would otherwise fall within the general scope of the Conduct Review Process but which reportedly occurred in connection with and/or in the context of an incident or incidents of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking; such misconduct is covered under those Special Provisions, policy and procedure and investigation procedures, and will be investigated and adjudicated as provided therein. 

Reports of misconduct covered by this Conduct Review Process are referred to the Office of Community Standards, where the incident is investigated. Pertinent details are collected and statements of fact are recorded to the extent practicable and necessary in an effort to deal objectively with the issue. Conduct review process cases may be heard by a judicial officer or may be referred to the Conduct Review Board; the Office of Community Standards decides in its discretion whether a case will be heard by a judicial officer or the Conduct Review Board.

Conduct Review Boards are made up of trained faculty, staff and student volunteers who hear cases referred to them by the Office of Community Standards or, in cases of violations of the Academic Honesty Policy, the Provost’s Office. The Conduct Review Board will be convened at the discretion of the Office of Community Standards. When the hearing is completed, the Facilitator of the Board will issue appropriate sanctions and meet with the student to share the sanctions.

All incidents and sanctions are documented and will remain in a student’s conduct file.

Sanctions could include but are not limited to those described in the list below:

• Disciplinary Warning: A student receives a verbal or written warning that College policy has been violated and that further activity of a similar nature may result in more severe College action.
• Restitution: A student may be required to make financial or other restitution for damages or violations of the Code of Conduct when deemed appropriate by the College.
• Fines: Fines may be issued in varying amounts.
• Behavior Contract: A student enters into a contract with the Student Life Office or the Conduct Review Board. The contract stipulates certain behavior required of the student if he or she is to continue in good standing.
• Loss of Privileges: A student is required to refrain from participating in a College-sponsored activity or visiting specific residence halls for a specified amount of time.
• Referral: A student is required to engage in counseling or similar referral for a specified period of time.
• Completion of an Educational Program: A student is required to complete a class or project, or offer an educational program to other students.
• Disciplinary Probation: A student receives a written warning describing the severity of the action. Further violations of College policy may result in stricter steps, usually dismissal from a residence hall or from the College. The warning specifies a period of probation as well as any required consultation that is deemed appropriate.
• Suspension or Dismissal from Housing: A student is required to leave College housing either temporarily or permanently.
• Suspension from the College: A student may be suspended from the College. A suspension means a student no longer has access to any College services and loses the privilege of continuing in online or on-site classes for a defined period of time.
• Dismissal from the College: A student is dismissed from the College and is prohibited from participating in any College activity, class or College- sponsored program, and, if applicable, from receiving a degree from the College, regardless of the progression of the student’s accumulation of credits at the time the policy violation is found to have occurred. No student can be dismissed from the College without the approval of the College president.
• Parental Notification: The College maintains the right to contact a student’s parent(s), guardian(s) or family in accordance with FERPA regulations.

Appeal Procedure: Students have the right to appeal decisions made by a judicial officer or a Conduct Review Board. All appeals must be made in writing and sent to the Office of Community Standards (studentconduct@champlain.edu), and must specify the reasons for the appeal. An appeal of any decision must be received within two business days after the student has been informed of the decision.  Appeals may be heard by a conduct officer, or by an Appeal Committee.  Students may appeal if there was a procedural error that unfairly affected the outcome of the hearing; new information that was not reasonably available at the time of the hearing; the sanctions imposed are disproportionate to the nature and severity of the offense and the cumulative conduct history of the responding party.

The Appeal Committee will consist of faculty, staff and students with training and/or experience in this process. In the interest of privacy, students do not serve on appeals of sexual misconduct cases.  The responsibility of the Appeals Committee or the conduct officer hearing the appeal is to determine a fair course of action in light of the charges and evidence presented. When the appeal is complete, the matter shall be deemed fully resolved without further recourse with the exceptions that a petition for a new hearing may be made upon the discovery of new information or upon review by the President of the College.

Withdrawal from the Institution With Charge Pending: If a student makes the decision to withdraw from Champlain College after a conduct charge is communicated to the student but before findings and a determination of responsibility are made, the College will suspend the disciplinary process at the time of withdrawal.  The College will however gather information as it deems appropriate in order to, for example, better understand what may have occurred, and to facilitate the College’s consideration of the matter if the student seeks readmission at a later time.  The student’s file will reflect that the charge(s) is/are pending and were suspended because of the withdrawal.  If the student subsequently applies for readmission to the College, the Vice President for Student Life or designee will consider the application and such information as s/he deems appropriate, and will decide whether the student will be readmitted and, if so, whether any conditions or sanctions (such as probation or disciplinary or educational sanctions or other conditions) will be imposed upon re-enrollment.  The decision of the Vice President or designee in such cases shall be final.

Discrimination and Harassment Policy

PURPOSE OF THE POLICY

Champlain College is committed to providing its staff, faculty and students the opportunity to pursue excellence in their academic and professional endeavors. This opportunity can only exist when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. This Policy outlines expectations regarding how individuals who are members of the Champlain College community are to treat others in order to ensure such an atmosphere of mutual respect and a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff.

SCOPE OF THE POLICY

The Discrimination and Harassment Policy applies to all administrators, employees, admissions or employment applicants, students, members of the Board of Trustees, agents of the College, and volunteers involved in College-related activities. The policy also applies for and to those who do business with the College in their interactions with members of the College community.

The College maintains a separate Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Policy (“SHSMDVS Policy”). Reported sexual harassment, sexual violence, and sexual misconduct that appear to fall within the definitions and scope of that policy will be handled under the procedures outlined in that policy.  Other sex-related matters (such as, e.g., disparate treatment in promotions, grading or other matters on the basis of sex) that do not fall within the definitions and scope of the SHSMDVS Policy will be handled under the procedures outlined in this policy.

Teaching practices or communications that are demeaning, hostile, or alienating based on or because of an individual’s possessing a protected characteristic are prohibited. (While the College has a policy supporting academic freedom, behavior that focuses attention on discriminatory characteristics in a context that is irrelevant to the course constitutes a serious violation of the College’s Harassment Policy.)

DEFINITIONS

Harassment:  For purposes of this policy, prohibited harassment constitutes a form of discrimination and is defined as verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at or because of an individual’s race, creed, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, religion, age, sexual orientation, sex (except as separately covered under the SHSMDVS Policy), gender identity, veteran or military service status, HIV-positive status, qualified disability, or on the basis of any other status protected by law, which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the individual’s employment or educational performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

Bias incidents and hate crimes are also considered unacceptable behaviors under this policy.

Bias incident: Any conduct, speech, or expression that demeans, degrades or harasses an individual or group based upon their membership in a protected category as recognized by law or Champlain College policy. Examples: anonymous acts of bias-related vandalism to public posters, targeted vandalism on a student’s door directed at his or her protected status, slurs directed at a group or individual (whether in person or electronically), and unlawful harassment that interferes with a person’s educational experience or employment.

