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Other Policies and Procedures

IDENTIFICATION

All members of the Hamilton community are issued ID cards and are required to identify themselves upon request to any College official or member of Campus Safety. Defiance or misrepresentation will be considered a serious offense, subject to disciplinary action.

 

TRAFFIC AND PARKING REGULATIONS

Hamilton College is a pedestrian campus. To ensure public safety, all members of our community and their guests are expected to familiarize themselves with the policies outlined in Campus Safety's Parking Guide and must comply with them at all times. The Parking Guide explains all parking regulations and the sanctions that result from violations of them. Paper copies of this guidebook are available at the Campus Safety office, and an electronic version is available at Campus Safety's Web site.

All vehicles parked on the Hamilton College campus must be registered with the Department of Campus Safety on a permanent or temporary basis. Sophomore, junior, and senior students may register one vehicle and will be charged $50 per academic year, or $30 per semester. Temporary permits will be issued to all other persons at a per diem rate of $1. First year students may not have vehicles on campus; violation of this policy can result in loss of parking privileges in the sophomore year.

Temporary and permanent parking permits are available in the Campus Safety office. All members of the community are expected to register their vehicles in a timely manner, according to the processes established by the Department of Campus Safety.

Hamilton College assumes no liability for loss or damage to any vehicles parked on College property, or personal property left within, on, or around such vehicles. The College assumes no liability for vehicles that are towed by local agencies or moved by their owners while immobilizers are in place.

The Parking Guide and general information on a wide range of topics are available online from the Department of Campus Safety or by calling (315) 859-4141.

LIBRARY REGULATIONS

The Hamilton College libraries comprise the Daniel Burke Library, the Music Library and the Jazz Archive in McEwen Hall, and the Media Library in Christian A. Johnson Hall.

A. The General Collections
Hamilton College students may borrow up to 200 books for the entire semester. During the last week of a semester, books may be renewed by continuing undergraduates, and will then become due on the last day of the following semester. Seniors may not renew books during their last semester. The library may recall books after 14 days if they have been requested by another patron. Books that have been recalled may not be renewed. The College ID card serves as the borrower's card. Graduates may request new ID cards as alumni.

Fines are assessed when books are returned after the designated due dates. For the fines policies for books, reserves and other materials returned late, see the Library Web page.

B . Reserve Collections
The reserve collections in the Burke Library consist of course-related readings chosen by faculty members. All members of a class must share in the use of these materials, and restrictions governing their use are designed to ensure equal access to them. A schedule of fines is used to ensure compliance with the regulations. The reserve materials are available at the circulation desks of these libraries.

Many reserve readings are available electronically. Electronic reserves are available on the library Web page, and may be accessed from any workstation on campus. Electronic reserves are also available to Hamilton students from anywhere off campus as well.

Videos and DVD's are available at the Media Library in Christian Johnson. Reserve readings and CD's and scores are also available at the Music Library in McEwen Hall.

Students must use their valid College ID card to borrow a reserve item. Students may borrow only one reserve item at a time for two hours. Reserve materials may be taken for overnight use two hours before the library closes and must be returned within one hour of opening on the following day, unless otherwise stated by the professor. In addition to books, one copy of all electronic reserve readings is available in paper format at the Circulation desk at Burke.

C. Newspaper and Journals on Reserve
The library maintains a small collection of newspapers and selected journals at the reserve desk for the convenience of its users. These materials are not charged late fines, but if the material is not returned, the maximum fine amount of $40 is charged.

D. Non-Circulating Material
Some library materials may be used only in the library. These materials include reference books, periodicals and newspapers, microfilm and microfiche, and rare books.

The use of CDs, LP records, and most other materials in the Music Library is restricted to the library. A collection of music scores, which do circulate, are housed in the Music Library as well. The Music Library also maintains a collection of reserve readings and recordings for music courses. For more information about the collections and regulations governing their use, contact the Music Library Assistant at X 4349.

The use of films and other audiovisual materials are restricted to the Media Library. A reserve collection of course-related materials is provided. For information on the collections and their use, contact the Media Library Assistant at x4923.

Students found in violation of these rules will be subject to a fine or will be taken to the Judicial Board, as appropriate.
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USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

Hamilton College offers a wide array of computing, networking, audio, video and telecommunications resources and services to members of the college community. Information Technology Services (ITS) is the organization that oversees the use of these resources at Hamilton. Users of these resources agree to abide by and be subject to the terms and conditions contained in this and all other applicable College policies. This section is a brief summary of the most important IT policies that pertain to students. The full description of all policies can be found at the ITS site.

