Student Affairs

Please refer to the web version of this document for the most up to date information at:
http://www.bowdoin.edu/studentaffairs/student-handbook/

August 2009

Dear Bowdoin Students,

The 2009-2010 Bowdoin College Student Handbook is Web based, which enables us to reduce our paper consumption by many thousands of pages. I hope you’ll also find this format accessible and the information within useful and easy to navigate. I urge you to take some time at the beginning of the year to read and familiarize yourself with the information this Handbook contains.

The Handbook is your key reference to the policies, procedures, and governance structure of the College. It is your responsibility to be familiar with College policies published within this Handbook and the Bowdoin College Catalogue and for abiding by the rules and regulations described. As a Web-based Student Handbook, this is a dynamic document with links to various College departments, resources, programs, and services. Some information will change over the course of the year as departments and programs update their sites. While the information contained within the College Policy section is unlikely to change, the College reserves the right to make modifications or changes during the academic year as it deems necessary and appropriate; any such changes would be brought to your attention. 

The Handbook is a resource that exists to assist you in planning, navigating, and—importantly—contributing to the future policies and directions of your College. As is described in the section on College Governance, students are full members of virtually all faculty, College, and trustee committees, and those committees develop the policies of the College. Compared to many other colleges, Bowdoin has an unusually high level of student representation at all levels of governance, and the opportunity to serve and participate can be powerfully educational and meaningful.

Whether you are new to Bowdoin or a returning upperclass student, I urge you to reflect on the coming year and determine what it is that you would like to accomplish within and beyond the classroom. You may never again find yourself at a time or place in your life that offers such a wonderful opportunity for growth. But to ensure this growth, you’ll need to challenge yourself. Toward that end, I urge you: resist that which is familiar and comfortable to you. You will determine whether these are “the best four years of your life.” I hope that you use your time here to establish a personal standard of intellectual engagement, community involvement and leadership, rich and diverse friendships, and the enjoyment of “generous enthusiasms” that you will sustain and build upon throughout your life.

My colleagues and I wish you every success at Bowdoin and stand by to support and to challenge you as you take full advantage of this extraordinary place.

Best wishes for a successful year!

Tim Foster
Dean of Student Affairs

Academic Calendar: 2009 - 2010

208th Academic Year

President of the College Barry Mills, the chief executive officer of the College, is involved with all aspects of Bowdoin’s operations and holds formal responsibility for intellectual leadership. He carries out the policies of the Board of Trustees, leads Bowdoin’s short- and long-term planning, operating and capital budgeting, and establishes fiscal and programmatic priorities. President Mills holds open office hours from 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. on Fridays in the Morrell Lounge in David Saul Smith Union to meet and talk with students. The President’s Office is located on the second floor of Hawthorne-Longfellow Hall.

Dean of Student Affairs Timothy W. Foster is chief student affairs officer at the College and is responsible for much of the student experience beyond the classroom. He oversees a wide variety of campus offices that provide programs and services to Bowdoin students and serves as the principal voice relaying student concerns to the president of the College and the Board of Trustees. The Dean is responsible for overseeing the College disciplinary system in collaboration with the associate/assistant deans, the director of residential life, the office of safety and security, and the Judicial Board. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is located on the second floor of Moulton Union.

Dean for Academic Affairs Cristle Collins Judd is the chief academic officer of the College and is responsible for matters of general academic policy and faculty personnel policy. She oversees all aspects of the College that support the academic program, including the Library, Museums, the Center for Learning and Teaching, the Registrar’s Office, the Coastal Studies Center, etc. She also oversees the use of academic spaces, including classroom design and renovation, and plays a lead role in academic building projects such as the new recital hall and the Museum of Art renovation. The Dean for Academic Affairs promotes discussions of curriculum and pedagogy, plays a central role in obtaining institutional grants and funding for student and faculty research, and undertakes regular reviews of departments and programs. The Dean is involved in recruiting and hiring faculty and in faculty tenure and promotion decisions. The Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs is located on the second floor of Hawthorne-Longfellow Hall.

Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer S. Catherine Longley oversees many areas of the College administration, including all aspects of the College’s budget from planning to implementation; the administration of College finances, cash management, real estate and properties, and risk management; the Controller’s Office, including all accounting services; Dining Service and the  Bookstore; Facilities Management, including the Events and Summer Programs Office and Campus Services; the Office of Safety and Security; and Human Resources. The Treasurer’s Office is located in Ham House at 3 Bath Road.

Senior Vice President for Planning and Development and Secretary of the College William A. Torrey has oversight for the offices relating to fund-raising, alumni affairs, public relations, communications and the Board of Trustees. He also has responsibility for community relations and College relations with the state and federal governments. In addition, he oversees the Children’s Center. His office is located at 85 Federal Street.

Interim Dean of Admissions Scott Meiklejohn is responsible for the recruitment and selection of new students including all first-year and transfer students. He oversees the staff of the Admissions Office and the Student Aid Office and works with the Faculty Committee on admissions and financial aid to develop admissions and financial aid policies for the College. The Admissions Office is located in Burton-Little House at the corner of Park Row and College Street.

Senior Vice President for Investments Paula J. Volent is responsible for the oversight and management of the College’s endowment and planned giving investments, reporting directly to the president of the College and the Trustee Investment Committee. Her office is located at 80 Federal Street.

Chief Information Officer Mitchel Davis is responsible for coordinating technology for all academic and administrative departments at the College. Reporting directly to the president, he plays a key leadership role in collaborative analysis and design of the College’s technology strategy and resource allocation in support of learning and teaching, faculty research, and institutional management. He oversees a staff of forty-five technical professionals. He is instrumental in making Bowdoin one of the most technically advanced liberal arts colleges in the country. The CIO’s office is located on the third floor of Hawthorne-Longfellow Hall.

College Committees serve as a mechanism through which students offer input on a variety of issues. The Student Executive Board interviews students for membership for the following committees. Please refer to the Bowdoin College Catalogue for the names of faculty and administrative committee members. In circumstances where a College Committee is required to meet and take action outside the academic year, committee members may participate by telephone when necessary.

COMMITTEES OF THE TRUSTEES*

* Only those committees with student representation are listed. For a complete list of committees, see the College Catalogue.

The by-laws of the College allow for a high degree of student involvement in College governance. Students are voting members of nearly all trustee committees and are representatives at meetings of the Executive Committee and of the full Board of Trustees.

EXECUTIVE
Chair: Peter M. Small; secretary: Scott W. Hood. Undergraduate representative: Michael S. Dooley ’10. Acts with the powers of the Board when the Board is not in session and may take action on behalf of the Board (with certain exclusions) and set agendas for Board meetings. In addition, a member of the faculty, a student, a parent, and a member of the Alumni Council shall be entitled to attend.

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Chair: Gregory E. Kerr; liaison officer: Cristle Collins Judd. Undergraduates: Bryce A. Spalding ’10 and Taylor E. Johnson ’11 (alternate). Concerned with all matters relating to the educational program of the College, the faculty (including appointments, promotions, tenure and salary) and the Library, Museum of Art, Peary Macmillan Arctic Museum, and information technology. (1 student appointed plus 1 alternate.)

ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID
Chair: JGerald C. Chertavian; liaison officer: Scott A. Meiklejohn. Undergraduates: Oliver H. Kell ’10 and Alexander N. Porter ’12  (alternate). Oversees all matters related to the recruitment and admission of students to the College, policies and procedures for financial aid, and financial aid policies in relation to the financial resources of the College. (1 student appointed plus 1 alternate.)

DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE RELATIONS
Chair: David G. Brown; liaison officer: William A. Torrey. Undergraduates: Katelyn E. Gundersen ’10 and Nicholas J. Daniels ’12 (alternate). Reviews capital needs of the College and consults with the College administration regarding the appropriate steps for securing the funds required; it also oversees the alumni affairs and communication activities of the College. (1 student appointed plus 1 alternate.)

FACILITIES AND PROPERTIES
Chair: Scott B. Perper; liaison officer: S. Catherine Longley. Undergraduates: Isa Abney ’11 and Thomas I. Humphreys II ’12 (alternate). Oversees the maintenance, improvement, security and protection of the College’s physical plant and equipment and new capital projects. (1 student appointed plus 1 alternate.)

FINANCIAL PLANNING
Chair: Jeff D. Emerson; liaison officer: S. Catherine Longley. Undergraduate: John T. Scannell, Jr. '10. Reviews and makes recommendations to the Board about the annual operating and capital budgets and the financial needs and resources of the College, oversees policies and the administration of compensation and benefits provided by the College, and considers the long term financial plans and projections of the College. (1 student appointed.)

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
Chair: Tamara A. Nikuradse; liaison officer: H. Roy Partridge Jr. Undergraduates: Nicholas Tom ’10 and Carlos C. Rios ’12 (alternate). Considers matters pertaining to the academic and social experience of students, faculty, and staff of color with a particular focus on the recruitment and retention of students from diverse backgrounds.  Also addresses other issues that relate directly to making Bowdoin a more diverse and pluralistic campus. (1 student appointed plus 1 alternate.)

STUDENT AFFAIRS
Chair: John F. McQuillan; liaison officer: Timothy W. Foster. Undergraduate: Addison L. Boyland ’10. Responsible for all matters relating to the nature and quality of student life and policies relating to athletics, residential life, dining, security, student activities, career planning, health and counseling services. (1 student appointed.)

FACULTY GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES*

* Only those committees with student representation are listed. For a complete list of committees, see the College Catalogue.

CURRICULAR COMMITTEES

Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee (CEP)
Chair: Christle Collins Judd. Undergraduates: Bryce Spalding ’10, Taylor Johnson ’11, and Kathryn Woo ’12 (alternate). Responsible for broad oversight of the curriculum, and for proposing changes in academic policy and degree requirements for consideration by the faculty. Advises the Dean and the President on allocation of resources, including the assignment and reauthorization of faculty positions. Brings to the faculty proposals about policy including college-wide changes to major/minor requirements, changes to college-wide distribution requirements, and other large-scale curricular policy matters. Represents the faculty on the Trustee Committee on Academic Affairs.

Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC)
Chair: James A. Higginbotham. Undergraduates: Elaine Tsai ’10, Derek Brooks ’12, and Leah Wang ’12 (alternate). Oversees curricular implementation, including: approval of all new and revised courses, revisions to individual majors/minors, implementation and evaluation of distribution requirements.  Oversees Off-Campus Study curricular issues.  Evaluates and approves self-designed majors (with advice on petitions from the Associate Dean for Curriculum).  Oversees the execution of policies  re: grading, honors, transfer of credit and progress towards degree (in consultation with CEP as necessary).  Subcommittees may be formed as needed.

Recording Committee
Chair: Louisa M. Slowiaczek. Undergraduates: Wilson Taylor ’11, Rebecca Schouvieller ’10, and Emma Nathaniel ’12 (alternate). Interprets and applies current academic policies, determines academic standing, reviews petitions re: academic standing, grading options, and transfer credit. (2 students appointed plus 1 alternate.)

RESOURCES COMMITTEES

Faculty Development Committee (FDC)
Chair: Elizabeth A. Pritchard. Undergraduates: Billy Rohman ’11 and Lilly Rudd ’12 (alternate). Administers course development grants.  Oversee the development of teaching:  engaging speakers, organizing workshops, supervising the teaching mentorship program, etc. (2 students appointed.)

Lectures and Concerts
Chair: Mary Lou Zeeman. Undergraduates: Willy Hameline ’10 and Elizabeth Lee ’10.  Awards funds on the basis of proposals submitted by members of the faculty to support lectures, concerts, exhibitions, and other events relating to the academic and cultural life of the College.

APPEALS, GRIEVANCES AND MISCONDUCT BOARD

Judicial Board and Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board
Chair, Judicial Board: Sarah Richards '10; Chair, Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board: Timothy Foster, Dean of Student Affairs. Undergraduates: Addison Boyland ’10, Mikyo Butler ’10, Matthew Carpenter ’10, Edward Gottfried ’11, Megumi Ishizuka ’12, Sophie Kelmenson ’11, Lonnie Nunley ’12, Katharine Ransohoff ’11, R. J. Shea ’12, Rachel Turkel ’11, and Jessica Weaver ’10. The Judicial Board addresses violations of the Academic Honor Code and Social Code. The Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board serves as the hearing body for student complaints of sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct by students. Full details of the hearing processes are outlined under the Judicial Authority and the Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct policies.

Student Appeals and Grievances
Chair: President Barry Mills. Undergraduates: Joseph Babler ’10, Mike Dooley ’10, Kevin Raymond ’11, Anirudh Sreekrishnan ’12, and Jessica Laplante ’12 (alternate). Reviews J-Board decisions. Can either uphold J-Board decision, direct the Dean of Student Affairs to take appropriate action, or direct the J-Board to reconsider the case.  Addresses student complaints of discrimination on the basis of a federally protected class.

OVERSIGHT: COLLEGE LIFE COMMITTEES

Library
Chair: Sarah McMahon. Undergraduates: Jack Hilzinger ’12 and Jung Gun Song ’11. Advises the College Librarian regarding library policies, procedures, and the development of the library collection.  Informs the faculty about issues relating to the library. Recommends the formation of working groups on issues of broad faculty interest in relation to library and information resources.

Museum of Art Executive Advisory Council
Chair: Director of the Museum of Art (Kevin Salatino). Undergraduates: Margaret Crosland ’10 and Steve Shennan ’12 (alternate). Advises the Director of the Museum of Art on policy regarding governance, programs, collections, facilities, and planning.  Also serves as review committee for proposed purchases and offered gifts of art for the collection.

Bias Incident Group
Chair: President Barry Mills. Undergraduates: Justin Nowell ’12 and Tarara Deane-Krantz ’12. Meets at the initiative of the President in response to an incident of bias in any form, whether discrimination, harassment, or other intolerance for the purpose of sharing all facts available at the time and designing a course of action appropriate to the incident.

Oversight Committee on Multicultural Affairs
Chair: Susan L. Tananbaum. Undergraduates: Carlos Rios ’12 and Nicholas Tom ’10.  Examines issues and concerns related to the condition of minority students, faculty and staff at Bowdoin.  The committee focuses primarily on issues pertaining to students of color.

Oversight Committee on Gender and Sexuality Issues
Chair: Enrique Yepes. Undergraduates: Mira Nair ’12 and Rasha Harvey ’12. Examines issues and concerns related to gender and sexuality among students, staff and faculty.  Makes recommendations to the President for appropriate courses of action.

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES PROGRAM COMMITTEES
(Program Committees determine how student members are to be appointed.)

Africana Studies
Chair: Olufemi Vaughan. Undergraduates: all student majors.

Asian Studies
Chair: Shu-Chin Tsui.

Biochemistry
Chair: Anne E. McBride.

Coastal Studies
Chair: Michael Kolster.

Environmental Studies
Chair: Philip Camill.

Gay and Lesbian Studies
Chair: Aviva Briefel.

Gender and Women's Studies
Chair: Jennifer Scanlon. Undergraduates: Emma Verrill ’10 and Maxime Billick ’10.

Latin American Studies
Chair: Enrique Yepes

Neuroscience
Chair: Patsy Dickinson.

Listen to the alma mater [mp3] sung by BOCA, Bowdoin's co-ed a cappella group in May 1998. 

Words by K.C.M. Sills '01
Music by C.T. Burnett
New Lyrics by Anthony Antolini '63
Arr. by Thornton W. Allen

Raise songs to Bowdoin, praise her fame,
And sound abroad her glorious name;
To Bowdoin, Bowdoin lift your song,
And may the music echo long
O'er whispering pines and campus fair
With sturdy might filling the air.
Bowdoin, from birth, our nurturer and friend
To thee we pledge our love again, again.

While now amid thy halls we stay
And breathe thy spirit day by day,
Oh may we thus full worthy be
To march in that proud company
Of poets, leaders and each one
Who brings thee fame by deeds well done.
Bowdoin, from birth, our nurturer and friend
To thee we pledge our love again, again.

The Bowdoin College Catalogue provides a comprehensive explanation of the curriculum and its associated academic standards and regulations. Just as students are responsible for the content of the Student Handbook, so too are they responsible for reading and following the academic policies and regulations of the College presented in the Bowdoin College Catalogue. The Student Handbook supplements the catalogue and references those topics/issues that most frequently concern students. When students have questions about the academic program, they should turn first to the catalogue for an explanation and second to their faculty advisor or a member of the dean’s office for interpretations or answers to specific questions.

You will find information on these and other policies and regulations in the catalogue:

• Course Load
• Attendance and Examinations
• Incompletes
• Deficiency in Scholarship
• Leave of Absence
• Medical Leave of Absence
• Transfer of Credit
• Recording Committee

THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM

A liberal education cultivates the mind and the imagination; encourages seeking after truth, meaning, and beauty; awakens an appreciation of past traditions and present challenges; fosters joy in learning and sharing that learning with others; supports taking the intellectual risks required to explore the unknown, test new ideas, and enter into contructive debate; and builds the foundation for making principled judments. It hones the capacity for critical and open intellectual inquiry - the interest in asking questions, challenging assumptions, seeing answers, and reaching conclusions supported by logic and evidence.

A liberal education rests fundamentally on the free exchange of ideas - on conversation and questioning - that thrives in classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, studios, dining halls, playing fields, and residence halls. Ultimately, a liberal education promotes independent thinking, individual action, and social responsibility.

Bowdoin understands the obligation to direct liberal education toward the common good. In the twenty-first century, that obligation is stronger than ever. The challenge of defining a "common good" and acting on it is highlighted, however, in an interconnected world of widely varied cultures, interests, resources, and power. To prepare students for this complexity, a liberal education must teach about differences across cultures and within societies.

A liberal education is not narrowly vocational, it provides the broadest grounding for finding a vocation by preparing students to be engaged, adaptable, independent, and capable citizens.

ADVISING

Pre-Major Advising
The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs coordinates the pre-major academic advising system. Incoming students are matched with a pre-major academic advisor by the dean of first-year students. A number of factors are considered when making advisor/advisee matches including academic interest, research interest, co-curricular interest, special need(s), residential affiliation, advising expectations, etc. The pre-major academic advising model is a generalist model: students and advisors are not matched according to a student’s anticipated major. All pre-major academic advisors are familiar with the curriculum and the distribution requirements and are able to help students complete the requirements of the general program before declaring a major.

In unusual situations, students will be able to switch advisors. Students wishing to do so should consult with their current advisor or their dean and then identify another advisor. Once a new advisor has been identified, the student should stop by the office of the dean of student affairs on the second floor of Moulton Union and complete an advisor change card. The dean’s office will then record the change, collect the file from the current advisor, and forward it to the new advisor.

An effective engagement with the Bowdoin curriculum places great emphasis on the role of the student as an active learner. As a form of learning crucial to building a liberal education, advising is never passive but involves a process of exchange and engagement with a wide variety of others concerning academic choices and personal direction. Designing an education is an education in itself. A vital part of the Bowdoin educational experience takes place in the interaction between students and their faculty academic advisors. In engaging in an advising partnership there is recognition that advising is a collaborative relationship with a goal of building a responsive, individual curriculum. An effective advising relationship depends on the exercise of responsibility by the student who seeks guidance and the individual(s) providing the information, insight, or supportive criticism. The focused activity of both parties is essential to developing a productive exchange.

Advising at Bowdoin is based on the understanding that seeking advice involves a rich and lively association between the individuals where each plays an active role in a constructive dialogue and each contributes information and perspectives in a worthwhile exchange.

The faculty academic advisor should generally attempt to inform and sometimes challenge the student. She or he may often play the part of a supportive critic, who clarifies academic directions and objectives. The faculty advisor will listen and discuss, supporting some decisions, challenging others, cautioning against possible pitfalls, always respecting the student's responsibility and accountability.

An Advisor’s signature on required material should indicate that the advisor and student have discussed the course selections. The advisor’s signature is required for formal registration at Bowdoin. Individuals who misrepresent or forge advisors’ signatures on registration cards violate the Social Code regarding honesty.

Major Academic Advising
Bowdoin students retain their pre-major academic advisors until they declare a major in the spring of their second year. After the student selects a major, the advising responsibility shifts to the major department. (Student files are routed from the pre-major academic advisor to the dean of first-year students and then to the major department.) Major advisors are familiar with the requirements necessary to complete a major program in a given area. As such, the major advising model is more of a specialist model.

OTHER IMPORTANT ACADEMIC RESOURCES

• Baldwin Program for Academic Development
• Writing Project
• Quantitative Skills (Q-Skills)
• Information Technology
• Office of The Registrar

• Area Transportation 
• Athletics
• Bowdoin Career Planning
• Bursar
• Counseling Services
• Dean of Student Affairs
• Dining
• Dudley Coe Health Center
• Facilities Management
• Health Professions Advising
• Joseph McKeen Center for the Common Good
• Outing Club
• Queer-Trans Resource Center
• Residential Life
• Safety and Security
• Student Activities and the David Saul Smith Union
  •     Bookstore
  •     Student Government
  •     Bowdoin Student Government Constitution [pdf]
  •     Student Organizations
  •     Student Mail Center
  •     Textbook Center 
• Student Aid
• Student Employment
• Student Health Insurance
• Sustainability at Bowdoin
• Upward Bound
• Women's Resource Center 

A residential college adds significantly to the education of students when it provides the opportunity for a distinctive and dynamic learning community to develop. In such a community, Bowdoin students are encouraged, both directly and indirectly, to engage actively in a quest for knowledge both inside and outside the classroom, and to take responsibility for themselves, for others, and for their community. They are challenged to grow personally by constant contact with new experiences and different ways of viewing the world. Simultaneously, they are supported and encouraged by friends, faculty, staff, and other community members and find opportunities for spontaneous as well as structured activities. Such a community promotes the intellectual and personal growth of individuals and encourages mutual understanding and respect in the context of diversity.
 
A learning community has a distinctive set of values and qualities which support individual growth and development. These values emerge from and reinforce the finest traditions and heritage of the College. By creating and maintaining rich relationships with the world beyond, the College prepares students for engagement in the local, national, and international communities and connects them with the larger Bowdoin family.
 
Visit Values of Our Learning Community

A learning community has a distinctive set of values and qualities which support individual growth and development. These values emerge from and reinforce the finest traditions and heritage of the College. By creating and maintaining rich relationships with the world beyond, the College prepares students for engagement in the local, national, and international communities and connects them with the larger Bowdoin family.

1. Engagement in active learning and inquiry - Such a community is characterized by a lively intellectual life of inquiry, discussion, debate, and respectful disagreement; vigorous pursuit of knowledge and understanding both independently and collaboratively; the highest standards of academic and intellectual honesty; and celebration of the arts through creation, performance, and appreciation.
2. Challenge and growth - A residential community brings together people of varying experiences, values, beliefs, and interests in the recognition that much learning and personal growth come through the creative friction created in contact with difference. Such a community also encourages its members to develop their own interests and talents as individuals and together in groups and provides opportunities for leadership and collaboration.
3. Freedom of inquiry and expression - A learning community encourages free expression of widely varying views; it challenges assumptions and values.
4. Mutual respect and civility of discourse - In a learning community, differences are prized and respected and disagreement is not meant or understood as personal animosity.
5. Concern for others - In a learning community, members care about their neighbors, encourage their achievements, and support them when they need assistance.
6. Shared responsibility for the community - A learning community requires honesty, high integrity, and personal responsibility of its members and expects that they will hold one another accountable for living up to these values. Members of such a community learn to collaborate with one another in solving community problems.
7. Friendship and fun - In a learning community members find close and life-long friends, relax together, meet new people, and enjoy life. Active and varied athletic, recreational, and social activities provide a context for healthy fun, as do the spontaneous activities of students.
8. Connection to the larger community - A learning community thrives in its relative isolation from the immediate demands and commitments of the world, but cannot accomplish its mission without meaningful connections that link it to that world outside. Learning is enriched through bonds between alumni, parents, and the College, through voluntary social service and political and social action that teach students by engaging them in the world, through appropriate opportunities to study in other settings, and through a lively parade of visitors to campus to share talents, views, and experiences.
9. Commitment to serving the common good outside as well as within the College - The learning community to which we aspire at Bowdoin values and supports the activities of its members which contribute to the quality of life at the College, in Brunswick, in Maine, and in the world beyond. The community offers opportunities to serve and celebrates the work of those who do so.
10. Affirmation of Bowdoin's history and its finest traditions - In a learning community at Bowdoin, members join together in solemn ceremonies such as Convocation and Commencement; at celebratory events such as Homecoming and Reunion Weekend; in myriad other recurrent events that remind the community members of their connections to one another and to the past and future of their College.

*Excerpted from Building Community at Bowdoin College, An Interim Report of The Commission on Residential Life to The Board of Trustees of Bowdoin College, February 22, 1997.

The success of the Academic Honor Code and Social Code requires the active commitment of the College community. Bowdoin College expects its students to be responsible for their behavior on and off College premises and to assure the same behavior of their guests.

Uncompromised intellectual inquiry lies at the heart of a liberal education. Integrity is essential in creating an academic environment dedicated to the development of independent modes of learning, analysis, judgment, and expression. Academic dishonesty, in or out of the classroom, is antithetical to the College’s institutional values and constitutes a violation of the Honor Code.

The Academic Honor Code plays a central role in the intellectual life at Bowdoin College. Students and faculty are obligated to ensure its success. Since 1964, with revisions in 1977 and 1993, the community pledge of personal academic integrity has formed the basis for academic conduct. The institution assumes that all Bowdoin students possess the attributes implied by intellectual honesty. 

The Social Code describes certain rights and responsibilities of Bowdoin College students. While it imposes no specific morality on students, the College requires certain standards of behavior on and off College premises to secure the safety of the College community and to ensure that the College remains a center of intellectual engagement.  The College has an interest in the character of its students, and both on and off-campus behavior reflect a student’s character and fitness to be a member of the College community.  .   