Hate Crime: As defined by Vermont law, a crime in which the defendant’s conduct was maliciously motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, service in the armed forces, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or qualified disability of another individual or group of individuals, or on the basis of any other status protected by law.

Hazing: Any act committed by a person, whether individually or with others, against a student or employee in connection with pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization which is affiliated with the College; and which is intended to have the effect of, or should reasonably be expected to have the effect of, humiliating, intimidating or demeaning the student or employee or endangering the mental or physical health of a student or employee.

Specific Types of Harassment: In addition to forms of harassment listed above, other examples of specific types of harassment might include, but are not limited to the following, if engaged in at the levels described above:

Disability Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at the characteristics of an individual’s disabling condition such as manner of speaking, manner of movement, or necessary equipment.

Sex-Based Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s sex and/or gender, such as negative gender-based stereotypes and sexist comments.  Information about sexual misconduct not covered by this policy can be found in the Sexual Misconduct Policy, also referred to as the College’s SHSMDVS Policy.

National Origin Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s national origin such as negative comments regarding surnames, manner of speaking, and customs.

Racial Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s race such as words emphasizing stereotypes, comments on manner of speaking, and negative references to racial customs.

Religious Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s religion such as derogatory comments regarding surnames, religious tradition, and religious clothing.

Sexual Orientation Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s sexual orientation such as negative name-calling and imitating mannerisms.

Age Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s age, such as derogatory age-related comments and negative stereotypes.

Veteran/Military Service Status Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s veteran or military service status, such as pejorative references to same and negative comments regarding required service.

Gender Identity Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct or communications directed at an individual’s gender identity, such as negative name-calling and intentional misuse of gender-specific pronouns.

POLICY

It is imperative that Champlain College provides a safe environment conducive to learning and working. Harassment as described above is unacceptable and will not be tolerated for any reason. In accordance with Federal and State laws, the College affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunity in education and employment and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of characteristics such as race, creed, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, religion, age, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, veteran or military service status, HIV-positive status, qualified disability or any other characteristic to the extent protected, and as defined by, applicable law, in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment practices, athletic, and other college-administered programs. The College will, therefore, comply with all applicable federal and Vermont nondiscrimination laws.

It is, therefore, the intent of the College to comply with the Vermont Fair Employment Practices Act of 1963, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1970, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other such federal, state and local nondiscrimination laws, as they apply.

Compliance with this policy is a term and condition of student enrollment and student, staff and faculty employment at the College. An individual who violates this policy may be subject to disciplinary action. Depending on the seriousness, sanctions for involvement in harassment or discriminatory activities could include verbal or written reprimand; required participation in community projects; loss of privileges; suspension from employment (with or without pay) or enrollment; probation; requirement to participate in counseling; dismissal from housing, school, or employment. The College reserves the right to take action to stop and to sanction discriminatory and/or harassing behavior, even in instances where such behavior does not rise to a level that it would constitute unlawful harassment under applicable law.

The right to make a complaint is not limited to someone who is the direct target of the harassment. Anyone who has observed discrimination or harassment should report the alleged incident(s) to the Vice President, People and Technology or to the Vice President for Student Life (student-to-student harassment). Retaliation against individuals who make or support a complaint of discrimination and/or harassment, as discussed further in the College’s Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure, is prohibited and will be considered a violation of this policy.

In fact, all College officials, such as vice presidents, directors, staff, deans, faculty, and individuals in management/supervisory positions are obligated by law to report conduct that may be in violation of the College’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy. College officials who become aware of conduct that they believe may violate the College’s discrimination and harassment policy must report that conduct to the Vice President, People and Technology or, if the alleged conduct was engaged in by a student, to Student Life.

Counselors and student health service employees in the Student Health Center are the only individuals available to provide support and assistance on a confidential basis and will not release any information without the individual’s permission except in circumstances where they believe that the safety and welfare of the individuals or others may be at risk or as otherwise required by law. The College cannot, however, guarantee the confidentiality of information shared with anyone other than the College Counselors because of laws requiring that action be taken.

A copy of the Discrimination and Harassment Policy is provided to every employee and student through the People Center’s website and the College Catalogue, which is located online. The College also provides appropriate educational training.

Any individual found to have engaged in discrimination or harassment as defined above will be in violation of this policy and shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from enrollment at the College. Any individual who believes he/she has been subjected to discrimination or harassment under this policy is entitled to pursue the internal Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure and/or may pursue remedies provided by Federal and State law. There also are instances when the College may choose to follow up on a concern with an informal process or formal complaint without having received a formal or informal complaint from an individual (i.e., when a problem is identified by another member of the College community).

Please refer to the College’s Harassment and Discrimination Complaint Procedure, which appears immediately below, for information regarding how to report a concern about harassment or discrimination, and how complaints relative to harassment or discrimination are resolved.  For the College’s policy on sexual misconduct, see the College’s Sexual Misconduct policy.

DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

PURPOSE OF THE PROCEDURE

To provide a definition of harassment and to ensure that discrimination complaints, including unlawful harassment, are handled promptly and effectively in a manner that is procedurally fair to the parties.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The purpose of the Complaint Procedure is to provide a process for handling discrimination and harassment complaints. A lengthy period of time between an alleged occurrence and investigation may make fact-finding more difficult. Therefore, individuals are encouraged to file complaints as soon as possible.  The College strives to ensure that discrimination complaints, including unlawful harassment, are handled promptly and effectively in a manner that is procedurally fair to the parties.

Where reported misconduct involves allegations of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking as defined in the College’s Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Policy (“SHSMDVS Policy”), add link here the more specific definitions, prohibitions, and procedural statements included in the SHSMDVS Policy will be used in this Complaint Procedure, and such definitions, prohibitions and procedural statements are therefore incorporated into these procedures by reference.  This Complaint Procedure, including the Appeal Procedure outlined below, will be used in SHSMDVS cases to the extent this Procedure is not inconsistent with provisions of the SHSMDVS Policy.

Protective Measures

Sometimes it is necessary to take steps before or during an investigation to protect the rights and interests of the Complainant and/or Respondent. Such measures may be designed to reduce or eliminate contact between the Complainant and/or the Respondent so that both parties may feel safe in their work/educational environment. Protective measures may also guard against further actual or perceived discrimination or retaliation. Protective measures may include temporary changes in working conditions, (such as changes to supervisor or office location), directives to the Complainant and Respondent to avoid personal contact or refrain from such contact without a neutral third person present and, in severe cases, suspension of an individual. 

Confidentiality of Investigation/Hearing: All proceedings against individuals relating to complaints of discrimination will be conducted confidentially by the People Center and/or Student Life officials to the extent allowed by law. So as to complete required investigations, those individuals will share information only with persons who, in the sound discretion of such officials, have a legitimate need to know, or persons from whom information is needed to complete an investigation.

