University Policies

Bias Crimes Prevention

It is a State University of New York at Fredonia policy mandate to protect all members of the Fredonia community by preventing and prosecuting bias or hate crimes that occur within the campus' jurisdiction.

Hate crimes, also called bias crimes or bias-related crimes, are criminal activity motivated by the perpetrator's bias or attitude against an individual victim or group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics, such as their age, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Hate/bias crimes have received renewed attention in recent years, particularly since the passage of the Federal Hate/Bias Crime Reporting Act of 1990 and the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000 (Penal Law Article 485). Copies of the New York law are available from the Office of University Police.

Penalties for bias-related crimes are very serious and range from fines to imprisonment for lengthy periods, depending on the nature of the underlying criminal offense, the use of violence or previous convictions of the offender. Perpetrators who are students will also be subject to campus disciplinary procedures where sanctions including dismissal are possible.

In addition to preventing and prosecuting hate/bias crimes, State University of New York at Fredonia Police also assist in addressing bias-related activities that do not rise to the level of a crime. These activities, referred to as bias incidents and defined by the university as acts of bigotry, harassment or intimidation directed at a member or group within the Fredonia community based on national origin, ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, color, creed or marital status, may be addressed through the State University's Discrimination Complaint Procedure or the campus conduct code. Bias incidents can be reported to University Police as well as to the Office of Student Affairs.

Anyone who is a victim of, or witness to, a hate/bias crime on campus should report it to the University Police by calling 911 in an emergency, using a Blue Light or other campus emergency telephone, calling (716) 673-3333, or stopping by the University Police Office located on the second floor in Gregory Hall. University Police will investigate and follow the appropriate adjudication procedures.

Victims of bias crime or bias incidents are urged to contact the following offices for assistance:

University Police (716) 673-3333

Office of Student Affairs (716) 673-3271

Affirmative Action (716) 673-3358

Counseling Center (716) 673-3424

Multicultural Affairs (716) 673-3398

For general information on Fredonia security procedures, see the University Police website at http://www.fredonia.edu/UPD/upd.htm or call (716) 673-3333 or email University.Police@fredonia.edu.

More information about bias-related and bias crimes, including up-to-date statistics on bias crimes, is available from the Chief of University Police at (716) 673-3333 or the University Police website at http://www.fredonia.edu/UPD/upd.htm.

Crime Statistics

A copy of the State University of New York at Fredonia campus crime statistics as reported annually to the U.S. Department of Education will be provided upon request by the Personal Safety and Campus Security Committee. Persons should direct all such requests to the Office of University Police at (716) 673-3333. Information can also be obtained from the U.S. Department of Education website at http://ope.ed.gov/security/ and the State University of New York at Fredonia University Police website at: http://www.fredonia.edu/upd/campussafety.htm.

Personal Safety and Campus Security Committee

Pursuant to the N.Y.S. Education Law Article 129-A, section 6431, the Personal Safety and Campus Security Committee reviews current campus security policies and procedures and makes recommendations for their improvement. The committee specifically reviews current policies for:

1. Educating the campus community, including security personnel and those persons who advise or supervise students, about sexual assault.
2. Educating the campus community about personal safety and crime prevention.
3. Reporting sexual assaults and dealing with victims during investigations.
4. Referring complaints to appropriate authorities.
5. Counseling victims.
6. Responding to inquiries from persons concerned about campus safety.

The committee consists of a minimum of six members, at least half of whom shall be female. The committee consists of two students appointed by the Student Association, two faculty members appointed by the University Senate, and two individuals appointed by the University President.

The committee reports, in writing, to the University President or chief administrative officer on its findings and recommendations at least once each academic year, and such reports shall be available upon request.

For more information regarding the Personal Safety and Campus Security Committee, persons should contact the Chief of University Police at (716) 673-3333 or email university.police@fredonia.edu or the Office of Student Affairs at (716) 673-3271 or email student.affairs@fredonia.edu.

Permanent Transcript Notation (Hazing or Other Serious Violations)

Students that are found responsible and suspended or expelled for serious violations of the Students Rights and Responsibilities will receive a permanent notation on his/her academic transcript. This includes but is not restricted to sexual assault, hazing, and conduct which lead to the death or serious physical injury to another person.

Students found responsible for such violations shall not receive credit for the semester in which they are suspended or expelled. Also, the student will remain liable for all tuition and fees for that semester.

Investigation of Violent Felony Offenses/Missing Students

Chapter 22 of the Laws of 1999 of the State of New York establishes certain requirements for investigation of violent felonies and reporting of missing students on college/university campuses in New York State.

1. "Missing Student" means any student of the university subject to the provisions of Section 355(17) of the New York State Education Law, who resides in a facility owned or operated by the university and who is reported to the university as missing from his or her residence.
2. "Violent Felony Offense" means a violent felony offense as defined in Section 70.02(1) of the Penal Law of the State of New York.

Policy on Hazing and Initiation or Affiliation with any Organization

The purpose of this policy is to specifically clarify those behaviors and activities which constitute violations of university regulations and New York State laws pertaining to hazing, and to provide guidance to student organizations in designing new member programs and activities, which serve to protect the human dignity and safety of all persons which will be permitted. This policy applies to all members of a student organization including alumni members. No organization may engage in any form of hazing. A student found responsible for hazing may receive a Permanent Transcript Notation on his or her transcript. This is more particularly described in the Permanent Transcript Notation Policy.

Hazing is defined as engaging in any action or creating a situation intentionally or unintentionally designed to produce mental or physical discomfort, harassment, or excessive ridicule in the course of another person's initiation into or affiliation with any organization. Such activities and situations may constitute hazing but are not limited to the following:

1. Disfiguration to include branding or self-mutilation
2. Paddling in any form
3. Creation of excessive fatigue
4. Physical and psychological shocks
5. Activities such as quests, treasure hunts, drinking games, scavenger hunts, road trips, etc. which are conducted in an illegal, demeaning, or dangerous manner
6. Public wearing of apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste
7. Engaging in public stunts and buffoonery
8. Morally degrading or humiliating games and activities
9. Any activities which interfere with class attendance, class preparation or scholastic activities or activities which are disruptive to any university department or office or classroom
10. Verbal abuse which leads to public embarrassment or humiliation
11. Implication that an act of hazing could be pre-initiatory
12. Any other activities that are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy, or the policies and regulations of SUNY Fredonia.

SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to revoke recognition of any student organization or club that is found to have violated these rules. Appropriate review of alleged violations may include review by the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs. Member organizations of Inter-Greek Council and Panhellenic Council may also be reviewed by their respective Judicial Boards. Revocation of recognition may not preclude the imposition of the University Judicial Board; but when considered by the Vice President for Student Affairs to be serious in nature, could result in immediate suspension of organizational recognition until such time as the allegations have been appropriately adjudicated.

Policy on Sexual Assault

The Fredonia campus will not tolerate sexual assault in any form, including acquaintance rape. Where there is reasonable cause to believe that the university regulations prohibiting sexual assault have been violated, the campus will pursue strong disciplinary action through its own channels. This discipline includes the possibility of suspension or dismissal from the university.

A student charged with sexual assault can be prosecuted under New York State criminal statutes and disciplined under the campus code of student conduct. Even if the criminal justice authorities choose not to prosecute, the campus can pursue disciplinary action. A student may be charged under Section 2(f) of the Standards of Behavior.

In addressing cases of sexual assault SUNY Fredonia works to ensure fairness and to provide support for all persons involved, especially the victims. Students who have questions about the procedures and protections provided in these cases are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs and/or University Police. Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the Counseling Center and Health Center for further assistance.

SUNY Fredonia recognizes the following definition of consent: voluntary, non-coerced and clear communication indicating a willingness to engage in a particular act. Consent is defined in the following manner; consent or lack of consent may be expressed or implied. Acquiescence does not necessarily constitute consent, further consent cannot be construed if: (1) It is given by a person who is legally incompetent to authorize the conduct charged to constitute the offense and such incompetence is manifest or known to the actor; or (2) It is given by a person who by reason of youth, mental disease or defect, or intoxication, is manifestly unable or known to the actor to be unable to make a reasonable judgment as to the nature or harmfulness of the conduct charged to constitute the offense; or (3) It is induced by force, duress or deception.