Certain types of behavior may be inappropriate even though not “illegal”; for example, speech can be offensive even though legally permitted. 

Individuals who suspect violations of the Academic Honor Code and/or Social Code should not attempt to resolve the issues independently, but are encouraged to refer their concerns to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. The College reserves the right to impose sanctions on students who violate these codes on and off College premises.

The procedures under the Academic Honor Code and Social Code are not criminal proceedings and should not be construed as such. Bowdoin College acknowledges its responsibility to conduct student judicial procedures that reflect fundamental fairness. For the purposes of assuring fairness and consistency, the College adopts the following protections for students under conduct review:  adequate notice of hearings; advance notice of matters requiring student responses; an impartial Judicial Board and proceedings; the opportunity to provide evidence and witnesses; the availability of an appeal; and the right to have a member of the College community, uninvolved with the case, available for personal support at the formal Judicial Board hearing. The following sections describe the Academic Honor Code and Social Code.

I. Definition of Terms
Listed below are standard definitions of important terms used in the Academic Honor Code and
Social Code:

1. The “Academic Honor Code” covers student conduct in such activities as classroom and laboratory assignments, examinations, quizzes, papers, and presentations. The “Social Code” governs non-academic student conduct.
2. Terms such as “Bowdoin” or “the College” refer to Bowdoin College and its premises.
3. "Student” includes all persons officially pursuing course work at Bowdoin College.
4. "Faculty” or “faculty member” means any individual employed by Bowdoin College to conduct formal academic activities.
5. "College official” refers to any person employed by Bowdoin and not a member of the faculty.
6. The “Bowdoin community” incorporates all faculty, students, student groups, and officials or other persons employed by the College and its proper ties.
7. College “premises” comprise all land, buildings, facilities, and other property owned, used, or supervised by Bowdoin, including its student organizations.
8. "Student judicial procedures” refers to all written and stated policies involved in determining possible infractions and sanctions of College conduct codes.
9. The “Student Appeals and Grievances Committee” considers appeals of the Judicial Board decisions. The committee is chaired by the president of the College and includes the Dean of Student Affairs, a member of the dean’s staff, four faculty members, and three students.
10. The terms “shall” and “will” are used in the imperative sense; “may” and “should” are used in the permissive sense.
11. Bowdoin College designates the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs to supervise the administration of the Academic Honor and Social Codes.
12. "Misconduct” refers to student actions that violate the College’s Academic Honor Code and/or Social Code.
13. "Preponderance of evidence” is the Judicial Board’s decisional standard by which the facts presented must demonstrate, within a reasonable probability, that a violation has occurred.

II.  Interpretation

1. The Dean of Student Affairs shall interpret questions and resolve any perceived ambiguities about the Academic Honor Code and Social Code.

III. The Pledge

1. During matriculation, members of the incoming class must acknowledge the pledge that reads: “I have read, understand, and agree to abide by the Academic Honor Code and the Social Code.”
2. Signing of the pledge implies a student’s commitment to uphold the principles and rules outlined in the Academic Honor Code and the Social Code.
3. Students sign the Academic Honor Code and Social Code pledge form, a copy of which is kept in their permanent files in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Members of the Judicial Board coordinate the signing of the pledge.
4. Each time students place their name on examinations, papers, laboratory assignments, and other academic work, they acknowledge their responsibility and commitment to the Academic Honor Code.

IV. Proscribed Conduct
The following sections describe activities constituting breaches of the Academic Honor Code and the Social Code.

THE ACADEMIC HONOR CODE

1.   “Academic Dishonesty” includes but is not limited to (1) the receiving, giving, or using of any unauthorized assistance on quizzes, tests, written assignments, examinations or laboratory assignments; (2) references to sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in preparing papers, constructing reports, solving problems or carrying out other academic assignments; (3) inadequate citation of sources; (4) acquisition, without permission, of tests, computer files or similar material which would give the student an unfair advantage on an assignment or examination; (5) submission of academic work not a student’s own original effort; (6) use of the same work for multiple courses without prior knowledge of the receiving instructors; (7) depriving learners of access, including computer access, to library information through intentional monopolization, mutilation, defacing, unauthorized removal of books or other materials from College libraries, or purposeful failure to return library materials on a timely basis; (8) unauthorized altering of academic records (transcripts, grading sheets, Course Registration Cards, etc.); (9) fabrication of research data.
 
2.   A number of Bowdoin College courses employ various kinds of collaborative assignments in several different situations, including homework, laboratory reports, and in-class assignments. When preparing such course work, students should follow the individual instructor’s policy on collaboration. When the instructor permits collaboration among students, the use of another student’s work or ideas should be credited properly.
 
3.   It is the obligation of a student to be thoroughly familiar with proper citation of sources and to consult with his/her instructor and refer to authoritative style guides for research papers. Ignorance or carelessness is not a valid excuse for plagiarism.

The Bowdoin College Library Web site provides links to style guides at: http://library.bowdoin.edu/1st/sources.shtml
 
Plagiarism is possible with any work performed in any medium and in any scholarly discipline.  Plagiarism involves the intentional or unintentional use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment in all such scholarly work as essays, examinations, oral/written reports, homework assignments, laboratory reports, computer programs, music scores, choreography, graphic depictions, and visual presentations.
 
Plagiarism also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in selling of term papers or other academic materials.

THE SOCIAL CODE

The following activities, occurring on or off College premises, constitute breaches of the
Social Code:

1.  Conduct which is unbecoming of a Bowdoin student. Examples include, but are not limited to, lewd or indecent behavior (or sponsorship thereof); physical or verbal abuse or assault; threats; intimidation; harassment; coercion; and other conduct that threatens, instills fear, or infringes upon the rights, dignity, and integrity of any person.

2.  Attempted or actual theft of, or misappropriation of, property and/or services. Attempted or actual damage to property.

3.  Purposely providing false, inaccurate, or misleading information to a College official(s), faculty member(s), or the Judicial Board

4.  Failure to comply with the reasonable request of a College official(s) or faculty member(s), including a request to identify oneself or honor the terms of a College no-contact agreement/order

5.  Behavior which endangers the health and safety of oneself or others. Examples include, but are not limited to, tampering or interfering with, as well as destroying or misusing, fire safety equipment; the possession of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemicals; unauthorized climbing on College buildings and structures; throwing objects out of windows; and the reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

6.  Violation of federal, state, or local statutes.

7.  Disruption of the orderly processes of the College, involving obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, or other College activities, including its public-service activities. Actions disruptive to the orderly processes of the College include, but are not limited to:

1. Unauthorized entry into, or occupation of a private office, college residence, work area, a teaching, library, or social facility.
2. Failure to abide by the operating regulations of academic and non-academic offices, centers, unions, classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other College buildings.
3. Unauthorized possession, duplication or use of keys or access cards to College premises, or tampering with locks to College buildings.
4. Conduct that restricts or prevents College employees from performing their duties.
5. Excessive or extreme noise, the display of banners/objects, or the throwing of objects which prevents or disrupts the effective execution of a College function or approved activity, including classes, lectures, meetings, interviews, ceremonies, athletic events, and public functions.

8.  Installing or using any device for listening to, observing, photographing, recording, amplifying, or transmitting sounds or events where the individual/group involved has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without consent of all persons involved. The recording or photographing of a recognized group’s proceedings, performances, classes, lectures, programs, workshops, or other similar events without the specific authorization of the sponsoring organization, faculty member, speaker, or other party related to the event.

9.  Failure to comply with any Bowdoin College policy including, but not limited to, the following specific ones:

1. Bowdoin College Fraternity Membership Policy
2. Bowdoin College Illegal Drugs Policy
3. Bowdoin College Alcohol Policy
4. Bowdoin College Noise Ordinance
5. Bowdoin College Information Technology Use Policy and Copyright Policy
6. Bowdoin College Residential Life Policies
7. Bowdoin College Student Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy
8. Bowdoin College Sexual Harassment Policy
9. Bowdoin College Hazing Policy
10. Bowdoin College Policy on Discrimination
11. Bowdoin College Facilities Management Policies

A.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is responsible for the administration of the student disciplinary process at Bowdoin College.

B.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will review all claims of alleged violations by Bowdoin students of both the Academic Honor and the Social Code. After reviewing the claims, cases will either be referred to a Student Affairs staff member to be handled administratively or to the Judicial Board for a formal hearing. Typically, minor violations will be resolved administratively and allegations of major violations will be referred to the Judicial Board, but the Dean of Student Affairs reserves the right to act administratively in appropriate cases without a Judicial Board hearing.  For a list of possible sanctions please see Article G "Some Judicial Board Sanctions."

C.  If a student believes that a disciplinary sanction issued by a member of the Student Affairs Staff is unfair, the student may elect to have the case adjudicated by the Judicial Board. In such cases, the Judicial Board will come to its own determination of responsibility and recommended sanction, without regard to the original administratively issued sanction. In cases where the Dean of Student Affairs has acted administratively in lieu of a formal Judicial Board hearing, the student may appeal directly to the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee, as described in Section F., “Appeal of Judicial Board Decisions.”

D.  In both Academic and Social Code cases, the Judicial Board determination of responsibility is final, but the sanction is a recommendation to the Dean of Student Affairs. If the Dean of Student Affairs accepts this recommended sanction, it becomes the final decision unless an appeal is initiated. All Judicial Board sanctions are implemented by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

E. In the event that a student fails to comply with a sanction or sanctions, the student’s diploma may be withheld and degree deferred until the student has satisfied the terms of the sanction(s). 

THE JUDICIAL BOARD

A. Purpose
When cases are referred to the Judicial Board, the Board must determine whether a violation of the Bowdoin College Academic Honor Code or Social Code has been committed by a student. The Judicial Board is charged with the responsibility of determining what happened, ascertaining if what happened constitutes a violation of the Academic Honor Code or Social Code, and recommending to the Dean of Student Affairs what sanction, if any, should be imposed.

B. Composition
The Board consists of student members and faculty members. The Chair of the Judicial Board is a student member and presides over all hearings of the Board. In the Chair’s absence, the Vice-Chair will preside. If both the Chair and Vice-Chair are unavailable or need to recuse themselves, the Dean of Student Affairs will select a Board member to serve as the presiding chair. The Board hearing Academic Honor Code cases consists of three students including the Chair and two faculty members. The Board hearing Social Code cases consists of five students including the Chair. Cases that involve alleged Academic Honor Code and Social Code violations that are interrelated will be heard by the same Board. The composition of such a Board will be determined by the Dean of Student Affairs at the dean’s discretion.

When five current Board members cannot be convened as needed, previous Board members may be called to serve.

Deviation from the stated number of Board members may occur only with the approval of the Respondent or, under certain circumstances, as determined by the Dean of Student Affairs and the Board Chair.

The Judicial Board Advisor will attend the hearing and the Board’s deliberations and may advise the Board on procedural matters but shall not vote.  The Dean of Student Affairs may attend the hearing but not deliberations.

Newly-selected Board members, Deans or members of the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee may attend the hearing and the Board’s deliberations for training or educational purposes. 

C. Selection of the Judicial Board
The selection process is overseen by the Judicial Board Advisor (designated by the Dean of Student Affairs) and the current Chair of the Judicial Board.  Nominations for student Board members will be solicited from students as well as faculty and staff, but all students in good standing are welcome to apply. (Student applicants on academic probation or disciplinary probation may not be considered.)  Faculty members shall be recommended by the Committee on Governance and Faculty Affairs and appointed by the President.

All current student and faculty members of the Board will be invited to participate in the selection process. The names of the student applicants to the Judicial Board will be disclosed to the Student Government in an Executive Session, which the Judicial Board Chair and the Judicial Board Advisor will attend in order to solicit input from the Student Government regarding the applicants. Student members will be selected by the existing Judicial Board, the Judicial Board Advisor, and one Student Government representative who will be appointed by the Student Government President, Vice Presidents, and Treasurer.  (The Judicial Board Advisor has veto authority.)  The Student Government representative will present the newly-selected members of the Judicial Board to the Student Government at the conclusion of the selection process. The current student members of the Judicial Board shall select one student member to serve as the Chair and another to serve as the Vice-Chair for the following year.

D. Expectations of Judicial Board Members
Members of the Board are expected to uphold and exemplify the standards of the Bowdoin College Academic Honor Code and Social Code. Judicial Board members who are formally charged with an alleged violation of the Academic Honor Code or Social Code must dismiss themselves from their particular hearing. Board members found responsible for violating either Code may be dismissed from the Board. 

Members of the Board are expected to respect and maintain confidentiality of all matters that come before the Board. Violation of this confidentiality will lead to dismissal from the Board. 

All members of the Judicial Board must participate in a training program. The Chair, in concert with the Judicial Board Advisor, shall convene the Board for training each academic year. Judicial Board training will address proscribed conduct, procedures, and sanctions under the Academic Honor Code and Social Code.

JUDICIAL PROCEDURES

These procedures govern the judicial process with respect to adjudicating possible violations of the Academic Honor Code and Social Code.

A. Definition of Procedural Terms
1.  A “Character Reference” is an individual who is a member of the College community and may speak on behalf of the personal integrity of the Respondent. Respondents are limited to a single character reference unless otherwise determined by the Chair.

2.  The “Complainant” is the person(s) presenting a claim of alleged violation(s) of the Academic Honor Code or Social Code by the Respondent before the Judicial Board.
 
3.  The “Judicial Board Advisor” is the Designate of the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs who advises the Judicial Board and is generally responsible for assuring the fairness and integrity of the hearing process.

4.  The “Respondent” is the student(s) responding to the complaint of the alleged violation(s) of the Academic Honor Code or Social Code.

5.  A “Supporter” is an individual who is currently a member of the College community, selected by the Respondent who may serve as personal support for the Respondent throughout the hearing process. The Supporter may not be a member of the Dean of Student Affairs or Counseling Service staffs..  The Chair may disallow a particular support person in cases where the support person might be a witness or where the support person’s presence, in the Chair’s sole determination, would be obstructive to the process. The Supporter is available to the Respondent for emotional and personal support before, during and after the hearing.  The Supporter will not participate as an advisor to the Respondent and will not have an opportunity to make statements to the Board, ask questions of or to cross-examine any Complainant, witness and/or other individual participating in the hearing. The Chair shall not allow a support person’s presence to inhibit the parties’ open testimony or the conduct of the hearing. Respondents are limited to a single Supporter unless otherwise determined by the Chair.
 
6.  A “Witness” is any individual(s) who can attest first-hand to the specific details of the case. Both the Complainant and Respondent are entitled to call witnesses. Witnesses will not have an opportunity to ask questions of or cross-examine any Complainant, Respondent, Witness, and/or other individual participating in the hearing.

B. Initiating the Judicial Board Process
1.  When a student is suspected of a violation of the Academic Honor Code or Social Code, the person(s) bringing the charge should confer with a member of the Student Affairs Staff for advice. A disciplinary review may be initiated through numerous channels, the two most common being through a complaint filed directly with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs or through the receipt of a Security Report. Initial reports should provide all of the pertinent details of the alleged violation committed by the student(s) and must be filed with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs while the Respondent is a Bowdoin student. Please note, in cases when a student suspects a violation of the Academic Honor Code, the student is encouraged to bring the information to the attention of the instructor or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

2.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will review all claims and refer those that require a formal hearing to the Judicial Board. 

3.  For cases that are referred to the Board, prior to the hearing, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will present the Respondent(s) with written charges describing the nature of the alleged violation, and the time and place of the hearing.

C. Judicial Board Hearing Guidelines
1.  Hearings are confidential, and will be conducted in private; admission to the hearing of individuals not related directly to the case shall be at the discretion of the Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designee.

2.  The Board may make procedural rulings necessary to conduct its business within the guidelines of the judicial policies herein and in the spirit of fairness.

3.  The Chair has discretionary authority with regard to all procedural rulings, including participation by non-Board members and decisions on the relevance and/or admissibility of evidence. 

4.  Formal evidentiary rules do not apply in College administrative hearings; the Board may consider any evidence, such as pertinent records, exhibits, and written statements, it determines relevant and credible.

5.  In cases involving more than one Respondent, the Board may conduct separate hearings for each Respondent or a combined hearing for all Respondents.  In cases involving unrelated charges against a single Respondent, the Board may conduct separate hearings or a single hearing for the Respondent.

6.  The Board shall determine, by a majority vote, whether the student has violated the Academic Honor Code or Social Code as charged.

7.  A “preponderance of evidence” is the Board’s decisional standard when considering if the Respondent(s) violated the Academic Honor Code or Social Code.

8.  If the Board concludes that a violation has occurred, it may consider previous violations and sanctions in College disciplinary proceedings or civil or criminal cases when recommending appropriate penalties.

9.  The Board will orally notify the Respondent of its determination and recommendation.  If the Respondent is found responsible for the charge(s), typically, within forty-eight hours of the hearing’s conclusion, the Dean of Student Affairs will meet with the Respondent and provide the Respondent with a letter outlining the Board’s recommendation and the Dean’s final decision as to what sanction, if any, shall be imposed.
 
10. Hearings will be tape-recorded. This record becomes the property of Bowdoin College with access determined by the Dean of Student Affairs.  Deliberations will not be tape-recorded.

11. If the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs determines that a case cannot be resolved in a fair or timely manner, procedural options may be limited or result in the case being deferred until immediately prior to the start of the next semester. 

12. In no circumstances will the College allow an impending graduation to compromise its adjudicative process.  A conferral of a degree may therefore be postponed or deferred if necessary until proper resolution of charges, provided a hearing opportunity shall be diligently scheduled for the earliest practicable date that shall accommodate the Complainant, the Respondent, their witnesses, and the Board.  

D. General Guidelines for Respondents
1.  Respondents shall receive from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs a written notice outlining the substance of misconduct charges against them, and including the date, time, and place of the hearing.

2.  Respondents must have a reasonable period of time in which to prepare for the hearing, generally not less than five nor more than fifteen calendar days after the notification. Respondents may waive minimum time limits; the Judicial Board Advisor may use discretion in extending maximum time limits.

3.  Respondents must schedule pre-hearing conferences with the Judicial Board Advisor to review and discuss judicial procedures.

4.  If Respondents wish, they may have a Supporter present at the hearing to provide personal support.  The name of this person must be provided to the Judicial Board Advisor at least forty-eight hours prior to the scheduled hearing.

5.  Respondents may have a single Character Reference speak on their behalf at the hearing. The name of the Character Reference must be provided to the Judicial Board Advisor at least forty-eight hours prior to the scheduled hearing.

6.  Respondents may have an attorney present at the hearing only when independent criminal or civil proceedings are pending; otherwise, attorneys shall not participate in the College’s disciplinary process. When attorneys are permitted, they are limited to advisory status to the Respondent with no opportunities to make statements to the Board, ask questions or cross-examine any Complainant, witness and/or other individual participating in the hearing. The Respondent must notify the Judicial Board Advisor that an attorney will be present at least forty-eight hours prior to the scheduled hearing.

7.  Respondents may request the removal of a single Board member (names of members are available from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs) believed incapable of rendering an impartial decision; in cases of multiple charged students, challenges to Board members shall not exceed two. Respondents must submit a written petition to the Chair demonstrating a conflict of interest and justifying their request for such removal. The Chair and the Judicial Board Advisor will rule on such petitions. If Respondents wish to remove the Chair, they must submit a written petition to the Judicial Board Advisor, and she or he will rule on such petitions.

8.  Respondents may examine all evidence scheduled for review by the Board prior to the hearing, including a list of witnesses and other individuals expected to attend. Individuals or groups shall not seek to influence or harass witnesses. Attempting to influence or harass a witness before, during,  or after a hearing may result in serious disciplinary charges leading to a separate hearing or administrative action. 

9.  Respondents and Complainants and/or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs must provide a list of their relevant witnesses/references, any written statements, and evidence to the Judicial Board Advisor at least forty-eight hours prior to the hearing.

10. Respondents are expected to attend the hearing as scheduled by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. If Respondents fail or refuse to appear, the Chair may allow presentation of evidence to the Board in their absence. The Board will reach decisions based on the evidence presented.

11. Respondents may decide to actively or passively participate in the hearing. Active participation includes responding to questions, presenting arguments or evidence, etc., and passive participation includes not responding to questions, presenting arguments or evidence, etc.

12. At the hearing, Respondents may, in an orderly fashion, present evidence, make opening and closing statements, respond to questions from the Board, offer witnesses and a character reference, and hear and question evidence brought against them.

13. Misrepresentations or falsehoods by Respondents constitute a further violation and may be judged by the Board to compound the gravity of the original charge(s).

E. General Expectations of Individuals Involved in Disciplinary Hearings
1.  Complainants must attend the hearing unless Respondents consent to proceedings without Complainants present.

2.  At the hearing, Complainants may in an orderly fashion, make opening and closing statements, respond to questions from the Board, offer witnesses, and hear and question evidence.

3.  Student witnesses and other resource individuals are not compelled to attend, produce evidence, or participate at a hearing.

4.  Student witnesses and other individuals who attend are not allowed to participate actively in the hearing process unless permitted by the Chair. All questions and comments must be addressed to the Chair.

5.  The Board expects truthfulness and honesty from all participants at a hearing. Purposefully misleading and/or false statements may result in serious disciplinary charges leading to a separate hearing.

6.  Given the confidential nature of the College’s judicial procedures, witnesses and other individuals shall not discuss the case with persons not present at the hearing.  Doing so may result in disciplinary charges leading to a separate hearing or administrative action.   

F. Appeal of Judicial Board Decisions
1.  Respondents wishing to appeal must do so within five business days of receipt of the Dean of Student Affairs’ decision. Appeals of Judicial Board decisions are heard by the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee.  Appeals should be written to the President of the College, who serves as the Chair of the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee.  Respondents should accompany appeals with materials relevant to their argument. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs may provide a written statement to the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee in response to issues raised in the appeal.  A case is limited to one appeal.

2.   The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee will limit its review of Judicial Board decisions to a review of the record of the original hearing and supporting documents and any statements submitted by the Respondent and/or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and determine if there are grounds for appeal.  In order for an appeal to be granted, the appeal must demonstrate one or both of the following:
      i. Procedural error(s) that may have prejudiced the Board.
      ii. Evidence unavailable at the original proceeding which would likely have affected the decision.

Neither the complainant nor the respondent may not appeal solely on the basis of dissatisfaction with the sanction. 

3. The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee will not be bound by the Judicial Board’s finding of responsibility or the Dean of Student Affairs’ sanction.  The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee may affirm, reverse, or modify the decision and/or may eliminate, reduce or increase the sanction.  If the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee grants the appeal, it may direct the Dean of Student Affairs to take appropriate action in light of its decision or direct the Judicial Board to reconsider the case with appropriate corrections, either of which could eliminate, reduce or increase the sanction.   

G. Some Judicial Board Sanctions
In cases heard before the Judicial Board, sanctions may be recommended that are deemed appropriate and well suited to the circumstances presented in the hearing. Factors relevant to the sanction include, but are not limited to, the Respondent’s acceptance of responsibility and remorse, the Respondent’s present demeanor, the Respondent’s past disciplinary record, the nature of the offense, and the severity of any damage, injury, or harm resulting from the offense. 

Although this list is not meant to be exhaustive, the following are some potential sanctions and the characteristics attributed to them:

1.  Warning: For minor infractions, a student may be given an official College Warning. This Warning will be called to the attention of the Board or administrator in the event of any future violations of either the Social or Academic Honor Code.

2.  Reprimand: For a second minor violation or for a single offense of a more serious nature, a student may receive an official Reprimand from the College. This Reprimand will be called to the attention of the Board or administrator in the event of any future violations of either the Social or Academic Honor Code. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs may notify students’ parents or guardians of the violation resulting in a Reprimand.

3.  Social Probation: For a third minor violation or a single offense of an even more serious nature, a student may be placed on Social Probation.  Students on probation may not participate in off-campus study. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will notify students’ parents or guardians of any violation resulting in probation. Students who are on social probation will most likely be referred to the Judicial Board in the event of any further serious violations, which could result in suspension or dismissal.

4.  Suspension: For some serious violations, a student may be separated from the College.  When students are suspended, they are required to be away from campus and lose privileges; after the designated period, students may return to Bowdoin. Suspended students, unless otherwise authorized by the Dean of Student Affairs, must leave the campus and may not occupy or visit College facilities or properties. In addition, suspended students are forbidden to participate in Bowdoin-sponsored activities or represent the College in any manner or forum during suspension.  Suspended students may not transfer academic credit to Bowdoin for coursework taken during suspension.

5.  Indefinite Dismissal: For some serious violations, a student may be separated from the College for an undesignated period of time with recommended minimum conditions on readmission.

 Students dismissed indefinitely, unless otherwise authorized by the Dean of Student Affairs, must leave the campus and may not occupy or visit College facilities or properties. In addition, students dismissed indefinitely are forbidden to participate in Bowdoin-sponsored activities or represent the College in any manner or forum.  Students dismissed indefinitely may not transfer academic credit to Bowdoin for coursework taken during their dismissal.

6.  Permanent Dismissal: For the most serious of violations, or for major misconduct following a prior suspension, a student may be separated from the College with no opportunity for future readmission.

7.  Other Sanctions:  Other sanctions might include a range of various penalties such as course failures, revisions of assignments, restitution, fines, community work, written apologies, counseling, loss of College privileges (e.g. participation in athletics or Study Away), etc.

H. Students’ Records and Disciplinary Sanctions
Sanctions shall remain a part of students’ confidential records. All written documentation regarding the outcome of a hearing in which a student is found responsible for violating the Academic Honor Code and/or Social Code becomes a part of the student’s confidential file and the discipline record. Students control access to their confidential files, maintained by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

I. Immediate Temporary Suspension
If the Dean of Student Affairs believes that the continued presence of a student or group of students is contrary to the best interests of the campus environment, or if the suspected behavior of a student or group of students seriously jeopardizes the safety and/or welfare of the campus environment, the Dean may immediately suspend the student(s) from the College pending a formal disciplinary hearing. A student or group of students under temporary suspension must vacate College premises and leave Brunswick immediately upon notification by the Dean. Depending upon circumstances, the Dean may adjust specifics of the temporary suspension.