Academic Discourse:  Champlain College recognizes that the protection of free and open speech and the open exchange of ideas are important to any academic community. This recognition is therefore an important element in the “reasonable person” standard used in judging whether sexual harassment or other harassment prohibited by this policy has occurred. This policy is meant neither to proscribe nor to inhibit discussion, in or out of the classroom, of complex, controversial or sensitive matters, when in the judgment of a reasonable person they arise appropriately and with respect for the dignity of others. Champlain College also recognizes, however, that verbal conduct can be used specifically to intimidate or coerce and to inhibit genuine discourse, free inquiry and learning. Such abuses are unacceptable. If someone believes that another’s speech or writing is offensive, wrong or hurtful, he or she is encouraged to express that judgment in the exercise of his or her own free speech or to seek redress under the procedures described below.

Filing a Discrimination, Harassment, Bias Incident or Hate Crime Complaint

Any Champlain College student or employee who believes that the Discrimination or Harassment Policy has been violated may file a complaint.

Discrimination or harassment complaints against College faculty and staff should be directed to the faculty or staff member’s direct supervisor or the Provost and Academic Affairs Office, Freeman Hall acadaffairs@champlain.edu   802-860-2729 and the Vice President, People and Technology at:

P.O. Box 670, Burlington, VT 05402,

telephone: 802-861-5807

peoplecenter@champlain.edu

Discrimination complaints against College students are handled by the Vice President of Student Life, who should be contacted at:

Student Life Office, Skiff Hall

P.O. Box 670, Burlington, VT 05402

Telephone: 802-651-5907 averill@champlain.edu 

All inquiries concerning compliance with disability laws regulations or auxiliary aids or services that students with disabilities would like to request in connection with participation in Champlain College programs should be directed to Skip Harris, the Director of Counseling and Accommodation Services at (802) 651-5961 or sharris@champlain.edu  (or designee) for student-related matters. Employee requests for same should be directed to the Vice President of People and Technology, mlee@champlain.edu.

How to Report a Bias Incident or Hate Crime

If anyone is injured or in danger, call 911, and notify the Office of Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465. If no one is injured or in danger, contact the Office of Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.

Students making a report should contact one of the following:

Student Life Complaints - Vice President for Student Life at (802) 651-5907 averill@champlain.edu

Academic Complaints - Provost & Academic Affairs Office at (802) 860-2729 acadaffairs@champlain.edu

Residential Life - Director of Residential Life at (802) 860-2702 dberube@champlain.edu Area Coordinator on call - (802) 343-0719

NOTE:

• Preserve all physical and electronically-stored evidence for the Office of Campus Public Safety.
• If the incident occurred in a residence hall, contact the resident assistant or the Assistant Director or Area Coordinator on call at (802) 343-0719, who will then contact the Office of Campus Public Safety.

There is no such thing as an “unofficial” complaint unless the individual only shares the information with one of the mental health counselors or health service employees at the College who are bound by the ethics of confidentiality to not release information without permission except in circumstances where they believe that the safety and welfare of the individual or others may be at risk or as otherwise required by law.

Investigation Procedures

The Vice President, People and Technology and/or the Vice President of Student Life (student-to-student violations) or an appointed investigator or investigators will interview the person making the complaint, known as the “Complainant.” The complainant will then be asked to provide a signed and written statement, known as a Complaint, describing the offending conduct in detail. The Complaint will to the extent feasible provide a record of what happened including facts, dates, witnesses, actions and responses and any relevant correspondence.  If the Complainant would prefer not to submit a written complaint, a complaint can be described to a College staff member, reduced to writing, and ascribed to by the Complainant.

People Center/Student Life next determines whether the situation described in the Complaint arose in the course of a College program or activity. If so, it must also determine whether the Complaint is directed against a College employee, student, department (or similar unit), or a third-party College affiliate. If both of the above situations exist, the College will formally initiate an investigation into the matter. If it is determined that the situation did not arise in the course of a College program or activity and is not directed at an individual associated with the College as described above, the Complainant may be referred to other agencies where appropriate.

When a complaint is received, the person(s) being charged, known as the “Respondent,” will be notified promptly that an investigation has begun and will be given ample opportunity to respond to the allegations surfaced during the investigation.

The Vice President, People and Technology, the Vice President of Student Life and/or the Provost and Chief Academic Affairs Officer will assign an investigator or investigators to investigate a Complaint that falls within the scope of this Policy.

The investigator(s) will meet privately and separately with the Complainant, the Respondent(s), and any witnesses to the alleged incident(s), and will prepare a written report of the interviews and investigation. Complainants and Respondent may elect to have an advisor of choice present at these meetings.

Any investigation will be conducted with sensitivity to all parties. Confidentiality will be maintained to the greatest extent possible within the requirements of conducting reasonable investigations. Only those individuals who have a legitimate need to know may be made aware of the identity of the parties. The College strictly forbids retaliation against anyone because they have brought or supported a complaint or participated in an investigation.

The investigator(s) will issue a written report of their findings and conclusions to the People Center or Student Life. A representative from the People Center or Student Life will determine if the investigation is complete and will develop a recommendation for resolution based on the findings and conclusion of the investigators’ report.

In cases involving an employee the proposed resolution will be forwarded to the appropriate Vice President or Provost with responsibility for the department(s) in which the Complainant and the Respondent(s), work for their review and final approval.

If a Complaint is found valid, the offender may be subject to a range of disciplinary sanctions as outlined under the Discrimination and Harassment Policy up to and including termination of employment or dismissal. If the charge is not substantiated, the case will be closed.

The complainant and respondent will receive a written summary of the investigation and the conclusions of the investigation.

The respondent may invoke the appropriate grievance procedure or appeal process in response to the action taken on the findings of the Complaint.  In cases involving discrimination on the basis of sex that fall under this policy, the complainant will have an opportunity to appeal to the same extent that the respondent has an opportunity to appeal.

Appeal Procedure: Students have the right to appeal decisions and sanctions made through the process outlined above.  All appeals must be made in writing and sent to the Office of Community Standards (studentconduct@champlain.edu), and must specify the reasons for the appeal. An appeal of any decision must be received within two business days after the student has been informed of the decision.  Appeals may be heard by a conduct officer, or by an Appeal Committee, as determined at the discretion of the Office of Student Life.  Students may appeal if there was a procedural error that unfairly affected the outcome of the hearing; new information that was not reasonably available at the time of the hearing; and/or the sanctions imposed are disproportionate to the nature and severity of the offense and the cumulative conduct history of the responding party.

An Appeal Committee will consist of faculty, staff and students with training and/or experience in this process. In the interest of privacy, students do not serve on appeals of sexual misconduct cases.  The responsibility of the Appeals Committee or the conduct officer hearing the appeal is to determine a fair course of action in light of the charges and evidence presented. When the appeal is complete, the matter shall be deemed fully resolved without further recourse with the exceptions that a petition for a new hearing may be made upon the discovery of new information or upon review by the President of the College.

Informal Resolution of a Complaint

The People Center or Student Life may offer a person with a complaint of alleged discrimination or harassment that does not involve sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking use of an informal process for resolving their complaint prior to proceeding with the formal process. The informal process is designed to encourage an open atmosphere in which human relationships may be improved; it encourages people to resolve concerns and disputes without fear of reprisal; it enables the parties to settle disputes at the lowest possible level, quickly, fairly, and impartially.  This process will not be used in cases that involve reports of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking.

