College Policies

Diversity Statement

As a dynamic community of learners, we renew our commitment to social justice and reaffirm diversity and multiculturalism as fundamental and valued components of our liberal arts mission and institutional ethos. Because we learn by being exposed to and challenged by different ways of seeing and understanding the world, we value diversity in all dimensions—voice, experience, perspective, heritage, culture, values, class, gender, race, ability, age, sexual orientation, and religion—and strive to build and sustain a richly diverse and multicultural curriculum and program. Education, by this compass, is necessarily transformative, aiming, no less, to transcend boundaries of historic and systemic oppression and power. The heart of our method requires remaining open to the personal and community transformation that inevitably comes from a deep and sustained exposure to different ways of seeing the world. This readiness to engage and understand difference, even while we endeavor to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good,” at times causes us discomfort and challenges our personal tenets and values. We approach this ongoing work with courage, integrity, care, and respect.

Our commitment to diversity and multiculturalism shall inform all aspects of the institution, including curriculum, co-curricular activities, community governance, and campus culture. Indeed, we seek to carry these values into the world at large; to promote tolerance, inclusiveness, democratic values, and learning across differences everywhere; and to help shape the local and global discourse about diversity and multiculturalism and their evolving relationship with the broadest possible educational enterprise.

Nondiscrimination Notice

Goucher College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, religion, sex, age, or disability in its programs and activities. The college has adopted a Nondiscrimination Policy and Grievance Procedure that is available online at www.goucher.edu/documents/legal/goucher_nondiscrimination.pdf.

Sexual Misconduct

Goucher College has a comprehensive policy on sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and assault, which provides important protections and information for victims, as well as disciplinary procedures and sanctions for individuals who are found to have violated the Sexual Misconduct Policy. Harassment on the basis of sex may be a violation of federal law. The Goucher College Sexual Misconduct Policy clearly defines when unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment. The policy also includes a complaint process, consisting of both informal and formal procedures. The complete Sexual Misconduct Policy is published in the Campus Handbook, available online at www.goucher.edu/handbook.

Disability Support Services for Students

*INFORMATION BELOW HAS BEEN UPDATED EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 2013. THE NEW INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE ONLINE CATALOGUE UNDER THE “WHAT’S NEW - CHANGES AND UPDATES” LINK.

Goucher College does not have a special program for students with disabilities, but the college offers a variety of academic support services to all students through the Writing Center and the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). Services offered through ACE include supplemental instruction in various courses, academic skills mentoring and wellness programs through Reiki, yoga, and meditation. All students are expected to fulfill Goucher College’s requirements for graduation, which include writing proficiency and specified courses in mathematics, science, foreign language, and general liberal arts. The curriculum represents Goucher’s definition of a sound liberal arts education, and students with disabilities are expected to make a good faith effort to complete the requirements. Students who cannot complete a particular requirement due to a documented disability may petition for an appropriate substitution to be determined by the associate dean for undergraduate studies with the assistance of the disabilities specialist.

Reasonable academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids for students with disabilities are provided on an individual basis as required by federal law. Incoming students with documented disabilities who wish to request adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services must complete the Disabilities Registration Form, which is mailed to incoming students and available online at http://www.goucher.edu/x4812.xml, and submit it with the appropriate documentation to Dr. Frona Brown, Disabilities Specialist, Goucher College, 1021 Dulaney Valley Road, Baltimore, MD 21204- 2794; (410) 337-6178, frbrown@goucher.edu. For students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders, appropriate documentation consists of a complete and current (usually less than three years old) psychoeducational evaluation, which includes the WAIS-III (subtest and test scores); selected achievement and information processing tests; a narrative report analyzing and summarizing the data; a clearly stated diagnosis; and recommended academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids. For students with a physical and/or sensory disability, appropriate medical or clinical documentation identifying the student’s disability and specifying the requested academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids must be submitted.

To request academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and to ensure that they can be provided in a timely manner, students with documented disabilities must submit their documentation as soon as possible and meet with the disabilities specialist prior to the beginning of the semester for which adjustments and/or auxiliary aids are requested. More complete information is available at http://www.goucher.edu/x4575.xml. Students who believe that they need classes scheduled in an accessible classroom should register as usual, then notify the Registrar’s Office in Student Administrative Services of their need(s). Students who believe they have special housing needs should contact the Office of Community Living and complete a Request for Special Housing. Verifying documentation will be assessed by the disabilities specialist and/or the director of Student Health and Counseling Services.

International Students

Goucher College is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students.