Good Samaritan Policy

The welfare of students is the highest importance to SUNY Fredonia. There will be times when individual students, both on and off campus, may be in critical need of assistance from medical or other professional personnel. SUNY Fredonia expects that these students will seek help and that other students will respond to obtain the help that their fellow student needs. SUNY Fredonia wants to minimize any hesitation that students might have in obtaining help due to concern that their own behavior might be a violation of university policy.

While policy violations cannot be overlooked, the Office of Judicial Affairs will take into consideration the positive impact of reporting an incident on the welfare of students when determining the appropriate response for policy violations by the reporter of the incident. Any possible negative consequences for the reporter of the problem should be weighed against the possible negative consequences for the student who needs intervention. At minimum, SUNY Fredonia expects that a student would make a report that would put the student in need in touch with professional helpers.

Alcohol and Drug Policy

The inappropriate use of alcohol and drugs can interfere with student development and seriously threaten the health and safety of the university community. Members of the university community will be held accountable for their behavior while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. These alcohol and drug related sanctioning guidelines focus on student development and early intervention for minor violations and first offenses and on a more disciplinary approach for major violations and repeat or multiple offenses.

Other Types of Sanctions

If a student is found responsible for misconduct on or off campus, the following sanctions may be imposed singly or in combination. The sanction(s) imposed will be commensurate with the offending conduct, and may take into account the student's educational record and any previous conduct record.

Verbal Warning – A verbal reprimand which expresses university dissatisfaction with the student's conduct and which clarifies expected behavior in the future. Such a warning is noted in the student's conduct file.

Disciplinary Warning - A written reprimand which expresses university dissatisfaction with the student's conduct and which clarifies expected behavior in the future.

Disciplinary Probation - Written notification that any further violations within the probationary period shall result in more severe disciplinary action. The probationary period will be for a specific period of time and/or until the completion of any specified requirements or conditions that are part of the probation.

Disciplinary Suspension in Abeyance - The student remains enrolled. However, any violation of conduct regulations during the period of suspension in abeyance will, after determination of guilt, result in a minimum sanction of automatic suspension.

Disciplinary Suspension - A decision that removes the student from the university for a specific period of time, usually no more than two years. The suspension might be immediate or begin after the end of the semester. In either case, the student is eligible for consideration for readmission at the end of the specified period. Students that are suspended will not be eligible for a refund. This includes tuition and the cost of on-campus housing. This is more particularly described in the Administrative Policy 057.1 section 1. (B) 2.

Disciplinary Expulsion - A decision that removes the student permanently from the university. Normally, the penalty shall also include the student being barred from the premises of the university.

Other Sanctions - Other sanctions may include a variety of restrictions and educational related activities. These include but are not limited to:

• academic or residential network access suspension or restriction
• prohibition from engaging in any extra-curricular activity
• prohibition from running or holding an office in any student group or organization
• prohibition from participation in sports-related activities
• restricting students from serving on any university committees
• limiting student employment
• removal from on-campus housing
• restriction from specific buildings or residence halls
• changing student room or residence hall assignment
• restriction from campus
• placing holds on records
• service charges or restitution
• required counseling
• required chemical use evaluation
• required community service
• required class attendance
• required Internet research
• writing a paper
• required apology

Complaints

A complaint of misconduct is usually written by a complainant and includes specific allegations or charges of misconduct. The complaint will be discussed with the complainant and the accused during separate interviews. If there appears to be grounds for disciplinary action, it will be addressed through the appropriate procedures. If the complaint is found to be unwarranted or if there is not enough evidence to proceed, the complainant will be so advised. The complaint, relevant evidence and related charges are shared with the accused so that the accused can prepare a defense in the event of a conduct hearing. Faculty, staff, students and community members are encouraged to report incidents of misconduct. Police reports and residence hall incident reports are also used to report violations of university conduct standards.

Zero Tolerance Policy

As part of a Zero Tolerance Policy, Fredonia will take disciplinary action for every alcohol and drug related violation on campus. Fredonia will also take disciplinary action for violations reported off campus, provided these violations have a connection to the campus. This would include violations that endanger students or may cause harm to the campus community.

Parental Notification Policy

In October 1998, Congress passed the Higher Education Amendment which permits post-secondary institutions to disclose to parents or legal guardians of students under 21, without their consent, information regarding the student's violation of any federal, state, or local law, or any rule or policy of the institution governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance. The Office of Student Affairs normally informs parents of any alcohol or drug violation involving students under 21.

University Judicial System

The University Standard of Behavior and University Policies are intended to promote student development and ensure an atmosphere of learning necessary to the well being of all university community members on and off-campus.

Violation of university policy off campus may be subject to disciplinary action by the university judicial process. The Office of Student Affairs implements the standards and procedures of the Judicial Board.

Any member of the university community may bring a complaint directly to the Office of Student Affairs. The compliant must be written and signed and dated. A review by the Office of Student Affairs will be initiated and if appropriate, charges will be filed. Specific procedures will be followed if a case is referred to the Judicial Board.

If a student is charged with a violation of the rules and regulations the following options exist: a student may choose an Administrative Hearing, a university Judicial Board hearing, or any administrative action in which a student chooses to plead guilty to the charges and waives the right to a hearing. The Office of Student Affairs will impose a sanction.

If a student, club, or organization fails to respond to the letter of charge(s) by the deadline by either pleading responsible or not responsible, SUNY Fredonia will assume a plea of not responsible. The case will be sent to an Administrative Hearing and the student, club or organization will be notified of the hearing date and time at least two weeks in advance of the hearing. A hold will be placed on the student's record pending the outcome of the hearing. A student hold restricts a student from registering from classes, dropping or adding classes, and obtaining an official transcript. The club or organization in question will have all privileges suspended pending the outcome of the hearing.

Administrative Sanction Hearing

In an administrative sanction hearing, the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs meets with the accused student to hear the case. This option is usually chosen if a student pleads responsible to the charges and accepts the appropriate sanction. This option requires that the student waive his/her right to another hearing and to the right to appeal the decision.

Administrative Hearing

The Administrative Hearing body consists of three university faculty/administrators. The Administrative Hearing board hears the case, weighs the evidence and testimony of witnesses, determines responsibility or non-responsibility of the accused and makes a sanction recommendation to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The accused student will be determined responsible or non-responsible by the preponderance of the evidence. Preponderance of evidence means evidence that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that it is more likely than not that the act in question did occur or that the fact or proposition is true.

Judicial Board Hearing

The University Judicial Board is comprised of twelve (12) members. Approximately six students and six faculty/staff members are appointed for a term of one year. Members are nominated by the Student Affairs Committee or a subcommittee of the Student Affairs Committee and appointed by the University President. The Judicial Board hears the case, weighs the evidence and testimony of witnesses, determines responsibility or non-responsibility of the accused and makes a sanction recommendation to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The accused student will be determined responsible or non-responsible by the preponderance of the evidence. Preponderance of evidence means evidence that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that it is more likely than not that the act in question did occur or that the fact or proposition is true. To proceed with a hearing, a minimum of five Judicial Board members must be present. If less than five members are present the accused must agree in writing in order to have the hearing.

Procedures for the University Judicial Board

Step 1: A charge for violation may be placed against any student by any other student or by a member of the university community by giving written notice of the charge signed by the complainant to the Office of Student Affairs.

Step 2: The Office of Student Affairs shall give notice of the specific charges against the student, in writing. The notice shall clearly indicate the offense with specific reference to the violated regulation and shall indicate the time and place of the initial meeting with the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs. If the student/organization requests a hearing, a separate notice shall be presented to the accused at least five (5) days prior to the hearing. In extreme cases, the five-day notification period may be waived if deemed necessary by the Vice President for Student Affairs.

A student may waive, in writing, the requirement of a hearing. In such cases, the hearing body will consider the evidence. If the student does not waive the requirements of a hearing and does not appear for such a hearing, his/her case will be considered by the hearing body and decision will be rendered in his/her absence.

Step 3: The Office of Student Affairs shall insure that any student charged with violating university rules or regulations has, prior to appearing before the Judicial Board, been presented with a statement defining the composition and authority of the Judicial Board.

Step 4: The Judicial Board shall examine all relevant facts and circumstances presented at the hearing. A record of the hearing shall be kept to enable review and every reasonable attempt shall be made to keep the matter appropriately confidential. All hearings are tape-recorded; however, in the event of equipment failure a board member(s) will take notes to ensure accurate recording of the hearing. SUNY Fredonia will not be responsible for turning tape recorded records into written transcript form. Grounds for appeal will also not be considered due to equipment failure.