No official findings of fact are made about the existence of discriminatory behavior. Rather, emphasis is placed on identifying the source of the problem(s) between the parties and exploring ways the complaint can be resolved. People Center/Student Life will maintain a confidential record of the outcome of all informal resolution efforts.

Retaliation

The People Center and Student Life will inform all parties that the College prohibits retaliation against individuals because they have made Complaints per this procedure, served as witnesses, or otherwise cooperated with investigations, regardless of whether the People Center or Student Life ultimately determines that the alleged conduct constituted discrimination or harassment in violation of this policy. Any complainant or witness who believes he/she has been subjected to retaliatory behavior should report the conduct to the People Center or Student Life immediately. The People Center or Student life will determine whether an investigation is appropriate and, if so, it shall initiate an investigation and make findings under this procedure. Persons found to have engaged in retaliatory conduct are subject to disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, termination of employment or dismissal.

In addition, Champlain College affiliates should be aware that federal civil rights laws make it unlawful for the school to retaliate against an individual for bringing possible civil rights violations to their attention. This includes intimidating, threatening, coercing, or in any way discriminating against an individual because he/she complained or participated in an investigation.

False Reports

If, at any point during the process, an investigator determines that a complainant, respondent or witness has knowingly lied or deliberately provided false information to the investigator, the People Center or Student Life may recommend that disciplinary action be taken against that person. Action may include dismissal and such persons may also be subject to independent legal action by persons wrongfully accused of misconduct. A complainant whose allegations are truthful to the best of his or her knowledge will not be found to have provided false information within the meaning of this policy and procedure, even if the College does not conclude that discrimination or harassment occurred.

Protective Measures

Sometimes it is necessary to take steps before or during an investigation to protect the rights and interests of the Complainant and/or Respondent. Such measures may be designed to reduce or eliminate contact between the Complainant and/or the Respondent so that both parties may feel safe in their work/educational environment. Protective measures may also guard against further actual or perceived discrimination or retaliation. Protective measures may include temporary changes in working conditions, (such as changes to supervisor or office location), directives to the Complainant and Respondent to avoid personal contact or refrain from such contact without a neutral third person present and, in severe cases, suspension of an individual. 

CONTACT

Individuals should contact the Vice President, People and Technology (Miller Center at Lakeside Avenue, P.O. Box 670, Burlington, VT 05402, telephone: 802-651-5807  mlee@champlain.edu or Vice President, Student Life, Skiff Hall, 163 South Willard St. Burlington, VT 802-651-5907 averill@champlain.edu or the Provost at 802-865-6423, lquinn@champlain.edu with any questions, discrimination complaints, inquiries concerning compliance with regulations or if reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in Champlain College programs or to apply for admission or employment.

Individuals may also contact the following State and Federal agencies concerning the application of nondiscrimination policies and enforcement of rights:

Employees may contact:

Vermont Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Unit,

109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609-1001

(802-828-3171/VOICE/TDD)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

John F. Kennedy Federal Office Building

Government Center, Room 475

Boston, MA 02203

(1-800-669-4000/VOICE or 1-800-669-6820/TDD)

www.eeoc.gov

Students may contact:

United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

J.W. McCormack, Post Office Court House Building, Room 701

Boston, MA 02109-4557

(617-223-9662/VOICE)

Vermont Human Rights Commission

135 State Street, 2nd Floor, Drawer 33

Montpelier, VT 05633-6301

(802-828-2480/VOICE/TDD or 800-416-2010/VOICE)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (if the issue arises in a student employment situation)
John F. Kennedy Federal Office Building
475 Government Center
Boston, MA 02203
(800) 669-4000 (voice), (800) 669-6820 (TDD)
www.eeoc.gov

Complaints to Agencies Outside of the College

The College has formal and informal dispute resolution mechanisms that are described in this catalog, and that are available to students on the terms described in this catalog. In addition, if you wish to file a complaint with the College’s accreditor (the New England Association of Schools and Colleges), with the Vermont Department of Education, with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, and/or with the Vermont Attorney General’s Office (employees), the contact information for each entity is, respectively, as follows:

• New England Association of Schools and Colleges, 209 Burlington Rd, Suite 201, Bedford, MA 01730-1433. Phone: (781) 271-0022; Fax: (781) 271-0950. Web: www.neasc.org .
• Vermont Department of Education, 120 State Street - Montpelier, VT 05620-2501. Phone: (802) 828-3135. Web: www.education.vermont.gov
• Vermont Human Rights Commission, 14-16 Baldwin Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-6301. Phone: (800) 416-2010, x25; Fax: (802) 828-2481; (877) 294-9200 (TTY). Web: http://hrc.vermont.gov .
• Vermont Attorney General’s Office, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609-1001. Phone: (802) 828-3171 (802) 828-3665 (TTY). Web: http://www.atg.state.vt.us.

A statement from the Vermont Department of Education about resolution of complaints regarding postsecondary education-related matters is available at: http://education.ermont.gov/documents/EDU-Complaint_Resolution_Statement_for_Postsecondary_Education_Matters.pdf

Drug and Alcohol Policy

Champlain College strives to create an academically-focused learning community that promotes the health and safety of all students. Additionally, the College fully supports federal, state and local laws pertaining to drugs and alcohol. The College therefore prohibits student manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession and use of alcohol, controlled substances, drug paraphernalia or legal substances with psychoactive compounds in all College-operated properties. No student, regardless of age, is permitted to possess, consume, manufacture or distribute alcohol. Champlain College prohibits the consumption, possession and distribution of alcohol in all College-operated properties and at off-campus College-sponsored events, except at special non-student functions or when authorized by a specific College official. Students studying abroad are required to abide by all local laws and by the policies of the host campus. Students residing in off-campus apartments are required to abide by all local, state and federal laws pertaining to alcohol and drugs. Champlain College will respond to reports of off- campus behavior from community members and local law enforcement.

Consistent with the mission of the College, the primary purpose of Champlain College’s drug and alcohol policy is informational and educational. The College is committed to increasing student awareness and knowledge of the issues surrounding drug and alcohol use and abuse, particularly those issues involving health and well-being. Toward this end, the College sponsors educational programs on campus and provides training opportunities for students. Materials regarding the health effects of alcohol and other drugs may be obtained through the counselors or Health Services. Counselors are available to speak to students who are concerned about their alcohol or drug use. These students may refer themselves to counselors or may be referred to counselors by any member of the College community. All counseling sessions are confidential. Counselors will work with students to assess each individual’s substance use and refer them to appropriate agencies and rehabilitation programs as needed. In addition, counselors may facilitate support groups focusing on any issues related to drug and alcohol use. Faculty, staff and students should intervene as appropriate when observing violations of the Alcohol and Drug Policy. In addition, Residential Life staff responds in any residential area, including student rooms, when there is suspicion of violations of the Alcohol and Drug Policy or when behavior infringes on the rights of others or may affect the health and safety of members of the community. Behaviors inconsistent with this policy will be documented and will result in follow-up through the student conduct process.