Students are given access to electronic mail, personal calendar, portal, Blackboard course management system, and network storage.

Passwords should be known only to the person responsible for the account and user ID. Access to user IDs may not be loaned or sold and any suspected breach of password security should be immediately reported to the ITS e-mail administrator. Passwords should be changed (at least) every six months.

Access in Residence Halls
Residence hall connections are intended to provide students with access to telephone and cable television services, and the campus data network. Network connections, wiring, equipment, or jacks may not be altered or extended beyond the location of their intended use. Students must provide their own telephones, televisions, computers, and software. Any costs incurred to repair damages to a network, telephone, or cable television jack in a residence hall room will be divided equally, and billed to the students residing in that room.

Management of Internet Bandwidth
The campus network, including our connection to the Internet, is a critical shared resource for supporting the academic program. Low priority uses, including recreational uses, are peripheral to our mission and will receive lower priority during critical times.

Computers connected to the network may not be used as servers for private enterprises, commercial activity, or personal profit. Computers connected to the network may not be used to provide access to the Internet for anyone not formally affiliated with the College. If personal computers on the Hamilton network are used as servers, the administrator has the additional responsibility to respond to any use of the server that is in violation of these policies and procedures. ITS reserves the right to disconnect any computer whose activity causes an adverse effect on the network or on any other user. Network connections may also be revoked in the case of malicious or inappropriate computing activity on the network.

Virus Protection
All computers connected to the network must have up-to-date virus protection. Sophos anti-virus software is provided free to all students. Other anti-virus products may be substituted for Sophos Anti-Virus as long as they are kept current.

Windows Updates
All computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system and connected to the Hamilton College network must have a firewall turned on and be kept up-to-date with critical service updates from Microsoft.

Appropriate Use of E-mail
Hamilton strongly recommends that e-mail not be used for confidential communication. E-mail is now considered a formal written record that carries the same legal weight as a formal memorandum. When a private message needs to be conveyed between two individuals, a conversation is the best way to accomplish it. College policy prohibits certain types of e-mail. These include mail that may be perceived as harassment, political campaigning, or commercial solicitation. Chain mail is also prohibited.

Confidentiality and Privacy
ITS takes reasonable steps to protect users from unauthorized entry into their accounts or files. A limited number of authorized Hamilton personnel must occasionally monitor information on the network and/or computer systems to maintain the integrity of the systems.

Private communication via computer is treated with the same degree of protection as private communication in other media. However, due to limits of current technologies, which are inadequate to protect against unauthorized access, the confidentiality of e-mail and other system files cannot be assured. All users should be aware of this and use reasonable caution when transmitting confidential materials.

Individual Responsibility
While ITS is responsible for monitoring the use of computer systems, it is also the responsibility of all individuals in the Hamilton community to urge their peers and colleagues to use the network and systems appropriately. Individual responsibility includes respecting the rights of other users. Under no circumstances may anyone use college IT resources for profit-making activities, in ways that are illegal (e.g. copyright violations), that threaten the College's tax-exempt or other status, or interfere with reasonable use by other members of the College community.

Copyright on Digital Information Systems
Individuals using computers and networks ("Digital Information Systems") at Hamilton College (the "College") are responsible for complying with copyright laws and the College's policies and procedures regarding use of the Digital Information Systems. The College reserves the right to deny, limit, revoke or extend computing privileges and access to the Digital Information Systems in its discretion. In addition, alleged violations of this procedure, the College's policies regarding use of the Digital Information Systems, or other policies of the College in the course of using the Digital Information Systems may result in an immediate loss of computing privileges and may also result in the referral of the matter to the College's judicial system or other appropriate authority.

Peer-to-Peer Programs (P2P)
Spurred on by the widespread use of the Internet, P2P programs have been developed to allow people to share information in digital formats. In particular, programs like KaZaA, Gnutella, Morpheus, AudioGalaxy and others are commonly used to share music and movies without regard to the restrictions placed on that material by the copyright owners. Most commercially produced music and movies are copyrighted and cannot be freely shared. This is the law. In addition, file sharing programs are known to be sources of Spyware which can seriously affect the functioning of a computer system. Hamilton does not examine the information content that is being transmitted (e.g. the music itself) but does monitor the type of information (e.g., that is an MP3 file) in order for us to give priority to academic uses of our network.