Step 5: At the hearing, the student shall have a full opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident and shall be able to present pertinent evidence and testimony of witnesses. In addition, the student shall have the opportunity to ask questions of any witnesses, respond to written statements submitted against him/her and to respond to questions. The Judicial Board shall also have the right to call witnesses, and to review materials. The student shall have the right to be assisted by an advisor and/or attorney of his/her choice. The advisor or attorney may not participate in the hearing.

Step 6: All student judicial history will be withheld from the board members until a finding of responsibility has been made. If a student is found responsible for violating university policy, judicial history will be shared with the board members prior to sanction deliberation.

Step 7: The Judicial Board shall notify the student in writing of its final decision.

Should the final decision of a Judicial Board involve Disciplinary Warning or Disciplinary Probation, the decision made by the Judicial Board shall be final unless a timely appeal has been made to the University President or his/her designee. The student shall have the right to appeal to the University President or his/her designee in writing within five (5) days from the mailing of such notification. An appeal will be considered if there is significant new information or material relevant to the case that was not presented during the hearing, or for a claimed violation of the student's due process rights.

In cases involving suspension or dismissal, the Judicial Board shall recommend such action to the President of the university or his/her designee, in which case the University President's decision shall be final.

Policies of the Judicial Board

1. The Judicial Board shall not discuss or review matters under consideration outside of the hearing. Failure of a Judicial Board member to uphold this provision renders such member subject to impeachment procedures by the Student Affairs Committee. Impeachment shall be by a two-thirds vote of that committee. Any violation of this section shall not affect the proceedings of the Judicial Board in a determination of the case.
2. No member of the Judicial Board shall be either a witness before the court or a person previously engaged in formulating the charge or in presenting materials relating to the case.
3. Judicial Board records shall be filed with the Office of Student Affairs and released only with the permission of the Judicial Board, the Coordinator of Judicial Affairs or the alleged violator. Records shall be kept for seven years.
4. The Judicial Board may adopt bylaws not inconsistent with these rules and regulations upon the affirmative vote of not less than five members.
5. The Judicial Board shall be composed of twelve (12) members. Approximately six students and six faculty/staff members are appointed for a term of one year. Members are nominated by the Student Affairs Committee or a subcommittee of the Student Affairs Committee and appointed by the University President.
6. In order to be nominated, a student must have attained sophomore status (24 credit hours). All members of the Judicial Board must have been a member of the university community for at least one semester before taking office. No student may serve if he or she is on probation at the time of the appointment. No member of the Judicial Board may be a voting member of the Student Association, University Senate, or the Student Affairs Committee.

Policy for Involuntary Leave for Medical/Psychological Reasons

Standards for Involuntary Leave

1. Authority for the policy: "In the legitimate interest of the university in protecting property and the safety and welfare of specific individuals or the general public, the University President or his/her designee may temporarily suspend an individual pending a decision by a university hearing board" (Student Rights and Responsibilities, University Catalog) .
2. Proscribed Behavior: Any student who:
   1. Engages, or threatens to engage, in behavior which poses imminent danger of causing substantial harm to self and/or others, or
   2. Engages, or threatens to engage, in behavior which would cause significant property damage, or directly and substantially impede the lawful activities of others, shall be subject to involuntary withdrawal in accordance with the procedures set forth below.

Procedure for Leave

1. Upon preliminary investigation, the student may be required to leave the university for a period of time. If the student is required to leave, it is expected that in that time, the student will seek a psychological evaluation. This evaluation will be shared with the Office of Student Affairs and the Director of Counseling.
2. In order to return and/or remain in school the student must be evaluated by the Director of Counseling or his/her designee. The student will need to meet with the Vice President of Student Affairs or his/her designee. The Vice President of Student Affairs or his/her designee, in consultation with the Director of Counseling or his/her designee, the Chief of University Police or his/her designee, and, if applicable, the Director of Residence Life or his/her designee, will decide if the student is cleared to return to school. If cleared to return to school, a contract will be developed which prescribes responsibilities of the student. These responsibilities may include: ongoing counseling, removal from or relocation within residence life, refraining from alcohol and/or drug use, etc. Failure to comply with this contract would result in immediate suspension from the university.

Ex-Offenders Review Board

If a student has answered "yes" to question 19a or b on the SUNY Application for Admissions or has a pending charge of a felony or has been convicted of a felony, additional information will be needed in order to process the admission/reinstatement application.

It is the policy of the university (Fredonia) to require supplemental information from applicants who have been convicted of a felony or who have been dismissed from other colleges due to disciplinary misconduct. This information will be reviewed by the Admissions Review Committee.

The Admissions Review Committee may deny admission to applicants based on an individual's prior conduct or conviction where the admission "would involve an unreasonable risk to property or to the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public" (Corrections Law, section 752). The committee may also recommend the applicant be admitted with or without special conditions relating to major selection, course scheduling, involvement in campus activities or campus housing.

Consensual Relationships (Faculty/Staff and Students)

The university does not encourage intimate consensual relationships between faculty/staff and students, and has a policy prohibiting intimate relationships between faculty and students in their classes, and faculty/staff and students they are directly supervising. The Faculty Handbook provides guidelines regarding this type of relationship and states the following:

"It is the sense of faculty through its University Senate that intimate consensual relationships between university personnel and students create the potential for abuses of authority and for both actual and apparent conflicts of interest."

Students should be aware that if they enter into this type of relationship with university personnel, there may be consequences that impact on their educational experience. This may mean a student thus involved would be unable to take a course from this person or in any way be subject to their supervision authority.

Students with concerns in this matter are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs, Second Floor, Gregory Hall, (716) 673-3271 or the Office of Academic Affairs, 119 Reed Library, (716) 673-3335.

Academic Integrity Policy

I. Opening Statement

The State University of New York at Fredonia holds that the life of the mind and personal integrity go hand in hand, and are inseparable. Adherence to this philosophy is essential if we are to facilitate and promote the free and open exchange of ideas upon which our university mission relies. An essential component of the academic experience at SUNY Fredonia is the conviction that academic goals must be achieved by honorable means. It is expected, therefore, that all students attending the State University of New York at Fredonia will support and abide by all provisions of the following Academic Integrity Policy. It is further understood that by enrolling in courses, students are agreeing to the rules and regulations set forth below.

In order to protect the value of the work accomplished by each student and instructor, our academic community depends upon certain honorable standards of behavior from all its members. SUNY Fredonia trusts all students will refrain from participating in any behavior that will inhibit the pursuit of honest academic advancement. To help students avoid activities that can be construed as dishonest or as violations of academic integrity, a partial list of prohibited behaviors and activities is outlined below. This policy is not intended to limit decisions of faculty of professional programs that operate under more restrictive policies and/or have externally monitored procedures for addressing violations of academic integrity.

II. Violations of Academic Integrity

Violations of academic integrity are described within four broad, overlapping categories: Fraud, Plagiarism, Cheating, and Collusion. Examples of violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, those described herein:

A. Fraud

Behaving deceptively, misrepresenting one's self or another person, and falsifying official print and/or electronic documents are actions that seriously undermine the integrity of any social institution and may result in criminal prosecution. In a university setting, fraudulent behavior includes but is not limited to:

1. Forging or altering official school documents, whether in print or electronic form, such as grade reports or transcripts, enrollment documents, transfer credit approvals, etc.

2. Forging or tampering with any university correspondence or medical excuses.

3. Tampering with attendance records, such as one student signing for another student.

4. Tampering with or interfering with grading procedures.

5. Misreporting or misrepresenting earned credentials, including academic status, class standing, and GPA.

6. Taking an exam in place of another student.

7. Failing to disclose necessary information on official university forms.

8. Falsely claiming that electronic systems or computer equipment are at fault for the student's inability to complete academic course work (e.g., inability to complete assignments due to problems with ANGEL or the printers/computers in a certain lab) or to complete administrative functions (e.g., inability to make schedule changes via "Your Connection.")