Good Samaritan Statement:  In the interest of protecting Champlain College students from serious injury due to impairment caused by alcohol or drugs, students should be aware that in ALL cases where safety is at risk, the proper agencies must be contacted for assistance. These agencies include Champlain College Campus Public Safety (802-865-6465), local police or emergency services (911) or a member of the Residential Life staff (student RA or other Residential Life professional).

In cases where the proper calls are made for assistance, both the impaired student and the student assisting may not be subject to formal disciplinary action for being impaired or for providing alcohol or drugs. Students involved in these incidents will participate in a meeting with a conduct officer and may be referred for counseling. Families may be notified, but there will not be punitive sanctions. This resolution is available for isolated incidents and does not excuse or protect those who repeatedly violate the Champlain College Alcohol and Drug Policy. It is our belief that we all have a responsibility to help those in need by seeking the proper medical assistance when necessary.

Definitions

• Alcohol: any beverage containing not less than 0.5% alcohol by weight
• Common Source of Alcohol: 12-pack or more of beer, 1 bottle of wine or liquor
• Common Source of Marijuana: any amount constituting more than one-time use
• Illicit drug: controlled substances and analogs as defined by federal and state law. This includes legal substances with psychoactive properties
• Possession: determined by control over a substance or object with or without regard to ownership
• Property: any space or facility owned, leased or controlled by Champlain College

Alcohol

Consistent with the College’s goal of providing a safe and healthy campus community, the following behaviors are prohibited:

• Possessing and/or consuming alcohol at Champlain College, even if the student is 21 years of age or older. If under the age of 21, the possession or consumption of alcohol is prohibited by Vermont state law. Selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor is a crime in the State of Vermont and students may be reported to the appropriate authorities. College staff will request that students open refrigerators or other potential storage areas in situations where evidence suggests they are in possession of alcohol. Students are required to comply with this request because of the risk of large amounts of alcohol possibly being present in the room. If students do not comply, staff will be expected to open these storage areas.
• Demonstrating visible intoxication anywhere on campus or at College- sponsored events. In extreme cases of intoxication, the College has the right to request transport, via the local police department, to ACT 1, UVM Medical Center or any other location deemed appropriate for purposes of detoxifying the student.
• Being present in a room with alcohol or drugs. This may lead to judicial sanctions. College staff cannot always determine those using alcohol or drugs at a particular event; therefore, all those present will be documented on an incident report.
• Creating, offering or engaging in drinking games/activities and other behaviors designed for the purpose of becoming intoxicated through the abusive use of alcohol.
• Possessing a “common source” of alcohol. Possessing this quantity of alcohol indicates intent to distribute and share it among peers. Having a common source of alcohol is deemed a serious offense by Champlain College.
• Possessing empty boxes, bottles, cans, caps, labels, etc., of beer, wine or liquor, either as garbage, as decoration or for any other purpose.
• Displaying posters or decorations advertising or promoting alcohol in public areas, including hallways, door exteriors, windows, lounges, etc.

Drugs

Consistent with the College’s goal of providing a safe and healthy campus, the following behaviors are prohibited:

• Sale, use, distribution or possession of any controlled substance, including psychoactive or illicit drugs. Controlled substances include, but are not limited to, marijuana, prescription drugs intended for recreational use, cocaine, heroin, opium, mescaline, Ecstasy, hallucinogenic mushrooms and acid/LSD. The College prohibits the use or possession of legal substances with psychoactive properties. A College staff member may refer individuals in violation of this policy to a law enforcement agency. All drugs will be confiscated and may be destroyed.
• Possessing a “common source” of marijuana. A common source of marijuana is an amount that implies intent to distribute or share.
• Possessing prescription medication without appropriate prescription or packaging.
• Possessing drug paraphernalia. This includes equipment that can be used for legal or illegal substances. All paraphernalia will be confiscated and may be destroyed.
• Residual evidence of drug use is prohibited. This includes the smell of marijuana, stems and seeds.
• Being present in a room with alcohol or drugs may lead to judicial sanctions. College staff cannot always determine those using alcohol or drugs at a particular event; therefore, all those present will be documented on an incident report.
• Displaying of posters or decorations indicating drug use in public areas, including hallways, door exteriors, windows, lounges, etc.
• The smoking of cigarettes inside any College building or parking garage. Ashtrays with cigarette butts and ashes imply that cigarettes were smoked in the room, and the student’s use will be documented.

Health Effects of Other Drugs

Alcohol

The excessive use of alcohol poses significant health risks to individuals, including addiction, permanent injury and death. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol use is the chief contributor to the leading causes of death each year for people under age 21, including:

• Death: 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes (Hingson et al., 2009).
• Injury: 599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are unintentionally injured under the influence of alcohol (Hingson et al., 2009).
• Assault: More than 696,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking (Hingson et al., 2009).
• Sexual Assault: More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking (Hingson et al., 2009).
• Academic Problems: About 25 percent of college students report negative academic consequences of their drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall (Engs et al., 1996; Presley et al., 1996a, 1996b; Wechsler et al., 2002).
• Health Problems/Suicide Attempts: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem (Hingson et al., 2002), and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use (Presley et al., 1998).
• Property Damage: More than 25 percent of administrators from schools with high drinking levels say their campuses have a “moderate” or “major” problem with alcohol-related property damage (Wechsler et al., 1995).
• Police Involvement: About 5 percent of four-year college students are involved with the police or campus security as a result of their drinking (Wechsler et al., 2002), and an estimated 110,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are arrested for an alcohol-related violation such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence.

Alcohol is a depressant that slows down the central nervous system and:

• Slows reactions and impairs coordination (contributes to auto accidents)
• Impairs judgment
• Causes confusion and memory loss
• Increases the risk of hypothermia

In addition:

• Use during pregnancy can cause brain damage to the fetus
• Alcohol is frequently used to facilitate sexual assault
• Overdosing on alcohol (alcohol poisoning) or using alcohol with other drugs can cause coma or death from respiratory arrest

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning: Someone experiencing alcohol poisoning may show these signs: can’t stand up, is nonresponsive, has clammy skin, will not wake up, or has purplish skin. If you witness any of these symptoms, call 911 and Campus Public Safety at (802) 865-6465.

Do Not Let Friends “Sleep it Off.” Blood alcohol level continues to rise even when someone is asleep, which puts your friend at risk.

Illicit Drugs

Marijuana, the most commonly abused drug in the United States (National Institute of Drug Abuse data, http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html), is a drug with the active ingredient of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC acts upon specific sites in the brain and can impair judgment, short-term memory and coordination, and may increase the risk of developing cancer. Long-term use can lead to addiction and can have negative effects on the heart, lungs and activities of daily living. Additionally, marijuana use can increase anxiety, heart rate, and likelihood of panic attacks. When combined with alcohol, marijuana can contribute to alcohol poisoning.