REVISION
A.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, in consultation with Bowdoin Student Government, Judicial Board, and Student Affairs Committee representation, should conduct a review of the conduct codes and their administration on a regular basis. Representatives from the BSG and the Judicial Board may recommend policy changes and review procedures for Judicial Board student appointments by meeting with the Dean of Student Affairs or his designate.

Date of last revision:  2008

PUBLICATION OF PROCEEDINGS AND FINDINGS
The Board will periodically compile and print aggregate data regarding cases in publications of its choice. The reported information should not identify specific individuals and/or participants.

(complete Academic Standards and Regulations can be found in the Bowdoin College Catalogue.)

DEFICIENCY IN SCHOLARSHIP

Students are expected to make normal progress toward the degree, defined as passing the equivalent of four full-credit courses each semester. Students not making normal progress may be asked to make up deficient credits in approved courses at another accredited institution of higher education. In addition, students are expected to meet with College’s standards of academic performance. The Recording Committee meets twice each year to review the academic records of students who are not meeting these standards. Students are placed on probation or suspension according to the criteria below; students on probation or suspension are not considered to be in good academic standing. In cases of repeated poor performance, a student may be dismissed from the College. In cases when a student’s academic standing changes, copies of correspondences with the student that outline the student’s academic standing are sent to the student’s parents or guardian.

Academic Probation
Students are placed on academic probation for one semester if they:

1. Receive on F or two Ds in any semester;
2. Receive one D while on academic probation;
3. Receive during their tenure at Bowdoin a cumulative total of four Ds or some equivalent combination of Fs and Ds where one F is equivalent to two Ds.

Also, students are placed on academic probation for one semester upon returning from academic suspension. Students on academic probation will be assigned to work closely with their academic advisor and a person form the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Students are required to enroll in four graded full-credit courses while on academic probation. Students on academic probation normally are not eligible to study away.

Academic Suspension
Students are place on academic suspension if they:

1. Receive two Fs, one F and two Ds, or fours Ds in any semester;
2. Receive one F or two Ds while on academic probation;
3. Receive during their tenure at Bowdoin a cumulative total of six Ds or some equivalent combination of Fs and Ds where one F is equivalent to two Ds.

A student on suspension for academic deficiency normally is suspended for one year and may be asked to complete coursework at another accredited four-year institution before being readmitted. Students are expected to earn grades of C- or better in these courses. Other conditions for readmission are set by the Recording Committee and stated in writing at the time of suspension. A suspended student must submit a letter requesting readmission. The Readmission Committee meets to consider these requests. A student who is readmitted is eligible for financial aid, according to demonstrated need, as long as the student adheres to the relevant financial aid deadlines. Once the student is readmitted, the Office of the Registrar will send course information to the student’s permanent address unless an alternative address has been provided. The student will be unable to participate in course registration until the first day of classes of the semester in which he or she returns. Students are ineligible for housing until after they have been readmitted and there is no guarantee that College housing will be available at that time. While suspended, students are not permitted to visit campus without the written permission of the dean of student affairs. Generally, permission to visit campus is only granted for educational or health treatment purposes. Students are unable to participate in Bowdoin College athletic programs until they have been readmitted. Students are permitted to submit an application for Off-Campus Study (normal deadlines apply); however they are not eligible to apply for RA, proctor, or house proctor positions until readmitted.

Dismissal
Students will be subject to dismissal if they:

1. Incur a second academic suspension; or
2. Receive during their tenure at Bowdoin a cumulative total of nine Ds or some equivalent combination of Fs and Ds where on F is equivalent to two Ds.

Self-Identification and Request for Accommodations Form for Students with Disabilities and Other Special Needs (PDF)

Accommodation Policy for Students with Disabilities

To ensure that its programs, activities, and services are accessible to all matriculating students, Bowdoin College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Documented disabilities may include a learning disability; attention deficit disorder; a visual, hearing, or mobility impairment; or a physical or mental illness. A reasonable accommodation is one that is consistent with the academic standards of the College and does not require substantial course or program alteration. Final authority for determining the most appropriate and effective accommodation rests with the College and is based on the nature of the course or program and the individual student's disability-related need. [It must be understood that arrangements for equipment, recorded text, interpreters, housing assignments, and other accommodations require advance notice.]

Since the laws guiding eligibility for accommodations in grades K-12 and post-secondary education differ, current documentation including recommendations which correspond with the demands of college will help to support your transition. If documentation is not current or relevant, the College will require an updated evaluation, the cost of which will be covered by the family.

The information you provide will be kept confidential except that relevant faculty and staff will be informed if they are expected to provide accommodations or if emergency treatment might be required.

Students who wish to make a request for an accommodation based on a disability must:

1. Identify themselves to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and request accommodations following their acceptance of admission to Bowdoin. A student begins this process by completing the form entitled "Self-Identification and Request for Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and Other Special Needs." New students receive the form in their post-acceptance packet. Continuing students receive notification of the policy and form availability at the beginning of each semester. They may identify themselves at any time and should do so immediately following an injury or illness with permanent or long-term implications. The form will become part of the student's personal file, which is maintained by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.
2. Provide, at the student's expense, current (i.e. within 1 to 3 years depending upon the nature of the disability) relevant documentation of a disability that substantially limits a major life function. Documentation must be completed by a qualified, licensed professional. Upon receipt of required documentation, the director of accommodations for students with disabilities in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will consult with the student and other appropriate individuals in determining reasonable accommodations.

Criteria For Diagnostic Documentation

1. Documentation for a learning disability, ADD/ADHD, or a psychological illness should be recent and appropriate for post-secondary education. It must provide evidence of a substantial limitation to learning, or another major life activity.
2. The evaluation must be conducted by a licensed professional with training and experience in the assessment of adolescents and adults. It must be submitted on the evaluator's letterhead.
3. Documentation must include a complete DSM-IV diagnosis, and a description of the disability. This diagnosis should be based upon a comprehensive clinical interview and the results of comprehensive testing (when testing is clinically appropriate). Evaluation tools should include standardized, professionally acknowledged measures for adolescent and adult assessment.
4. Documentation must include a description of the impact of the disability on academic functioning and recommended accommodations supported by specific test results and clinical observations.
5. Documentation should include, depending on the nature of the disability, a recommended re-evaluation time period.

Documentation Requirements For A Physical Disability

1. Documentation must be submitted by an evaluator with training and expertise with the particular medical condition identified. The documentation must be signed and dated by this individual and be submitted on that person's letterhead.
2. A current medical diagnosis must be provided and include a full description of the impact of the student's disability in a residential educational setting.
3. Documentation must provide recommendations of reasonable accommodations specific to the diagnosed disability.
4. Documentation should include, depending on the nature of the disability, a recommended re-evaluation time period.

Incoming students with documented disabilities should speak with the director of accommodations for students with disabilities in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. After consultation with the student, a review of the student's documentation, and any necessary consultation with outside specialists, the coordinator of accommodations for students with disabilities will determine what accommodations are reasonable and appropriate. The director of accommodations for students with disabilities will communicate in writing with the instructor of the course involved regarding specific accommodations. The student must speak with the instructor during the first week of classes to confirm the accommodations.

Students who experience academic difficulties and suspect a learning disability should identify themselves to the director of accommodations for students with disabilities in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Referrals for testing by qualified individuals can be provided through the College Health and Counseling Centers.

Students who feel they have been discriminated based on their disability should consult the Grievance Procedure for Student Complaints regarding Sex Discrimination and Discrimination on the Basis of Physical and Mental Disability to be informed of the steps that can be taken to address these concerns.

INTRODUCTION

As an institution of higher education, Bowdoin is committed to providing an environment in which students can further their own intellectual, social, moral, and physical development and in which all members of the campus community can work together in pursuit of knowledge and understanding.  The abuse of drugs and alcohol is antithetical to that mission. Bowdoin prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of drugs and alcohol by students and employees on Bowdoin’s property or as any part of Bowdoin’s activities.  Furthermore, the College strives to eliminate other community issues that are often a result of problematic drinking behavior, such as violence, sexual assault, improper conduct, and vandalism to personal and College property.

As part of its educational mission, the College is committed to enhancing the development of responsible attitudes and behavior regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages and to devising policies and providing the information and education that will reduce dangerous drinking (such as “drinking games,” which encourage the rapid ingestion of large amounts of alcohol). In keeping with this commitment, Bowdoin intends to inform its community of state and College regulations, provide campus resources to assist individuals with substance-related problems, promote discussion and increase awareness of alcohol-related issues, and ensure the health and safety of members of the Bowdoin community.  Enforcement strategies are balanced with an expectation of personal responsibility for behavior and compliance with applicable laws and policies.

Bowdoin College believes that bystanders hold tremendous influence to intervene in dangerous situations, both acute and habitual.  Any member of the community who observes another member involved in dangerous drinking should feel a responsibility to discourage the behavior and to help the intoxicated individual. If someone is intoxicated and non-responsive to physical or verbal stimuli, emergency medical services should be sought immediately. When the safety and health of an individual is at risk, Bowdoin urges erring on the side of caution and calling for help. Waiting means taking a chance with the life of another.  Similarly, if someone is regularly misusing or abusing alcohol, intervene by having a conversation or bring it to the attention of another.  Staff are available in Counseling, Heath Services, the Dean’s Office, Residential Life and Human Resources to assist.   

Bowdoin College is committed to helping students who have questions or concerns about drugs or alcohol, and related problems. The Counseling Service and the Dudley Coe Health Service staff are available resources on campus. In particular, the College has a relationship with a local substance abuse counselor who meets with students and assists with community education.  Health Services and Counseling staff members will maintain the confidentiality of any student seeking help for an alcohol or drug problem. Confidentiality is broken only when a student is in imminent physical or psychological danger and it is necessary to provide for his or her safety. 

Ultimately, the specific alcohol regulations established by Bowdoin College are intended to honor both the rights of the individual and the standards of the community, and are designed to encourage responsible drinking and behavior by clearly stating what is expected of those who choose to consume or serve alcohol. Individuals who make the personal choice to drink will be held fully accountable for their actions. Violators of the alcohol policy are subject to disciplinary consequences.  Students or employees experiencing substance abuse problems may be referred to a number of college and/or area resources.

The following pages inform students and employees about physical and medical consequences of alcohol and drug use, relevant state and federal laws, and Bowdoin’s policies and disciplinary sanctions. This information is published for the guidance of students and employees and to satisfy part of the requirements of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, Public Law 101-226.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
Alcohol is a drug that is absorbed into your bloodstream and transmitted to virtually all parts of your body. It is a depressant that causes a number of changes in behavior, though particular effects vary among individuals. Even one or two drinks will significantly affect your alertness, judgment, and physical coordination, making it dangerous for you to drive and participate in certain sports, and impairing your ability to make decisions about further drinking. Small to moderate amounts of alcohol increase aggressive behavior. Larger amounts cause physical effects such as staggering, slurred speech, double vision, sudden mood swings, and marked impairment of higher mental functions, severely altering your ability to learn and remember. Very high consumption, either long-term or in binges, can cause unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, and death. If combined with other depressants of the central nervous system, much smaller amounts of alcohol will cause the same effects.

Heavy drinking may make you dependent on alcohol; sudden withdrawal may produce severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions, and may even be life-threatening. Long-term heavy drinking increases your risk of developing liver and heart disease, circulatory problems, peptic ulcers, various forms of cancer, and irreversible brain damage. Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome, causing irreversible physical abnormalities and mental retardation. Children of alcoholic parents may suffer from a number of developmental and psychological problems, and are a greater risk of becoming alcoholics than are other children.

As the American College Health Association says in Alcohol: Decisions on Tap: Abusing alcohol can cripple your chances for a good life. Too much drinking even once can cause you pain and harm the lives of others. It can result in sports injuries, car accidents, fights, unplanned parenthood, date rape, and sexually transmitted diseases. Over time, too much drinking leads to slow, steady damage to your body and mind.

Controlled substances have a number of physical and mental effects, summarized in Appendix A of the Federal Register, Vol. 55, No. 159, page 33590.

ALCOHOL POLICY

1. State Laws
Bowdoin College students must comply with Maine state laws regarding the consumption, sale, purchase, and delivery of alcohol. A summary of applicable Maine law is provided below:

a.  Individuals must be at least twenty-one years of age to purchase, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages in Maine.

b.  It is illegal for minors to purchase, consume, possess, or transport liquor.

c.  It is illegal to falsify official Maine state identification cards or any identification material for the purpose of procuring alcoholic beverages. Moreover, no person may misrepresent age or practice deceit in the procurement of an identification card, possess a false identification card, or loan or transfer an identification card to another for the purpose of procuring liquor.

d.  Only licensed liquor dealers may sell alcoholic beverages in Maine. Charging admission to parties where alcoholic beverages are available “free” or other similar devices is illegal, as are any similar arrangements having similar effects.

e.  No person may knowingly furnish, procure, deliver or sell liquor to a minor or allow any minor under his/her control to consume liquor.

f.  It is illegal to knowingly procure in any way and/or assist in procuring, furnishing, giving, delivering, or selling liquor to/for an intoxicated person.

g. Consumption of alcoholic beverages in a public place is illegal without a special license or permit issued by authorized Maine state officials.

h.  No person may drink liquor while operating a motor vehicle on any public way. In addition, operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% or higher is illegal and could result in a suspension of your driver’s license or permit and/or a fine of as much as $500. If you are under age twenty-one, the state considers you intoxicated if you have consumed any amount of alcohol.

2. Hard Liquor
No student, regardless of age, may possess hard liquor in College residences. Hard liquor with an alcohol content of more than 10 percent alcohol by volume that is found in campus residences by Security will be confiscated. Generally, this excludes malt beverages and hard liquor mixes. Wine and champagne may be approved at the discretion of the Director of Residential Life.

3. Drinking Games
Drinking games, encouraging the rapid ingestion of alcohol, are not permitted. Such games include, but are not limited to: Quarters, Beer Pong, Beirut, Power Hour, and Flip Cup. Paraphernalia identified as having been used in a drinking game, including tables, may be confiscated by Security and will become property of the College.

4. Personal Responsibility
Students influenced by alcohol are fully responsible for their actions and any damages they may cause. Individuals are also accountable for verbal or physical abuse toward other individuals or personal property. In addition, conduct violations may result in formal disciplinary action, including financial restitution for any and all damages incurred.

5. Student Activity Fees
Student groups cannot use student activity fees or any other College funds for the purchase of alcohol, without permission of the office of the dean of student affairs.

6. Restricted Areas
Drinking in public places (including outdoor areas, residence hallways, stairwells, etc.) or outside private rooms is prohibited by College policy and Maine State Law. Except under special circumstances, alcoholic beverages are not permitted in Kresge Auditorium, Hawthorne-Longfellow Library, Pickard Theater, Morrell Gymnasium, Farley Field House, Dayton Arena, Hatch Science Library, Watson Arena, academic or other buildings, and facilities where the primary function of the building would be intruded upon or potentially impaired through the use of individuals consuming alcoholic beverages.

7. Parties/Social Functions
The College allows parties/social functions with alcohol on Friday and Saturday nights while classes are in session.

a. All parties or social events must be conducted in accordance with Maine state laws as noted above.

b. Registration
1.) Students sponsoring a party or social event at which alcohol will be served or which may draw attention to itself due to noise or other circumstances must complete a party registration form and receive signed approval. When the event is planned for a College House, residence hall, apartment, or campus common space, approval must be obtained from the Director of Residential Life or his/her designee. Party registration forms must be submitted to the appropriate College official by noon Thursday. Forms submitted after this deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

2.) Registration regulations pertain to events planned for all College facilities, including College Houses, residence halls, and apartments.
 
3.) Small, intimate gatherings may be held in residence hall private rooms or apartments. Civility and respect for other residents is essential; thus gatherings in private rooms in the residence halls must not adversely affect the immediate environment. A small gathering of this sort need not be registered with the College, unless it may draw attention to itself due to noise or other circumstances. Such gatherings are, however, subject to all other regulations regarding alcohol use described in this policy.

4.) The College recognizes that there are legitimate occasions when a spontaneous gathering of individuals may occur that would ordinarily violate the provisions of 7.b.1. above due to the fact that the gathering was not planned or registered in advance. In such cases, which should constitute the exception rather than the rule, it is the responsibility of the individual or individuals hosting the gathering to contact the dean-on-call through Security (ext. 3314) at the time of the gathering in order to request permission to host a spontaneous party or social event, as defined in 7.b.1. above. Upon consultation with the host(s), the dean-on-call will either approve or deny permission for the gathering, based upon adherence to alcohol policy regulations and other relevant considerations. Such spontaneous gatherings shall be subject to the same regulations governing approved parties registered in advance.

c.  Responsible hosts/sponsors must be named prior to any party or social event, and be clearly identified and available at the function. All hosts must abstain completely from drinking alcohol over the course of the event. Hosts may call Bowdoin College Security for assistance with any alcohol violations or difficult situations that may arise during an event. Bowdoin Security will conduct a pre-party check with the hosts and check in periodically at approved social functions to ensure that the event is operating in accordance with the Alcohol Policy, fire code regulations, noise ordinances, and the details stipulated on the party registration form. Security officers will address violations they observe and will request the name and identification number of any student believed to be engaged in underage drinking or in violation of other aspects of the Alcohol Policy or Bowdoin College Social Code. Although Security will make every effort to work with hosts to address and remedy alcohol violations or other problems, officers are authorized to close parties at which violations of policy or other serious problems are evident. Should Bowdoin Security come across an unregistered event at which alcohol is present, such parties will be closed immediately. Party hosts are also responsible for ensuring that all unreasonable messes are cleaned and common areas are restored to their original appearance following a social event. Violations of alcohol regulations discovered by Security will be reported to the office of the dean of student affairs and appropriate disciplinary action will ensue. Hosts are responsible and liable for the conduct of their guests at parties. Hosts may face disciplinary action for Alcohol Policy violations that occur at parties they sponsor, and, under certain circumstances, may face criminal or civil proceedings under jurisdiction of Maine State law. Individuals responsible for organizing or hosting an unregistered event will likewise be held responsible and liable for alcohol-related violations committed by their guests, and face additional sanctions for failing to register the event in accordance with the guidelines specified in items  b.1. through b.4. above.

d. In order to minimize the potential for conflict between academic and social priorities, the College will approve parties or other social events involving alcohol for Friday and Saturday nights only. Under unusual circumstances, occasional exceptions to this regulation may be permitted. However, the granting of such exceptions would require both a compelling rationale and substantive assurance that the proposed event would not compromise the assumed academic priorities of individuals involved in or otherwise affected by the event. Any requests for exceptions to this regulation must be submitted to the Director of Residential Life or his/her designee at least one week in advance of the proposed event.

e.  Due to fire safety ordinances, the total number in attendance at a party or social event must not exceed the legal capacity of the facility. Fire capacity information is available on the party registration form.

f.  Everyone attending a party or social function where alcohol is served must carry valid identification that verifies their date of birth. Bowdoin students must also carry College ID. This is important for the individuals involved and for the protection of the event’s hosts.

g.  Alcohol shall be served only to party guests of legal drinking age. It is the responsibility of the host(s) to verify the legal age of all guests consuming alcohol, and to provide for adequate control over the distribution of alcohol at the party so that minors are not served.

h.  Alcohol must be served in a professional manner by designated bartenders only. In unlicensed premises, bartenders must be twenty-one years of age or older.

i.  Alcohol is limited to beer or wine in quantity appropriate to the number of individuals attending the event who are of legal drinking age. Hard liquor and drinking games are not allowed. The appropriate quantity of alcohol to be available at any given party or social function will be determined beforehand through consultation between party host(s) and the Director of Residential Life or her/his designee. If beer is to be provided from kegs, kegs must be registered with the Director of Residential Life (i.e., keg serial numbers provided before the party). Other common sources (including, but not limited to, party balls, punch bowls, etc.) are not permitted without the permission of the Director of Residential Life or her designee.

j.  Alternative (i.e., non-alcoholic) beverages must be available in quantity appropriate to the number of people at the event. Non-alcoholic beverages must be visible, readily accessible, and available in reasonable quantity throughout the party or event. Imitation alcoholic beverages, if served, must also be registered with the Director of Residential Life or her designee. 

k.  Food must be available in quantity appropriate to the number of guests.

l.  Intoxicated individuals must not be served.

m.  Due to Brunswick town ordinance, hosts must not serve alcohol after 1:00 a.m.

n.  Hosts must not serve alcohol before 7:30 p.m. unless special permission is provided by the Director of Residential Life or her/his designee.

o.  Events involving alcohol are not permitted during final exam and reading periods.

p.  Events involving alcohol are required to be registered during Senior Week.

q.  Advertising of parties or social events must not depict the presence of alcohol.

r.  Hosts of parties or social functions cannot charge admission that directly or indirectly allows or signifies access to alcohol, nor can money be solicited or collected from guests at any time during the event for the purchase of alcohol.

s.  Alcohol must not be used as a “prize” at any function.

t. Hosts are responsible for clean-up immediately following an event. This includes the outside of the party location.

u. Hosts are responsible for removing kegs from the party space by Monday afternoon. If kegs are not removed by this time they will be confiscated.

8. Pub Regulations
a.  Jack Magee’s Pub is an officially licensed College establishment where beer and wine are sold to individuals who are at least twenty-one years of age, and is subject to the same state laws that govern commercial establishments in Maine. No one may bring any alcohol into the Pub.

b.  Pub managers and bartenders may request proof of age from any person attempting to purchase or consume alcohol. If appropriate documentation is not supplied, pub personnel will refuse any sale of alcoholic beverages.

c.  Only Bowdoin College student identification and/or an official Maine or other state identification will be accepted as verification of legal age.

d.  If, in the judgment of any pub bartender, an individual appears intoxicated, additional service will be refused.

e.  Should the need arise, Bowdoin Security may be called for assistance. Instances of misbehavior or violations of College policies or State law by Bowdoin students may be reported to the office of the dean of student affairs for possible disciplinary action.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

Bowdoin College is neither a police agency enforcing the law nor a sanctuary protecting those who violate laws regarding alcohol or other drugs. The College is vitally invested in maintaining an environment conducive to physical and psychological safety, intellectual development, and personal maturation. In accordance with these goals, the College acknowledges its obligation to provide clear standards of behavior regarding the use of alcohol, to determine levels of disciplinary sanction appropriate to the nature of any given alcohol-related infraction, and to address consistently violations of alcohol regulations that come to its attention.

Although any alcohol-related violation is subject to disciplinary consequences, the College is most urgently concerned with those behaviors and accompanying attitudes that threaten the physical or psychological safety or well-being of self or others, infringe upon the rights of others, or are otherwise disruptive to the community. Following established guidelines, members of the dean of student affairs staff will determine disciplinary action resulting from conduct violations, with possible referral to the Judicial Board and, in some cases, criminal or civil authorities. Sanctions imposed by the College may range from a warning letter for a relatively minor first-time violation, to immediate suspension or dismissal for egregious violations or a pattern of multiple offenses. Students may also be expected to pay restitution for any and all damages occurring as a result of their behavior.

Bowdoin College Security Officers will note and report all alcohol violations that come to their attention whether observed at parties or other social events, in campus public spaces, or during routine “walk-throughs” of residence halls. All other members of the community (proctors or other students, faculty, administrators, or support staff) may call attention to suspected violations of the Alcohol Policy, and are expected to play an appropriate role in enhancing the safety and well-being of members of the community. Reports of violations or suspected violations of the Alcohol Policy will be made to the office of the dean of student affairs.

Above all, it must be emphasized that Bowdoin students are responsible for their personal behavior as well as the conduct of their guests in all private spaces at the College and campus facilities. The ingestion of alcohol or other drugs in no way constitutes an excuse for behaviors that violate College policy or Maine State laws, or otherwise infringe upon the rights of others.

ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT

Since alcohol is a psychoactive substance that presents the possibility of addiction and other negative physical and psychological consequences, the College feels a responsibility to provide assessment and treatment (within certain parameters) to those individuals whose alcohol-related behaviors indicate the potential for such consequences. Such individuals who come to the attention of the College will be referred, usually by the office of the dean of student affairs, to either Bowdoin’s Health Service or Counseling Service for a substance use evaluation. This evaluation may result in a recommendation for treatment, which could take place individually or in a group, either on-campus or at an outside agency, depending on the particular circumstances and needs of the individual.

ILLEGAL DRUG POLICY

Bowdoin College expects its students and employees to comply with all the requirements of Maine state law. As such, the possession, trafficking, or use of illegal drugs and/or drug paraphernalia as defined in the statutes of Maine law are prohibited and subject the violator to disciplinary action by the College as well as possible prosecution by local, state, and/or federal authorities. Bowdoin College will not take responsibility for students or employees who disregard the various drug laws, nor will students’ educational status render them immune from the legal processes.

Students whose illegal drug use comes to the attention of the dean’s office will generally be referred to the Counseling Service or another drug treatment program. Depending on the circumstances, the student may also be subject to disciplinary action.

Students who sell illegal drugs will be subjected to disciplinary action by the College. If the Dean’s Office receives reliable information or other evidence that a student has been or is currently involved in the trafficking of controlled drugs, or has been or is in possession of such amounts as to make this a reasonable presumption, then the student will be asked to resign from Bowdoin College. Should the student refuse to resign, then the dean of student affairs may temporarily suspend the student pending a formal hearing by the Judicial Board for permanent dismissal.

Students who are accused of placing illegal drugs in the beverages or food of others will be subject to the same disciplinary procedures as those accused of selling illegal drugs.

Drug use will be considered an exacerbating, not a mitigating, condition in Social Code violations.