B. Plagiarism

Plagiarism consists of presenting the work of others as one's own. It is unethical to copy directly the words or work of other authors or artists without giving them credit. It is also unethical to rearrange or add a few words to another author's text while leaving the majority unaltered or to take an author's unique idea or discovery and to represent it as one's own. Specific examples of plagiarism include, but are not restricted to,

1. Copying the work of another author and/or artist without giving proper credit in the text or reference to the artwork, presentation or performance; neglecting to cite the original in a footnote; and/or failing to identify full and proper documentation in the list of works cited or sampled for presentation or performance.

2. Implying that another author's words, works, or ideas are one's own. Quoting without the use of quotation marks falsely implies originality and is, therefore, an act of plagiarism.

3. Incorporating into a paper or assignment without acknowledgement verbatim corrections or other suggestions that were made by someone other than oneself, the instructor, or an assigned editor.

4. Taking information from one source (such as the Internet) and citing it as coming from another source (such as a required text or article).

C. Cheating

In all academic situations, any behavior that subverts the purpose of an academic assignment constitutes cheating, whether one actively commits the act of dishonesty on one's own behalf or enables someone else to do so.

Examples of cheating include but are not limited to the following:

1. Copying someone else's work or permitting one's own work to be copied. Whether involvement in the copying process is active or passive, these acts constitute violations of academic integrity if a student is at all complicit.

2. Using unsanctioned materials, notes, software, and or equipment (such as a programmable calculator).

3. Intentionally providing or seeking questions to an exam that will be given in a later section or used as a make-up exam.

4. Communicating or sharing information during an exam obviously constitutes cheating, as does taking an exam for someone else.

D. Collusion

Most colleges and universities support some opportunities for collaborative learning, but unauthorized collaboration is considered collusion. Unless collaboration is expressly permitted by the instructor, students should work alone. Even when an instructor authorizes collaboration, collusion may still occur. In all cases, work submitted should reflect an individual's own effort. Examples of collusion include, but are not limited to, the following situations:

1. A pair or larger group of students studies a problem, one of the students formally writes and/or types the results, the other members of the group copy the results, and each individual submits the work as his/her own.

2. A pair or larger group of students work on a series of problems or tasks, each student completes a portion of the problem set or task, the students combine their work, and each student submits the entire problem set or task as his/her own.

3. A course instructor assigns a task or problem to be completed outside of class and explicitly instructs students not to discuss the task or problem with one another. A part or larger group of students discuss or work together on the task or problem, and each individual submits the results as his/her own.

III. Judicial Procedures for Violations of Academic Integrity

A. Stage One: Departmental Level

1. An instructor who suspects a violation of the academic integrity policy will collect all information and materials related to the offense.

2. The instructor will meet with the student to present his/her charge, and the student will be given an opportunity to answer and explain. If the instructor and the student then agree that no violation has occurred, the matter is resolved and the process ends at this point. If, however, the instructor finds that a violation has occurred, whether the student admits or does not admit guilt, the matter must be communicated to the department chairperson (see No. 3 directly following). A student will not be allowed to drop a course to avoid a course sanction or to suspend judicial procedures.

3. For all cases in which the instructor determines that the student has plagiarized, cheated, colluded, or committed any act of academic dishonesty, the instructor will briefly summarize the offense in writing to his/her departmental chairperson. Copies of all information and materials related to the offense shall accompany this correspondence.

4. After appropriate consultation, the chairperson and the instructor will jointly notify the student in writing about the charge and the resulting sanctions. At this stage, some possible departmental sanctions include but are not limited to the following: a formal warning, a grade of zero being assigned to the particular performance, and/or a failing grade being given for the course. The letter from the chairperson and the instructor may also recommend that the Academic Integrity Review Board hear the case and consider, among several options, placing the student on disciplinary probation, temporarily suspending the student, or permanently expelling the student from the university.

5. Because a student may plagiarize and/or violate provisions of academic integrity in more than one department, the chairperson is required to submit a copy of all correspondence and relevant materials to the appropriate dean of the department in which the offense occurred. For undergraduate students, these materials will be delivered to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dean of the School of Business, or the Dean of the College of Education; for graduate students, materials will be delivered to the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research. The dean/associate provost will then prepare a full packet of copies for the Vice President for Student Affairs in whose office the packet will be filed as part of the required maintenance of student disciplinary records.

B. Stage Two: Appeal

1. Within 14 calendar days after the chairperson has mailed the letter, the student may decide to appeal the departmental decision. If so, she/he must send a letter of intent to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, with copies sent at the same time to the chairperson in whose department the charge originated, the appropriate dean/associate vice president, and the Vice President for Student Affairs. Upon receipt of such communication and in a timely manner, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will contact the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board who will call together the members of the board for a formal hearing. Throughout the appeal process, the charged student is assumed not guilty, and in most circumstances, she/he has the right to remain in class.

2. After the same 14 days, if the student has not appealed, the university will act upon the assumption that the student has accepted the departmental decisions and any sanctions therein. Enforcement of these sanctions hereafter rests with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

3. If the department has recommended additional sanctions outside its academic purview (probation, suspension, etc.), the Academic Integrity Review Board will be convened to determine if a hearing should be held. If a hearing is scheduled, the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board will contact the accused student at least five (5) days in advance.

4. Even if a student does not file a formal appeal within the above time limit, the Vice President for Student Affairs must notify the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board whenever a second or subsequent violation is submitted to a student's disciplinary record. The Academic Integrity Review Board will then be convened to review all charges filed and may impose additional sanctions. The Academic Integrity Review Board will consider repeated violations of any or all of the provisions in the Academic Integrity Policy as grievous.

C. Stage Three: Academic Integrity Review Board

1. Whether the student who has been charged decides to appeal the departmental decision, or the Academic Integrity Review Board votes to initiate formal proceedings as the result of other circumstances (see above), the Academic Integrity Review Board will hear and rule on the case. A charged student has the right to select a willing student, faculty member, or an administrative staff member of the university to advise him/her throughout the review process. This non-legal adviser must be a current member of the SUNY Fredonia community (faculty, staff, student), and the adviser may accompany the charged student and advise him/her at any meetings. To avoid conflicts of interest, this adviser may not be selected from the members of the Academic Integrity Review Board.

2. At least one member from each category below is required. A quorum of six members including at least one student representative will be selected from the following categories:

(a) The Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board who is a full-time tenured faculty member jointly appointed by the President of the university and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and subsequently approved by the University Senate. The chair's term will be two years with the option of renewal, pending reappointment and re-approval.

(b) Either the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs will provide board access to pertinent Student Disciplinary records and will participate as an ex officio member (see No. 4 below). Before witnesses speak or before questions are asked, this representative of Student Affairs will present a summary of the case.

(c) At least one, but preferably two, undergraduate (or graduate, if pertinent) student representatives selected by the university deans/associate vice president and after nominations by the Dean's Councils of Chairs and Directors (which includes directors and chairpersons of all schools and departments). No two students majoring in a single department will be invited to serve concurrently. To insure that perspectives from a diverse student population are fairly and freely heard, one student will major in an Arts and Humanities department and one will major in a Natural and Social Sciences department, and/or one in Education or Business.

(d) The appropriate dean/associate provost preferred, but one of the other four deans/associate provost may act in his/her stead whenever necessary.

(e) Chairs of departments: one from Arts and Humanities, one from Natural and Social Sciences, designee from Business, and a designee from the College of Education.

(f) An additional faculty member from a department not represented by individuals in (a) and (e) above.

3. The Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board, after prior consultation with the assembled board, may call witnesses, and the student who has been charged may also call witnesses. At the conclusion, the charged student will be asked to address the allegation by pleading guilty or not guilty, and she/he then has the right to speak on his or her behalf. All participants in this hearing will be informed that deliberations are to remain strictly confidential. Hearings of the judicial review board will be tape recorded to provide a record of the proceedings.

4. After the hearing, the Academic Integrity Review Board will deliberate and make a formal decision. In the final determination, each of the members of the board, including the Chair of the board, will cast a single and equally weighted vote. In the event of a tie vote concluding a case, the Chair of the board will cast an additional vote. Voting will be conducted by written ballot, and the results will be disclosed to board members. Board members are not to disclose either the board's determination or any specifics related to the voting.

5. In a timely manner, the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board will complete the hearing report and will deliver copies to the chairperson in whose department the charge originated, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Vice President for Student Affairs. The final report of the Academic Integrity Review Board will include the following:
(a) A determination of Not Guilty (no violation of academic integrity has been found) or Guilty (the student has been found responsible for the charged violation on the basis of the evidence submitted or has admitted guilt).
(b) If the student had been found guilty of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the penalty must also be identified. Sanctions or penalties imposed should be commensurate with the offense and will take into account the student disciplinary records on file.