You may be making audio and video files available on your computer for uploading over the Internet without your knowledge, or permission through functionality built into file-sharing software resident on your computer. The ITS Helpdesk can help you remove such software.

Appropriate Use
Information Technology Services may suspend or terminate all computing privileges of any individuals without notice who engage in improper computing activities. The list of violations includes, but is not limited to:
Malicious misuse - Examples - using IDs or passwords assigned to others, disrupting the network, destroying information, removing software from public computers, spreading viruses, sending e-mail that threatens or harasses other people.

Unacceptable use of software and hardware
Examples - knowingly or carelessly running or installing unlicensed software on any computer system or network; giving another user a program intended to damage the system; running or installing any program that places an excessive load on a computer system or network, or compromises the security of the systems or network; violating terms of applicable software licensing agreements, including copying or reproducing any licensed software; or violating copyright laws and their fair use provisions through inappropriate reproduction or dissemination of copyrighted text, images, or other materials; using imaging equipment to duplicate, alter and subsequently reproduce official documents.

Inappropriate access
Examples - unauthorized use of a computer account; providing misleading information in order to obtain access to computing facilities; using the campus network to gain unauthorized access to any computer system; connecting unauthorized equipment to the campus network; unauthorized attempts to circumvent data protection schemes to uncover security loopholes (including creating and/or running programs that are designed to identify security loopholes and/or decrypt intentionally secure data); knowingly or carelessly performing an act that will interfere with the normal operation of computers, terminals, peripherals, or networks; deliberately wasting or overloading computing resources, such as printing too many copies of a document; or other activities.

Inappropriate use of electronic mail and Internet access
E-mail communications are subject to statements of conduct. In addition, other activities that threaten the integrity of the system or harm individual users are not allowed. These include, but are not limited to initiating or propagating electronic chain letters; inappropriate mass mailing including multiple mailings to newsgroups, mailing lists, or individuals, forging the identity of a user or machine in an electronic communication or sending anonymous e-mail; using another person's e-mail account or identity to send e-mail messages; attempting to monitor or tamper with another user's electronic communications; reading, copying, changing, or deleting another user's files or software without the explicit agreement of the owner; or using e-mail or personal web page advertising to solicit or proselytize others for commercial ventures, religious or political causes, or for personal gain.
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USE OF THE BEINECKE STUDENT ACTIVITIES VILLAGE

The Beinecke Student Activities Village is a multifaceted building designed to enhance the quality of social, cultural and educational programming for students, as well as develop a greater sense of community throughout the entire campus. Each room in the village conveys its own unique personality, which offers students a variety of possibilities for study, conversation, active participation and quiet relaxation.
  1. The Kirkland (fireplace) Lounge, the Fillius Events Barn and the Tolles Pavilion (the Annex) are the only rooms in Beinecke Village that may be reserved for programming purposes. Individuals, organizations and departments requesting use of the Kirkland (fireplace) Lounge, the Fillius Events Barn, the Tolles Pavilion (the Annex) , and/or Events Barn must contact the Student Activities Office and complete a reservation form at least 72 hours prior to the date of the scheduled event. Attendance at a meeting of the Campus Activities Coordinating Committee (CACC) is required on the Tuesday prior to the event to ensure that all arrangements are in order. The CACC meets every Tuesday at 3 p.m. in the Penney Room, Bristol Center.
  2. Large-scale catered functions such as banquets, buffets and dinners are limited to the Tolles Pavilion (the Annex) and are not permitted in the Events Barn. While the Tolles Pavilion (the Annex) may be used for social events with alcohol, the serving, consumption and/or presence of alcohol throughout the remainder of Beinecke Village, including the Events Barn, is strictly prohibited.
  3. Information tables and displays may be arranged on Martin's Way and in the areas to the right of the Diner-side entrance. Requests for display space are limited and accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. A minimum of 72 hours is required to process requests and reserve tables through the Student Activities Office.
  4. Banners promoting events and programs may be placed along the Martin's Way bridge and from the loft windows over the Beinecke Village breezeway for no more than 24 hours and must be removed by the sponsor at the conclusion of the advertised event or program.