Veterans

Under the provisions of the various federal laws pertaining to veterans’ educational benefits, Goucher College is authorized to provide for the education of qualified veterans and, when eligible, for the spouses and children of deceased or disabled veterans. Students eligible for veterans’ benefits must apply for admission, pay their bills, and register in the same manner as non-veteran students. Reimbursement is made by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. To receive benefits, students must qualify for benefits and must comply with the rules that have been established by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the policies currently in effect at Goucher. Students receiving benefits must pursue a program of courses that leads to the exact educational objective listed on the student’s VA Enrollment Form. Continuation of VA payments is contingent upon the student’s meeting the college’s academic standards for all students. The student must also meet any standards of progress that may be established by VA regulations. Further information and enrollment forms may be obtained from the Financial Aid Office in Student Administrative Services.

Military Call to Active Duty

When students are called to active duty in the United States Armed Forces, Goucher College wishes to provide as much assistance as possible. Policies and procedures have been developed in order to minimize disruptions or inconveniences for students fulfilling their military responsibilities. Students should consult the Veterans’ Readmission Policy for more information:
www.goucher.edu/documents/Records/Veterans%27_Readmission_Policy.pdf.

Student Records and FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are as follows:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the college receives a request for access. Students should submit to Student Administrative Services, the dean of students, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The college official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the college official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students should write the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the college decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the college will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Goucher College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the agency that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-5920.
4. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA or any superseding law authorizes disclosure without consent. One such exception is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is:
   
   • A person employed by the college in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position, including the Office of Public Safety and Health Center staff;
   • A contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom the college has outsourced an institutional service or function which the college would otherwise use employees to perform (e.g. an attorney or auditor, a collection agency, the National Student Clearinghouse), provided that party is under the direct control of the college with respect to the use and maintenance of education records;
   • Individuals serving on the Board of Trustees;
   • Students serving on official boards or committees such as the Academic Honor Board, the Student Judicial Board, or a grievance committee; or
   • A person assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the college discloses educational records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll. Disclosure without consent is also permitted for information designated by the college as directory information. As permitted by FERPA, without prior consent of the student the college may, at its discretion, disclose as directory information the student’s

• name,
• local address, telephone number, and campus e-mail address,
• home address and telephone number,
• date and place of birth,
• photograph,
• participation in officially recognized activities and sports,
• height and weight of members of athletic teams,
• dates of attendance,
• enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time),
• graduation date or anticipated date of graduation,
• degree(s) conferred,
• major and minor field of study,
• awards and honors (e.g., Dean’s List),
• previous institution(s) attended, and/or
• class (e.g., sophomore).

A student may request that all of this information not be released by filing a written request to that effect with the Office of the Registrar in Student Administrative Services by the end of the first full week of classes. Once such a request is filed, it will be honored until rescinded in writing by the student. Such requests do not prevent disclosure of the student’s name, institutional e-mail address, or electronic identifier in the student’s physical or electronic classroom. Students should carefully consider the consequences of any decision to withhold any category of directory information. It will require that any future requests for such information from non-institutional persons or organizations be denied, and will prevent such information from being included in the Student Directory. Further information about FERPA can be found online at www.goucher.edu/x1889.xml.

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to your records and PII without your consent to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to your education records and PII without your consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive your PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share without your consent PII from your education records, and they may track your participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information about you that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Student Grievance Procedure

Goucher has established a process for students to express and resolve misunderstandings, concerns, or grievances that they have with any college employee in a prompt, fair, and equitable manner. This procedure emphasizes informal resolution. The Student Grievance Procedure is available online at www.goucher.edu/documents/Legal/ student_grievance.pdf.

Loss of Student Eligibility for Federal Aid Due to Drug-related Offenses

A student who has been convicted of any offense under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance for conduct that occurred during a period of enrollment in which federal student aid was received shall not be eligible to receive federal student aid (including any grant, loan, or work assistance) during the period beginning on the date of such conviction and ending after the interval specified in the following table:

Students convicted of both possesion and sale of a controlled substance may be ineligible for federal student aid for longer periods of time.

Rehabilitation

A student whose eligibility has been suspended regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when the student satisfactorily completes a drug rehabilitation program that is approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

Other Policies

College rules and policies regarding other matters, such as computer use, withdrawal and leave-of-absence procedures, the Student Code of Conduct, and the Academic Honor Code, can be found in the Campus Handbook. The college’s Policy on Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs, as well as safety information published in compliance with the Clery Act, also appear in the Campus Handbook. Information and disclosures in accordance with the Clery Act are also available online at http://www.goucher.edu/x1303.xml. Goucher’s Fire Safety Report on Student Housing is also available online at http://www.goucher.edu/x31889.xml.