6. On the same day the board's decision is delivered to the three individuals above (No. 5), the student will be informed of the board's decision in a meeting with the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board. The student will then be given a copy of the hearing report prepared by the Chair of the Academic Integrity Review Board.

7. Should the student decide to appeal the Academic Integrity Review Board's decision, he or she may do so in a written justification to the President of the university but only if/when the substance of the presented case has changed (i.e., additional and significant evidence is discovered).

IV. Maintenance of Student Disciplinary Records

Individual files on all students who are formally charged with violations of the Academic Integrity Policy will be prepared at the time of the student's initial offense and maintained for 10 years thereafter in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Instructors and chairpersons will initiate this process by submitting, to their dean/associate vice president, a copy of the information and materials related to the offense and a copy of the departmental letter which identifies the charge and which has been mailed to the student. All subsequent materials related to the charge will be copied in the dean's/associate vice president's office and delivered to the Vice President for Student Affairs for the student's disciplinary file.

Statement Regarding SUNY Fredonia's Celebration of Diversity

The university welcomes the experience, talent, and surge of energy that comes from a culturally diverse campus. It has pledged to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, without degradation of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, affection orientation, physical/mental challenge, or any other characteristic not germane to a person's rights or human worth. Campus specifically prohibits:

• Fighting and threats to, physical abuse of, or harassment that threatens to or does endanger the health, safety, or welfare of a member of the university.
• Engaging in any action or situation that which recklessly or intentionally dangers the mental or physical health of a member of the university community; creating in a situation that results in the discomfort of, or harassment or excessive ridicule of a member of the university community.

All members of the campus community are expected to live, learn and work with a foundation of understanding and appreciation of differences. Faculty and staff, as mentors and educators, are encouraged to support this policy through personal interactions with students, classroom discussion, and careful selection of curricular materials and content.

Policy Statement on Religious Absences

The Education Law of New York says, in part:

1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he/she is unable, because of his/her religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day or days.
2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his/her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his/her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirements which he/she may have missed because of such absence on any day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study, or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, registration, examinations, study, or work requirements held on other days.
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his/her availing himself/herself of the provisions of this section.
6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the Supreme Court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his/her rights under this section. It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements for which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.
7. As used in this section the term "institution of higher education" shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which is operated, supervised or controlled by a church or by a religious or denominational organization whose educational programs are principally designed for the purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used in this section, the term "religious belief" shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under Section 501 of the United States Code.

Policies on Motor Vehicles

All members of the university community (students, faculty, and staff) who park cars or other motor vehicles on campus between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. must register their vehicle each semester within seven days after classes begin.

When a new or borrowed vehicle is brought on campus, University Police (716-673-3333) must be notified immediately in order to avoid unnecessary ticketing. Any vehicle obtained during the semester must be registered within 48 hours at the Office of Student Accounts.

Regulations Governing Motor Vehicle Use and Campus Parking Facilities is available online at http://www.fredonia.edu/UPD/parkingregulations.htm. Students, faculty and staff shall comply with all traffic and parking regulations in all campus areas and shall comply with all published regulations or be subject to fines. Failure to comply can result in the loss of campus driving, parking and vehicle registration privileges.

Computer and Network Usage Policy

I. Introduction

Access to modern information technology is essential to the State University of New York's mission of providing the students, faculty and staff of SUNY Fredonia with educational services of the highest quality. The pursuit and achievement of the SUNY mission of education, research, and public service require that the privilege of using computing systems and software, internal and external data networks, as well as access to the World Wide Web, be made available to the SUNY community. The preservation of that privilege for the full community requires that each faculty and staff member, student, and other authorized user comply with institutional and external standards for appropriate use.

To assist and ensure such compliance, SUNY Fredonia establishes the following policy which supplements all applicable SUNY policies, including sexual harassment, patent and copyright, and student and employee disciplinary policies, as well as applicable federal and state laws.

II. Definitions

Authentication Credentials - Assigned User ID/Username and PIN/Password (changed by users) that, used in conjunction, authenticates users to privileged computing facilities and resources.

Computing Facilities - All software applications, mainframes, desktop and mobile computers, networks and computer peripherals licensed, owned or operated by SUNY Fredonia.

Course List - Refers to special purpose list created (when requested) for communication between students enrolled in a specific course and section and the faculty member teaching the course.

Departmental (Majors) List - Refers to a list created (when requested) for a department to communicate with students in their major.

DSL - Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a form of high-speed Internet access competing with cable modems. DSL works over standard phone lines and supports data speeds of over 2 Mbps downstream (to the user) and slower speeds upstream (to the Internet).

e-Services - SUNY Fredonia terminology relating to electronic services such as e-mail, ANGEL Learning Management System, and electronic library resources.

Internet - All networks external to SUNY Fredonia.

Intranet - All networks internal to SUNY Fredonia.

List Conduct - Refers to the behavior of a list subscriber in the context of the list as reflected by the subscriber's postings.

List Content - Refers to the theme, topic, or purpose of the list as declared on the list application and/or the theme, topic, or purpose of list postings.

LISTSERV Manager - The Information Technology Services' designated manager of the LISTSERV service.

List Owner - Refers to a person (other than the LISTSERV manager) who has administrative rights to the list. This may or may not be the list sponsor.

List Sponsor - The LISTSERV list applicant (the person who submits the application as designated in item 2) who assumes overall responsibility for and ownership of the list.

Managed - Software and anti-virus upgrades being controlled by a server and "pushed" to the desktop.

Remote Access - Any access to SUNY Fredonia's administrative network through a non-SUNY Fredonia controlled network, device or medium.

Un-managed - A computing device that does not have anti-virus definitions or upgrades implemented automatically. The computer user installs all upgrades manually.

Users - Individuals who make use of SUNY Fredonia computing facilities. Most users are students, faculty and staff members of SUNY Fredonia. Some users are non-campus personnel authorized by the campus to make use of computing facilities, including volunteers for local non-profit agencies, scholars visiting from other SUNY institutions, and the like.

VPN - Virtual Private Network, a way to extend the corporate/production (trusted) network using authentication and encryption.

III. Authorization and Use

A. Authorized Activities

SUNY Fredonia computer facilities are a resource for members of the campus community (faculty, staff, students and other affiliated individuals or organizations authorized by SUNY Fredonia), to be utilized for work consistent with the instructional, research, and administrative goals of the university as defined in the SUNY Fredonia "Missions and Goals" statement.

Use by non-affiliated institutions and organizations shall be in accordance with SUNY Administrative Procedures Manual Policy 007-1: Use of Computer Equipment or Services by Non-affiliated Institutions and Organizations. All who use SUNY Fredonia computer facilities have the responsibility to do so in an effective, efficient, ethical, and legal manner, as outlined below.

B. User Accounts

The university grants access to particular computer systems with the assignment of specific user accounts based on educational and business need for access. Every computer user account issued by SUNY Fredonia is the responsibility of the person in whose name it is issued.

University-recognized clubs and student organizations may be issued a user account. Faculty advisors shall designate a particular person or persons authorized to act on behalf of the club or organization. This person(s) is responsible for all activity on the account and will be subject to university disciplinary procedures for misuse. The following include, but are not limited to, examples of theft of services, and subject to penalties described in Section IV.

(1) Acquiring a username in another person's name.

(2) Using a username without the explicit permission of the owner and of Information Technology Services.

(3) Allowing one's username to be used by another person without explicit permission from Information Technology Services.

C. Password Security

It is mandatory that user accounts be kept secure by using strong passwords, keeping passwords secret, and changing the passwords often. Users must set a password which will protect their account from unauthorized use, and which will not be guessed easily. Avoid selecting easily guessable passwords, for example, nicknames, birth dates, and telephone numbers. Users must report to Information Technology Services any use of a user account without the explicit permissions of the owner and Information Technology Services.

D. User Privacy

SUNY Fredonia does not generally monitor or restrict material residing on state-owned or non-state owned electronic devices, whether or not such devices are connected to the campus networks. However, devices that are utilized in violation of SUNY Fredonia' policies are subject to investigation and disconnection without notice.