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POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR SCHEDULING CO-CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR EVENTS

  1. All public events must be scheduled through the Office of the Assistant to the President, which maintains the College's master calendar. For further information, contact that office.
  2. Proposals for events sponsored by student organizations must first be approved in accordance with "Procedures for Scheduling Programs by Student Organizations." For information on those procedures, see The Student Organization Handbook, available from the Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Life, Bristol Center, or by visiting http://www.hamilton.edu/campus/som/planning.html

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POSTING POLICIES AND LOCATION FOR ADVERTISING

Posting is considered to be any information tacked, tied, taped or stapled to any surface on campus. The College welcomes and encourages members of the College community, either as individuals or as members of campus organizations, to communicate information about events, concerns or other matters of general interest.
The Office of Student Activities does not require approval of campus postings before they go up. We do, however, request that you respect campus facilities and not remove other organizations' postings when putting up your information. When posting information, please adhere to the following guidelines:
  1. Postings may only be done by recognized student organizations, administrative offices and academic departments. Off-campus groups/events must pass separate approval from the Office of Student Activities.
  2. Postings must have contact information clearly stated as to direct individuals who have questions or comments about a particular posting.
  3. Postings must be done on bulletin boards, walls and doors. Postings must never be placed on windows.
  4. Postings using tape must utilize scotch or masking tape (never duct tape).
  5. Postings must not mention the sale or distribution of alcohol.
  6. Postings must be removed after they no longer apply to the Hamilton College community (the event/date has passed).
  7. Postings must be done in a respectful manner. This includes not taking down, covering or interfering with another organization's posting as well as not posting on areas other than bulletin boards, walls and doors.

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SALES/SOLICITATION AND RECRUITING

  1. Requests for commercial vending and sales must be approved by the Director of Campus Services.
  2. Employment recruiters must be approved by the Career Center. All employment recruiting will occur at the Career Center and/or Bristol Center. Recruiters are not permitted in Beinecke Student Activities Village.
  3. Requests for non-commercial sales, polling, fundraising and information tables sponsored by Hamilton College individuals and/or recognized student organizations must be approved by the Assistant Dean of Students for Campus Life. Non-commercial sales, polling, fundraising and information tables will occur in Beinecke Student Activities Village. Tables and displays may be arranged on Martin's Way and in the area to the right of the Diner-side entrance.

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RULES RELATING TO UNDERGRADUATE ATHLETICS

  1. No group of undergraduates shall take part in athletic sports or give public entertainment without obtaining in advance the consent of the faculty, and application made through the Academic Council; and no undergraduate shall engage in any outside athletic participation which is unauthorized by the Academic Council.
  2. Application for absence in representation of any college organization, athletic, dramatic, debating or musical, must be made in advance to the associate dean of the faculty on a printed form properly filled out and bearing the approval of the head of the department associated with the organization. Plans for such representation are subject to consideration and report by the Academic Council and must be duly authorized before definite engagements are made.
  3. Without the recommendation of the director of athletics or other proper faculty representative and the written permission of the associate dean secured in advance, no participant in any engagement away from the College may take a longer absence from appointed exercises than that granted to the team or club of which he or she is a member. No participant shall travel other than with the team or club of which he or she is a member, unless he or she secures permission in advance.
  4. No undergraduate who receives a gift, remuneration, pay, or any unauthorized award for participation on a College team shall be allowed to take part in intercollegiate athletic competition.
  5. No undergraduate who has used, or is using, knowledge of athletics or athletic skill for monetary gain during the College year shall take part in intercollegiate competition.
  6. An undergraduate's participation in intercollegiate athletics is restricted to a single sport in any season.
  7. All intercollegiate contests must take place on the home grounds of the competing colleges.
  8. All intercollegiate athletic schedules are subject to approval by the faculty. For recognized intercollegiate sports, the maximum number of events in which each team may participate is dictated by regulations specified by the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Junior varsity games are limited to a maximum of not more than two-thirds of the regular varsity schedule. In all sports there is to be an even division between home and away games. For informal sports such as fencing, wrestling, sailing and skiing, only contests that do not necessitate absence from class may be scheduled.
  9. Student groups must consult the vice president, Communications and Development, before soliciting funds from the alumni body, excepting normal organization dues.
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POLICIES REGARDING CLASS ATTENDANCE AND ATHLETIC SCHEDULING

Class Attendance
Hamilton College is an academic institution. Although the College is committed to the importance of athletics as part of a liberal education, student-athletes are students first. Student-athletes at Hamilton have the same academic obligations as other students.
All parties—coaches, instructors, and students—have certain responsibilities in assuring that students are able to balance their academic and athletic activities. Coaches, instructors, and students shall communicate with each other and work together to minimize conflicts. However, in the case of irreconcilable conflict, academic requirements take priority.