The following people can serve as resources for drug-related problems:
Bernie Hershberger, Director, Counseling Center: ext. 3145
Sandra Hayes, Director, Dudley Coe Health Center: ext. 3770

DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ACT
The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires recipients of federal monies to provide and maintain a drug-free workplace. In compliance with this federal provision, students and employees should review the College’s alcohol and illegal drug policies for a detailed description of standards of conduct, health risks, community resources for support and treatment, and institutional disciplinary and criminal sanctions.

Bowdoin has no intention of intruding into the private lives of its employees; however, the College does retain the right and responsibility to expect both students and employees to conduct themselves in a manner that will not jeopardize the health and safety of others. Some of the drugs that are illegal under state or federal law include marijuana, heroin, hashish, cocaine, hallucinogens, and depressants and/or stimulants when not prescribed for medical care.

Any student under the influence of illegal drugs or who possesses or consumes illegal drugs at Bowdoin is subject to College disciplinary procedures and action, up to and including dismissal from the institution. The illegal manufacture, distribution, or sale of illegal substances on the premises is strictly prohibited and will constitute an offense warranting dismissal. Any illegal substance found shall be turned over to an appropriate law enforcement agency.

As part of the drug-free awareness program, Bowdoin will continue to advise and inform students and employees of the dangers of drug use and abuse in the workplace. Upon request, Bowdoin will offer non-financial assistance to students and employees seeking treatment or rehabilitation services. Referrals for assistance are available from the College Counseling Service.

COUNSELING AND TREATMENT

The Bowdoin College Counseling Service is staffed by mental health professionals trained in psychiatry, psychology, social work and counseling who are prepared to assist students experiencing difficulties related to the use of alcohol or drugs. The Counseling Service provides two free confidential sessions with an off-campus licensed alcohol and drug counselor to any student who thinks their alcohol or drug use may be getting out of hand. Students may also consult with the licensed substance abuse counselor or another clinician at the Counseling Service if they are concerned about a friend or family member’s alcohol or drug use. The Counseling Service staff also meets with students who are mandated for a three session alcohol and drug evaluation with a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. Typically the Dean’s Office initiates these referrals following a series of alcohol/drug related infractions. In this case, students are responsible for the evaluation fee ($300) and a report will be generated at the conclusion of the assessment that will be sent to the Counseling Service where it will remain confidential. Only a brief summary will be shared with the Dean’s Office to verify that a student has been evaluated and that a treatment or follow up plan is in place.

Additional referrals for substance abuse treatment are also available through community resources such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous (NA), intensive outpatient chemical dependency treatment and also inpatient hospitalization for chemical dependency.

Employees of the Bowdoin College may use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a service of the College that provides free assessment, brief treatment, and referral to community resources for alcohol/drug-related problems and other personal concerns. Anne Funderburk, L.C.S.W., is available as an off-campus EAP counselor. The EAP counselor may be contacted by calling the phone number listed below.

Where to Get Help:
The Health Center Staff: www.bowdoin.edu/health/ or  725-3770

Counseling Service Staff: http://www.bowdoin.edu/counseling/index.shtml or 725-3145

Community resources:
Alcoholics Anonymous for Bath-Brunswick, hotline 882-1000 or 1-800-255-1060
Addiction Resource Center, Brunswick, 373-6950
Mid Coast Hospital, 729-0181
Parkview Hospital, 729-1641

Employee Assistance Program:
Anne Funderburk, L.C.S.W., 9 Everett Street, Brunswick, 729-7710

Inpatient Rehabilitation Services:
Mercy Hospital, Portland, 879-3600

(from the Conduct of Instruction for Faculty in the Faculty Handbook)

Students should place the highest priority on their academic work. Extra-curricular activities are also crucial to the College’s purpose of developing the individual talents and abilities of its students. Faculty, students, coaches, administrators and staff share responsibility for creating an environment wherein curricular and extra-curricular activities are appropriately balanced. In cases where academic and extra-curricular activities conflict, students are expected to place highest priority on academic activities. These guidelines are intended to clarify responsibilities regarding class attendance and the scheduling of courses and extra-curricular activities.

At the beginning of each semester, instructors will make clear to students the attendance regulations of each course. All required meetings outside of the regular course meeting times should also be made clear at the beginning of the semester. Extra classes and/or special events, scheduled after the beginning of the semester, which conflict with the meeting times of other scheduled activities should not be mandatory.

In their scheduling, all extra-curricular groups should make every effort to minimize missed classes. No activities shall be scheduled in the final two days of the reading period or during the exam period. Students are responsible for all course material missed due to any absence from any academic activity.

In recognizing the education value of extra-curricular pursuits, faculty members are encouraged to make reasonable accommodations to students when conflicts arise. It is expected that students will approach faculty in a timely and responsible fashion to discuss these situations. Faculty are under no obligation to make any exceptions. As a reference, traditionally students have been allowed to miss no more than three hours of a single class in any semester.

With regard to post-season athletic competition and other extra-curricular events that arise from the achievements of students during the semester, the College recognizes that these are unique and special opportunities. However, while cooperation is encouraged, faculty are under no obligation. The athletic department of other supervising department is expected to help in these situations. For example, coaches or administrators may be asked to proctor exams. The Dean of Student Affairs will consider approving incompletes on a case-by-case basis.

Bowdoin College’s annual security report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Bowdoin College; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Director of Safety and Security at 6040 College Station, Brunswick, Maine, 04011-8455, 207-725-3458, or by accessing the Office of Safety and Security Web site.

Respect for the rights of all and for the differences among us is essential for the Bowdoin community. Discrimination or harassment of others because of race, ethnicity, nation of origin, religious affiliation, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, physical disability, or other characteristics has no place in an intellectual community. If members of the Bowdoin community experience or witness any apparent incident of harassment or discrimination by students, faculty, or staff, they may discuss their concerns or request advice from deans, academic advisors, proctors, or resident advisors. Such incidents violate both the ideals of the College and its Social Code and may be subject to appropriate disciplinary sanctions. When such incidents violate the statutes of the State of Maine, criminal prosecution may be pursued.

(from the Conduct of Instruction for Faculty in the Faculty Handbook)

1. Hourly Examinations
a) No student is required to take more than two hour examinations in one day. By the same token, a maximum of two hour examinations is not considered unreasonable, and a student may not be excused from an examination on the grounds that he or she has two on one day. If a student has more than two examinations on one day the Dean of Student Affairs will make the necessary arrangements.
b) A faculty member has the option to require an excuse from the Dean’s Office before giving a make-up of an hour examination.

2. Religious Holidays
No student is required to take an examination or fulfill other scheduled course requirements on recognized religious holidays. Instructors are encouraged to avoid scheduling examinations on major religious holidays. A list of holidays will be provided each year by the Dean of Student Affairs.

3. Final Examinations and Projects
a) Formal examinations must be given according to the schedule published each semester by the Office of the Registrar.
b) No examinations may be given nor extra classes scheduled during Reading Period.
c) A student with three final examinations in two days may reschedule one for a date mutually agreeable to the student and the instructor. Other changes may be made for emergencies or for educational desirability, but only with approval of the Dean’s Office.
d) All academic work, except for final examinations, final papers, final lab reports, and final projects is due on or before the last day of classes.

Please visit the Facilities Management website for their Policies related to Residential Living including damage and cleaning policies.

(from the Conduct of Instruction for Faculty in the Faculty Handbook)

1. Instructors are expected to inform classes of the basis for determining final course grades within the first two weeks of the semester.
2. Faculty members must be prepared to comment on the progress of first-year students by mid-semester.
3. No semester or final grade reported to the Office of the Registrar is changed (unless it is a clerical error) except by vote of the Recording Committee on recommendation of the instructor. Recorded grades cannot be changed on the basis of additional student work without prior approval of the Recording Committee.
4. Course grades are defined as follows: A, the student has mastered the material of the course and has demonstrated exceptional critical skills and originality; B, the student has demonstrated a thorough and above average understanding of the material of the course; C, the student has demonstrated a thorough and satisfactory understanding of the material of the course; D, the student has demonstrated a marginally satisfactory understanding of the basic material of the course (only a limited number of D grades may be counted toward the requirements for graduation); F, the student has not demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of the basic material of the course.
5. Grades in regular courses are recorded as A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, Credit, or Fail. Grades in ensemble music courses and in courses carried on a Credit/D/Fail basis are recorded as Credit, D, or Fail. The office of The Registrar informs instructors of students enrolled on such a basis on class lists.
6. Most departments require that all courses taken to satisfy requirements of the major be graded. For students who matriculated prior to the Class of 2012, courses taken to satisfy distribution requirements may be taken on a Credit/D/F basis. Beginning with the Class of 2012, courses selected by a student to fulfill the College's distributional requirements and first year seminar requirement cannot be taken Credit/D/Fail. No course may be changed from graded to Credit/D/Fail or vice versa after the sixth week of classes. If a student chooses this option, a grade of Credit is given if the student produces work at the level of C- or above, a grade of D is given if the student produces work at a D level and a grade of F is given otherwise. Students will receive course credit for work produced at the Credit or D level.
7. In all cases of failing grades, instructors are asked to fill out a card commenting briefly on the cause of failure. Cards should be submitted when grades are submitted or before.
8. Students who receive a grade of a D or F in a course may retake the course; both courses and both grades will appear on the transcript. However, only one course credit will be given for successful completion of a given course. Most departments will not accept as prerequisites or as satisfying the requirements of the major, courses for which a grade of D has been given; questions should be referred directly to the department chair.
9. A grade of “Incomplete” may be given to a student who through illness or other extenuating circumstances has failed to fulfill the requirements of a course. Excuses are granted by the instructor and the Dean acting jointly. At the time an Incomplete is agreed upon by the Dean and the instructor, a date shall be set by which all unfinished work must be turned in by the student to the instructor. In no case will this be beyond the end of the second week of the following semester. The instructor must submit a final grade within two weeks of this date. If the course work is not completed within the specified time limit, the Incomplete will be changed to Fail. Any exceptions to this rule will require approval of the Recording Committee.
10. In Independent Study and Honors courses that will continue beyond one semester, instructors have the option of submitting at the end of each semester, except the last, a grade of S (for Satisfactory) in place of a regular grade. Regular grades shall be submitted at the end of the final semester and shall become the grades for the previous semester of independent student.
11. All grades and failure cards are due shortly after the examination period at a date specified by the Office of The Registrar. 

Since the fall semester 1997, all Bowdoin students are prohibited from joining fraternities. Students involved in rushing, pledging, perpetrating, and initiating activities by fraternities and similar selective-membership social organizations will be dismissed permanently from Bowdoin College.

In March 1997, the College’s Board of Trustees voted to replace the fraternity system with the College House system and to phase out fraternities by May 2000. This policy covers all Bowdoin students and fraternities and their relationships with other similar private, selective-membership social organizations, whether they are residential or non-residential, or have any local or national affiliation. Violations of College regulations regarding membership in and other activities related to private, selective-membership social organizations will be considered violations of Bowdoin’s Social Code and will be adjudicated according to the normal Judicial Board procedures.

A learning community has a distinctive set of values and qualities meant to support individual growth and development.  At Bowdoin, we value traditions, rituals, and rites of passage because they remind community members of their connections to one another and to the past and future of the College; they can build important bonds between groups and individuals.  Athletic team or student organization initiations or traditions, however, that attempt to build these bonds between members must do so in an affirming way without coercion of any kind.  In a learning community such as ours, we value lasting relationships grounded in mutual respect, not artificial connections created through shared humiliation.

College Policy and Maine Law
Hazing is strictly prohibited at Bowdoin by College policy and by Maine law.  Violation of the hazing policy may subject an individual or recognized organization or team to disciplinary action, either administrative or via the Judicial Board, with penalties up to and including suspension or dismissal for individuals and suspension or termination in the case of a student organization or team.  In addition to incurring serious College-imposed consequences for violations of Bowdoin policy, students and organizations may be subject to criminal prosecution by legal authorities for violation of the Maine injurious hazing law, which defines “injurious hazing” as: “any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of a student enrolled at an institution in this State.”1 

Bowdoin defines hazing more broadly as:  Any activity that is part of an initiation, participation, or affiliation in a group that 1) physically or psychologically humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers--regardless of a person’s willingness to participate; 2) results in the disruption of the educational process or the impairment of academic performance; or 3) violates College policy or state law.  This applies to behavior on or off campus.  Note:  Hazing does not include actions or situations that are subsidiary to officially sanctioned and supervised College activities such as athletic training and events, e.g. running extra laps at practice.  Examples of hazing include but are not limited to the following:  physical threats or abuse of any kind; encouraging or requiring a person to consume alcohol, drugs, or foreign or unusual substances; forcing a student into a violation of the law or College policy such as indecent exposure, theft, or trespassing; confining a person or taking a person to an outlying area and dropping him/her off; servitude such as encouraging or requiring a person to run personal errands; requiring a shaved head or the wearing of conspicuous apparel in public; and depriving a person of sleep.        
  
Identifying Hazing
Hazing is a form of victimization.  It is pre-meditated and not accidental.  Hazing consists of a broad range of behaviors that may place another person in danger of physical or psychological discomfort or harm or of activities that demonstrate disregard for another person’s dignity or well-being.  A level of coercion is often involved, i.e. those being hazed either couldn’t or didn’t feel they could opt out because of the peer pressure involved and the desire to belong to the group. 

The determination of whether a particular activity constitutes hazing will depend on the circumstances and context in which that activity is occurring.  Here are some key questions to consider: 

1. Is a person or group being singled out because of status?
2. Are the activities being planned in advance? 
3. Is there a risk of real or even perceived physical or psychological discomfort or harm, i.e. was it demeaning, abusive or dangerous?
4. Is there a concern about safety?
5. Is there a level of coercion and peer pressure involved and how easily are people able to opt out?
6. Will current members refuse to do exactly what the new members are being asked to do?
7. Do the activities interfere with students’ other activities or obligations (academic, extracurricular, family, religious, etc.)? 
8. Is alcohol involved?
9. Is there a sexual element to the activity? 
10. Do any activities violate College policy or federal, state or local law?   

Some incidents of hazing are more serious than others.  Generally, the greater the actual or potential physical or psychological harm, the more severe the hazing.  Hazing incidents typically involve perpetrators (the planners and organizers), bystanders (those who participate but were not hazed or involved in the planning or organizing), and victims (those who were hazed).  All involved are responsible for their behavior, but consequences will generally differ based on the seriousness of the incident and one’s level of responsibility, planning, or participation.

There are new-member activities that are positive and/or educationally valid, e.g. community service projects, movie nights, ropes course training, tournaments around team history, etc.  Ask if you would have any reservations describing the activity to parents, grandparents, a professor, dean, police officer or judge; or ask how you would feel if the activity was photographed and appeared in the Orient or on Facebook, YouTube, or local TV.  If either or both would unsettle you, then the activity probably constitutes hazing.  

Hazing has dangerous potential to harm individuals, to damage organizations and teams, and to undermine the educational mission of the College and the fundamental values of our learning community.  As such, no student, College employee, College volunteer, student organization, athletic team, or other College-recognized group or association shall conduct or condone hazing activities, consensual or not. 

Taking Action
When in doubt about an activity, ask a dean or a coach or other College employee who works with student organizations or teams.  They can provide additional examples of behaviors that might constitute hazing, examples of positive group bonding activities and rites of passage for new members, assistance with organizing legitimate events to foster teamwork and cohesiveness, and other relevant information and support.   

At Bowdoin, where community members look out and care for one another, students and employees are expected to intervene personally or by calling Security if they encounter activities that put others in physical or psychological harm or discomfort as long as they can do so without jeopardizing their own safety or the safety of others.  By stepping up and taking action, bystanders are frequently able to put an end to inappropriate behavior before things get out of hand.  Bowdoin students and employees should notify appropriate College officials (Security, deans in the Office of Student Affairs, coaches or other College officials who have responsibilities for student organizations) of any perceived instance of hazing as defined by College policy and/or law and do so as soon as possible so the activity can be stopped or the allegations can be investigated.  Reports may be made directly or anonymously by submitting an anonymous letter to an appropriate College official or asking a College official that the report remain anonymous.

• Information Technology Use Policy (see below)
• Bowdoin College Compliance Protocol: U.S. Copyright Act and The Digital Millennium Copyright Act Sound and Video Recordings

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USE POLICY

Updated 6/1/08

1. Introduction
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) manages all Information Technology (IT) systems and services at Bowdoin College. Technology is an essential part of the teaching and learning culture at Bowdoin. The College community relies heavily on its extensive IT resources to enable academic and administrative users to do their research, teach, learn, manage the business of the college, and communicate across the campus and around the world.

The purpose of this policy is to define acceptable use of the College’s IT resources. This document also details College policy regarding privacy, personal use, security, and data storage, and outlines associated compliance requirements and enforcement procedures.

This policy establishes a common understanding between Bowdoin College and users of College IT resources. As a condition of using Bowdoin’s IT systems, all users, including guests, must agree to abide by the terms of this policy.

2. Scope
This policy governs the use of all IT resources owned, operated, or contracted by Bowdoin College. These include, but are not limited to, network infrastructure, servers, desktop workstations, peripherals, remote access resources, public and departmental computer labs, databases and software applications, and telecommunications systems.

The College’s IT resources are provided for the use of authorized College community members. College community members encompass College staff, faculty, students with official standing, alumni, and others associated with Bowdoin who have credentials to access the College’s IT resources. Guests using Bowdoin’s IT resources are also subject to this policy.

Visitors to the College’s Web sites should refer to the College’s Web site Terms and Conditions of Use Policy (www.bowdoin.edu/it/contact/terms.shtml) and Web site Privacy Policy (www.bowdoin.edu/it/contact/privacy.shtml).

3. Policies
NOTE: Specific policies and examples listed below are not exhaustive; general College rules governing deportment and responsible behavior also apply. For example, obscene, false, or harassing messages are just as unacceptable when sent by e-mail as they are when expressed by other means.
 
3.1. Responsible Use
While using Bowdoin College’s IT resources, USERS MUST:

Abide by all local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including those related to the Internet, electronic communications or commerce, copyright, trademark, and intellectual property.

• Adhere to all College policies.
• Keep confidential data restricted by not disclosing such data to any unauthorized person. 
• Use campus electronic mailing lists appropriately. 
• Observe the specific rules governing the use of public or departmental computing labs. 

While using Bowdoin College’s information systems, USERS SHALL NOT:

• Intentionally interfere with or cause disruptions to the normal, proper, and expected operation of Bowdoin’s IT systems.
• Tamper with or disable security systems implemented by the College.
• Use College IT resources for any commercial purpose unrelated to official College business.
• Send unsolicited bulk e-mail, such as “spam.”
• Use shared network resources assigned to another user or group of users, without their authorization. For example, sending print jobs to another user’s printer—without that user’s approval—is prohibited.
• Access data that the user is not authorized to access or access another user’s files or data without permission (except for administrative purposes as specified below in Section 3.2).
• Damage or disable any College-owned hardware components, software, or computing facilities.
• Knowingly run applications that contain computer viruses, worms, or other potentially destructive applications or hardware.
• Use “backdoor” or other programs or devices to penetrate the College’s firewall, servers, or any other network perimeter security measures or devices.
• Maintain or use an account after withdrawing from the College as a student or terminating employment with the College except as permitted by the Chief Information Officer.
• Engage in any illegal or criminal activity, such as downloading child pornography, involving the College’s IT systems.

3.2. Privacy
While the College values and respects the privacy of its staff, faculty, students, and other users, the intrinsic nature of electronic records places limits on the extent to which the College can guarantee a user’s privacy. Despite security protocols, communications over the Internet—and across the College’s local campus network—can be vulnerable to interception and alteration. Consequently, the College cannot assure that absolute privacy can be maintained for data that reside on the College network or on storage media.

Out of respect for personal privacy, the College does not routinely examine the contents of data or files in user accounts. However, on occasion, circumstances may require an examination of a user’s files to maintain system security, to administer or maintain system integrity, or in response to legal mandate. In such cases, authorized personnel may examine a user’s data without notice. Authorized personnel are those specifically entrusted and approved to conduct such examinations by the chief information officer, or others, as determined by the College’s IT Committee. 

Some data are subject to strict access restrictions, such as library patron records and data protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The Library, the office of the registrar, and other departments that administer confidential data may enforce more stringent access policies.

3.3. Personal Use
Personal use is defined as the non-academic, non-administrative use of Bowdoin’s IT systems. Such use is solely discretionary; it neither serves an essential employment function nor is it related to academic discourse. Data that result from personal use are “personal data.”

Personal use of Bowdoin’s IT resources is secondary to performing essential College functions using such resources. If personal use of College IT resources interferes with or causes disruptions to the essential functions of the College performed by IT, then authorized personnel (as defined in Section 3.2 above) may curtail such use.

3.4. Passwords and User IDs
The system of accounts, passwords, and user IDs plays an important role in protecting the files and privacy of all users. Because users are responsible for all use made of their account, users must take exceptional care to prevent unauthorized use of their account. This includes changing passwords regularly and disabling “automatic” log-ins.

In most cases, it is inappropriate—and perhaps dangerous—to allow another person to use another user’s network credentials or e-mail account. In some cases, a user’s data are vulnerable to alteration or deletion. In others, the veracity of a user’s credentials could be compromised. Alternatively, if criminal activity can be traced to a user’s account, the person to whom the account is assigned will likely be held accountable. The College, therefore, reserves the right to restrict or prohibit password sharing.

In addition, the College reserves the right to implement and enforce password maintenance procedures, including detecting and disabling “weak” passwords and implementing password “aging” mechanisms. Weak passwords are those that may be easily “cracked,” guessed, or discovered, such as a user’s birth date or name. Password aging refers to a process that requires users to change passwords at predetermined intervals.

3.5. Data Storage and Back-ups
The College maintains a centralized repository of data stored in user accounts on the College network. This includes all the data that a user creates and saves on the College’s network storage devices. It also includes saved e-mail messages, attachments, files, and folders. Some departments, also maintain data back-ups.

The College reserves the right to restrict the amount of network storage available for users. This includes the prerogative to impose quotas on the number and/or size of stored files. The CIO regulates the availability of central network storage to which each user is entitled. Departments that maintain independent back-ups, may also regulate storage capacities for data under their purview.

Data files are routinely backed up on a daily, weekly, monthly, and/or yearly basis. These back-ups facilitate the restoration of College data that have been lost, altered, or damaged. The College will not routinely retrieve backed-up personal data (as defined in Section 3.3 above). Users, therefore, are encouraged to maintain independent back-ups of their important personal data, including e-mail messages. Bowdoin College disclaims any responsibility for maintaining or providing access to backups of a user’s personal data.

For data backed up by the IT department, retrieval or restoration is at the discretion of the CIO. For data backed up by other departments, retrieval or restoration is at the discretion of the administrator responsible for that department.

3.6. Security
The College implements appropriate “industry-standard” practices concerning the security of the College’s IT resources. These methods are designed to protect against unauthorized access, intrusion, or damage to the availability, access, or integrity of the College’s IT systems. However, due primarily to the nature of security threats and the remote possibility of a breach of security, the College warrants neither a user’s privacy nor the integrity of data stored on the College network.

3.7. Copyright, Trademark, and Domain Names
Users must comply with all copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. In general, permission is necessary for a user to reproduce materials, such as video, music, images, or text. To “reproduce” in this context includes downloading and saving a digital copy to a hard drive, floppy, or other storage media. Photocopying copyrighted materials without authorization is also prohibited. Certain exceptions apply, such as “Fair Use.”

In addition, users must generally obtain permission from the copyright owner to prepare derivative works, including modifying existing works. Copyright law also prohibits the distribution, display, or performance of works created by another without a proper release.

The College possesses trademark rights in certain symbols and phrases such as images of the Bowdoin Polar Bear and the Bowdoin Sun. The words “Bowdoin” and “Bowdoin College” are also College trademarks. Unauthorized use of these trademarks is not permitted.

Additionally, the College owns certain Internet domain names. These include “bowdoin.edu,” “bowdoincollege.edu,” “bowdoincollege.com,” and others. Registration of domain names incorporating or referencing College trademarks is prohibited without the approval of the senior vice president for finance and treasurer. The College, at the discretion of the senior vice president for finance and treasurer, may acquire other domain names.

3.8. Web Pages
College departments, organizations, or other individuals associated with the College, such as grant recipients, may create Web pages and store these files on College network servers. Additionally, faculty, staff, and students may create and post personal Web pages on the College Web site. To help ensure the security and the functionality of College Web servers, The College may impose a quota on file size, prescribe file types, or determine other limiting factors.

In general, the College does not control the content of personal Web pages created by faculty, staff, or student authors. Web content, however, must adhere to College policy and applicable laws, especially regarding harassment, sexual misconduct, and copyright. The College reserves the right to remove or disable noncompliant Web sites, Web pages, or any portion of a Web site posted on College Web servers.

3.9. Compliance and Enforcement
All users of the College’s IT resources must abide by this policy. Users not wishing to agree to and comply with this policy will be denied use of or access to Bowdoin’s IT resources.

The CIO is responsible for the interpretation and enforcement of this policy. He may also grant written exceptions to specific clauses of this policy. Appeals of the CIO’s determinations may be addressed to the senior vice president for administration and treasurer.

College community users who intentionally violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action by the College consistent with established College due process. At the discretion of the CIO alleged violations of this policy may be referred to the appropriate senior staff manager or College disciplinary body, such as the Judicial Board, the Sexual Misconduct Board, the Bias Incident Group, or others. In addition, the director of human resources may conduct an investigation regarding the alleged infraction. Violators may also be liable for civil damages and/or criminal prosecution, if applicable.

Guest users of publicly available College IT resources are also subject to the terms of this policy. While explicit acceptance of this policy is not required for guests to access these limited IT resources, guests are accountable for their actions while using College IT resources. Guests who violate this policy will be asked to cease use and may be barred from further access. If a guest user violates federal, state, or local law while using College IT resources, the CIO may report this activity to the appropriate governmental enforcement agency.