No user should view, copy, alter or destroy another's personal or state-owned electronic files without permission (unless authorized or required to do so by law or regulation). SUNY Fredonia computing and network resources are designed to protect user privacy; users shall not attempt to circumvent these protections.

SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to access all aspects of its computing and network resources, including individual usage to determine if a user is violating this policy or state or federal laws.

E. System Integrity and Denial of Service

Users shall respect the system integrity of campus computing facilities. For example, users shall not intentionally develop or use programs that infiltrate a computing system, or damage or alter the software components of a computing or network system.

F. Resource Accounting

Users shall not develop or use procedures to alter or avoid the accounting and monitoring of the use of computing facilities. For example, users may not utilize facilities anonymously or by means of an alias, and may not send messages, email, or print files that do not show the correct username of the user performing the operation.

G. Resource Usage

Office computer equipment is provided by the institution for academic and business use. All equipment is tagged with SUNY Fredonia asset tags and inventoried on a yearly basis. Any information stored, processed, or transmitted by this computer may be monitored, used, or disclosed by authorized personnel, including law enforcement.

Office and lab computing facilities must be used in a responsible and efficient manner. Users shall not develop or use procedures that obstruct authorized use by others. Users shall not interfere with computer setups which are intended to keep computer software current and legal, and shall not install personal software. Users shall not use applications that utilize an unusually high portion of the network bandwidth. Users shall avoid wasting computing resources by excessive game playing or other trivial applications; by sending chain letters or other frivolous or excessive messages locally or over the network; or by printing excessive copies of documents, files, images or data. Campus printing must pertain to academic work, personal intellectual growth or administrative business.

H. Copyrights and Licenses

Users shall not violate the legal protection provided by copyrights and licenses held by SUNY Fredonia. Users shall not make copies of any licensed or copyrighted computer program found on any SUNY Fredonia computer or storage device without the written authorization of Information Technology Services. U.S. federal copyright law grants authors certain exclusive rights of reproduction, adaptation, distribution, performance, display, attribution, and integrity to their creations. Works of literature, photographs, music, software, film, and video works can all be copyrighted. Examples of probable violations of copyright laws include, but are not limited to: making unauthorized copies of any copyrighted material (such as commercial software, text, graphic images, audio, and video recordings); distributing copyrighted materials over computer networks or through other means; resale of data or programs, or the use of them for non-educational purposes or for financial gain; or public disclosure of information about programs (e.g., source code) without the owner's authorization.

I. Restricted Access Systems

Access to selected administrative computers and programs is restricted on a "need-to-know" basis conforming to SUNY policy guidelines. Unauthorized access or attempted access to these machines or data will constitute theft of services and will be subject to the penalties described in Section IV. Authorization for use of these systems is granted solely by Information Technology Services, on behalf of the institution, and reviewed by the campus Security Administrator.

J. Recreational Use

Recreational use of computing facilities, including computer games and social network communication, is allowed only when no other instructional, research, or administrative function requires the use of resources. Persons using a computer for recreational purposes are required to relinquish the computer immediately to someone needing it for academic or administrative purposes.

K. Termination of Access to Fredonia Computing Facilities

Intentional violation of policies contained in this document will result in immediate termination of access. Access will be terminated for:

(1) Complete withdrawal by student from university courses

(2) Current students, 90 days after graduation

(3) Faculty/staff, 30 days after termination of employment

Emeritus faculty and staff retain eligibility for use of Fredonia computing facilities

IV. Limitations on Users' Rights

The issuance of a password or other means of access is to assure appropriate confidentiality of Fredonia files and information and does not guarantee privacy for personal or improper use of university equipment or facilities.

SUNY Fredonia provides reasonable security against intrusion and damage to files stored on the central facilities. Fredonia also provides some facilities for archiving and retrieving files specified by users and for recovering files after accidental loss of data. However, the university is not responsible for unauthorized access by other users or for loss due to power failure, fire, floods, etc. Fredonia makes no warranties with respect to Internet services, and it specifically assumes no responsibilities for the content of any advice or information received by a user through the use of Fredonia's computer network.

Users should be aware that SUNY Fredonia computer systems and networks may be subject to unauthorized access or tampering. In addition, computer records, including e-mail, are considered "records" which may be accessible to the public under the provisions of the New York State Freedom of Information Law.

V. Services

A. Academic/Administrative and Residential (ResNet) Network

1. Anti-virus Protection

Every computer connected to the campus network will be required to run current anti-virus protection software. Campus-provided "managed" anti-virus protection will be placed on the majority of campus-owned personal computers. The campus provides anti-virus protection software for students to utilize. ResNet students may utilize a "managed" or "un-managed" mode, as owners prefer and as operating systems allow. Non-ResNet student anti-virus protection is un-managed.

It will be the responsibility of "un-managed" clients wishing to use the campus network connectivity to keep anti-virus protection up-to-date. This "un-managed" client group would include:

(a) Campus-owned Macintosh, Linux, and UNIX-based machines

(b) Non-campus owned computers

(c) Student-owned computers for those not wishing to utilize the managed anti-virus protection provided by the campus

In addition, outbound ResNet e-mail will be filtered through a server that will scan and detect viruses.

Information Technology Services and ResNet have the authority to disconnect computers from the network that have been detected as infected. The computer will remain disconnected until the user demonstrates the following: that the machine has been cleaned of viruses/worms, that an appropriate anti-virus product has been licensed for the machine through at least the end of the current academic year, and that the product has been installed and set up to automatically check for and install virus detection updates.

Second and subsequent infractions which result from a lack of an installed, licensed anti-virus product may result in additional penalties.

2. Desktop Upgrades

Every state-owned computer connected to the campus network will have Windows or Macintosh operating systems upgraded or patched by a managed service as applicable.

It will be the responsibility of the "un-managed" clients wishing to use the campus network connectivity to keep all operating systems up-to-date.

3. Network Use

Users shall not utilize the campus network to provide Internet access to any outside source, be it commercial or private.

All Resnet (residential) network users must sign off that they have read this SUNY Fredonia Computer and Network Usage Policy before they are permitted access to the network.

Actions detrimental or inappropriate when accessing the university and Internet resources include but are not limited to the following:

Network naming conventions: All student users must use the username assigned by the university ("abcd1234") for the computer name that will be displayed on the network. The description field is required to be left blank.

Shared connections: A network connection supplied by the university is solely for the use of the individual subscriber assigned to that connection. Connections may not be shared among multiple users. All network subscribers cannot use any mechanisms (either hardware or software) to provide network connectivity to non-subscribers. Users shall not utilize the campus network to provide Internet access to any outside source, be it commercial or private. Users are personally responsible for all use of their computers and network connections and will be held accountable for any violations that occur involving their computer or network connections.

Network infrastructure: All adds, moves, and changes of network infrastructure electronics including but not limited to products such as repeaters, hubs, concentrators, bridges, routers, and switches must be coordinated and installed by university personnel. This includes all cabling that is patched into these devices that provide connectivity. Users are prohibited from connecting any device such as a hub, router, switch, or wireless access point to the provided Ethernet jacks in the room to extend connectivity. For example, a user may not use a hub in their room or office to allow them to connect more than two devices to the network at a time.

Assigned IP address: Alterations of any kind to the assigned IP address or related settings, including using an unauthorized IP address, is prohibited. ResNet IP addresses are assigned dynamically and users are not permitted to configure static IP addresses, DNS addresses, etc.

File Sharing: Users are responsible for the security of the system. All student shared files must be password protected. If a user misconfigures the file sharing, others may be able to affect and alter the user's computer. Users are responsible for the content of files that they distribute. Current laws may permit users to be sued for libel, invasion of privacy, software piracy, pornography, and other such crimes. SUNY Fredonia is not responsible for any loss of data that may occur if users choose to activate file sharing.

Copyright: Distribution of copyrighted materials such as computer software and music is normally prohibited, except where a portion of copyrighted material may be part of the public domain. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and with HR4137 "An Act to amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEOA), University policy forbids the copying, distribution, downloading, and uploading of copyrighted materials on any personal or College computer system or network. These materials include, but are not limited to, text (including e-mails and web information), graphics, art, photographs, music, film, and software. Violators of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act who have illegally shared copyrighted files are subject to civil penalties of between $750 and $150,000 per song. In the past, pre-litigation settlements offered by copyright owners have ranged from $3,000 to $4,000 and up." Additionally, a court may, in its discretion, grant the copyright owner reasonable attorney fees. 17 USC Section 506 lays out criminal penalties for intentional copyright infringement which can include fines and jail time. Refer to http://www.fredonia.edu/its/DMCA.asp for SUNY Fredonia DMCA procedures.