Coaches should inform team members at the beginning of the season about obligations arising from team participation that may conflict with academic obligations, including starting times for home contests and practices as well as departure times for away contests, or that will require students to participate in team activities when classes are not in session. They should also remind students that they must inform their instructors about possible conflicts and make alternative arrangements as early in the term as possible. Students who make such efforts in timely fashion but who cannot be accommodated by the instructor or who choose to honor their academic obligation rather than that to the athletic team should not have their standing with the team jeopardized.

Individual instructors set attendance policies for their courses. Instructors should inform students at the beginning of the first class meeting about course obligations that may conflict with athletic obligations. Instructors are encouraged to accommodate students who wish to make alternative arrangements for completing course obligations because of conflicts arising from athletic team schedules. Athletes may not be held to standards of attendance that are different from those of other students. In courses in which the instructor will not make accommodation, students should be informed during the drop-add week so that they have the option of taking other courses.

Students must inform instructors at the beginning of the term about conflicts with class obligations—including attendance—caused by membership on an athletic team. Should alternative arrangements for completing course obligations not be possible, the student should immediately inform the coach.

Mandatory athletic practices, including suiting up or other preparations for practice, may not require absence from class. Although instructors are expected to end classes by 3:50 p.m., the Athletic Department recognizes that on occasion, especially with labs, a special situation may require a student to stay beyond that time. Under no circumstances will a coach penalize a student for arriving late as a result of participation in a regularly scheduled academic activity.

Athletic Scheduling
In keeping with its commitment to providing an athletic program for student-athletes who value and respect the fundamental educational goals of the College, the College bases its athletic scheduling policy on the need to provide for the integrity of the athletic program while recognizing the priority of academic requirements. The College considers as maximal limits the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) regulations on dates for beginning and ending of athletic seasons, numbers of contests allowed for each sport, and post-season tournament competition

In addition, the following rules govern the scheduling of athletic practices as well as the resolution of conflicts with academic obligations.
  1. Contests may not normally be scheduled so as to conflict with a regularly scheduled course more than once a week or more than a total of five times in fall or spring term.
  2. Normally, intercollegiate contests will not exceed three per team in any Sunday to Saturday period while classes are in session.
  3. Mandatory practices may not require absence from class before 3:50 p.m., and instructors are expected to release students by that time. Instructors who wish to schedule required academic activities outside of class time are reminded that athletic practices begin at 4 p.m., and, just as instructors expect students to attend class sessions, coaches depend on having their full roster of athletes on hand for practice.
  4. Responsibility for setting the rules and supervising their implementation lies with the Committee on Athletics, which will revise the regulations as needed, receive a report about athletic scheduling in the spring of each year from the VP/Dean, and circulate in the fall of each school year the athletic schedule for the year.
  5. Responsibility for scheduling athletic contests lies with the Chair of the Department of Physical Education, who will send to the Committee on Athletics proposed schedules in time to make any adjustments requested by the Committee. The Chair will consult with the VP/Dean annually at the end of the spring term about the operation of the rules that year. In particular, the Chair will consult about the number of occasions, if any, on which exceptions were made to allow absence from a regularly scheduled course more than once a week or five times a term; and scheduling more than three contests per team in any Sunday to Saturday period.

Captain's Practices
NESCAC regulations stipulate that captain's practices "are to be conditioning and fitness workouts. Captains may not conduct organized technical and tactical practices out of season. No fall captains' fitness workouts may be conducted until students are required to be on campus by virtue of the academic calendar" (NESCAC Manual, 17). Hamilton College further stipulates that (1) players are under no circumstances required to attend any captain's practice, and (2) captains' practices are not to be held between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

General Oversight
General oversight of athletic scheduling will be a responsibility of the VP/Dean, who will receive questions and problems from coaches, instructors, and students; and report annually to the Committee on Athletics on the effectiveness of the rules, the exceptions granted that year, and any problems. Responsibility for setting these rules and supervising their implementation lies with the Committee on Athletics, which will revise the regulations as needed.