Synthetic marijuana is a psychoactive herbal and chemical product that, when consumed, allegedly mimics the effects of cannabis. It is best known by the brand names K2 and Spice. Though its effects are not well-documented, extremely large doses may cause negative effects that are in general not noted in cannabis users, such as increased agitation and vomiting. Synthetic marijuana is associated with acute psychosis, worsening of previously stable psychotic disorders, and also may have the ability to trigger a chronic (long-term) psychotic disorder among vulnerable individuals such as those with a family history of mental illness.

Cocaine is a highly addictive, powerful central nervous system stimulant. Persons using cocaine can be restless, irritable, depressed, anxious or paranoid. Effects include constricted blood vessels, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, which can cause heart attack, respiratory failure, stroke or seizure. Repeat cocaine users report the drug does not provide the positive effects they first felt, so they use more of the drug more often to get those effects. Using more increases negative consequences.

Heroin is a highly addictive depressant; it impairs coordination and causes extreme sedation. Acute symptoms of withdrawal are flu-like symptoms, including nausea, diarrhea and muscle cramps. Overdoses can cause slow, shallow breathing; convulsions; coma; and death.

Methamphetamine (Meth) is an addictive stimulant that strongly activates certain systems in the brain. Methamphetamine can be taken orally, injected, snorted, or smoked. Chronic use can cause paranoia, hallucinations, repetitive behavior and delusions of parasites or insects crawling under the skin. Long-term use, high dosages, or both can bring on full-blown toxic psychosis (often exhibited as violent, aggressive behavior). This violent, aggressive behavior is usually coupled with extreme paranoia. Methamphetamine use can also cause strokes and death.

Club Drugs/Hallucinogens

Club drug is a term that refers to a variety of drugs including MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Rohypnol, ketamine and LSD. Because these drugs can be contaminated by any number of additives and are manufactured in different ways, it can be difficult to predict with certainty all consequences and toxic levels of the drug.

Ecstasy (MDMA) is a stimulant with a hallucinogen. Research has shown that Ecstasy use causes long-term brain damage. The effects are varied and include dehydration. Due to rapid increases in body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate, Ecstasy users can die from dehydration.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with a similar chemical structure and mechanism of action to those of PCP. Ketamine impairs attention, learning ability and memory.

LSD is a hallucinogen that can have unpredictable effects. Some users have symptoms similar to schizophrenia or depression that persist after they use LSD. Without using the drug again, some users have “flashbacks” and relive experiences that occurred while using LSD.

MDPV (Bath Salts) is a psychoactive drug with stimulant properties. MDPV has been reported to produce effects similar to cocaine and amphetamines. Physiological and psychological effects include high blood pressure, insomnia, kidney pain, breathing difficulty, severe paranoia, extreme anxiety, suicidal thoughts/actions, and agitation. Incidents of extreme physical violence have been attributed to MDPV use.

Prescriptions and Over-the-counter Drugs

Painkillers (e.g., codeine, OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin): These are opioids, or narcotics. Taking a large single dose of prescription pain relievers can cause nausea, sedation, dizziness, vomiting, headache or severe respiratory depression that can lead to death. Use of prescription pain relievers with other substances that depress the central nervous system, such as alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, or general anesthetics, increases the risk of life- threatening respiratory depression.

Sedatives and Tranquilizers (e.g., Quaaludes, Xanax, Valium, benzodiazepines): Prescription medications that act as central nervous system depressants.

Barbiturates are prescription sedatives or “sleeping pills” and benzodiazepines are prescription “tranquilizers” which cause impairment of memory, judgment and coordination; irritability; paranoia and suicidal ideation. Some people experience a paradoxical reaction to these drugs and can become agitated or aggressive. Using prescription sedatives and tranquilizers with other substances-particularly alcohol-can slow breathing, or slow both the heart and respiration, and possibly lead to death.

Stimulants (e.g., Adderall, Dexedrine, Ritalin): A class of drugs that enhance brain activity. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short time can lead to feelings of hostility or paranoia. Additionally, taking high doses of a stimulant may result in dangerously high body temperatures and an irregular heartbeat. There is also the potential for cardiovascular failure (heart attack) or lethal seizures.

Good Samaritan Statement

Good Samaritan Statement:  In the interest of protecting Champlain College students from serious injury due to impairment caused by alcohol or drugs, students should be aware that in ALL cases where safety is at risk, the proper agencies must be contacted for assistance. These agencies include Champlain College Campus Public Safety (802-865-6465), local police or emergency services (911) or a member of the Residential Life staff (student RA or other Residential Life professional).

In cases where the proper calls are made for assistance, both the impaired student and the student assisting may not be subject to formal disciplinary action for being impaired or for providing alcohol or drugs. Students involved in these incidents will participate in a meeting with a conduct officer and may be referred for counseling. Families may be notified, but there will not be punitive sanctions. This resolution is available for isolated incidents and does not excuse or protect those who repeatedly violate the Champlain College Alcohol and Drug Policy. It is our belief that we all have a responsibility to help those in need by seeking the proper medical assistance when necessary.

Hoverboard/motorized self-balancing board Policy

Hoverboards or motorized self-balancing boards are not permitted on campus or in any College buildings.  As with other products that are not permitted on campus, Campus Public Safety has the right to remove or confiscate and hold any board brought to campus.  A board will be returned once the owner has an immediate plan for removing it to an off-campus location. 

Immunzation Policy

Vermont state law requires that all full-time and part-time students born after 1956 who are enrolled in post-secondary schools are required to have all of the following immunizations. Proof of these immunizations must be kept on file in the Student Health Center.

• Tdap or Td booster within the last 10 years
• MMR (2 doses with a minimum of four weeks between doses and the first dose give after the 1st birthday or positive titers)
• Meningococcal (1 dose for students living in campus-based housing after the 16^th birthday, or a booster after the 16^th birthday if the firsts dose(s) were received prior to age 16)
• Varicella (2 doses of varicella vaccine with a minimum of 4 weeks between doses if the vaccine was received at age 13 years or older or 12 weeks between doses if the vaccine was received under age 13 years or history of disease documented on a Vermont Health Department form and signed by student or parent or positive titer;)
• Hepatitis B (3 doses with a minimum of 4 weeks between doses 1 and 2 and a minimum of 8 weeks between doses 2 and 3; the 3rd dose must be at least 16 weeks from the 1st dose or positive titer;.)
• Tuberculosis Test/PPD within one year of admission (mandatory only for all Radiography majors)
• Influenza vaccine each year (mandatory only for all Radiography majors)

Failure to provide proof of these immunizations will result in students being unable to register for classes, and residential students will not be assigned a room.

Intellectual Property Policy

Preamble.       

Evolving policy, legislation and case law have, over the years, caused uncertainty in the area of the ownership of intellectual property in college and university settings. In addition, the interest in emerging technologies, electronic learning and college partnerships with, and sponsorships from, the private business sector have highlighted the need for Champlain College to update and clarify its policies regarding the ownership and use of intellectual property.