Monetary gain: Network access for monetary gain or for business activities of groups or organizations is prohibited. Re-sale of access or services is prohibited.

Domain registration: The registration of commercial host names to a Network IP address is prohibited.

Servers: Establishing a server or providing a service that over-utilizes the shared bandwidth is prohibited. FTP, Web servers, e-mail servers, and Peer-to-peer are examples of server programs.

Port Scanning: Scanning for computers on any network using port scanners or network probing software, including packet sniffers, is prohibited.

The university networks are monitored and violators of SUNY Fredonia policy will be denied service and referred to the proper authority, as noted in Section V of this policy.

4. Wireless Network

The wireless network is not meant as a replacement for the wired network and is not to be used as a primary network connection. The wireless network is meant to extend the wired network for simple uses in areas where wired network access is unavailable. Users are expected to avoid using applications that will use large amounts of network bandwidth. These include servers and file-sharing applications. Users should be aware that SUNY Fredonia does not utilize 802.11b/g/n encryption standards on the campus wireless network (i.e. WEP, WPA, WPA2).

There are other electronic devices that use the same 2.4GHz frequency as the Fredonia wireless network. Devices include 2.4GHz cordless phones, microwave ovens, X10 wireless cameras, Bluetooth devices and other wireless LAN equipment. Devices using this technology can cause intermittent failure and loss of service.

The following policies are in addition to the SUNY Fredonia campus network usage policies. Actions detrimental or inappropriate when accessing the university and Internet resources include but are not limited to those listed below.

Users may not extend or modify the network in any way. This includes adding access points and installing bridges, switches, hubs, or repeaters. The university reserves the right to remove or disable any unauthorized access points.

Users will be responsible for all costs associated with purchase, installation, operation, and support of wireless adapters in client computers.

Any attempt to break into or gain unauthorized access to any computers or systems from a wireless connection is prohibited.

Running any unauthorized data packet collection programs on the wireless network is prohibited. Such practices are a violation of privacy and constitute theft of user data.

The institution has the right to limit bandwidth on a per connection basis on the wireless network, as necessary, to ensure network reliability and fair sharing of network resources for all wireless users.

Any effort to circumvent the security systems designed to prevent unauthorized access to any SUNY Fredonia wireless network may result in the suspension of all access and an appearance before the appropriate disciplinary board.

For more information regarding the campus wireless network including recommended computing habits and wireless coverage on campus, please visit the following website: http://www.fredonia.edu/its/Networking/Wireless/.

B. Electronic Mail

1. University Use of Electronic Mail

Electronic mail (email) is a mechanism for official communication for SUNY Fredonia. The university expects that such communications will be received and read in a timely fashion.

2. Official University E-Mail Accounts

An official university e-mail account is one in which the address ends with "fredonia.edu." All students, faculty and staff are assigned an e-mail address and account. The e-mail address is directory information. As with other directory information, in compliance with federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations, any student may request that his or her official e-mail address be restricted in its access.

3. Expectations for Use of Email

Students, faculty, and staff have the responsibility to use this e-mail in an efficient, effective, respectful, ethical and lawful manner. Students, faculty, and staff are expected to check their e-mail on a frequent and consistent basis in order to stay current with university-related communications. Unit heads that have exempted employees from the requirement of having an official e-mail account must make arrangements for alternative methods of access to official communications. Students have the responsibility to recognize that certain communications may be time-critical. "I didn't check my e-mail," error in forwarding mail, or e-mail returned to the university with "Mailbox Full" or "User Unknown," are not acceptable excuses for missing official university communications via e-mail.

4. Redirecting of E-mail

If a student, faculty or staff member wishes to redirect e-mail from their official @fredonia.edu address to another email address (e.g., @aol.com, @hotmail.com), they may do so, but at their own initiative and risk. The university will not be responsible for the handling of e-mail by non-SUNY providers. Redirecting email does not absolve students, faculty, or staff from the responsibilities associated with official communication sent to their @fredonia.edu account.

5. Authentication for Confidential Information

It is a violation of university policies, including the Student Code of Conduct, for any user of official e-mail addresses to impersonate a university office, faculty/staff member, or student. To minimize this risk, some confidential information may be made available only through "Your Connection" which is password protected. In these cases, students will receive email correspondence directing them to "Your Connection," where they can access the confidential information by supplying their Fredonia ID and PIN. The confidential information will not be available in the email message.

6. Privacy

Users should exercise extreme caution in using email to communicate confidential or sensitive matters, and should not assume that e-mail is private and confidential. It is especially important that users are careful to send messages only to the intended recipient(s). Particular care should be taken when using the "reply" command during email correspondence.

7. Educational and Administrative Uses of Email

Faculty will determine how electronic forms of communication (e.g., e-mail, discussion boards, etc.) will be used in their classes, and will specify their requirements in the course syllabus. The official e-mail policy ensures that all students will be able to comply with email based course requirements specified by faculty. Faculty can therefore make the assumption that students' official @fredonia.edu accounts are being accessed and faculty can use email for their classes accordingly.

Administrative offices will determine how email communications will be used for administrative purposes.

8. University Announcements

Approval and transmission of email containing essential university announcements to students, faculty and staff must be obtained from the appropriate authority. Only the offices of vice presidents or the University President can authorize the sending of broadcast messages to a wide audience of students, faculty and staff. Mass mailing communications to external fredonia.edu audiences must be accomplished utilizing an appropriately identified third-party service to mitigate the placement of fredonia.edu email servers on spam blacklists.

9. Ownership/Administration

SUNY Fredonia owns all email accounts run on its system. Under certain circumstances it may be necessary for the Information Technology Services staff or other appropriate university officials to access email files to maintain the system, and to investigate security or abuse incidents or violations of other institutional policies. Such access will be on an as-needed basis and any email accessed will be disclosed only to those individuals with a need to know or as required by law. While incidental non-business personal use of email is acceptable, conducting business for profit using university resources is forbidden. Quota, maximum message size, message retention settings, time-out settings, maintenance times, and other email guidelines will be set as appropriate for the anticipated volume and platform scaling. The need to revise settings will be monitored with recommended changes as appropriate. (See e-mail guidelines at http://www.fredonia.edu/helpdesk/email.)

10. Termination

Email accounts are provided to students, faculty and staff as a component of electronic services while enrolled or employed. See Section III K. of this policy. In certain cases, employee email accounts may be continued for a longer period or forwarded for appropriate business conclusions.

11. Violations/Abuses

Violation or abuse of the policy may result in restriction of access to SUNY Fredonia's email system and/or other appropriate disciplinary action.

C. LISTSERVS

1. Establishing a LISTSERV List

List content must reasonably reflect the responsibilities, field of expertise, research, or study of the list sponsor as it relates to his/her function at the university.

List sponsors and owners are expected to abide by all computing resource usage policies put forth by SUNY Fredonia.

2. List Sponsorship/Ownership

Only permanent faculty/staff of the university may sponsor a list.

List owners are responsible for adequately communicating to the list membership (usually in the form of a charter/welcome message sent to all new subscribers) the guidelines for list posting. Owners should also ensure that their subscribers are aware of certain important list configuration settings (e.g., who can post, who can subscribe, etc.)

List owners are responsible for ensuring appropriate membership, as related to university functions.

List owners are responsible for updating the subscriber list and removing or suspending invalid or problematic addresses.

Institutional lists (i.e., announcements, news, Proftalk) will be maintained by the Information Technology Services LISTSERV manager.

3. List Content and Copyright

List subscribers, owners and all others with list posting privileges are expected to observe all applicable copyright restrictions when posting any material that is not their own. The use of a mailing list to distribute any material (including binary files) in violation of copyright or licensing is strictly prohibited.

4. List Expiration and Renewal

All lists, except for class lists, expire on a yearly basis at the end of each spring semester (the week after the end of final exams). Class lists expire at the end of each semester (the week after the end of final exams). Lists that are less than three (3) months old at the time of expiration will not expire until the end of the following semester or academic year, whichever applies.

