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Policy Statement Regarding Students with Disabilities
Springfield College is committed to providing an equal educational opportunity and full participation in College programs and activities for persons with disabilities, in accordance with state and federal laws. The College fully supports the anti-discrimination policies expressed in state and federal legislation for persons with disabilities. It is the College’s intent that no person be subjected to discrimination with regard to any College program or activity.
Springfield College recognizes the unique needs of students with disabilities and encourages these students to use the support services offered by the College to assist them in attaining their educational goals. The policy of Springfield College regarding admission and access to programs and activities prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Students with documented disabilities are invited to contact the Academic Success Center, located in the Harold C. Smith Learning Commons, third floor, at (413) 748-3389.
The Coordinator of Section 50 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is Erin Leeper, Director of Non-Discrimination Initiatives/Title IX Coordinator & 504 Coorindator, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109, Telephone: 413-748-3248, Email: eleeper@springfield.edu.
Nondiscrimination Statement
Springfield College does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis in the admission and access to, and employment and treatment in, its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding the application of this notice of nondiscrimination and Springfield College’s nondiscrimination policies may be referred to the following:
- Rosanne Captain, Assistant VP for Finance and Administration, Administration Building, 263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109-3797, Telephone; 413-748-3118, e-mail; or rcaptain@Springfieldcollege.edu;
- Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, Telephone: 1-800-421-3481; or
- Boston office, Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 8th floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-3921, Telephone: 617-289-0111.
Springfield College complies with all federal and state requirements for a drug-free campus and workplace.
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with the Student-Right-to-Know Act (Title 1 of Public Law 101-542), the graduation rates of degree-seeking, full-time students are available to all current or prospective students from the Office of Institutional Research and will be provided upon request.
Although Springfield College does not guarantee employment following the completion of a degree bearing program, the Springfield College Career Center provides services and resources to assist current students and graduates with reaching their professional goals. The Career Center works with students in identifying career options, exploring career-related engaged learning opportunities, enhancing job searching skills, preparing for admission into graduate/professional schools, recognizing employment opportunities, and networking with Springfield College alumni. Services are available both in-person or via telephone appointment. Note: student referrals to prospective employers are not based on direct contact with the employer regarding current job openings.
Springfield College retains selected student records, including the academic transcript containing course and grade information, credits awarded, academic review notations, grade point average, degree conferral and honors information permanently. Supporting information such as academic action notifications, change of grade, change of major, degree applications, course substitutions and waivers, and miscellaneous correspondence is retained for a period of seven (7) years after a student’s separation from the College. A student’s academic record, in the form of an electronic transcript, is maintained permanently by the Office of the Registrar.
Students may be subject to a failing grade in a course due to a failure to attend class in accordance with requirements in the course syllabi. In addition, students may also have their course grade affected due to being tardy for a scheduled class meeting(s). Additional information pertaining to the impact of poor attendance or tardiness may be found in the course syllabus. Failing or below average grades in a semester may subsequently result in a negative academic action. The make up of course work that is not submitted in accordance with course requirements as outlined in the course syllabus is determined by the individual course instructor.
Any student in an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or denominational educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of her/his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study, or work requirement which she/he may have missed because of such absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself of the provisions of this section.
The Springfield College New Class Attendance Policy applies to all courses at the College. This is inclusive across all modes of study and locations. As part of this policy, each faculty member is expected to set Course-Level Attendance Expectations, which address issues of participation/engagement, make-up policies, and timeliness. The course-level expectations are set by the faculty and expand upon the College-wide policies for a particular course. This means that each course will have slightly different policies and expectations, so it is important that all students review the expectations in each course. The faculty teaching online and blended courses are to post these policies in Brightspace and carefully review the details of these policies with the students at the start of the semester.
Important points for all students:
- Students are expected to be engaged in all of their courses each week and to start engaging in online learning activities right when the semester begins (i.e., before any physical class meetings may take place). Faculty will be recording attendance at class sessions and/or engagement in online activities at the end of each week. Students will be marked at Attended; Not Attended; or Not Regularly Attending.
- Financial aid will only be disbursed after a student has shown initial engagement in the course (e.g., uploading an assignment, making a discussion post, or physically attending a class session).
- Students who are not regularly attending classes or engaging in online activities will receive a reach-out from their Instructor and/or Advisor.
- If you are even considering withdrawing from a course, please consult with your Advisor or Academic Success Coach immediately and reach out to the Financial Aid Office as there could be serious financial implications for the withdrawal.
Documents that must be posted to the Brightspace classroom in the ANNOUNCEMENTS:
a. New Class Attendance Policy (College-wide Policy)
b. Course-Level Expectations (each instructor customizes and posts in Brightspace)
Springfield College (“College”) is committed to assisting all members of the College community and providing for their own safety and security. As required by federal law, each year the College prepares an Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report (“Report”). The Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety, including such topics as crime prevention, fire safety, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures and other matters of importance related to security and safety on campus. It also contains information about crime statistics for the three previous calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the College, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the College’s campus, as well as fire statistics for the three previous calendar years concerning reported fires that occurred in College residence halls. You may obtain a copy of the report by contacting the Department of Public Safety or by accessing the annual campus security report website. In addition, the Springfield College Department of Public Safety will provide a paper copy of the Report upon request.