Champlain College recognizes the long standing academic freedom exception to college ownership of traditional faculty produced academic materials. The College adopts this policy to clarify the extent of the preservation of this exception and in the spirit of fairness between the faculty and the College in a new and changing academic environment.

Scope of Policy.         

Acceptance of this policy is a condition of employment, continued employment, employment renewal or student enrollment at Champlain College. This policy applies to faculty, staff and other College employees, and students of the College. As this policy is designed to clarify and publish current College practices regarding intellectual property, this policy shall also apply to all current faculty, staff and other College employees, and students.  Faculty shall include all faculty, adjuncts, visiting professors and faculty hired to teach a specific course, including summer and evening sessions and distance learning. Staff and other employees shall include all other persons employed by the College who are not faculty. Students who are also employed by the College shall be considered other employees  for purposes of this policy. Students shall include all full or part-time graduate or undergraduate students, regardless of whether the student receives financial aid from the College. The terms of this policy shall survive the termination of employment of any employee of Champlain College, and the termination or graduation of any student of the College.

Copyright.      

By way of background, U.S. copyright law generally provides that initial ownership of copyright vests with the author of the work. The “Work for Hire” doctrine codified in the federal Copyright Act provides that in the case of works prepared by employees within the scope of the employee’s employment, the employer is presumed the author of the work and owns all rights in the copyright unless the parties have agreed otherwise in writing. There is no exception under this Work for Hire doctrine for faculty produced academic course materials and scholarly articles. Champlain College wishes to retain the long standing common law tradition of the “academic exception” to the Work for Hire doctrine for traditional works as set forth below.

A.        Traditional Works.      Except as otherwise stated in this Intellectual Property Policy, Champlain College adopts as policy the long standing tradition that faculty and students own the copyright to their pedagogical, scholarly, or creative works, and recognizes this policy as an exception to the Work for Hire doctrine.  This exception applies to traditional literary works developed from scholarly activities such as books, articles, plays and poetry, and also includes syllabi, lecture notes, tests, online tutorials, and other pedagogical works, regardless of medium, and regardless of whether this information is posted on the Champlain College web site,, and even though these works may have been created within a faculty member’s scope of employment. To the extent that copyright ownership in these Traditional Works does not automatically vest with the individual faculty member/author of the work, Champlain College hereby transfers and assigns to such faculty member/author all rights, title and interest in the work.

B.        Non-Traditional Works and Exceptions.   All other works, including but not limited to, materials created for “Master Classes,” “Master Modules,” online courseware for distance learning classes, and works which the College declares itself as the internal sponsor of the work, shall not be considered Traditional Works within the academic exception. These works are generally created jointly with the College, and/or with significant investment by the College.  They shall be considered Works for Hire regardless of the amount of College resources actually expended, and Champlain College shall therefore be the author of copyrightable works falling under this category and shall own the copyright in these materials and all of the rights appurtenant to such ownership. A non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free license is hereby granted to faculty members who create syllabi, lecture notes, tests and other similar Traditional Works used as content delivered under or within the framework of the Master Classes, Master Modules, and/or distance learning programs, allowing the faculty member to use such materials, update and alter them, and make derivative works from them, in their scholarly endeavors at Champlain College or elsewhere.

Programs financed by government grants or governed by contracts with outside parties or sponsors often require the College to agree to certain provisions governing copyright ownership. Some programs require that the copyrights and other intellectual property generated under the funded or sponsored project be donated to the public domain, licensed without conditions or otherwise handled in the interest of the public good. In any event, the College must have full authority to negotiate, enter into and deliver such contracts, including provisions governing copyright ownership. As such, it is the policy of Champlain College that the College shall own the copyright, and retain an irrevocable right to assign the copyright, to all works created pursuant to or otherwise arising under programs or projects financed by government grants or governed by contracts with outside parties or sponsors and the College faculty, staff, other employees and students whose activities are covered by such agreement, in the sole determination of the College, shall do all things necessary to enable the College to fulfill its contractual obligations. In this instance, the College shall notify each dean or project director of the obligations with respect to copyright relating to his or her particular activities, however the failure of the College to so notify shall not relieve the faculty, staff, other employees or students of their obligations in this regard. It is the intention of Champlain College to attain from government or other third party sponsors the right of student or faculty attribution for such works. In the case of web sites created by faculty and students for third parties, it is generally the intention of Champlain College to transfer ownership of the copyright in the web site and the materials contained therein to the third party while retaining the right of attribution in the faculty, students and the College.

C.        Computer Software.  Copyright in computer software (which term shall include user manuals and other accompanying explanatory materials and related computerized databases) created by an individual member of the faculty or a student for their scholarly activities will generally reside with the author under the academic exception mentioned above. However, copyright in computer software created by faculty, staff, other employees or students shall reside with the College in the following circumstances:

(i)                 When the computer software has been developed for use by the College; or pursuant to an agreement between the College and an outside party or sponsor in which case copyright ownership shall be governed in accordance with the terms of the agreement;

(ii)               When development has been a joint or team effort such that the identity of the project resides with the College and not with particular individuals;

(iii)             When there has been substantial or special use of College resources, or resources specifically earmarked for the computer software development, or the assistance of College personnel including students; and

(iv)             When Champlain College declares prior to the creation of the computer software that it is the internal sponsor of the work because the identity of the project is expected to reside with the College, or substantial College resources are expected to be used or are earmarked for the project, or the ownership of the copyright in the computer software is otherwise in the best interests of the College or in furtherance of the College’s mission.

Champlain College shall determine in its sole discretion whether a work falls under subparagraphs (i)-(iv) above, with the understanding that the use of College resources or personnel commonly available to all faculty, staff, other employees and students, such as libraries, offices, staff or secretarial support, and office equipment shall not constitute substantial or special use of College resources. Such determinations shall be binding upon all persons covered by this policy.

 Faculty who intend to create computer software should reach agreement with the College’s Senior Vice President for Finance & Administration in writing on copyright ownership prior to the creation of the software.

When copyright in computer software resides with the College, the College may choose to assign the copyright to the faculty member or student involved in the creation and the College, as a condition of such assignment, may retain rights in the copyright, including the right to receive royalty or other income payments. If no assignment occurs, the faculty or students involved in the creation of the computer software (as reasonably determined by the College) are hereby granted a non-exclusive, perpetual, non-transferable, royalty free license to use the software for scholarly purposes at Champlain College or elsewhere.

Patents. 

The owner of the copyright to a work pursuant to this policy shall have the exclusive right to apply for, pursue, register and own one or more patents on or related to such work, including computer software that is also patentable. All faculty, staff, other employees and students agree to execute such documents or render such assistance, and take such other actions as the College may reasonably request, at the College’s expense, to apply for, register, perfect, confirm or protect the College’s right to pursue this intellectual property; and the College similarly agrees to execute such documents or render such assistance, and take such other actions as the individual faculty member, staff, or student may reasonably request, at such individual’s expense, to apply for, register, perfect, confirm or protect such individual’s right to pursue this intellectual property.