Coaches, instructors, and students who have questions about the implementation of these regulations or any problems that they are not able to resolve among themselves should meet with the VP/Dean.

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RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

In order to create an atmosphere that is supportive of religious observance by all members of the Hamilton College community, faculty and administrators shall exercise the fullest measure of good faith to insure that students will be able to fulfill their religious obligations and practices.
Every effort should be made not to schedule College-wide events on major religious holidays; faculty are encouraged to consider conflicts with major religious holidays as they plan their courses and to avoid scheduling mandatory events on these days unless to avoid the conflict would cause undue hardship. In order to assist in realizing this goal, the Office of the VP/Dean shall distribute each year in the Red Book a list of major religious holidays and other pertinent information to the College community.

In compliance with New York Education Law pertaining to institutions of higher education, Hamilton College affirms that "…each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days." Further as provided by this law, "no adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section."

Students have the responsibility of notifying faculty members, at the beginning of each semester, of classes or course requirements that will conflict with religious observances. Students and faculty members are expected to exercise flexibility in negotiating alternative arrangements; students are responsible for making up the work that they miss but will be allowed to do so without penalty, provided that they do so within the terms of their arrangement with the instructor. Faculty members are expected to inform students before the Add deadline if there are requirements for the course, such as field trips or performance dates that are inflexible.

Coaches and athletes are expected to make similar negotiations concerning conflicts between religious observances and practices and contests. Student organizations should inform themselves of potential conflicts with religious holidays in scheduling meetings and requiring attendance at extracurricular events.

For clarification about the application of this policy, students may consult New York State Education Law, section 224-a, their advisors, a chaplain or member of the Chapel Board, or a dean.
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HAMILTON COLLEGE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT/REHABILITATION ACT

This grievance procedure is established to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It may be used by a student who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, activities, programs, or benefits by Hamilton College.

A. Resolution of Grievances through Direct Consultation
Claims of disability discrimination (including the denial of a reasonable accommodation of a disability by a person or Office, such as a faculty member, department chair or any administrator responsible for a service area) can be resolved by a student through direct consultation with the person involved. The Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Accessibility, who serves as the ADA/504 Coordinator, is available to advise or assist a student who is seeking to resolve a dispute by direct consultation. If the Office of Diversity and Accessibility is the alleged source of the dispute, the student may seek advice or assistance from the Dean of Students who serves as the ADA/504 Compliance Officer.

B. Resolution of Grievances through Formal Process
A formal grievance alleging disability discrimination (including an alleged denial of a reasonable accommodation) alternatively may be initiated through the Dean of Students by submitting a written grievance within five days of the alleged discrimination. (If the Dean of Students is the alleged source of the dispute, the student may contact the President of the College.) The Dean will attempt to achieve an informal resolution.

If an informal resolution cannot be achieved within five working days of the grievance being filed, and the Dean of Students determines there is a reasonable basis for proceeding, then he or she will appoint an ad hoc Disability Grievance Committee to review the complaint. The Disability Grievance Committee will normally convene, review all relevant materials and make a recommendation to the Dean of Students within seven days after appointment. The Disability Grievance Committee may want to hear from the complainant, the person or Office charged, and any witnesses it deems relevant either in person, in writing or in any combination and will be responsible for making any necessary procedural determinations regarding the proceeding before it. However, in all cases in which the Dean elects to proceed with Disability Grievance Committee review, the complainant and the person or Office charged will be given the opportunity to be heard in some manner.

Within two working days after receiving the Disability Grievance Committee's recommendation the Dean of Students will issue a formal ruling. The aggrieved party may appeal the ruling by filing a written statement explaining fully the basis for the petition with the President of the College, within three days of the Dean's determination. An appeal should only be filed for a claimed failure to afford a party the process required by the policy or that new evidence has become available which was not reasonably accessible at the time of the proceeding before the Committee. A decision will normally be issued within five working days of receipt of the appeal statement.

All written grievances should contain (1) a description of the nature of the complaint; (2) previous efforts at resolution; and (3) one or more proposed remedies. At each level of the formal process, a grievant will be notified of decisions in writing.

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HEALTH SERVICES

Medical diagnoses and records are treated in a confidential manner, as required by the ethical practice of medicine and by federal and New York State law.