The purpose of the Springfield College Student Code of Conduct is to promote a campus environment that supports the mission of the College, by articulating appropriate standards of individual and group behavior. Students are required to familiarize themselves with all College policies and regulations. Lack of familiarity with policies and regulations regarding expected behavior will not excuse a student from being held responsible for violations of College policies and regulations. Disciplinary regulations of the College are set forth in writing in order to give students general prohibitive conduct. The regulations should be read broadly and are not designed to define misconduct in exhaustive terms. In addition, alleged violations of local, state, and federal laws may constitute a violation of the College’s Student Code of Conduct. Violations of the Student Code of Conduct may be grounds for disciplinary action.
The following actions/behaviors shall constitute violations of the Springfield College Student Code of Conduct. Please note that when a student is charged with an alleged violation, the charge usually refers to a portion of the Code. This list may not be inclusive of every possible violation of the code of conduct.
- Violating federal, state, or local laws on College premises or while in attendance at College-sponsored or supervised events, or committing off-campus violations of federal, state, or local law, or actions that adversely affect the College and/or the pursuit of its objectives.
- Any form of sexual misconduct/gender-based misconduct, including but not limited to, acts of sexual assault (non-consensual sexual intercourse, non-consensual sexual contact), sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking, and relationship violence or the attempt of these actions. Refer to the Gender-Based Misconduct policy found in the Student Handbook.
- Physical abuse and/or assault, verbal abuse, threats, threatening behavior, humiliating behavior, intimidation, harassment, coercion, and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of self, another person, group, or College Official. This includes but is not limited to fighting.
- The use of any device to capture audio, video, or digital record or photograph of any person where there is reasonable expectation of privacy (e.g. restroom, locker room, residence hall) or the use or display of any such record, without consent, where such use is designed to intimidate, harass, or otherwise endanger the health or safety of the person.
- Acts which are not civil or respectful and/or breach the peace, including, but not limited to, engaging in uncivil behavior. This also includes disrupting the functions of the College.
- Unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of keys or access cards to any College premises, and/or tampering with any locks.
- Unauthorized entry or use of College premises; unauthorized presence in any place that is marked as private, unapproved presence in any space you have not been assigned to, as well as presence in any place that you have been officially trespassed from.
- Unauthorized possession, use or misuse, diversion, removal, defacing, tampering, damage, or destruction of College owned or leased property, equipment, services, programs, or materials, as well as that of any member of the College community, guests of the College, vendor, contractor, or any other person; or hindering another’s use of College resources.
- Any action which creates a fire hazard. This includes, but is not limited to, tampering with fire safety equipment, possessing or using any hazardous and/ or explosive material, failing to evacuate a building/area after notice has been given, or knowingly making a false report of a dangerous condition.
- Failure to comply with the instructions and/or requests of College staff and/or other officials acting in accordance with their assigned duties; refusal to respond to a request of an administrative officer.
- Failure to positively identify one’s self or providing false information when appropriately requested to do so. This also includes withholding material information from the College and making false statements to any College official.
- Theft or misuse of phone, computer information, and electronic systems (Internet connection, network, etc.) are prohibited, including but not limited to:
- Unauthorized entry into a file to use, read, or change contents.
- Unauthorized transfer of files or programs.
- Unauthorized use of another person’s identification and password.
- Use of computing or phone systems to send obscene, threatening, or harassing messages.
- Interfering with the normal operation of the College computing system, including the initiation of the spread of a computer virus.
- Aiding, abetting, or attempting to commit an act or action that violates the Code. A student present when the Code is violated may be held responsible even if they are not directly involved in the perpetration of the violation. Students who anticipate or observe a violation of community standards are expected to remove themselves from participation and are encouraged to report the violation.
- Guest and visitor behavior: all students are fully responsible for their guests’ and visitors’ behavior and a range of sanctions may be imposed on the student host if their guest or visitor fails to abide by the Code of Conduct, including, but not limited to fines, loss of a variety of privileges, and potential housing reassignment or loss of housing. Guests who violate the code of conduct may be trespassed from the College. The following violations are grounds for a guest to be trespassed:
- Abuse and/or assault
- Alcohol transport
- Disrespectful or verbally abusive behavior towards a college official
- Drug policy violation
- Repeat offender
- Uncivil behavior
- Abuse of the community standards system, including but not limited to:
- Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the College
- Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before a conduct body;
- Institution of a conduct complaint knowingly without cause;
- Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the conduct system;
- Attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a conduct body prior to, during, and/or after a conduct proceeding;
- Harassment and/or intimidation of a member of a conduct body, witness, or victim prior to, during, and/or after a conduct proceeding;
- Failure to comply with a notice to appear for a meeting or administrative hearing;
- Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the conduct system.
- Bias-related violations of the Code toward or regarding a person or group because of factors such as actual or perceived disability, religion, race, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or gender expression or identity may be assessed enhanced sanctions.
- Indecent or lewd exposure including public urination.