3.10. Dissemination and Revisions
This policy is conspicuously posted in all public and departmental computing labs and other locations. Notice of this policy will be also sent by e-mail or postal mail to all College community users on a semi-annual basis. In addition, the Office of Communications and Public Affairs will publish this policy annually in the Student Handbook and other official College publications as appropriate.

The CIO is responsible for maintaining and administering this policy, including revising it when necessary. Bowdoin College reserves the right to amend or revise this policy at any time without prior notice to users.

The most recent version of the policy will be the version in effect. Changes to this policy are effective upon posting to the IT Web site. The current version of this policy is maintained at:
http://www.bowdoin.edu/it/policies.shtml

4. Limitation of Liability and Indemnification
Bowdoin College is not responsible for the actions of individual users of the College’s IT resources. In no event will the College be liable to any user for damages suffered by a user as a result of his/her use of the College’s IT resources, or as a result of the unavailability, malfunction, or misuse of the College’s IT resources.

Each user hereby agrees to indemnify and hold Bowdoin College harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, costs, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of or resulting from any violation by the user of the terms of this IT Use Policy.

5. Related Policies
   
5.1.  Information Technology Policies
http://www.bowdoin.edu/it/contact/policies.shtml

5.2. College Policies
http://www.bowdoin.edu/about/admin

6. Contact Information
For additional information regarding this policy, please contact:

Mitchel W. Davis
Chief Information Officer
9600 College Station
Brunswick, ME   04011
mwdavis@bowdoin.edu
207-725-3930

Adopted by the Board of Trustees February 9, 2007

I.  Preface

As part of its basic mission, Bowdoin College encourages the discovery, creation and wide dissemination of knowledge, artistic work, inventions, and educational materials.  The most effective way to achieve these ends is to ensure academic freedom among faculty and students.  A well-defined policy for the allocation of ownership rights associated with intellectual property will facilitate the creation and dissemination of original work. 

This policy addresses the ownership of intellectual property created by faculty, staff, and students.  In doing so, it recognizes the common law and traditions of ownership in colleges and universities, as well as the importance of College investments in supporting creative work.  This policy is designed to articulate rules that clarify ownership of most intellectual property and to identify and address those exceptional cases where ownership interests may be shared by the creator and the College or where ownership may be uncertain, and to establish procedures for allocating ownership interests and resolving uncertainty over ownership.

II. Scope and Definitions

This policy addresses the determination of ownership of intellectual property rights for inventions and other works developed or created by members of the College community.  It applies to all members of the College community, including faculty members, staff, and students of the College.  The Policy applies to intellectual property, creations, inventions, advances, discoveries, software, written materials, creative works and other work product conceived or developed in the course of College activities or with College resources, referred to in this Policy as “IP”.  

The College has an ownership interest in IP if it involves (i) an identity interest, (ii) a functional interest, or (iii) substantial use of College resources (see definitions below).  The College, however, will not assert any ownership interest in the case of traditional scholarly works.  In keeping with the College's goals and consistent with academic practices, these are owned by the creator(s). “Traditional scholarly work” is defined broadly to include pedagogical, literary, artistic and creative works created by faculty with or without the assistance of other members of the College community.  This includes works related to teaching, such as lecture notes and other course notes (whether in summary or verbatim form, whether privately held by the faculty member or distributed to the class, whether paper or electronic), problem sets, syllabi, and websites for classes, and works related to scholarship, such as journal articles, books, text books, artistic works in any medium, videos, and photos. Patents are not traditional scholarly work.  This means that the vast majority of faculty work – which finds traditional scholarly, pedagogical and artistic channels for circulation – is owned exclusively by the faculty member who created it.  In contrast, most IP created by non-faculty College employees in the course of their employment is not traditional scholarly work and is owned by the College. 
 
This policy is not intended to prohibit the use or creation of open source software or public domain materials under appropriate circumstances, or to interfere with the ability of the author of such materials to comply with applicable restrictions and license conditions.

(i) The College has an “identity interest” in works that are integral to, and reflect more directly on, the identity of the College than on the identity of the individual(s) who create them.  For example, it has an identity interest in items disseminated beyond the College, such as various catalogues, institutional web pages, alumni bulletins, admissions brochures, and fundraising materials. An identity interest also occurs when there is a prominent use of the College’s name, or of any image, trademark or logo of the College (See Section VII below).  Simply identifying the author of a work as a Bowdoin Professor would not be considered prominent use of the College’s name.   IP in which the College has an identity interest will generally be owned by the College.

(ii) The College has a “functional interest” in works that are used to enhance the effective functioning and coordination of ongoing operations. For example, it has a functional interest in administrative and personnel procedures, including software, and internal handbooks and reports. IP in which the College has a functional interest will be owned by the College.

(iii) “Substantial use of College resources” means that the College has provided support with resources of a degree or nature not routinely made available to all faculty and includes special support, either in the form of funding, or the use of facilities or staff.  For example, the provision of a lab space, studio, extensive equipment dedicated to the use of a faculty member or extended IT support from a staff member involves the substantial use of College resources.  However, ordinary use of desktop computers, College libraries and limited secretarial or administrative resources, including routine support from the College’s IT department, and provision of offices, do not constitute substantial use of College resources.  In addition, the College’s funding of sabbatical leaves and funding provided through the Faculty Resource Committee are not considered substantial use of College resources.

III. Policy for Faculty, Staff, and Students:

A. Faculty:

Faculty members regularly create certain types of traditional scholarly works.  Traditional scholarly works and all the intellectual property rights associated therewith, remain with the creator(s) even when their creation involved substantial use of College resources. 

Where the College has an identity or functional interest in the IP, the College will own the rights to the IP.  For instance, the College has a functional interest in faculty administrative work, e.g., committee reports and departmental records. Similarly, the College will own rights to faculty-created computer software in which it has an identity or functional interest – for example, an art historic tour of the College’s art collection.  When faculty members create IP as a contribution to College publications such as the Catalogue or Alumni Magazine, the work is owned by the College because of the identity and functional interest in the work.  The College will not be deemed to have a functional or identity interest in traditional scholarly works. 

The College will also have a joint ownership interest in faculty works -- other than traditional scholarly works -- that involve substantial use of College resources, including substantial use of the work-time and skills of other College employees.  In these cases, the faculty member and the College will each have an ownership interest in the IP, and its use and development will be governed by mutual agreement of the creator(s) and the College, under terms to be set forth in a written document as described in Section IV.  For example, patentable products that come out of laboratory research at the College involve substantial use of College resources and both the creator and the College would have ownership interest in the patent.  Another example involves the substantial use of Information Technology (IT) support in the creation of IP that is not a traditional scholarly work.  In such cases, the College and the faculty member will each have an ownership interest in a project in which the faculty member provides the content and IT staff create the software (also see III.B.).  Faculty should acknowledge appropriately the creative work of staff in both traditional scholarly work and other faculty works. 

The terms of any financial or use sharing arrangement between the College and a faculty member will be negotiated under the procedures set out in Section IV.  In the case of commercially developed products, the shares will depend, for example, on the development costs and who has undertaken the investment.  As a point of reference, many colleges and universities have an arrangement to share income at a proportion of from 50-70% to the institution and 50-30% to the faculty member.    
 
B. Staff:

Although non-faculty staff occasionally create scholarly articles and books, most of their work does not fall in this category and is subject to a legal principle known as the “work made for hire” doctrine, which provides that works created by employees within the scope of their employment belong to the employer.  Non-faculty staff will own scholarly articles and books they create.  The College, however, will own other IP developed by non-faculty staff in the course of their work at the College, and upon request, the creator will execute a written assignment to the College, acknowledging the College’s ownership of such IP.  This result is consistent with the College’s functional or identity interest in IP developed by non-faculty staff.  For example, the College has a functional interest in the work of IT staff and in works created by administrative staff to manage the institution.  Similarly, the College has an identity interest (and perhaps a functional interest, too) in works created by the Communications Office and other departments that communicate with constituencies beyond the College community. 

When IP other than scholarly articles and books is created by a non-faculty staff member working directly with a faculty member, the College will have an interest in the IP.   For example, when an IT staff member develops software in collaboration with or at the request of a faculty member, the College will own that software to the extent it is written by the staff member.  The faculty member will have an interest in the IP to the extent he or she was also involved in writing the software.  In all cases, faculty and staff members are expected to acknowledge assistance or co-authorship when appropriate. 

C. Students:
Literary, scholarly and artistic works created by students – for example, essays, papers, works of art, poems, and short stories — will be owned by the students who create them.  The College has no identity or functional interest in other classroom, laboratory, and academic materials generated by students in the instructional process, provided that they are not used for commercial purposes.  Commercial use of such materials (for instance, selling a transcript of a lecture) would likely involve a College identity interest and the IP of a faculty member, and would require approval by the College and the faculty member).

When the student is employed by the College, IP policies for non-faculty staff will apply.   See discussion in Section III.B above.  The College will own all rights in IP created by student employees unless the IP is a traditional scholarly work, in which case either the faculty member or the student will own the student-created IP, depending on the circumstances.  Faculty members are expected to acknowledge assistance or co-authorship when appropriate.  Students receiving fellowships for research – for example, Surdna or Coles Fellowships – will not be deemed to be “employed by the College” for the purposes of IP determination.

D. Grants, Sponsored Works and Specially Funded Works:

In the event a grant from a government agency or private sponsor contains provisions governing intellectual property and/or rights to the property, these provisions take precedence over this Policy.  College faculty and staff should understand any such provisions before agreeing to a different allocation of rights than set forth in this Policy.  Information about intellectual property policies of major granting agencies is described in the College Grants Manual.  The ownership of commissioned work done by faculty for the College will be governed by the contract agreement. 

IV. Process for Determination of Ownership of Intellectual Property:

In the vast majority of cases, application of the foregoing principles will be straightforward, and there will be no question about who owns the rights to the IP.  In such cases, the party with   rights (a faculty member or the College) will decide the uses of the IP and will receive any income associated with it.  In some cases, there may be questions about, for example, whether a project involved substantial use of College resources or whether a functional or identity interest is involved (e.g. providing a Bowdoin course to The Teaching Company).  Such questions should be addressed to the Dean for Academic Affairs.

A. Reporting: 

The uniform application of this Policy requires that the College be made aware of IP created by members of the College community with the use of College resources.  Responsibility for reporting the creation of IP rests with the creator.  Much of this reporting will be done in the ordinary course of employment, for instance by turning in a draft of an alumni bulletin or administrative report to one’s supervisor, or by faculty submitting annually a “Professional Activities Form” to the Dean for Academic Affairs.  IT staff will similarly be required to submit a periodic report of all development activities to the College’s Chief Information Officer (CIO).

In cases where the IP is a traditional scholarly work created by a faculty member, no reporting, other than the annual “Professional Activities Form,” is required.  Academic work by students in their capacity as students need not be reported to the College unless the student wishes to make a commercial use of the work. 

In certain cases, reports will need to be addressed specifically to the Dean for Academic Affairs.  Creator(s) should report, as soon as the situation is reasonably clear and before work is well underway, on the production or planned production of any IP that meets one or more of the following conditions:

1. The IP has the potential for involving a functional or identity interest (unless it is clear to the creator(s) that the IP will be owned by the College).
2. The IP is jointly created by faculty and non-faculty staff (unless it is clear to the creator(s) that the IP will be owned by the College).
3. The creator is uncertain whether the work is traditional scholarly work or whether it falls within the “scholarly article or book” exception.
4. The creator intends to seek a patent on or otherwise commercialize the IP, in which case the process of protection or commercialization may involve substantial cost and effort, and the creator may wish the College to consider providing some or all of that support.
5. The creator has any question about ownership or other rights in the IP.

In the case of a group IP project, all those in the group shall be named in the report, and if the report contains an initial proposal for the disposition of rights and proceeds, all members of the group shall sign.  The CIO and other administration officers should also report creative activities and address questions about IP ownership rights to the Dean for Academic Affairs as soon as practical if any question arises, either as a result of required reporting or otherwise.

B. Determination process: 

In cases where there is uncertainty over the ownership of or interest in IP, the Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the creator(s), shall make a determination whether the IP involves a functional or identity interest of the College and whether its creation involves substantial use of College resources.  The Dean shall also make a determination of whether or not the IP is traditional scholarly work.  By so doing, the Dean shall make a determination of ownership of the IP and associated intellectual property rights, responsibilities, and use rights of the College and the creator(s), and, if appropriate, how the College will recoup its costs and share in financial gains from the IP.  In all cases, the Dean will be guided by the principles set forth in this Policy and the creator(s) will be given an opportunity to explain the situation or proposal and recommend terms for ownership, responsibilities, use rights and financial arrangements. 

Should the creator(s) disagree with the Dean’s determination, an ad-hoc committee shall be formed and comprised of one individual selected by the Dean for Academic Affairs, one individual selected by the creator(s) and one individual agreed to by the creator(s) and the Dean.  The committee shall review the circumstances surrounding the IP, and will make a recommendation to the President who will make the College’s final determination.

C. Written Agreement:

After a determination has been made, an agreement shall be put in writing and signed by all parties. The agreement shall contain provisions outlining the allocation of ownership and interests and use rights, responsibilities and a mechanism for the sharing of commercial proceeds, if any. 

V. Transfer of Rights to the College:

The College recognizes that even when IP is clearly the property of individuals, those individuals may wish to transfer rights to the College in exchange for help in developing, disseminating or protecting their creations.  Requests by members of the College community for such an exchange should be made to the Dean for Academic Affairs and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

VI. Time Spent on IP Production Not for the College:

IP developed by a College community member as part of outside employment, or on his or her own time without the use of College resources, is not governed by this Policy, unless it involves an identity interest of the College.  For instance, a report provided to another organization in a consulting role is IP created through outside employment.  (Scholarly work done under a grant to the College is not outside employment, and thus needs to be reported.)  Faculty should be guided in accepting any outside employment by the Faculty Handbook statement regarding Professional Activities and Responsibilities.  Staff members should be guided by the Conflicts of Interest policy in the Employee Handbook. 

VII.  Note on College Trademarks and Other Identifiers:

The terms BOWDOIN and BOWDOIN COLLEGE are registered trademarks of the College.  In addition, the College possesses trademark rights in various other words and symbols associated with the College, such as the College seal and the sun logo (collectively with the terms BOWDOIN and BOWDOIN COLLEGE, the “College Trademarks”).  No member of the College community may use, or grant permission to any other person or entity to use, any College Trademark without prior written permission from the College.  Requests to use any College Trademarks should be directed to the Treasurer’s Office. The College will own trademarks and service marks relating to goods and services developed at the College.

VIII.  Application of Policy:

This policy binds the College and the faculty, staff, students and others upon whom it is effective as a condition for participating in the use of Bowdoin funds or facilities. As they relate to work produced while in the College’s employ, the terms of the policy continue to bind individuals whose relationship with the College has ended. 

In the transition from the existing policy – where a Patent policy and common law are operative – to this new policy, it will be assumed that this policy will govern any new projects that begin after the date of Trustee approval.  The Dean for Academic Affairs should be notified of such projects, and questions about the determination of ownership and interest or the application of the new policy will be resolved using the procedure set forth in Section III, above.  Faculty members and non-faculty staff whose projects began before the date of Trustee approval may voluntarily invoke the procedure set out in Section IV above without invoking the substantive principles of this policy.  In such cases, the current Patent policy and common law principles will apply unless there is mutual agreement to employ the substance of this policy.

Leave of Absence

Students may, with the approval of a dean and in consultation with their academic advisor, interrupt their Bowdoin education and take a leave of absence to pursue nonacademic interests for one or two semesters. The conditions governing a leave of absence are as follows:

1. Students must be in good academic and social standing at the end of the semester immediately prior to the start of the leave.
2. Leaves typically begin at the start of a regular semester and may not extend beyond two terms. Exceptions may be granted by the dean of student affairs.
3. Leave extensions, terminations, or cancellations must have the approval of a dean.
4. Students on leave are not considered enrolled at Bowdoin and are expected to leave the College community. Exceptions may be granted by the dean of student affairs.
5. Students on leave may not transfer academic credit to Bowdoin for coursework taken while on leave.

Students on leave of absence will be able to participate in course registration for the semester in which they are expected to return. Materials will be sent to their permanent address unless an alternative address has been provided. Students will be able to participate in the selection of housing via a proxy process and are free to visit campus without the dean’s permission. While on leave, students are unable to compete in Bowdoin College athletic programs until after the last day of exams prior to the semester that they are scheduled to return. Students are permitted to submit applications for Off-Campus Study and for RA, proctor, or house proctor positions, and normal deadlines apply. Students are expected to return at the conclusion of their leave. Readmission is unnecessary, and individuals retail financial aid eligibility if they adhere to College deadlines.

To initiate a request for a leave of absence, students must complete a Leave of Absence Request Form. These are available in the Dean of Student Affairs Office and online at http://www.bowdoin.edu/studentaffairs/pdf/leaveofabsence.pdf. Approvals for a leave and the conditions associated with the leave will be provided in writing to the student by the dean.

Medical/Personal Leave of Absence

MEDICAL LEAVES
In unusual circumstances, the Dean of Student Affairs or his or her designee may, upon careful consideration of the welfare of the individual student and the college community, place a student on leave of absence from the College. This policy outlines the circumstances of such leaves as well as various procedures and conditions, including readmission criteria and processes and implications for the student in terms of academic, financial, insurance, and housing matters.

Voluntary Medical Leave
A student is encouraged to request a voluntary medical leave in the event that he or she believes that physical and/or mental health concerns are significantly interfering with the ability to succeed at Bowdoin and/or that the demands of college life are interfering with recovery or safety. A student who, in consultation with either the Director of the Health Center or Director of the Counseling Center, determines that he or she needs to request a voluntary medical leave should contact his/her dean to discuss the terms of the leave as decided by the College
 
Involuntary Medical Leave
In unusual circumstances, the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs or his or her designee, in consultation with Health Center and/or Counseling professionals, may determine that a student needs to be placed on involuntary medical leave. The determination will be based upon an individualized and objective assessment of the student’s ability to safely participate in the College’s programs and will examine whether the student presents a direct threat of substantial harm to that student or other members of the college community. The assessment will determine the nature, duration, and severity of the risk; the probability that the potentially threatening injury will actually occur; and whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures will sufficiently mitigate the risk.  In addition, a student who is not attending class or making satisfactory academic progress may be placed on an involuntary medical/personal leave at the dean's discretion.

Parental Notification
The College reserves the right to notify a parent or guardian of their student’s status if circumstances warrant and if it is believed to be in the best interest of the student and the College community without limitations to state and federal privacy laws.
 
Appeal Procedure for Involuntary Medical Leave
If a student believes that a decision for an Involuntary Medical Leave made by the College is unreasonable or that the procedures and/or information relied upon in making the decision were wrong or unfair, the student may appeal the decision. The appeal must be made in writing to the Dean of Student Affairs.  Appeals should clearly state the specific unreasonable, wrong, and/or unfair facts and should present relevant information to support the statements. Once notified of the Involuntary Medical Leave, the student has five (5) business days to submit his or her appeal. The student may not remain on campus during the appeal period. If no timely appeal is submitted, the decision as to the Involuntary Medical Leave is final. The Dean or his or her designee will respond in writing to the student’s written appeal within five (5) business days. The response will provide a conclusion as to whether or not the Involuntary Medical Leave is appropriate upon a thorough review of the relevant facts and information. The Dean may request an assessment by an outside medical provider at the student’s expense.

Readmission Criteria and Procedures
A student who has been placed on Medical Leave, whether voluntary or involuntary, must complete the following readmission procedures before the student is allowed to return to Bowdoin College:

The student must send a letter to the Readmission Committee, attn. of the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs, requesting formal readmission to the College. The student must send to the Readmission Committee a report from the student’s physician and/or mental health provider; the report will include discussion of the student’s current health status, course of treatment undergone during the leave, as well as any specific recommendations for the student and the College with respect to the student’s successful return to Bowdoin. The report will address the following: (a) the student’s readiness to return to the academic and co-curricular demands of college life; (b) the student’s readiness to live on campus; (c) the student’s ongoing treatment needs; (d) the student’s readiness to return to competitive sports, if the student is a collegiate athlete; and (e) any other suggestions that the health care provider deems appropriate.

The student’s physician and/or mental health provider must be a licensed physician if the evaluation is regarding medical concerns and must be a licensed mental health provider if evaluating mental health concerns. Further, all providers must be unrelated to the student and must have specialty/credentials appropriate for the condition/s of concern. The student is responsible for any cost associated with the physician or mental health provider’s evaluation.

The Readmission Committee will review the information provided by the student and evaluate the appropriateness of the student’s return. The Committee may request further information from the student’s medical or mental health providers.  In order to provide for such requests, the student will be asked to sign and return a release form so that those individuals at the College who are involved in evaluating the student’s return can have access to the student’s outside health care providers and have the ability to openly discuss relevant aspects of the student’s condition. In addition, the Director of the Health Center and/or the Director of the Counseling Center may also choose to meet with the student as part of the evaluation.

Once the Readmission Committee has reached a decision, the student will be notified by his/her dean.  The decision of the Committee is final.

In the event that the student is permitted to return to Bowdoin, the student will speak with his/her dean before returning in order to discuss the terms of the student’s readmission including, if appropriate, a discussion of a continuing treatment plan for the student. If such a plan is established, and if the student does not follow the established plan, the College will have the right to revoke its decision to readmit the student and will have the right to require the student to resume his or her Medical Leave immediately.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Academic Implications
Enrollment Status. While on Medical Leave, the student is not an enrolled student at Bowdoin College.  The Medical Leave status will continue until the student is prepared to return to the College and is readmitted by the Readmission Committee. 

Taking Courses at Other Institutions. The College discourages students on Medical Leave from transferring course credit to Bowdoin. The Dean’s Office may allow a limited course load (one or two courses pre-approved by the College) with the support, in writing, of the student’s health care provider. All requests for such course approval must be made in writing to the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs. Requests for transferring course credit for more than two courses are seldom granted and require prior approval of the Recording Committee.

Off-Campus Study Applications. Students on Medical Leave are permitted to submit applications for Off-Campus Study, but must comply with the deadlines for those programs. Questions should be directed to the Off Campus Study Office.

Course Registration. Once the student on Medical Leave has been readmitted to the College, he or she will be able to participate in course registration, and can do so until the Friday before classes resume. After that time, the student must wait until after the add/drop period to register. It is strongly advised that the student consult with his or her course instructors, advisor, and dean when choosing courses following Medical Leave.

Educational Record Reflection. The student’s transcript will not reflect his or her Medical Leave.  In the event a Medical Leave occurs after the start of the semester, the courses will be listed and a grade of “W” (withdrew) will appear. A copy of the student’s Medical Leave approval letter will be placed in the student’s file in the Dean of Student Affairs Office. The handling of the student’s educational record is governed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). For more information about FERPA and a student’s rights under the law, consult the Student Handbook.    

Financial Implications
Financial Aid Eligibility. Students on Medical Leave retain financial aid eligibility as long as all College deadlines are met prior to readmission. Questions should be directed to the Student Financial Aid Office.
   
Tuition and Fee Refunds. Tuition and fee refunds for Medical Leaves taken during the course of a semester are made in accordance with the College’s Refunds Policy. For more information, consult the Refunds section of the College Catalogue.

Tuition Insurance. Tuition insurance is available, but it must be purchased prior to the start of the semester. Questions should be directed to the College Bursar.
  
Insurance Implications
Student Health Insurance. If the student is currently enrolled in the Bowdoin Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan, his or her coverage will continue as specified by the policy. If the student waived Bowdoin’s Plan, he or she should consult his or her comparable plan for any exclusions or limitations.  Questions should be directed to the Student Health Insurance Coordinator.
  
Housing Implications 
On a case by case basis, the College, in consultation with the student’s health care providers, may determine that the returning student should not live on campus but is capable of attending classes.  In addition, College housing may not be available to the student upon his or her return, due to space limitations. Once the student has been readmitted, he or she can discuss availability and options with the Residential Life Office. In the event that College housing is not available, the student may choose to live in housing in the local area. The Residential Life Office maintains information on local area rental listings.  Questions should be directed to the Residential Life Office.

Presence on Campus
While a student is on Medical Leave, whether voluntary or involuntary, he or she will not be permitted to visit campus without prior written permission of the Dean of Student Affairs. Permission will be granted for certain pre-approved educational or health treatment purposes only.

The Readmission Committee
The Readmission Committee is chaired by the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs and is comprised of the Senior Associate and Assistant Deans of Student Affairs; Director of Student Aid; Director of Residential Life; Director of the Counseling Center; Director of the Health Center; Director of the Baldwin Learning and Teaching Center; and a representative from the Admissions Office. The Committee meets to consider the petitions of students who are seeking to return from Academic Suspension, Disciplinary Leave, and/or Medical Leave. Letters requesting readmission and supporting materials should be directed to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Students on Academic Suspension, Disciplinary Leave, and/or Medical Leave are not normally eligible to register for classes or make housing arrangements until they have been readmitted. Students seeking readmission are notified of the outcome of their petitions by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

PURPOSE:  To communicate the process used by Bowdoin College to prepare for and respond to a situation where a student is suspected to be “missing”.  

SCOPE:  All Bowdoin College students currently attending classes in Brunswick, Maine.

POLICY:  Bowdoin College will actively investigate any report of a missing student and take appropriate action to ensure all notifications and actions comply with legal mandates.  Investigation of such reports will be initiated immediately and procedures will be governed by federal, state, and local law, as well as internal Office of Safety and Security standard operating procedures.