Regarding questions of individual and community health and safety related to specific medical diagnoses or conditions, the College relies on current medical knowledge, professional medical opinion and public health guidelines as set forth by the United States Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and the New York State Department of Health. The College considers each case individually.

The College requires, in accordance with New York State law, that all students born on or after January 1, 1957, submit proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. The Student Health Service can provide information on both New York State and College requirements relative to immunizations and where they may be obtained in the Clinton area.
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PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Hamilton College seeks to both comply with the many regulatory obligations it has within the environmental arena, and to be responsible stewards with regard to energy conservation and waste minimization/recycling. Students impact these efforts by participating academically in science laboratories and art studios, as well as through their social/lifestyle choices. Students will be asked to partner with the College so as to improve it's ability to achieve this mission, and are encouraged to take the lead in facilitating continuous environmental improvement on campus. For further information, contact the Director of Environmental Protection and Safety.
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DOG POLICY

Every dog must be leashed at all times and in the company of its owner (it may not be tied to trees or signposts). Dogs are not permitted in College buildings. Owners must attend to their dogs' bodily functions. All dogs must be registered, tagged and vaccinated in accordance with New York State law. Any dog found wandering unleashed should be reported to Campus Safety immediately so that it may be removed from campus.
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Freedom of Expression/Maintenance of Public Order at Hamilton College

In compliance with the provision of Article 129a of the Education Law of New York State as added by Chapter 191 of the Laws of 1969, Hamilton College submitted the following statements of procedure to be used for the maintenance of public order on its campus and other college property used for educational purposes.

December of 1967, the faculty of Hamilton College adopted the following statement of freedom of expression:
"Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of those goals to which Hamilton College is dedicated. All members of the college community should be free to examine and discuss all questions of interest to them, to express opinions, and to question but not suppress the opinions of others. Because of its commitment to free discussion, the faculty states that actions by individuals or groups to prevent speakers invited to the campus from speaking, to disrupt the operation of the institution, or to restrain others by physical force cannot be tolerated. In short, the right to protest the expression of opinion and the right to express opinion are mutually dependent."

Based on the above, the College would stress that it has not only protected, but has encouraged controversy and indulged dissent, whether by students, faculty members or visitors. This has applied to all forms of vocal demonstrations, protests and criticism, whether directed at national or local policy or at Hamilton. The College further stresses that it deplores the use of violence, and it will make every effort to prevent violence.

Hamilton College has a system of rules, regulations and procedures which have proven effective. These are published annually here and in the Faculty Handbook. It now adds to these rules the following procedures for the maintenance of public order on its campus and other College property used for educational purposes. Such public order shall be that deemed appropriate to a college campus and, more particularly, to the campus of Hamilton College.