- Disrespectful behavior, attitude, interaction, or verbal exchange with a College official.
- Conduct, endangering or reckless actions that threaten or endanger the general health or safety of any member of the community, including one’s self, the community at large, and/or the operations of the College.
- Failing to follow established community health protocols and/or social distance guidelines.
- Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any College document.
- Representing the College, any recognized student organization, College personnel, or any official without consent.
Code of Conduct Procedures
If you are alleged to have violated one or more of the College’s Code of Conduct policies, you will be scheduled to meet with a college official who serves as an administrative hearing officer for the Community Standards process. You will be notified by College e-mail of your administrative hearing date, time, and location at least 24 hours in advance. If a student neglects to attend a scheduled administrative hearing, it may continue as scheduled in the student’s absence. Students who fail to attend their hearings will forfeit the ability to appeal the finding(s) and sanction(s) in the case.
If a student does not attend the administrative hearing, a decision will be rendered without their input. The administrative hearing will cover the following:
- To hear about the incident from your perspective;
- To share what information we have received;
- To answer your questions about the process;
- To explain the College’s standard of proof;
- To review possible sanctions and how the hearing officer will notify you of their decision (the outcome of your hearing) decision letter; and
- To discuss future decision-making.
Every student charged with a violation that puts them in jeopardy of loss of housing, suspension, or expulsion from the college will be sent electronically to their College e-mail address all redacted reports and all information the College has 24 hours prior to the hearing. 27 Within 7 business days of your administrative hearing, you will receive an outcome letter via email, that details all pertinent information regarding the hearing officer’s decision, including, but not limited to, the findings for each charge (responsible or not responsible), sanctions, and a link to the appeal process. If discrepancies are discovered during the hearing process that require additional investigation it may take longer than 7 days to receive the outcome letter and this will be communicated.
Accommodations
If you have a documented disability that significantly impacts your ability to participate in an administrative hearing, you may request reasonable accommodation to facilitate participation. Follow the appropriate process to request disability-related accommodations through the Academic Success Center’s Disability and Accessibility Services (DAS), which may include submitting documentation from a qualified medical professional to verify the disability and/or the disability-related need for the accommodation. You may also follow the link on the administrative hearing letter which will provide you access to proper form. DAS will make a determination regarding the request, will notify the appropriate parties, and will assist in the coordination of auxiliary aids and services, as needed.
Advisers
A responding student and/or complainant may elect to be accompanied and counseled by an adviser at a College administrative hearing.
An adviser will not be allowed to examine witnesses, object to statements or procedures, or to present arguments, and their role shall be limited to quietly and unobtrusively advising only the responding student in whispers or by written note. Any conduct of an adviser in violation of these conditions in the opinion of the hearing officer, may result in the immediate removal of that adviser, and the continuation of the administrative hearing without the presence of that adviser.
Parents, guardians, and/or family members of a student, regardless of their relationship with the College, are not permitted to be present at any administrative hearing; however, with the consent of the student, the hearing officer will meet the with parents, guardians, and/or family members to discuss the process and case. Additionally, students who are witnesses to an incident or are involved in the same student conduct matter, cannot serve as advisers.
If you plan on bringing an adviser, you must notify the Office of Community Standards at (413) 748-3922, at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled hearing.
Appeal Process
Every student has the right to ask for reconsideration of a decision determined by any Hearing Officer.
Appeals are confined to a review of the case file based on one or more of the pertinent grounds for appeal described below. Appeals are not intended to re-hear the allegations or to constitute a de novo review of the case.
Absent clear and material error, appeals determinations are intended to be deferential to the original hearing officer. Findings should be revised by the appeal officer only when returning the case for reconsideration by the original hearing officer or granting a new hearing would be insufficient, impractical, or unnecessary. Sanctions will be revised by the appeal officer only if there is a compelling justification to do so.
An appeal must be submitted within three (3) business days after the decision letter is delivered to the student’s Springfield College email account. An appeal may be made solely on the grounds of:
- Error in the charge and/or hearing process that has materially affected the outcome (e.g., substantiated bias, material deviation from established procedures, etc.); or
- New information that could not have been discovered prior to the hearing through the exercise of reasonable diligence and that would have materially affected the outcome. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included in the written appeal.
The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs or their designee shall act as the appeal officer. The appeal must be submitted electronically via the appeal form link included in your outcome letter and must clearly and succinctly outline and explain how one or both of the specific grounds described above have been met. The party submitting the appeal has the burden of demonstrating how the above grounds have been met. After reviewing the written appeal(s), written statement(s), and associated case file, the appeal officer will take one of the following actions:
- Reject the appeal as untimely or improper based on the grounds articulated above.
- Uphold the original decision and/or sanction.
- Grant the appeal and:
- Return the case with specific instructions to the original hearing officer or hearing body for further consideration;
- Modify the sanction(s) by reducing or enhancing the sanction(s). A rationale will be provided by the appeal officer when a sanction is modified.
All decisions made by the Appeal Officer are final and not subject to further appeal.
Further information on College resources and student affairs policies and procedures can be found in the Student Handbook.
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