1.      Policy Administration

a.  Emergency Contact Designation
Each matriculated Bowdoin College student must pre-identify an emergency contact for any situation deemed an emergency with respect to a student’s well-being.  Prior to the start of each semester, all Bowdoin College students are required to complete the emergency contact fields during the online course enrollment process, found at the Office of the Registrar web page at http://www.bowdoin.edu/registrar/.  At any time during the school year, students may update this information by obtaining and submitting a form at the Registrar’s Office in Moulton Union.  This form may also be downloaded through links found on both the Registrar and Office of Safety and Security’s web page. 

For the purposes of this policy, the emergency contact would be notified in the event that a determination is made by campus or local authorities that the student is “missing” for a period of more than 24 hours.  Not later than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to be missing, the College is legally required to notify a custodial parent or guardian of any student who is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual.  Emergency contact information will be held confidentiality for use by the institution, and shared only on a need to know basis in the best interest of the student’s welfare. 

b.      Inter-Departmental Coordination:
Due to the need for data collection, timely communications, student management, and individual and campus-wide safety and security, the procedures for implementing this policy require close coordination among the Registrar’s Office, the Dean of Student Affairs, and the Office of Safety and Security.  Responsibilities include:

2.      Policy Procedures:

a.       Investigation/Determination of Missing
Without delay, the Office of Safety and Security will initiate an extensive missing person investigative process, as outlined in the Department’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual, Section D-8.  The SOP contains checklists and investigative strategy to gather all pertinent report information to ascertain the gravity of the situation and further investigate. 

Engaging non-College authorities and resources in the investigation of a missing student report will be at the discretion of the Director of the Office of Safety and Security.  While the Director will work closely with all appropriate Departments, and, when appropriate, law enforcement agencies, to investigate the students’ whereabouts, the final determination of a student as “missing” will be made by the Director, who will then ensure that the appropriate internal and external notifications are made.

b.      Notifications Upon Determination of “Missing”
Upon the Director’s determination that a student is missing, the appropriate law enforcement agencies will be notified of the missing person status within 24 hours, if not sooner.  Also during this timeframe, the Director will coordinate with the Dean of Student Affairs to ensure that notification is made to the student’s designated emergency contact.

If, at any point during this process, a potential real threat to campus constituencies is identified, the Director will initiate the dissemination of appropriate information and actions necessary to safeguard the campus community.  Procedures outlined in the Campus Emergency Management Plan will be employed. 

c.       Action by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
When the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is made aware of a concern that a student may be “missing” or non responsive to attempts to be contacted, appropriate action will be taken to assist with locating the student, including coordination with the Office of Safety and Security and other College resources.

In addition to being partners in athletic competition, the eleven colleges and universities comprising the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) are united in efforts to provide safe environments in which students may mature intellectually and socially.

Recognizing that social life plays a role in the college experience, each campus has increased its efforts to encourage students to make responsible choices.  Each school takes a strong stand against substance abuse, including alcohol.  While the vast majority of students at NESCAC institutions who choose to drink do so responsibly, each school has disciplinary and educational programs in place for students who misuse alcohol and other substances.

Additionally, all of the conference schools expressly prohibit hazing. 

NESCAC member institutions: Amherst College, Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College, Connecticut College, Hamilton College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Tufts University, Wesleyan University, Williams College.

Adopted 12/14/00

The College exists so that a community of scholars can fully participate in the learning process. Students and groups may not engage in excessive noise that obstructs academic classes, College business and faculty offices, the neighboring non-Bowdoin community, and other campus activities.

The following guidelines comprise the College’s noise ordinance:

1. Musical instruments, stereos, radios, televisions, and other electronic devices should be played at a level acceptable to individuals within the same room and that does not disturb community and non-Bowdoin neighbors. Students may not place speakers in windows or direct sound out of windows in a way that disturbs the peace of the community.
2. Other kinds of noise must be kept at levels that do not impinge on the rights of others.
3. Noise and other entertainment at all parties and other non-academic gatherings should be restricted to College non-business hours (between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.). Any exceptions to this must be cleared through the dean’s office.
4. Residents of Bowdoin College housing must maintain music and other noise at levels that do not disturb adjacent areas. Music should be inaudible from buildings after midnight on weeknights and after 1:00 a.m. on weekends.
5. Students may not engage in organized political expression (rallies, drumming, speak-outs, etc.) in which the noise level disrupts the educational processes of the College.
6. The Dean of Student Affairs must approve exceptions to the above.
7. Violations of this ordinance will subject students/groups to College disciplinary action.

Important Information about Cars and Parking can be found in the Parking and Permits section of the Office of Safety and Security website.

A.  RESIDENCE AGREEMENT AND RELATED INFORMATION

1. Residence Agreement. All students living in College housing are required to comply with all rules, regulations, and policies related to student housing. This includes, but is not limited to, the information outlined below and various Residential Life publications (Opening and Closing Notices, Vacation Housing Notices, and the annual housing lottery document). In return, the College will work to provide Bowdoin students with safe, comfortable, well-maintained living space, in an academically conducive environment.

2. Residency Requirement. All first-years and sophomores are required to live on campus in residence halls, apartments, or College Houses. Juniors and seniors are allowed to live on campus or off campus in private rentals. Upperclass students who choose to live on campus must participate in the annual housing lottery to secure an assignment.

3. Assignment Information. Assignments for first-year students are made based on information requested prior to enrollment. Each spring, upperclass students choose housing for the next year by participating in the housing lottery. The lottery is run by the Residential Life staff. Lottery information is distributed immediately following spring vacation. Students returning for second semester, including those returning from off-campus study, are assigned via an open rooms/proxy process. For more information, contact the Office of Residential Life. Men and women may share living space provided that the number of bedrooms allows for separate bedrooms for each gender.

4. Right to Assign. The director of residential life reserves the right to assign any vacancy in College-owned housing at any time, and/or to reassign any student at any time.

5. Occupancy Periods. Housing is available only when the College is in regular session. Students are required to vacate College housing between semesters and during spring vacation. Information about dates and times that College residences open and close are published in the academic calendar in the Student Handbook. Closing notices are sent to on-campus students prior to each closing. All students, except graduating seniors, are required to vacate within twenty-four hours of their last exam. Students who arrive before housing opens or remain after housing closes without express permission from the Office of Residential Life may face disciplinary action and/or incur fees.

6. Vacation Housing. Students who need housing between semesters, during spring vacation, or during the summer should read the closing notices and/or contact the Office of Residential Life prior to these periods. Remaining in College housing when the College is not in session, without permission of the Office of Residential Life, is a violation of College policy.

7. Opening Day. All students must arrive no earlier than the scheduled opening day for fall and spring semesters. Early arrivals are not permitted. For more information, contact the Director of Residential Life.

8. ID Cards and Room Keys. When school is in session, student residences are accessed by ID cards and/or keys.  ID cards are issued through the OneCard Office located at the lobby of Coles Tower.  Room keys are issued from the Facilities Management Office in Rhodes Hall. For more information about keys, see the Facilities Management section.

Students have access to residence halls and apartments via their ID Card. Access may be restricted or limited at the will of the College. Exterior doors to residence halls are locked at all times. Students are asked to help keep unwanted guests or intruders from entering buildings by closing doors that others leave propped open and reporting suspicious behavior or malfunctioning doors to Security.

9. Room Lockout Policy. Students are expected to carry their ID Card and/or key with them at all times and are expected to keep their rooms locked. If a student locks themselves out of their room, they are to follow these steps to gain access to their room:
 1. Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and midnight, students should attempt to find a student Residential Life staff member to gain entry to their room. Student Residential Life staff may not loan out their ID Cards or master keys.
 2. If a Residential Life staff member is unavailable or it is after midnight, students should call Security at ext. 3314 to request entry to the room.
If a student is requesting an excessive number of lockouts, the Director of Residential Life may request to meet with the student and/or take formal disciplinary action.
 
Emergencies: ext. 3500 or 725-3500
Non Emergencies: ext. 3314 or 725-3314

Broken or Lost Cards
You must have a working ID Card to access buildings on the system, eat in the dining halls, use your Polar Points, do laundry, make photocopies, and take books out from the library.

If your card does not function for any of the above-mentioned tasks, please come to the Office of Residential Life and it will be fixed or replaced at no charge.

If you lose or break your card, you may obtain a new card for $15.00. This cost will be billed to your account through the Bursar’s Office. It is important to deactivate your card online at the OneCard website or call Security to have them deactivate it for you to help protect your card funds and keep the campus safe.

10. Personal Property.  The College assumes no responsibility for loss of, or damage to, a student’s personal property. Each student is encouraged to take appropriate steps to safeguard and insure his/her property. Students are encouraged to maintain appropriate personal property insurance. Any loss or theft of property should be reported to Security so that an official record is available if needed. The College does not provide storage for students’ personal property.

11. Right to Enter.  Bowdoin College reserves the right to enter any College-owned space at any time for the purpose of responding to emergencies, maintaining acceptable health and safety standards, establishing order, making repairs, routine maintenance (including response to work orders), inventory, extermination, cleaning, enforcement of College rules and regulations, securing buildings during vacation and break periods, and for any other reasonable purpose. The resident’s absence will not prevent such entry. Entry will be made by authorized College personnel.

12. Right to Enter and Search.  The College reserves the right to enter and search student rooms/suites/apartments and/or belongings in any College building or storage space. A resident’s room, suite, or apartment or possessions on campus will not be searched by College authorities unless there is sufficient reason to believe that a resident is using his/her assigned space for purposes which may be in violation of Federal, State, or local law, or of College regulations. The College will cooperate with law enforcement officials who, having obtained a search warrant from an appropriate source having jurisdiction to issue such warrants, seek entry to student rooms for the purpose of executing such warrants. Before conducting a search, the Security Office must have written permission from the Director of Residential Life. The written permission authorizing the search shall state the reasons for the search, a description of the objects of information sought, possessions and locations to be searched, and the approximate time the search will be conducted. Although not required by law, whenever possible the search will be conducted at reasonable times with occupant(s) present.

13. Accountability.  All occupants of shared living space are responsible for all activities taking place in their space whether they are present or not. All occupants will be held responsible for any prohibited activity or illegal items found in the space.

14. Withdrawal.  Upon withdrawal or suspension from the College, the individual student has forty-eight hours or a time frame as determined by the Director of Residential Life to vacate the premises, return his/her key to the Facilities Management or Security Office, and ask that the employee make a notation of the departure.

B. HEALTH AND SAFETY IN COLLEGE RESIDENTIAL HALLS

The following fire safety code and college policy violations are all subject to disciplinary action either by administrative decision of a College official and/or action of the Judicial Board:

1. Care of rooms, common areas, and furnishings. All residents are responsible for keeping their room, suite, or apartment and all common areas in
their building or apartment complex in acceptable condition in accordance with the Facilities Management Residence Hall Policy.

2.  Cooking/Kitchens. In certain locations, the College provides cooking facilities for student use. Students are allowed to use a microwave oven or coffeemaker in their room. Residents are responsible for food or other personal belongings left in the kitchen area. All food and trash must be properly disposed of and students should check to be sure that ovens are turned off after use.
 
a.  Appliances permitted. Microwave ovens of 900 watts or less and not larger than one cubic ft. in size; Energy Star-rated refrigerators less than four cubic ft. in size; stereo equipment; computer equipment; coffeemakers; curling irons; hair dryers; fans; extension cords; lamps; television sets; VCRs; DVD players; and air popcorn poppers.

b.  Appliances not permitted. Any appliance with exposed heating elements; hot plates; toasters; toaster ovens; gas stoves or burners; camping stoves; halogen lamps; and items that exceed 1000 watts. In addition, any appliance not Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved, in poor working condition, or deemed in appropriate by the Director of Residential Life or the Life Safety Officer must be removed from College spaces.

3. Fire Safety. The following fire safety code and college policy violations will be subject to sanction by administrative decision or by the Judicial Board; and may, if the violation results in personal injury to others, damage to College property, or is a repeat offense of the same violation, be reported to the civil authorities for prosecution or fine:

• Setting of a Fire. This includes intentional or accidental fires, even those caused by cooking or smoking in approved areas.
• Setting off Fire Alarms. This includes intentional or accidental fire alarms, even those caused by cooking or smoking in approved areas.
• Failing to Evacuate. When an alarm sounds all occupants must vacate the building immediately. This includes all residences and academic buildings.
• Tampering with, Misusing, or Defeating Fire Protection Equipment. This includes, but is not limited to: removing or covering emergency exit lights or signage; hanging items of any kind from sprinkler heads or piping; propping open fire doors; disabling central fire alarms or smoke detectors, or improperly discharging fire extinguishers or fire hoses.  The improper discharge of a fire extinguisher is a significant environmental health concern due to the chemical suppressants it contains (normally consumed when properly applied to a fire) being a severe respiratory irritant, and a distinct hazard to persons with sensitive respiratory conditions.
• Possessing and/or Using Flammable Materials, Candles, or Incense. This includes, but is not limited to: camp-stove fuel, fireworks, certain holiday decorations (see below), gasoline, paint thinners, lamp oils, candles, and incense.
• Tampering with Any Wiring. This includes, but is not limited to: electrical equipment, building wiring, cable TV, computer wiring, or overloading electrical outlets with multiple plugs.  Only UL-approved electrical extension cords with an integral surge protector (such as those used for computers) are allowed; ungrounded (two-prong) extension cords of any kind are prohibited.
• Causing or Contributing to a Fire Safety Hazard. This includes, but is not limited to: storage of materials in exits, stairwells, hallways, or passageways in any manner that obstructs egress; storing an excessive amount of waste paper or other flammable materials; careless use of smoking materials; having halogen lamps; having space heaters; having ceiling hangings of any kind, or wall hangings covering more than 50 percent of the wall space; and having an excessive amount of personal furniture in any College space.  Personal furnishings must be UL-labeled for fire resistance.
• Any violation of Town of Brunswick Fire Department regulations.
• Any violation of the Holiday Decorations policy, which is available in the Office of Residential Life.

4. Firearms/Weapons. Firearms, ammunition, and weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited in all College residences and other College spaces.

5. Animals/Pets. To preserve student health and safety, no pets/animals of any kind are permitted in any College spaces. Exceptions to this policy may be made only by the Director of Residential Life.

6. Roofs and Balconies. Bowdoin College strictly prohibits students from being on the roofs and balconies of any residence, as well as other College buildings. Students who allow others to access the roof or balcony from their room will also be held accountable. The College assumes no financial or legal responsibility for injury or damages sustained due to this prohibited act. 

C.  GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Air conditioners.  Personal air conditioners are not permitted.

2. Furniture.  Furniture belonging to the College may not be removed from rooms/suites/apartments and common space. This furniture is for all current and future residents. This regulation includes, but is not limited to, removal of beds, mattresses, trash cans, desks, chairs, tables, bookshelves, couches, loveseats, and appliances. Students are expected to comply with requests to return furniture indoors or to its original location.

3. Guests.  The College allows guests for up to three nights, but their presence may not infringe upon the rights of other Bowdoin students. Specifically, Bowdoin students are not to be unwillingly deprived of their assigned sleeping accommodations because of guests. Any room, suite, or apartment-mate or other Bowdoin student who feels inconvenienced by a guest should first discuss the matter with the host student. If that brings no result, the student should contact his/her RA, Proctor, or the Residential Life Office. Bowdoin students who bring guests to campus are responsible for violations of College policies committed by their guests. If possible, the guests will also be held responsible for their actions.

4. Lofts and Waterbeds. Homebuilt lofts and waterbeds are not permitted.

5. Noise.  In an academic setting, the need for quiet study areas takes precedence over recreational activities that cause noise. Noise is disruptive whenever it disturbs others. If disturbed by noise, confront the person making the noise—explain that the noise is a nuisance and ask him/her to quiet down. If this fails, contact the Proctor or RA who will confront the person causing the disturbance. If this alternative fails or the Proctor or RA is unavailable (out of the area or after 2:00 a.m.), call the Security Office—explain what steps have been taken and ask for assistance. For more information, see the Noise Ordinance, p. 23.

Noise in the Town of Brunswick:  In addition to being thoughtful of fellow students, all students should be considerate of local Brunswick residents. Many Brunswick residents live in the same neighborhoods as students and they deserve the same respect. Students hosting parties should be 
particularly cognizant of noise levels at their event and remind their guests to be quiet as they leave the event.

6. Senior Week Housing.  All students except seniors (and those authorized by the Director of Residential Life to stay for Senior Week and Commencement) must vacate their rooms within twenty-four hours after their last exam. Events with alcohol are required to be registered during Senior Week.

7. Solicitation. College residential facilities are not open to any person selling or buying goods or services or otherwise soliciting. Students are urged to report solicitors to the Security Office.

D.  FAILURE TO COMPLY

Failure to comply with any College policy, including any Residential Life policies or procedures stated here or in any other Residential Life publication, may constitute a violation of the Social Code and result in disciplinary action. Such action may include but is not limited to, repair/replacement costs, monetary fines, or official College disciplinary action including Warning, Reprimand, Social Probation, and Conditions including removal from College housing, Suspension, Dismissal, and/or possible State or Federal Charges.

Bowdoin College wishes to promote a safe and healthful environment for its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The health risks of smoking are well known, and make smoking the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Exposure to second-hand smoke is also dangerous, and is the third leading cause of preventable death in this country. With this in mind, in September 2002, the College adopted a policy that does not permit indoor smoking on College property, including residence halls and office buildings. Smoking is not permitted on athletic grounds, in College vehicles, or within fifty feet of building entrances. Students interested in quitting smoking should contact the Health Center about cessation assistance, including nicotine replacement and other pharmacologic aids.

Note: Disabling or otherwise tampering with any fire safety device, to allow smoking in residential spaces or for any other reason, is a violation of both College policy and state and federal law, and will result in sanction and possible criminal prosecution.

Bowdoin College discourages aggressive solicitation of students, faculty, and staff on campus. These activities often disrupt campus routine, offend segments of the College community, and imply endorsement by the College of particular products, ideas, or positions.

The College or recognized student groups occasionally invite vendors to fulfill particular campus objectives. The Director of Student Life must provide written approval to such vendors to grant exceptions to solicitation policies. Student groups must guarantee the availability of the products that their sponsored vendors sell. These sales must be cleared in writing in advance with the Director of Student Life. No outside organization may proselytize or sell products without direct sponsorship of a student organization recognized by the Bowdoin Student Government or an administrative office. Direct sponsorship means that the student organization or administrative office has initiated the contact with the group, has agreed to represent the group on campus, and agrees to submit the application to the Office of Student Life for approval under the sponsoring organization’s name. The College organization will be accountable for the actions on campus of the group it sponsors. Student organizations may not invite commercial enterprises to sell their products on campus in return for a share in the profits from those sales. All printed materials (posters, banners, fliers, etc.) bearing corporate logos or insignias must be approved in advance by the Director of Student Life.

The College benefits greatly from the ongoing generosity of Bowdoin alumni and parents, who provide significant monetary support for student-related programs and services on an annual basis.  The Development Office coordinates all fund-raising efforts on behalf of the College. Students, student organizations, and athletic teams are not permitted to solicit alumni for monetary support.

Though the College recognizes that parents of current students are sometimes asked to provide supplemental funding for student activities and organizations and special initiatives such as trips for athletic teams, students, student organizations, and athletic teams are not permitted to conduct widespread parent fund-raising appeals.

Chartered student organizations are eligible to receive funding through the Student Activities Funding Committee (SAFC), and agree by virtue of their status as chartered organizations to comply with all College policies including fund-raising restrictions.  Members of athletic teams, including club sports, are also subject to these restrictions.

Student organizations may sell items for profit if the proceeds go to the organization, but only with the prior permission of the Director of Student Life. Athletic teams must receive prior permission from the Director of Athletics. In addition, items normally sold in the bookstore may not be offered for sale without prior permission from the Bookstore Manager. Students and College Employees as individuals may sell products but may not use campus rooms, mailing or any other College facilities to promote or sell their products without written permission from the Office of Student Life. Questions should be addressed to the Director of Student Life, ext. 3201.

Student Grant Seeking 

The College recognizes that an individual student or group of students may wish to seek external grant funding and is ready to support such efforts.  Every student-initiated grant project team must include one member of the Bowdoin faculty or staff, who will serve as a liaison between the student(s) and the institution.  The College will not submit or accept student-initiated grant proposals that are not sponsored by a faculty or staff liaison.  The faculty or staff member who accepts the role of liaison will be responsible for:

• guiding the student(s) to work in a timely fashion with the College’s Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations;
• ensuring that the student-initiated proposal is in compliance with all College policies as outlined in the Bowdoin College Grants Manual; and
• supporting students’ efforts to obtain the required institutional approvals prior to submitting the grant proposal.

Additionally, if the proposal is funded, the liaison will serve as the Principal Investigator of the grant and will be responsible for:

• overseeing the student implementation of the grant;
• ensuring that the student project team complies fully with the funder’s reporting requirements;
• ensuring all the activities related to the grant funded project; and
• ensuring that the fiscal management of the grant is in compliance with College policies.

Questions regarding grants may be directed to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at ext. 3407.

Federal legislation has established guidelines governing the way in which colleges maintain and supervise students’ educational records. This law requires that students be notified annually of Bowdoin’s pattern of compliance with its requirements.  The purpose of this legislation is to assure students access to their official records so that they may ascertain that the information contained in their files is accurate. Further, the legislation seeks to guarantee that these files are used only for legitimate educational purposes and are not released outside the College without the permission of the student.

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), each student has the right to:

• inspect and review his/her education records;
• request an amendment to his/her educational records if the student believes they are inaccurate or misleading;
• request a hearing if the student’s request for an amendment is not resolved to his/her satisfaction;
• consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information from his/her education records; except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without the student’s consent;
• file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Family Policy Compliance Office if the student believes his/her rights under FERPA have been violated.

1. Inspection
What are education records?
Education records are records maintained by the College that are directly related to students. These include biographical and demographic data, application materials, course schedules, grades and work-study records.

Among the educational records maintained by Bowdoin for each student is his/her permanent file, which is located in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. The permanent file contains information such as the student’s application for admission to Bowdoin, and a copy of his/her high school transcript. In addition, some quantifiable information derived from the permanent file is stored in the College computer. As a student progresses through Bowdoin, his/her permanent file accumulates other documents such as the transcript, copies of applications for special programs (e.g., Twelve College Exchange) or special requests (e.g., leave of absence requests), and records of any academic or disciplinary action taken against the student. In addition, copies of correspondence with deans or other College administrators are placed in the student’s permanent file. The permanent file is maintained for six years after the date of graduation or resignation.

Students’ educational records are also kept in other College offices including, but not limited to, the following: the Career Planning Center, the office of the student’s pre-major academic advisor or major department, the student aid office, the controller’s office, the office of communications, the off-campus study office, and the office of student records.

A student’s “educational record” does not include:

• information contained in the private files of instructors and administrators (including deans’ notes), used only as a personal memory aid and not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record;
• Campus Security records;
• employment records other than work-study records;
• Medical and psychological records used solely for treatment purposes (please refer to the section on page 92 for information on the maintenance of Health and Counseling Records);
• records that only contain information about individuals after they have left the College through graduation, resignation, or dismissal;
• any other records that do not meet the above definition of education records.

How do I inspect my education records?

• Any student who wishes to see his/her permanent file may request access in writing from the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. Students who wish to review their education records that are kept in other College Offices should inquire directly of the department that maintains the records.
• The custodian of the education record the student wishes to inspect will contact the student to arrange a mutually convenient time for inspection, not more than forty-five days after his/her request. The custodian or designee will be present during his/her inspection.
• The student will not be permitted to review financial information, including his/her parents’ financial information; or confidential letters of recommendation, if the student has waived his/her right to inspect such letters.
• Students may have copies made of their educational records, except for a record for which a financial “hold” exists, a transcript which originated from an institution other than Bowdoin, and information and/or letters that have been solicited on a confidential basis.

2. Amendment
How do I amend my educational records?

• Suspected inaccuracies in any files should be brought to the attention of the appropriate department head, e.g., registrar, director of career planning, etc. Disagreements about the accuracy of the file should be directed to the dean of student affairs. In such cases, a student should send a written, signed request for amendment to the Dean of Student Affairs, Bowdoin College, 4600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011-8437. The request should specify the record the student wants to have amended and the reason for amendment.
• The College will reply to the student no later than forty-five days after the student’s request. If the College does not agree to amend the record, the student has a right to a hearing on the issue.

3. Hearing
How do I request a hearing?

• Send a written, signed request for a hearing to the Dean of Student Affairs, Bowdoin College, 4600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011-8437. The College will schedule a hearing no later than forty-five days after his/her request.

How will the hearing be conducted?

• Cases involving disagreements over College records will be heard by the Recording Committee of the faculty.
• The student may bring another person to the hearing to assist the student. If the student’s attorney will be present, the student must notify the College ten days in advance of the hearing so that the College may arrange to have an attorney present too, if desired.
• The College will inform the student of its decision, in writing, including a summary of the evidence presented and the reasons for its decision, no later than forty-five days after the hearing.
• If the Recording Committee rules against a student’s appeal, the student may place a statement in his/her file challenging the accuracy of information in that file or further explaining such information.
• If the student believes the College has not complied with FERPA, he/she can file a complaint with the following: Family Policy Compliance Office, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

4. Disclosure
Bowdoin College generally will not disclose personally identifiable information from a student’s education records without his/her consent except for directory information and other exceptions specified by law.

What is directory information?
Directory information is personally identifiable information of a general nature that may be disclosed without a student’s consent, unless the student specifically requests the College not to do so. It is used for purposes including, but not limited to, compiling campus print and electronic directories. Please note that not all of the information that has been specified as directory information is included in the campus directories.

If the student does not want his/her directory information to be disclosed, either in the campus print or electronic directories or otherwise, the student must notify the Registrar, in writing, by the first day of classes of the fall semester. Notifying the Registrar covers only the disclosure of centralized records. Members of individual organizations (sports teams, student clubs and organizations, etc.) must also notify those organizations to restrict the disclosure of directory information.