We recognize that in matters of this sort in particular, full and prompt communication among all components of our College community is highly desirable, and that to the extent time and circumstances permit, such communication should precede the exercise of the authority, discretion and responsibilities granted and imposed in the following rules, regulations and procedures:
  1. These rules, regulations and procedures shall apply as appropriate at all times to all persons (students, faculty, staff, visitors, invitees, licensees and trespassers) on the campus or other College property used for educational purposes, and this includes not only those persons associated with the regular academic sessions of the College, but also those present for special programs, such as are held during the summer. All of the participants in such special programs, other than members of the Hamilton faculty and staff, shall be deemed invitees.
  2. All disruptions of public order shall be dealt with by the College authorities according to the established system of rules, regulations, and procedures as supplemented herein.
  3. Disruptions of public order include the following without limitation thereto:
    1. physical possession of a building which denies the right of authorized persons to enter and to work in it;
    2. violence or threats that unduly restrict the movements or activity of authorized personnel;
    3. destruction of College property;
    4. undue noise or other interference which disrupts the carrying out of an academic or noncurricular activity of the College;
    5. any other gross misconduct which interferes with proper activities of the College.
  4. When, in the judgment of the president or her agent, who has been specifically designated by her for the purpose, the normal procedures have failed to maintain proper order, she or her designated agent shall put the following into effect:
    1. If she deems that extreme circumstances exist, the president or her designated agent shall summon the appropriate law enforcement agency or agencies to quell the disrupters and eject them from the campus. This is an extreme measure to be used only in the event of grave emergency;
    2. If she deems the disruption not such as to require the intervention of a law enforcement agency, the president or her agent shall offer a specific invitation to meet with the disrupters at some stated place and time in the immediate future for the purpose of constructive discussion which may continue without limit provided there is no interference with the conduct of any College activity or access to any College-controlled facility;
    3. If this invitation is not accepted, or if after such time as the president or his agent deems reasonable under the circumstances there shall have been no sufficient progress, the following steps shall be taken:
      1. The College campus shall be declared closed to outsiders without legitimate business on the campus. Violators shall be liable to treatment as trespassers;
      2. The president or her designated agent shall declare the disrupted area off-limits to all students, faculty, staff members and other College personnel, except those designated by the president or her agent to enter it, as well as to all visitors, invitees and licensees;
      3. The president or her agent shall warn the disrupters that unless the disruption ends by a specified time, a court injunction seeking their immediate ejection from the campus will be sought;
      4. If the disruption persists, the president or her agent shall apply forthwith to a court of competent jurisdiction for an injunction and temporary restraining order requiring the disrupters to cease their disruption or be ejected from the campus, subject to whatever penalties the court may impose;
      5. If the court order must finally be served, those disrupters affected by the order, whether they are students, faculty, staff or other employees of Hamilton, or others, will be subject to applicable judicial procedures.
  5. Any action or situation occurring on the Hamilton College campus or on other College property used for educational purposes, which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health or involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into, or affiliation with, any organization is prohibited. This prohibition (a) shall apply to students, faculty and staff, as well as to visitors and other licensees, invitees and trespassers on the College's property described above, and (b) shall be deemed to be part of the by-laws of all organizations operating on such College property. Each organization operating on such College property must review annually such by-laws with individuals affiliated with it.
  6. Notwithstanding the pendency or termination of criminal or civil proceedings with reference to the same conduct, by independent or parallel action the College may bring students, faculty, staff and other members of the community before appropriate collegiate bodies for such actions as individual cases may warrant.
  7. Penalties for violations of the provisions of these rules, regulations, and procedures (which penalties shall be in addition to any penalty provided for in the New York State penal law or any other New York or federal law to which a violator may be subject) shall include the following:
    1. Violators who are neither students nor members of the faculty or staff shall be subject to ejection from such College property;
    2. For students the procedures shall be those set forth under "Student Discipline," and may result in disciplinary action of the most severe kind, including suspension or expulsion;
    3. For faculty the procedures shall be those set forth in the applicable Faculty Handbook, including the procedures recommended by the Association of American University Professors and agreed to by the College, and may likewise result in suspension or dismissal from the College;
    4. For staff and other employees of the College, normal procedures appropriate to the determination of their rights and responsibilities shall be followed, and may also result in suspension or dismissal;
    5. Any organization which authorizes conduct prohibited by these rules, regulations and procedures shall be subject to the recision of its permission to operate on such College property.
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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (commonly referred to as the "Buckley Amendment") was designed to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their educational records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. Students have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Office (FERPA), Department of Education, 5411 Switzer Building, 330 C Street S.W., Washington, DC 20201, concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act.

 

The act permits the College to release certain "directory information." This information will not be released to salespeople, subscription sellers, etc., but will be used for College purposes, such as news releases and athletic programs. The following has been designated as "directory information": the student's name, address and telephone listing, date and place of birth, major, participation in officially recognized activities and sports (from the Activities Questionnaire completed by each student), weight and height of athletic team members, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous educational institution attended.

If you do not wish any or all of this information released without your prior consent, please notify the dean of students in writing before September 15. In the absence of a negative response, the College will release this information when appropriate.

Copies of Hamilton's policy regarding the act and procedures used by the College to comply with the act can be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Students. Questions concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act may be referred to the dean of students or to the registrar.
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Hamilton College is a coeducational, residential liberal arts community whose members value and seek intellectual and cultural diversity. The College encourages respect for political, religious, ethnic, gender or gender identity, racial, physical, generational, sexual and affectional, and intellectual differences, because such respect promotes free and open inquiry, independent thought and mutual understanding.

The College complies with all relevant State and Federal laws on non-discrimination, and is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. The Executive Assistant to the President, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, (315) 859-4106, is the person responsible for coordinating the College's efforts to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, as well as its procedures for dealing with harassment on the basis of gender, race, sexual/affectional orientation, disability, ethnic origin and religion. 

The Compliance Officer for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act coordinates the College's efforts to comply with those laws.