Use of Consultants and Independent Contractors. 

Under copyright law, copyright ownership of works created by outside consultants and independent contractors generally resides with the outside consultant or contractor, and not with the College or the person hiring the outside party. As such, College personnel hiring outside consultants and independent contractors (keeping in mind that in many instances students may also be considered independent contractors) shall observe the precaution of using a written agreement including the assignment of copyright and other intellectual property rights to the College.  Assistance in drafting this agreement, or in obtaining a form agreement, is available from the Office of Finance & Administration

Prosecution of Infringements.           

The copyright owner shall have the right to prosecute infringements. In the event that the College is not the owner, the owner fails to prosecute an infringement upon the demand of the College, and the College is receiving income from the copyright or shall otherwise benefit from prosecution, the College shall have the right to prosecute the infringement and receive any resulting awards or settlements.

Use of Copyrighted Material by Faculty, Staff and Other College Employees, and Students of the College.           

Champlain College, as an educational institution that is both a consumer and producer of information, supports the College community’s responsible and good faith exercise of fair use of copyrighted materials in pursuit of the College’s educational mission. The College is committed to complying with laws protecting the rights of copyright holders, while recognizing that those rights are limited by fair use and other provisions of copyright law. The College provides information and resources to educate members of the College community about copyright law, the rights of copyright holders and the exercise of fair use. The faculty, staff and other College employees, the students of the College, and all members of the College community have an obligation to make informed and responsible decisions regarding their use of copyrighted materials and are obligated to comply with copyright law.

Effective Date and Amendment.      

This policy shall be effective as of July 1, 2010, and replaces the policy dated July 1, 2008. It may be reviewed periodically by the College and revised in the College’s discretion.

Noise Policy

Burlington’s Noise Control Ordinance

To report noise in your neighborhood, contact the Burlington Police Department at 658-2704.

Below is a summary (not the official language) of Burlington’s noise ordinance. The complete noise control ordinance can be found at  http://www.myburlingtonapartment.com/BURLINGTONNOISECONTROLORDINANCE.pdf

1. The noise ordinance applies 24 hours a day. There are also special “quiet hours” for the city from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am.
2. Unreasonable noise is prohibited. Noise is unreasonable when it is unreasonably loud given the time, place, and nature of the noise. Noise that is plainly audible between apartments or houses between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am is considered unreasonable. Sound systems, TVs, and radios cannot be played in an unreasonably loud manner.
3. Gatherings are defined as situations where one or more participants are not residents. In the event of a noise disturbance, all of the residents at a premise are considered liable in addition to any other person engaged in making noise. Residents who may not have been involved in a disturbance may seek special consideration and should consult with the issuing officer and may also seek special consideration from the court in a judicial proceeding.
4. Noise from parties and social gatherings have special regulations. Such gatherings are defined as situations where one or more participants are not residents. In the event of a noise disturbance, all of the residents at a premise are considered liable in addition to any other person engaged in making noise. Residents who may not have been involved in a disturbance may seek special consideration and should consult with the issuing officer and may also seek special consideration from the court in a judicial proceeding.
5. Machinery, power equipment, and construction noise are prohibited from between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am.  
6. Certain exemptions apply: Approved emergency repair or construction work; authorized safety and emergency devices; approved utility and public facility work; snow removal equipment; and approved events by the municipality or by educational institutions.

Party/Social Noise Fine

• First violation: $300 for an uncontested ticket
• Second violation: $400 for an uncontested ticket
• Subsequent violations: Criminal offense and $500

General Noise Fines

• First violation: $200 for an uncontested ticket
• Second violation: $300 for an uncontested ticket
• Subsequent violations: Criminal offense and $500

Students at Champlain College should be aware that as members of the greater Burlington community, they will be held accountable for violations of the Noise Ordinance. Citations for violations of the Noise Ordinance will become part of the student conduct record.

Off-Campus Conduct

The College reserves the right to take disciplinary action against Champlain College students who are involved in any off-campus incidents of criminal activity or otherwise inappropriate noncriminal behavior, particularly when such incidents have implications for campus safety or affect the reputation or operation of the College. Local police departments will routinely share information with Champlain College regarding student violations of local, state and federal law. For more information, please see the section titled Conduct Review Process.

Skateboard Policy

Skateboards, longboards, rollerblades and skates may be used outdoors on campus so long as such use does not present a safety hazard to pedestrians or is likely to cause property damage. Operators of skateboards, longboards, rollerblades and skates (referred to as “Operators”) must use caution and act in a safe manner at all times for the safety of pedestrians. Operators must yield to pedestrians.

Use of skateboards, longboards, rollerblades or skates is at the Operator’s own risk. Operators should be aware that they are personally liable for injury to people or damage to property caused by their activity.

Skateboards, longboards, rollerblades and skates are prohibited from the following areas:  Rozendaal Courtyard, the hardscape surface on the west side of Perry Hall and inside college buildings. Champlain College may designate other areas of campus where such activities are prohibited.

Questions about this policy should be directed to Campus Public Safety. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action.

In addition to this policy, Operators are expected to know and adhere to all applicable local laws and regulations governing use of public roads, sidewalks and other public areas.

Cautionary Note

Like any other sport or method of transportation, skateboards, longboards, rollerblades and skates involve inherent risks that can lead to injury or death of the operator or bystanders. Champlain College strongly urges those who skateboard, longboard, rollerblade or skate for pleasure, recreation or transportation to fully understand the inherent risks and understand how best to manage such risks. Protection equipment while skateboarding, longboarding rollerblading or skating is strongly recommended.  A properly fitted helmet will dramatically reduce chances of traumatic brain injury during a fall, while other safety equipment like slide gloves, knee and elbow pads, and padded shorts will help minimize bodily harm in case of accident.

Smoking

Indoor smoking is banned in all College buildings. Outdoor smoking is banned on central campus (Aiken Lawn and the Rozendaal Courtyard, CCM Promenade) Finney Quad, and within 25 feet of all entries, residence hall entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows. Smoking is permitted at all times in the gazebo located on the corner of Maple Street and Summit Street.

This policy applies to all forms of smoking and use of any nicotine delivery device that has not been approved by the Federal Drug Administration. Behavior inconsistent with this policy will be documented. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to a written warning, fine or risking your status as a student.

Study Abroad /Champlain Abroad Conduct

The standards and policies of this College Catalog apply to student behavior at all Champlain Abroad sites. In addition, students are subject to the laws and policies of the host country and site for all study abroad programs (i.e. Champlain Abroad, exchanges and third-party programs) regardless of whether this information is specified in this catalog. Each program and site may have its own regulations. Certain legal requirements (such as those requiring the provision of reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities) may not be applicable at study abroad sites and/or may be difficult or impossible to implement in such locations; the College will of course comply with all legal requirements, but may not be in a position to exceed such requirements. Please contact the Office of International Education for details.