Bowdoin College has defined directory information as the following:

• the student’s full name,
• local/campus mailing address,
• local/campus residence,
• local/campus telephone number,
• e-mail user id and address,
  (User ids cannot be completely suppressed from our electronic systems. While it may be possible to suppress the association of an individual’s name with their user id, doing so may adversely impact the delivery of electronic mail or other electronic services.)
• class year,
• major field(s) of study,
• dates of attendance at Bowdoin College,
• enrollment status,
• date of graduation,
• degree(s) awarded,
• honors and awards received,
• date of birth,
• marital status,
• participation in officially recognized activities, and
• previous educational institution most recently attended.

For students participating in intercollegiate athletics, directory information also includes:

• height,
• weight, and
• sport(s) of participation.

What are the other exceptions?
Under FERPA, Bowdoin College may, at the College’s discretion, release personally identifiable information from education records without the student’s prior consent to:

• school officials with legitimate educational interests (“School officials” are Bowdoin College employees in administrative, supervisory, academic or support staff positions; Bowdoin College trustees; individuals and companies with whom the College has contracted, such as attorneys, auditors, or collection agencies; and individuals assisting school officials in performing their tasks. School officials have a “legitimate educational interest” if they need to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibilities.);
• certain federal officials in connection with federal program requirements;
• organizations involved in awarding financial aid;
• state and local officials who are legally entitled to the information;
• testing agencies such as the Educational Testing Service, for the purpose of developing, validating, researching, and administering tests;
• accrediting agencies, in connection with their accrediting functions;
• parents of dependent students (as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue Service Code). See Parental Notification Policy on this page;
• comply with a judicial order or subpoena (after making a reasonable effort to notify the student in advance of compliance so that the student can take protective action, except in cases where the College is legally required not to disclose the existence of the subpoena);
• appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency, if necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals;
• officials of another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll;
• victims of violent crimes or sexual offenses (the results of final student disciplinary proceedings);
• parents or legal guardians of students under twenty-one years of age (information regarding violations of college drug and alcohol policies);
• courts (records relevant to legal actions initiated by students, parents or the College).

5. Complaints
As stated above, if the student believes the College has not complied with FERPA, he/she can file a complaint with the following:

Family Policy Compliance Office
Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-4605

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION POLICY

As noted above, FERPA regulations and state statutes assign students the right to release information contained in their educational records. Specifically, FERPA entrusts this right to students once they reach the age of eighteen or enroll in a postsecondary institution. Consistent with Bowdoin’s efforts to promote each student’s personal growth and autonomy, and to preserve a climate of trust with them, the College will not release any information contained within a student’s educational record to parents without the student’s consent. However, when appropriate and as allowed by FERPA, the College does permit the release of certain information of dependent students (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 152) to parents without the student’s consent. The specific instances in which Bowdoin will and will not notify parents warrant particular attention.

Note: The College reserves the right to notify a parent or guardian of their student’s status in situations not specifically listed below if the circumstances warrant and if it is in the best interest of the student and the College community.

Notice of a Student’s Academic Standing
The College believes that each student is ultimately responsible for his or her academic progress and performance. Therefore, Bowdoin communicates only with students regarding their academic performance. For instance, in an effort to foster students’ sense of responsibility for their academic endeavors, grades, comment cards, and failure cards are sent directly to students and are not released to parents or guardians unless a student specifically requests in writing to the Office of the Registrar that they be released. While students are encouraged to share information regarding their academic progress with their parents, Bowdoin does not mandate it. 

Academically, however, there are instances when the College will typically notify parents of a student’s academic performance with or without the student’s consent. Parents will be notified of a student’s academic standing regardless of consent when there is a change of status, i.e., when a student is placed on academic probation, when a student is academically suspended, or if a student is academically dismissed from Bowdoin.  In these cases, copies of correspondence with the student that outline the student’s academic standing will be sent to the student’s parents or guardian.

Notice of a Student’s Disciplinary/Conduct Standing
During a student’s tenure at Bowdoin, the College expects each student to take responsibility for his or her actions. Upon arrival at Bowdoin, each student reads and signs the Academic Honor Code and Social Code that serve as a standard and guide for students’ behavior. Signing the pledge implies a student’s commitment to uphold the principles and rules outlined in the Codes.
Since the Codes are meant to preserve the integrity and safety of the Bowdoin community, violations of either Code warrant a College response.  Generally, the College will communicate any disciplinary response to a Code violation directly with the student, and parents or guardians will not be notified, unless the student chooses to inform his or her parents. However, if the College response results in a change in the student’s status (i.e., dismissal, suspension, social probation, and in some cases, reprimand), copies of correspondence with the student that detail the resolution of the situation will be sent to the student’s parents or guardian. Likewise, Bowdoin reserves the right to inform the parents of any student if the student violates any Federal, State, or local law, or campus regulation governing the use or possession of alcohol or drugs.

Notice of a Student’s Health/Welfare Standing
Information regarding a student’s health and/or psychological welfare is protected by strict policies instituted to ensure the student’s confidentiality.  While students are encouraged to share information regarding their health and/or psychological welfare with their parents, without students’ informed consent (typically in writing), the College cannot share this type of information with their parents or guardian.

Bowdoin recognizes, however, that situations arise in which a student may be unable to give informed consent, e.g., accident or alcohol poisoning leading to unconsciousness, psychotic episode, etc. If a student is transported to the hospital in a critical situation, the parent or guardian of the student will be notified.  Where possible, the College will allow the individual student time to make direct notification to parent or guardian or explicitly identify a third party to make contact with the parent or guardian. In such instances when a student is being treated by an external healthcare provider, the College expects the external provider to determine the appropriateness of parental notification and undertake such notification when deemed appropriate. Having the external provider directly notify the parents ensures that parents receive the most informed and precise information regarding their child’s well-being. In these cases, a representative of the College is always available for further follow-up by way of the on-call system accessible through the Bowdoin Security Office.
Likewise, if a student is deemed a threat to him or herself or to others, the College may decide to notify parents without the consent of the student. It should also be noted that the College shares health information with parents of students under the age of eighteen regardless of consent. The College may also contact a parent or guardian if it comes to the attention of school officials that a student has been inexplicably absent from campus for a prolonged period of time. 

HEALTH AND COUNSELING RECORDS

As noted above, FERPA pertains specifically to educational records and it does not address records that may be generated in the Health and Counseling Centers on campus. FERPA’s protection of educational records does not include those records: (1) relating to a student that are either created or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional; (2) generated solely to provide treatment to the student; and (3) not disclosed to anyone other than individuals providing such treatment.

However, access to Bowdoin’s Health and Counseling Services’ records is limited by departmental confidentiality policies. In particular, information shared, generated, and/or obtained during visits to either the Health Center or Counseling Center is protected from disclosure by specific policies regulating the release of such information.

Counseling Services and Health Services
Students may request to review their own confidential counseling or health records by filing a written authorization with the Director of the Counseling Services or Director of Health Services, respectively. This request must be responded to within a reasonable period of time not to exceed forty-five days. If the provider believes review of these records would be detrimental to the student’s own health, the Counseling Service and Health Service reserve the right to require that a member of the counseling or health staff be present while the student reviews the file in order to discuss or help interpret any information the file may contain.

With a student’s written authorization, counseling or health information can be disclosed to a third party for the specific purpose stated in that authorization. This authorization is retained with the student’s counseling or health records and is effective for a time period mutually agreed upon between the provider and student. Counseling and health records will be maintained for six years after a student’s year of graduation.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH LEGAL STATUTES REQUIRE OR ALLOW MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO BREAK CONFIDENTIALITY, WITHOUT CONSENT IF NECESSARY. THESE INCLUDE circumstances where there is serious danger to self or others, or suspicion of child or elder abuse. Also, in rare instances, counseling records may be subject to court subpoena. In the event of after-hours emergency services, information may also be shared with necessary campus personnel (i.e., Security, Dean of Student Affairs, and Residential Life) to provide safety and support.

All student research involving work with human and animal subjects, and any studies involving potentially hazardous materials or procedures carried out under the auspices of Bowdoin College or on Bowdoin College property, must be undertaken under the supervision of a Bowdoin College faculty member or administrator.  Supervision is required even when the study is not carried out as a formal independent study or honors research project. The faculty member or administrator is responsible for ensuring that the study follows Bowdoin College policies and federal regulations for the ethical treatment of human and animal subjects (http://www.bowdoin.edu/academic-affairs/governance/roc.shtml) and the safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials.  Students in violation of this policy are subject to disciplinary action.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Overview of College Procedures
Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct are serious offenses. The College encourages students to report such offenses promptly to local law enforcement agencies. Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct also violate the College Social Code, and will not be tolerated in this community of trust. The College urges students to report Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct under these administrative provisions. 

Students who have experienced instances of Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct may receive support from a variety of sources, including the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, the Women’s Resource Center, Queer-Trans Resource Center, Counseling Services, Health Services, Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine (SASSMM), and Safe Space. Additional information about these services is available at the bottom of this page. The College urges all of its students to become familiar with available support services and obtain this support. College students are eligible to receive support regardless of whether they elect to pursue criminal, civil, or administrative remedies under these procedures. 

The purpose of the College’s procedures is to encourage students to take responsibility for their behavior, to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations, to fairly discipline and sanction behavior that is in violation of the Social Code, including the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy, and to educate students about implications and consequences of their behavior. 

Bowdoin College students are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards of honesty and respect for others. In the context of intimate relationships, the use of alcohol or other drugs can blur the distinction between consent and manipulation. Real or perceived power differentials between individuals also may create an atmosphere of coercion that can significantly impair the ability to consent.  These procedures take these issues into account.  Students who may be charged under these procedures should note that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not an excuse. 

The College offers alternative options to address cases of alleged Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct within the framework of the College’s administrative processes. The options are designed to provide an opportunity for parties in the dispute to present their versions of the incident and to understand the nature of the incident and its effects on each party and the College community.  The options differ in their procedures, degree of formality, and potential results. 

The initiation of procedural options is normally coordinated through the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. However, nothing in these procedures precludes the Dean of Student Affairs or other College officials from taking appropriate action to enforce College policy or comply with applicable law. This would include, but not be limited to, restricting contacts between the parties, initiating housing or academic accommodations, or ordering interim suspensions. The College may take appropriate protective and administrative action even in situations where the student who alleges that Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct has been committed against himself or herself is absent. Use of these procedures does not preclude the use of other dispute resolution options outside the College, including civil and/or criminal proceedings. 

Instances in which a current Bowdoin College student is alleged to have committed Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct may be resolved through the procedures outlined herein. These procedures apply to all students who are currently matriculants, 12 College Exchange or Special Students at Bowdoin College. Instances in which a non-student College employee is alleged to have committed Sexual Assault, Sexual Misconduct or Sexual Harassment will be resolved through the appropriate College department, e.g., Human Resources or Academic Affairs.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will assist students in accessing support and resources in these other instances involving a non-student College employee.

B. Definitions
“Effective consent” referenced in the terms below means words or actions that show a voluntary agreement to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity. 

“Act” referenced in the terms below includes, but is not limited to, sexual intercourse, sodomy, or sexual penetration with an inanimate object, the touching of a person’s intimate parts (defined as genitalia, groin, breast or buttocks, or clothing covering them), or compelling a person to touch his or her own or another person’s intimate parts without effective consent. 

“Sexual Assault” occurs when the act is intentional and is committed either by (a) physical force, violence, threat, or intimidation; (b) ignoring the objections of another person; (c) causing another’s intoxication or impairment through the use of drugs or alcohol; or (d) taking advantage of another person’s incapacitation or impairment, state of intimidation, helplessness, or other inability to consent.

“Sexual Misconduct” occurs when the act is committed and where, by failing to correctly assess the circumstances, a person believes unreasonably that effective consent was given without having met his/her responsibility to obtain effective consent.

“Complainant” referenced in the terms below is the individual who alleges that Sexual Misconduct or Sexual Assault has been committed against him/herself or against another individual and who presents the claim of an alleged violation of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy.

“Complaining Witness” referenced in the terms below is the individual who alleges that Sexual Misconduct or Sexual Assault has been committed against him/herself.  In such cases where the Complaining Witness chooses to participate in the process as a witness and not as the Complainant, a College official will serve as the Complainant and will present the claim of an alleged violation of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy.   

“Respondent” referenced in the terms below is the individual student who is alleged to have committed one or more acts of alleged Sexual Misconduct and/or Sexual Assault. 

C. Procedural Options
The College has established three procedures to address cases of alleged Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. The two formal procedures (based on the filing of a complaint) are Structured Meeting and Formal Adjudication. The informal procedure is Mediation. Details of these procedures and any limitations on their use are outlined below.

D. Geographic Jurisdiction
Bowdoin students are responsible for their behavior on and off campus and are expected to comply with the Social Code, including the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy, in all circumstances.

E. Timing of Complaints and Availability of Procedures
A complaint of Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct in which a Structured Meeting or Formal Adjudication is sought must be made in writing to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs while the Respondent is matriculated as a Bowdoin College student. Requests for Mediation should also be directed to the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs while both parties are matriculated as Bowdoin College students. Complaints involving Sexual Assault will generally be resolved through Formal Adjudication only. 

If a complaint is filed within sixty (60) calendar days of the Respondent’s intended graduation, during a College recess, or in other circumstances where the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs determines that the complaint cannot otherwise be resolved in a timely manner, procedural options may be limited.  In no circumstances will the College allow an impending graduation to compromise its adjudicative process. A conferral of a degree may therefore be postponed or deferred if necessary until proper resolution of charges, provided a hearing opportunity shall be diligently scheduled for the earliest practicable date that shall accommodate the parties and their witnesses. 

In a Formal Adjudication hearing, Respondents and Complainants must have a reasonable period of time in which to prepare for a hearing, generally not less than five (5) nor more than twenty (20) working days from the date the Notice of Charges is received by the Respondent. Respondents and Complainants may waive minimum time limits; the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board Advisor may use discretion in extending maximum time limits.

The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs reserves the right to take appropriate action under this Policy upon receipt of a report of alleged Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct.

F. Non-Student Complainants or Complaining Witnesses
Complainants or Complaining Witnesses who are not students at Bowdoin College may file a complaint with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs against a Respondent who is enrolled as a Bowdoin College student and request either a Structured Meeting or Formal Adjudication before the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board. Because the College does not stand in a special academic relationship with a non-student Complainant or Complaining Witness, Mediation is not available.

G. Related Misconduct and Intimidation of a Witness
In accordance with these procedures, the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board is empowered to hear and impose sanctions for any alleged violations of the Social Code directly related to a report of alleged Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct or any alleged violations of these procedures. This may include conduct that threatens the Complainant, Complaining Witness, or any other participant, violates the rules of confidentiality as articulated herein, intimidates a witness from testifying, influences witness testimony, or violates the Dean's directive(s) discussed in Section B.1.a below. Conduct in violation of other aspects of the Social Code that occurred in the course of the alleged Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct may also be included. College students who appear before the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board, whether as parties to the proceedings or as witnesses, are expected to provide truthful testimony in accordance with the College's Social Code, and failure to do so may result in the initiation of a case with the Judicial Board.

H. Declined Prosecutions in Civil or Criminal Cases
Many Complainants or Complaining Witnesses decide to report cases of alleged Sexual Assault or Sexual Misconduct to the police and local prosecuting agency. Some of these cases are declined for prosecution, without the Complainant or Complaining Witness understanding the results of the criminal investigation, procedures, and grounds for the decision. As a form of additional support, College students may request the Dean of Student Affairs to identify a student affairs staff member or Sexual Assault Response Resource Team (SARRT) member to assist the Complainant or Complaining Witness in seeking and attending a meeting with the local prosecutor to gain an understanding of the decision to decline a prosecution.

I. Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board
The Board is composed of students, faculty, and staff and the Dean of Student Affairs serves as its Chair. The Committee on Governance and Faculty Affairs appoints faculty and staff members. Student members will be appointed from current members of the Judicial Board. An ex-officio Board advisor will be appointed by the Dean of Student Affairs. The Board Chair and Advisor shall ensure all Board members receive annual training that draws on professional and expert resources.

II. PROCEDURAL OPTIONS

A. Structured Meeting
In cases of alleged Sexual Misconduct, Complainants or Complaining Witnesses who wish to file a formal complaint with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs but who do not wish to pursue a Formal Adjudication before the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board may request a Structured Meeting. This is an opportunity for a Complainant or Complaining Witness to communicate his/her feelings and perceptions regarding the incident, the impact of the incident, and his/her wishes and expectations regarding protection in the future. The Respondent shall have an opportunity to respond. The Complainant or Complaining Witness and the Respondent each may bring a support person of his or her choice to a Structured Meeting.  Support persons are subject to the same restrictions set forth for support persons in Formal Adjudication outlined below. The Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board Chair or a designee of the Chair will preside over such a meeting, and will be assisted by another member of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board or a member of the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs staff.

A Structured Meeting cannot result in a formal sanction involving suspension or dismissal of the Respondent; however, along with other investigative information, it can be the basis for protective action by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.  A request for a Structured Meeting is in lieu of a request for Formal Adjudication before the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board. The request must be in writing and include a waiver of Formal Adjudication before the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board. In addition, after investigation of a complaint, the Designee may recommend that a Sexual Misconduct case be resolved through a Structured Meeting (see B.1.c. below).

B. Adjudication by the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board
A hearing by the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board is the Formal Adjudication of a complaint of Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct before a panel of College students, faculty, and staff. The Board encourages an open exchange of information within the rules of confidentiality articulated in these procedures. While the Board’s procedures are designed to ensure a fundamentally fair process for the parties involved, the Board is not bound by the rules of criminal or civil procedure that govern judicial proceedings in court.

1. Preliminary Procedures:
      a. Informational Interview: Upon receipt of a complaint of Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct and request for Formal Adjudication, the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board Advisor will meet individually with the Complainant or Complaining Witness and, if possible, the Respondent. A supporter to each party is also allowed to attend the informational interview (see 1.g. below). The purpose of these meetings is to provide both parties with a general understanding of the College’s procedures and to identify support or immediate interventions (e.g., referrals to police, hospital, Health and Counseling, SASSMM, Women’s Resource Center, QTRC, Safe Space, etc.).  A no-contact order normally will be issued by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs at this time.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs also may take any further protective action deemed appropriate concerning the interaction of the parties pending the hearing. Violation(s) of the Dean’s directive and/or protective actions shall constitute related offenses to be heard by the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board and/or Judicial Board. 

      b. Investigation:  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will forward the complaint to a trained, designated investigator (the “Designee”) for an impartial preliminary investigation. The Designee will interview witnesses who have first-hand knowledge of the alleged Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct, will tape record the interviews, and will prepare a written report, a summary of which will be distributed to the parties and to the Dean of Student Affairs.  If a hearing is held, the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board hearing panel will be provided with a copy of the Designee’s report and transcripts of the interviews.  The panel will not be bound by any findings or conclusions in the report.

  c. Granting/Denying a Hearing: If the Designee determines that there is a substantial basis for a hearing, notice of that determination will be delivered to the Complainant, Complaining Witness, Respondent and Dean of Student Affairs.  The Designee may specify which charges (e.g., “Sexual Assault” and/or “Sexual Misconduct”), if any, go forward for a hearing and may recommend that a Sexual Misconduct case be resolved through a Structured Meeting. The Designee’s determination of a substantial basis is based on whether sufficient facts exist to allow the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board to find for either party.  Within five business days of receipt of the Designee’s determination, a Complainant or Complaining Witness may appeal a determination denying a hearing to the Dean of Student Affairs whose decision shall be final.  If a hearing is denied by the Designee or the Dean of Student Affairs on appeal, the Complainant or the Complaining Witness may request a Structured Meeting.
   
      d. Notice of Charges: If a hearing is granted by the Designee or the Dean of Student Affairs on appeal, the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will commence the Formal Adjudication process by providing written notice to the Respondent (“Notice of Charges”) stating: (1) the nature of the complaint; (2) the aspects of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy and/or Social Code allegedly violated; (3) the name of the Complainant; (4) the date, time, and place of the pre-hearing meeting at which preliminary matters will be discussed as more fully addressed in paragraph 3.b below; and (5) the names of the Board members selected by the Chair of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board to serve as the hearing panel. The Complainant shall be copied on the Notice of Charges, which shall be delivered in accordance with any method outlined in paragraph f below.

      e. Composition of the Panel: The panel shall include one student and two faculty/staff members, one of whom will serve as the presiding chair. The Dean of Student Affairs will serve as Chair of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board and will either serve as the presiding chair or will appoint the presiding chair of a formal hearing. If the Dean of Student Affairs is unavailable, the President shall select the panel members and designate a Board member to preside over the hearing. A party wishing to challenge the participation of any panel member shall notify the Chair of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board in writing, stating the reason(s) for the party's objection. Such a challenge must be made in writing and delivered to the Chair’s office within five (5) working days of receipt of the Notice of Charges. The Chair shall determine whether the challenge has merit and reserves discretion to make changes in the panel composition at all times. A party wishing to challenge the participation of the Chair of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board shall notify the President in writing, stating the reason(s) for the party’s objection, within five (5) working days of receipt of the Notice of Charges. The President shall determine if challenges to the Chair have merit and will make the final decision whether or not to remove and replace the Chair.

      f. Delivery of Notice of Charges: The Notice of Charges shall be considered effective upon hand-delivery, upon delivery by electronic mail, or three (3) days after delivery by mail to the Respondent. The hearing must take place not more than twenty (20) working days after delivery of the Notice of Charges, unless the Chair allows for a longer period of time. Should the Complainant, Complaining Witness, or the Respondent fail to appear at the scheduled hearing, the Chair may postpone the proceedings or the panel may proceed and determine the complaint on the basis of the evidence presented, provided the absent party was duly notified of the scheduled hearing date, as outlined above.

      g. Support Persons to the Parties: Both the Complainant or the Complaining Witness and the Respondent may each have one support person present to support them during the investigation, pre-hearing, hearing, and appeal stages of the Formal Adjudication process. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs maintains a list of support persons who have been formally trained and will offer that list to students who seek to have a support person appointed. Students are not restricted to support persons on this list and instead may select and arrange for a support person of their choice.  The support person shall be a member of the Bowdoin community, including a student, faculty member, College official or College employee, but shall not be a member of the Dean of Student Affairs or Counseling Service staffs. The Chair may disallow a particular support person in cases where the support person might be a witness or where the support person’s presence, in the Chair’s sole determination, would be obstructive to the process.  The Support person is available for emotional and personal support throughout the process.  The Supporter will not participate as an advisor and will not have an opportunity to make statements to the panel, direct questions to the panel, or direct questions to the Complainant, the Complaining Witness, the Respondent or any other individual participating in the hearing. The Chair shall not allow a support person’s presence to inhibit the parties’ open testimony or the conduct of the hearing. 

2. Confidentiality of the Hearing Process:  In order to comply with law protecting education records of students and to provide an orderly process for the presentation and consideration of relevant evidence without undue intimidation or pressure, the hearing process is confidential. Therefore, documents prepared in anticipation of the hearing (such as the Designee’s report, the Notice of Charges, and the pre-hearing submissions referenced in paragraph 3.a (below)); documents, testimony, or other evidence introduced at the hearing; or any transcript of the hearing itself may not be disclosed except as required or authorized by law. Both the Complainant and the Respondent and their respective support persons will have access to the hearing case file in advance of the hearing. 

Following the hearing, the panel will issue a Determination Letter to the Complainant, the Complaining Witness, and the Respondent and a Memorandum Opinion to the Complainant and the Respondent.

      a.  Determination Letter:  The Determination Letter will contain only the following information: the name of the Respondent; whether the Respondent has been found responsible or not responsible of the charges of Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct; and the sanction imposed, if any. As guaranteed by federal law, the Complainant, Complaining Witness, and the Respondent have a right to this information. College policy neither encourages nor discourages further disclosure of the Determination Letter by either student.  The College encourages a student who wishes to re-disclose the Determination Letter to consult with legal counsel before doing so.

      b.  Memorandum Opinion:  The Memorandum Opinion will contain an explanation of the panel’s reasoning for its determination. The Memorandum Opinion is both an education record and a confidential record of the hearing process and may not be disclosed except as authorized or required by law.

3. Hearing Procedures:
      a. Pre-Hearing Submissions: The parties shall provide the Chair (or the panel’s presiding officer, hereinafter included within the term “Chair”) with brief written statements describing their positions, a list of witnesses they propose to call, and copies of documents and a description of any other evidence they propose to present at the hearing no less than five (5) working days prior to the hearing date. A witness is any individual who can attest first-hand to the specific details of the case. In the absence of good cause as determined by the Chair in his or her sole discretion, parties may not introduce witnesses, documents, or other evidence at the hearing that were not provided to the Chair by this deadline. The parties are also responsible for the attendance of their witnesses at the hearing. Only the hearing panel or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs may call a neutral witness for evidence or expert opinion statements and will notify both parties within five (5) working days of the hearing if such witnesses are called.
     
The prior sexual history of either party is not admissible in the hearing, except testimony submitted by a party concerning his or her own sexual history.  Either party may submit evidence of the history of any sexual relationship between the parties.  If either party submits such evidence, then the other party has the right to rebut that evidence.

      b. Pre-Hearing Meeting and Determination of Witnesses: The Chair will seek to schedule individual pre-hearing meetings with the Complainant and the Respondent and their supporters no less than two (2) calendar days prior to the hearing date. At the meeting, the Chair will review hearing procedures.  The Chair will also review the list of proposed witnesses to assist the Complainant and the Respondent in eliminating redundant or irrelevant testimony. At the meetings, the Chair will provide the Complainant and the Respondent with a copy of the position statement, list of witnesses, and identification or copies of documents or other evidence submitted by the other party.

      c. Pre-Hearing Discussion: Once a Board member has been named to a hearing panel, he or she may not privately discuss the merits of the case with the parties, with anyone acting on the parties’ behalves, or anyone uninvolved in the case. The Chair will provide the panelists with a copy of the Notice of Charges, the Designee’s report, transcripts of the Designee’s interviews, position statements of the parties and any other documents or evidence submitted by the parties.

      d. Negotiated Resolution:  The Chair may propose a resolution of a complaint of Sexual Assault and/or Sexual Misconduct and request for Formal Adjudication with the consent of the Complainant at any time in cases where the Respondent wishes to acknowledge responsibility for the charges and agree to a sanction   The Complainant and the Complaining Witness will be verbally informed of the sanction if a Negotiated Resolution is reached.

      e. Attorneys: Complainants or Complaining Witnesses and Respondents may have an attorney present during the Designee’s interview or at the hearing only when independent criminal or civil proceedings are pending; otherwise, attorneys shall not participate in the College’s disciplinary process. When attorneys are permitted, they are limited to advisory status to their client with no opportunities to make statements for the record, ask questions, or cross-examine any party, witnesses and/or other individuals participating in the investigation or in the hearing. Involved parties must notify the Dean of Student Affairs that an attorney will be present at least five (5) working days prior to the hearing. Any attorney for a party wishing to communicate with the College must direct communications to the College’s counsel. The hearing panel, Advisor, and Chair reserve the right to consult the College’s counsel on questions of law and procedure at any time.
     
      f.  Multiple Students:  In cases involving multiple students, the Chair has sole discretion in determining whether to hold separate or combined hearings, and, if separate, whether to preside over each hearing

      i.  In cases involving more than one Complainant or Complaining Witness and a single Respondent, the Board may conduct separate hearings for each Complainant or Complaining Witness or a combined hearing for all Complainants or Complaining Witnesses.

      ii.  In cases involving a single Complainant or Complaining Witness and more than one Respondent, the Board may conduct separate hearings for each Respondent or a combined hearing for all Respondents.

      iii.In cases involving more than one Complainant or Complaining Witness and more than one Respondent and involving a common set of facts or evidence, the Board may conduct separate hearings or a combined hearing for all of the parties. 

      g. Conduct of the Hearing.  The hearing will not follow a courtroom model.  The rules of civil or criminal procedure do not apply.

The Chair may accommodate concerns for the personal safety, well-being, and/or fears of confrontation of the Complainant or the Complaining Witness, the Respondent, or any other witness during the hearing by providing separate facilities, by using a visual screen, and/or by permitting participation by telephone, videophone, closed circuit television, video conferencing, videotape, audiotape, written statement or other means, where and as determined in the sole judgment of the Chair to be appropriate.  The Chair has the sole discretion to commence, recess, and reconvene the hearing and may suspend the hearing at any time.  The Chair shall make any procedural decisions during the hearing that are deemed necessary to assure fairness and avoid undue delay.  The Chair will determine the admissibility, relevance, and materiality of the evidence offered and will determine the order of the witnesses.  The Chair may exclude evidence or witnesses that he or she deems to be cumulative, irrelevant, or disruptive.  The Complainant and the Respondent are responsible for ensuring that their proposed witnesses are present.  The panel will review in advance of the hearing all the written materials provided to them by the Chair in accordance with paragraph 4 (c) above. The parties will have received or been provided the opportunity to review and copy these materials during earlier stages of the pre-hearing process. The parties will not be expected to repeat undisputed details or non-material circumstances that would merely duplicate the written materials. Only the Chair and the panel may question the individual parties and any witnesses.  However, the Complainant and the Respondent may ask the Chair to pose additional questions to witnesses present at the hearing or inquire further into specific matters by submitting these requests in writing to the Chair. The Chair may disallow any questions that are redundant, irrelevant or disruptive.  After all witnesses have been questioned, the Complainant and the Respondent may make a closing statement and request a short recess to prepare it. If the panel determines that unresolved issues exist that would be clarified by the presentation of additional evidence, the Chair may recess the hearing and reconvene it in a timely manner. A recess may not be based on the failure of witnesses to appear without good cause or on the proposed introduction of documents or other evidence that could have been presented at the pre-hearing meetings. 

      h. Suggested Sanctions: If the Respondent is found responsible for the charges, the Complainant or the Complaining Witness may present the panel, either verbally or in writing at the sole discretion of the Chair, with a statement recommending a sanction. The Respondent found responsible will be provided an opportunity to respond to the statement, either verbally or in writing at the sole discretion of the Chair. The panel shall not be bound by these statements in determining a sanction. Individuals other than the Complainant or Complaining Witness and the Respondent  and their support persons normally are not permitted to participate in the Suggested Sanction phase of the hearing; however, the Chair reserves the discretion to determine the presence of other persons.

      i. Respondent Testimony: The Respondent shall have the right not to testify during the Designee’s investigation or during the hearing; however, the exercise of that right shall not preclude the Designee from completing the investigation and the panel from proceeding and determining the complaint on the basis of the facts and circumstances presented.

      j. Recording: The Chair will arrange for the hearing to be tape-recorded and may arrange for the preparation of any transcript of the recording that he or she deems appropriate or which a party requests (upon prompt payment by the requester of the transcription fee). Such recording will be arranged through the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and will become property of the College thereafter. Recording transcripts will be kept for the duration of any appeal process, after which all transcripts will be destroyed. The panel’s post-hearing deliberation will not be recorded.

      k. Preponderance of Evidence Standard: All decisions by the panel will be made by majority vote.  The panel first determines whether the Respondent is responsible for the charges, and then, if appropriate, the sanction. A finding of responsibility must be supported by a preponderance of evidence.

      l.   Findings: If the Respondent has been charged with “Sexual Assault,” the panel shall determine whether that charge has been established by a preponderance of evidence. If the Board determines that the evidence does not merit a finding of Sexual Assault, the Board then shall consider whether “Sexual Misconduct” has been proven by a preponderance of evidence, whether or not stated in the Notice of Charges.

      m. Sanction: The panel may impose any sanction that it finds to be fair and proportionate to the violation and that is authorized for violations of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy and/or the Social Code, including social probation, suspension, and indefinite or permanent dismissal. In determining an appropriate sanction, the panel may consider any record of past violations of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy, Sexual Harassment Policy, and/or Social Code, as well as the nature and severity of the misconduct. Student disciplinary history, including compliance with any issued campus no contact orders will also be considered.  The panel will consider as part of its deliberations whether the Respondent poses a continuing risk to the Complainant or Complaining Witness and/or College community.   

      n. Decision: Within five (5) working days from the conclusion of the hearing (or such longer time as the Chair may for good cause determine), the Chair will provide the Complainant or the Complaining Witness, the Respondent, and the Dean of Student Affairs (if s/he is not the Chair) with a copy of the panel’s Determination Letter, and will provide the Complainant, the Respondent, and the Dean of Student Affairs (if s/he is not the Chair) with a copy of the panel’s Memorandum Opinion.

      o. Effective Date of Sanction: Sanctions imposed by a panel shall not be effective until any timely administrative appeal of the decision is completed.  However, if advisable to protect the welfare of the Complainant, Complaining Witness, or the College community, the panel may include in its Determination Letter that any probation, suspension, or dismissal is effective immediately and shall continue in effect until such time as the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee may determine otherwise. As Chair of the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee, the President may suspend the implementation of the sanction pending exhaustion of appeal, or allow the student to attend classes or other activity on a supervised or monitored basis. The President’s decision may not be appealed.

      p. Appeals: Respondents or Complainants wishing to appeal must do so within five business days of the panel’s decision. Appeals of Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board decisions are heard by the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee.  Appeals should be written to the President of the College, who serves as the Chair of the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee.  Respondents and/or Complainants should accompany appeals with materials relevant to their argument. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs may provide a written statement to the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee in response to issues raised in the appeal.  A case is limited to one appeal.

The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee will limit its review of Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board decisions to a review of the record of the original hearing, supporting documents, and any statement by the Respondent, the Complainant, and/or the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs regarding any issue raised in the appeal. In order for an appeal to be granted, the appeal must demonstrate one or both of the following:
      i. Procedural error(s) that may have prejudiced the Board.
      ii. Evidence unavailable at the original proceeding which would likely
      have affected the decision.

Neither the Complainant nor the Respondent may appeal solely on the basis of dissatisfaction with the sanction. 

The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee will not be bound by the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board finding of responsibility or the sanction.  The Student Appeals and Grievances Committee may affirm, reverse, or modify the decision and/or may eliminate, reduce or increase the sanction.   If the Student Appeals and Grievances Committee grants the appeal, it may direct the Chair of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board to take appropriate action in light of its decision or direct the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board to reconsider the case with appropriate corrections, either of which could eliminate, reduce or increase the sanction.

C. Mediation
Mediation is a voluntary process intended to allow the parties involved in an alleged Sexual Misconduct matter to discuss their respective understandings of the incident with each other through the assistance of a mediator. Mediation is designed to encourage each person to be honest and direct with the other and to accept personal responsibility where appropriate. Mediation is only offered as an option if both the Complaining Witness and the Respondent are students at Bowdoin. A Complaining Witness may elect to terminate a formal complaint process and enter into Mediation. Members of the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs staff will work with both parties to determine their willingness to participate in Mediation and whether it is appropriate for the case. Both parties must agree to the Mediation in writing and in lieu of Formal Adjudication.

1. Requesting Mediation: Requests for Mediation must be addressed in writing to the Dean who serves as Advisor to the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Board for the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

2. Assignment of a Mediator: Once both parties have agreed to Mediation, the identified Dean or a mediator appointed by the identified Dean will mediate the case. The mediator will contact both parties to set the date, time, and location of the Mediation session(s). The identified Dean will make every effort to assign a mediator within two (2) weeks of the agreement to participate in Mediation.

3. Procedures:
      a. Persons Participating: Typically only the mediator and the parties will be present at the Mediation session(s). However, either party may request, and the mediator may allow, for each party to have a support person present. The appointment of such persons and the extent of their participation in the Mediation are subject to the discretion of the mediator. Only those persons who may serve as support persons in Formal Adjudication outlined above may serve as support persons.
     
      b. Mediation Process: During the Mediation process the mediator normally will: (1) ask the parties to give their versions of the incident, including both factual information and their feelings; (2) identify key issues; (3) seek the agreement of both parties on the issues; (4) facilitate discussion; and (5) work with both parties to develop a written document that will include a statement of agreement.

4. Mediation Outcomes:
      a. Mediation Resolution: Any statement of agreement shall be signed by both parties at the completion of the Mediation process and approved by the Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designee.  Any activity or behavior to which either party has agreed following the Mediation shall be included in the agreement. As a mutual agreement, there is no appeal by either party from the terms of the agreement once it has been signed by the parties and approved by the Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designee. This approval shall constitute a directive of the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs requiring both parties to satisfy the terms of the agreement. The agreement will be kept on file at the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. If either party believes the terms of the agreement have not been met, he or she may contact the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs shall ask the mediator or another person to investigate the allegation of noncompliance.  The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs may take such action as is appropriate in response to the investigation or the matter may be referred to the Judicial Board for investigation and sanctions if warranted.

      b. Non-resolution: If either party is dissatisfied with the Mediation process at any time prior to the signing of a written agreement, that party may request that the Mediation process cease. In such a case, either a Structured Meeting or Formal Adjudication may be pursued at any time while the Complaining Witness and Respondent are students at Bowdoin College.

5. Confidentiality:
In order to promote honest, direct communication, information disclosed in Mediation must remain confidential except where disclosure may be required by law or authorized in connection with duties on behalf of the College. In the event that Formal Adjudication is allowed after some part of the Mediation process has taken place prior to any resolution, only the complaint form will be forwarded.  No offers of apology or concessions made during the Mediation process may be admitted in the investigation or hearing processes. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs will keep copies of the complaint form, the Mediation agreement, and any documentation concerning completion of the agreed-upon activities or behavior; this material will not be a part of the permanent student file of parties involved. 

III. ADDITIONAL TERMS

Failure by the College to observe the time limits or other procedural requirements expressed in these procedures shall not constitute an abridgement of the rights of the parties so long as a fundamentally fair process is afforded to the parties. The College may, but is not required, to suspend implementation of these procedures in the event of pending or likely criminal charges or civil litigation involving substantially the same complaint. This decision may not be appealed. 

Bowdoin College complies with applicable provisions of federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination in employment, admission or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, place of birth, veteran status or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability.

IV. POLICY INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENTS

Any question of interpretation or application of the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy shall be referred to the Dean of Student Affairs or the Dean of Student Affairs’ designee for final determination. 

The Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy may be amended, in writing, by the President or the President’s designee at any time.

ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVIORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Sexual assault or sexual misconduct is not only a physical attack, but is also a personally threatening event that can undermine a person’s autonomy and trust in others. 

If it happens to you, seek support. Talking to a trained counselor can help in processing the immediate and longer term emotional impact of an assault.  Staff at Counseling Services, Health Services, and Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine can provide confidential support. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs or Security can also advise you on information related to pursuing follow up action on campus or through local authorities. 

Know your options: The steps listed below offer optional assistance to a survivor of sexual assault or sexual misconduct.  These steps help with immediate and ongoing medical needs and legal issues as well as to provide support to the survivor in regaining a sense of control over her or his life.

• It is important to preserve physical evidence.  Do not shower, douche, or change clothing prior to seeking emergency medical care or calling the police. 
• Obtain a medical examination as soon as possible. While acute, immediate post-assault treatment is provided in the Parkview and MidCoast hospitals’ emergency rooms, the Dudley Coe Health Center offers follow-up care, including health care services for students who have chosen not to seek care immediately after an assault.
• Whether or not the assailant is known to you, document the details of the assault: the person’s clothes, hair, any identifying marks such as scars or tattoos, and the height of the person in relation to you. Keep a record of all you can recall about the events and the location even if you choose not to pursue immediate action.
• Report the incident to the Brunswick Police Department and/or the Safety and Security Office as soon as possible. A student may also contact the dean-on-call or SASSMM Hotline (see page 69) for a general explanation of what to expect at the Emergency Room and when filing a police report. If requested, the dean-on-call will assist the student in notifying Campus Security and the Brunswick Police Department and will continue to support the student as long as the student wishes.
• Remember, delayed reporting makes it more difficult to find and prosecute the attacker.  You are advised to file a report with the police, which does not oblige you to press charges or pursue legal action. Remember that most rapists are repeat offenders and that the police and courts cannot stop them without your help.

Dean, Doctor, and Counselor-on-call Program—ext. 3314 or 3500. 
A student who is a survivor of a sexual assault or sexual misconduct is urged to call Bowdoin Campus Security. Bowdoin Campus Security will respond at once, and at the same time notify the dean-on-call, doctor-on-call, and the counselor-on-call. All three parties may be reached directly through Bowdoin Campus Security by dialing 3500 from any College phone, or 725-3500 from off-campus, and asking for the dean-on-call or counselor-on-call. The student is not required to give a reason for calling the dean-on-call or counselor-on-call, nor does contacting them oblige the student to make a report with the police.

The dean-on-call, doctor-on-call, or counselor-on-call will contact the student or, if appropriate, will go to the Emergency Room to offer assistance. The student may ask the on-call staff to leave and not become further involved, but should recognize that doing so will make it more difficult for the College to provide coordinated assistance. 

The dean-on-call will work to ensure that the resources of the College are available to assist the student. The dean-on-call will work with others to make reasonable efforts to accommodate changes in academic and living arrangements requested by the student because of a sexual assault. The dean-on-call or counselor-on-call will also contact the student in the days following to offer assistance and support and will remain in contact with the student as long as the student wishes.

Resources
The College is committed to providing information regarding on- and off- campus services and resources to survivors of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. Any of the resources listed below can assist a student to access the full range of services available.

On-Campus Resources

• Bowdoin College Security (ext. 3314, or for emergencies ext. 3500)
• Dean-on-call, Doctor-on-call, Counselor-on-call (ext. 3314 after hours)
• Counseling Service (ext. 3145)
• Dudley Coe Health Center (ext. 3236)
• Employee Assistance Program (729-7710)
• Human Resources (ext. 3837)
• Office of the Dean of Student Affairs (ext. 3229)
• Safe Space (contact Residential Life Staff or Dean’s Office for names of student members)
• Women’s Resource Center (ext. 3724)
• Queer/Trans Resource Center (ext. 7039)
• Residential Life (Proctors, RAs, office ext. 3225)

Off-Campus Resources

• Brunswick Police Department (911 or 725-5521)
• Mid Coast Hospital (729-0181)
• Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine (SASSMM) (800-871-7741 statewide or 800-822-5999 in local area)
• Parkview Hospital (729-1641)

Community Education about Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct
The Dean’s Office will undertake educational efforts to make all students aware of the policies and procedures contained in this document. Such efforts will include:

• Notifying students of the conduct that is proscribed by the Sexual Assault and Misconduct Policy.
• Informing students of the options and procedures for addressing possible violations of the policy.
• Providing special training for professional staff who give advice and administer campus procedures under the policy.
• Sponsoring programs that further awareness of the issues of sexual harassment, sexual assault and sexual misconduct and lead to their prevention.
• Reporting periodically to the community on the number of incidents that have been brought formally or informally to the attention of the dean’s office.

Safe Space
Safe Space is a group of trained students dedicated to supporting of people who have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault. Safe Space offers people who have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault or sexual misconduct an opportunity to share their experiences in a confidential and supportive atmosphere. Members of Safe Space are trained by counselors from the Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine and can be reached through campus mail, e-mail, or by telephone to answer questions and provide support. As part of their mission of support, Safe Space members sponsor a number of activities throughout the year aimed at educating Bowdoin students about sexual harassment and sexual assault. Members are available to discuss these issues with all students and members of the community. Names of members are available from Proctors and Resident Assistants as well as the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, Counseling Services, Health Services, and Security.

 Click here for the Bowdoin College Anonymous Report Form for Sexual Assault and Misconduct (PDF).

Sexual Harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature.  Sexual Harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In its most extreme form it can include sexual assault.  According to the Maine Office of Civil Rights, Sexual Harassment exists when any of four conditions are met:

1. The conduct has either the purpose or effect of “substantially interfering” with a student’s education; OR
2. The conduct creates an “intimidating, hostile or offensive” living, learning, or working environment; OR
3. Submission to the conduct is made a term or condition, either implicitly or explicitly, of obtaining an education; OR
4. Submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a factor in decisions affecting a student’s education or College employment.

Examples of sexual harassment include (but are not limited to): repeated and unwanted invitations to engage in sexual activity, stalking, unwanted letters, e-mail, Instant Messages, notes, gifts, or telephone calls that have explicitly sexual content, and unwanted jokes or comments about sex aimed at ridiculing or demeaning another individual. 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally assisted education programs and activities.  Title IX protects students in connection with the College’s academic, educational, extra-curricular, athletic, and other programs (see page 97 for more information on Title IX).

Sexual Harassment by any member of the College community is prohibited. Cases where students are alleged to have sexually harassed another person(s) will be adjudicated by the Judicial Board. Students who believe they have been sexually harassed by a non-student member of the College community, e.g., faculty, staff, alumni, outside vendor, etc., should direct their claim to the Dean of Student Affairs, the Dean for Academic Affairs, or Director of Human Resources. For more information on the College’s Freedom from Harassment Policy, please consult the Human Resources Web sites at www.bowdoin.edu/hr/handbook/02_general_policies/3728.shtml. 

Bowdoin is in compliance with the regulations under Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 706. As part of that compliance, the College is required to inform its students and employees of the names of its officials who have been designated to coordinate compliance by the College with the provisions of Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972, which deal with nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, and of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 706, which deal with nondiscrimination on the basis of physical and mental disability.

Official for Title IX and Section 504 is:
Timothy W. Foster
Dean of Student Affairs
4600 College Station
207-725–3000, ext. 3228
(for all matters relating to students, except employment).

I. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FOR STUDENT COMPLAINTS REGARDING SEX DISCRIMINATION AND DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISABILITY

 1. Resolution by Informal Negotiation
A student who feels he/she has been discriminated against because of sex or disability should first seek a resolution of this problem through informal negotiation. The student can bring his/her concern to the attention of the department chair or administrator in whose department the problem has occurred or to the attention of the dean for academic affairs. The department chair, administrator, or dean who has been informed of the problem will then seek to discuss the issue with all parties concerned and achieve a resolution satisfactory to all.

If no resolution is reached through informal negotiation, the department chair, dean, or administrator should inform the dean of student affairs who will refer the problem to a grievance committee. At this time, the student alleging discrimination will be asked to prepare a written statement of allegations.

 2. The Grievance Committee for Student Complaints of Sex Discrimination or Discrimination on the Basis of Physical or Mental Disability
A. Composition
The composition of the grievance committee for student complaints regarding sex discrimination or discrimination on the basis of disability in cases regarding academic affairs will differ from that of the grievance committee for student complaints regarding non-academic affairs. The grievance committee for student complaints regarding academic affairs consists of four faculty members and two students, with equal representation of men and women, in addition to the chair, the dean for academic affairs serving ex officio. The grievance committee for student complaints regarding non-academic affairs consists of four faculty members and four students, with equal representation of men and women in addition to the chair, the dean for academic affairs serving ex officio. In either case, the faculty members of the grievance committee are chosen by the Faculty Governance Committee, and the student members are chosen by the Student Assembly Executive Board. In case any member of the committee is unable to participate in a hearing because of a conflict of interest, an alternate member chosen by the procedure outlined above will replace him/her.

B. Conduct of Hearings
Grievance hearings will be conducted by the grievance committee. Both the student who brings the grievance and the faculty member or administrator against whom the grievance is lodged are free to make statements and bring witnesses. The grievance committee may seek additional information or testimony it finds relevant to resolving the complaint.

A student may be represented at the hearing by a member of the Bowdoin faculty or staff or by another student. Parties may have legal counsel present only with the consent of the committee.

A written record will be kept of all hearings before this committee. The record will indicate the persons present, will summarize the assertions presented to the committee, and will state the conclusion of the committee together with the reasons for arriving at that conclusion.

C. Recommendation of the Committee
When all parties to the grievance have completed their presentations and the grievance committee has solicited all information it finds relevant, the committee shall make a recommendation to the president regarding the appropriate resolution of the grievance.

II. PROCEDURES FOR OTHER GRIEVANCES

Other grievances that students may have concerning their professors ought first to be discussed with the professor involved, then with the student’s academic advisor. The problem may also be brought to the attention of a member of the student affairs staff, who may decide to handle it personally or may choose to refer the matter to the dean of student affairs and the dean for academic affairs. In responding to student grievances, the deans must balance two considerations: the importance of protecting the professor’s academic freedom and authority to conduct the class as he or she sees fit, and the student’s right to be fairly treated.

Bowdoin College has a proprietary interest in the property that it owns. No person shall utilize the College’s property, including photographic reproductions of its property, for commercial, business, political, or public purposes without express written consent. Requests for the use of College property for activities or events should be directed to the Office of Events and Summer Programs. Requests for photographic reproduction or the use of any logo, wordmark, image, or identity should be directed to the Office of Communications and Public Affairs in time to allow for an appropriate review of the request.

PURPOSE:  To communicate the process used by Bowdoin College regarding the possession and use of weapons in campus buildings and on grounds.

SCOPE:  This policy applies to all Bowdoin College students currently attending classes in Brunswick, Maine, and includes any device which can expel a projectile and/or other dangerous weapons including knives, explosives, bows and arrows, swords, or other items, which, in their intended use, are capable of inflicting serious injury.

POLICY:  Bowdoin College regulates and prohibits the possession and use of weapons in College buildings and on grounds, and in vehicles on college property.  Immediately upon arriving at the College, each student who wishes to bring any weapon to campus must register and store it with the Office of Safety and Security.  The ability to store a weapon is a privilege, and is approved at the discretion of the Director. The Director reserves the right to refuse any weapon to an individual if the individual is believed to be under the influence of any drug or intoxicating substance, or if an officer believes the individual's judgment is impaired to the extent that he or she poses a threat to himself/herself or others. 

Because weapons may pose a clear risk to persons and property on the campus, violation of this policy may result in College administrative action and/or prosecution under appropriate state or federal laws.

1.  Restrictions

Firearms, ammunition, or other weapons are strictly forbidden in any college owned or operated building or space, or in any motor vehicle on campus property.  No student shall be permitted to carry firearms or other weapons, concealed or not concealed, with or without a concealed weapon permit, while on properties owned or controlled by the College, without the express written permission of the Director of Safety and Security.

2.  Administration:

a.  A weapons storage request form must be completed and approved prior to storing a weapon in the storage facility; this form is available at the Office of Safety and Security website at http://www.bowdoin.edu/security .
b.  Firearms must have actions cleared and chambers and magazines empty prior to arriving on Bowdoin College property; whenever possible, chamber locks should be employed so there is no question as to the cleared and safe status of the weapon.
c.  Ammunition should be transported and stored in a durable container to ensure safety.
d.  Students must have the weapon in a protective case when transporting it to and from the Safety and Security building.
e.  Students must contact the Office of Safety and Security in advance through the Communications Center non-emergency line at (207) 725-3314 in order to arrange for access/retrieval of their weapons.
f.  Access to the weapons storage room will be controlled by the Office of Safety and Security; students are not allowed in the weapons storage area.
g.  Students must present their Bowdoin photo identification to a security officer when registering, accessing, or retrieving their weapon; the identification will be verified and checked against the Master Access List.
h.  Students will sign a log sheet to record when the weapon is signed out/in of the storage locker.
i.   The Office of Safety and Security is not responsible for items damaged or lost.

3.  Inter-Departmental Coordination:
The Office of Safety and Security will maintain a current list of all registered weapons and the owner of the weapons.  Upon request, this list will be made available to the Office of the Dean of Students.

General College Numbers

Emergency Numbers

TTY (Telewriter) Phones