All list owners will be notified by e-mail at least four weeks prior to the expiration date. In order to renew a list, the list owner must reply to the notification stating his/her intent to renew the list.

If after two expiration notices the list owner has not declared intent to renew, the list will be deleted.

5. List Removal and Deletion

A list may be deleted at any time by the LISTSERV manager at the request of the list sponsor.

Information Technology Services reserves the right to delete lists that: (1) are misused; (2) do not comply with established policy; (3) pose a threat to system security or integrity. In such cases, the LISTSERV manager will attempt to notify the list sponsor and/or primary owner prior to the deletion of the list.

6. Information Technology Services' Rights

Information Technology Services provides LISTSERV mailing lists as a service to the university community. As such, Information Technology Services reserves the right to make alterations in the service at any time for the sake of the common good of all users.

The LISTSERV manager reserves the right to make changes to any list's configuration without notice in the following cases (not exhaustive): (1) to correct errors; (2) to make preferred changes or improvements; (3) where the list owner has been negligent or lax in conducting required list maintenance.

The LISTSERV manager reserves the right to restrict or deny any user's access to or privileges on LISTSERV with due cause. The LISTSERV software may automatically and selectively deny service to users based on bounced or excessive e-mail or other detected problems.

D. The University Website

1. The University Website and Use of the Web Servers

The SUNY Fredonia website, which begins at the home page http://www.fredonia.edu, is a volume of documents on several servers created by diverse authors which, as linked, represents the university as an official publication.

All departmental or student group web pages are part of the official university website, and are screened, monitored, coordinated, supervised, and controlled by the university webmaster, who retains the right to edit the pages.

All official university web pages must be designed to meet standards of technology or content set by the university webmaster or any overriding authority such as SUNY or New York State.

All authorized users of the web servers (for official or personal pages) will be restricted to 7 megabytes of hard drive space per folder, and all space is to be dedicated to web page use only. The university may allow authorized individuals more than 7 megabytes of space if a legitimate academic need is described to the webmaster. No personal file storage or other file activity is permitted on the web servers.

When notified that they are exceeding the 7-megabyte limit, authorized users must delete a necessary amount of material in a time period specified by the webmaster or risk deletion of all files.

Except that access is gained by request, web server and website user responsibilities and access policies are the same as those under section III, IV and VI of this document.

All personal and official web pages will be free of content articulated in sections I and II of this document, in addition to pornography, hate speech, and non-university sponsored e-commerce.

Any official or personal web pages that employ technological features beyond HTML, Java, JavaScript, client-side VBScript and CSS must be submitted for review and approval to the university webmaster.

Web pages using applications such as ASP must be submitted for review and approval by the university webmaster.

World-wide write access is prohibited on any personal or official page.

When a violation of these policies occurs, SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to remove any and all contents in any files or folders on the web server without advance notice or consultation, and to revoke server permissions to any authorized user.

Incidences of violations found by the webmaster may be reported to appropriate university authorities.

All university-based groups (including student groups) who select external web developers will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining quality control procedures and meeting the standards of technology and content set by the university webmaster or any overriding authority such as SUNY or New York State. External developers, with no current, formal or direct affiliation with the university, will not be authorized to possess individual accounts on the university's web servers. All departments or student groups who choose to have an external developer work on their web pages must contact the Help Desk prior to commencing work.

All web pages, images or files that are located on the university web servers must be maintained and updated to reflect current and accurate content. In no instances should the web servers be utilized for storage or archiving purposes. Files that are no longer active or current must be removed from the university web servers periodically, upon the request of the university webmaster, or risk removal as deemed appropriate by the webmaster. The webmaster will periodically remind the campus community to purge its web server directories of all inappropriate or out-of-date files.

Web publishers are responsible for the content of the pages they publish on the university web server and are expected to abide by the highest standards of quality and responsibility. Content must be relevant to the university. Web authors and publishers are required to comply with all SUNY Fredonia university policies, as well as all local, state, and federal laws concerning appropriate use of computers and the Internet. Departmental web pages must conform to the design standards set forth by the university. See Guidelines for Developing and Publishing New Web Pages at: http://www.fredonia.edu/Webservices/guidelines.asp.

The purpose of the web page is to provide information to students and colleagues and must contain the following as a minimum:

All TITLE tags located within HTML files must use the following format to foster consistency, clear page identification, and increase rankings in search engines:

TITLE FORMAT: Page Title – Departmental Name, SUNY Fredonia

Example: <TITLE>Electronic Journals, Daniel A. Reed Library, SUNY Fredonia</TITLE>

All web pages must include the university name "SUNY Fredonia." Rationale: This will help identify the location if the user has entered the website without going through the home page.

All pages must include a link back to the SUNY Fredonia home page (http://www.fredonia.edu).

In no instances should file names include spaces. Hyphens (-), underscores (_), alpha and numbers 0-9 are permissible.

Correct Examples: FileName.HTML, File_Name.HTML

Incorrect Example: File Name.HTML

All web pages must meet the minimum web accessibility requirements as set forth under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and mandated by the New York State Office for Technology Policy 99-3. The policy requires that all New York State agencies' websites provide universal accessibility to persons with disabilities.

All pages must include the following Meta tags for searching and identification purposes. If assistance is required, the following code example should be used (copy and paste the code below) and all underlined information replaced with keyword and a description that are specific to the web page being created.

<HEAD>

<META NAME="keywords" CONTENT=

"Include important keywords from your web page here (i.e., SUNY, public, higher education, Fredonia, America's Best Colleges, Blue Devils, music, liberal arts, Chautauqua County)"><META NAME="description" CONTENT="Include a brief description of your web page here (i.e., SUNY Fredonia is a four-year comprehensive, public, liberal arts university in the Northern U.S., known for bachelor's degree programs in music and education, and named one of America's Best Colleges)">

</HEAD>

The university will host websites for non-university, non-profit organizations as long as their function is relevant to the overall university mission, and as long as there is an active member of the Fredonia campus community (faculty or staff holding a current appointment) who will serve as the sponsor for that website. Sponsors will be issued a special group account that may be used by the web developer, and sponsors will be responsible for maintaining and monitoring the organization's web pages. All new websites or web pages must be submitted by the sponsor for review and approval to the university webmaster prior to uploading to the university servers. Sponsors must also notify the university webmaster any time the content on any of the pages has been modified. These non-campus hosted websites must comply with all the policies that are required of official university web pages. The university webmaster reserves the right to edit content and revoke server permissions to any authorized user who does not abide by the policies set forth by SUNY Fredonia.

2. Personal Web Pages

Users may create their own homepages. Faculty and students will have FTP (File Transfer Protocol) access to a personal directory on the university server where they can maintain their own homepage files. Under no circumstances should personal space and/or files be shared with other users. In designing a personal homepage, persons should keep in mind that homepages may not be used for personal profit, nor to violate copyright, pornography or any other state or federal laws. The university reserves the right to monitor all work on the server and remove any personal homepage or files it determines have violated any of the policies. In addition, failure to comply with computing policies could, in some cases, lead to disciplinary action or criminal prosecution.

3. Blog and Forum Standards on SUNY Fredonia's Website

SUNY Fredonia Website Services provides server space and forum and web log or blog services in support of scholarly, academic, extra-curricular and professional communications conducted by members of the university community who have network accounts. Standards for posting behavior:

Content should be free of vulgar, racist, sexist, homophobic, or otherwise objectionable matter, including personal attacks against named individuals.

Posts should stay on-topic and be faithful to the theme or purpose of the blog or forum.

The following statement must appear on all blog and forum pages: "The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author(s). The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by SUNY Fredonia."

SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to require blog and forum administrators to use university-approved templates for all hosted pages.

When blog and forum content violates university website policy or local, state or federal law, SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to remove such content or the blog or forum itself. SUNY Fredonia also reserves the right to do the same at its sole discretion when it is indeed appropriate to do so.

E. ANGEL Learning Management System

ANGEL policy will address items not already covered by another policy or regulation.

Access defaults should mirror Banner data accessibility rules:

Faculty can see profile data (address, phone number) for students in their classes.

Students can see profile for faculty.

Directory information will be available to authenticated users.

Students who request confidentiality of directory information via the Registrar will be granted confidentiality in ANGEL and indicated as confidential to faculty.

Banner data determines ANGEL course enrollments with a nightly add/drop. Accounts and Roster entries are added nightly. Drops and withdrawals are marked as "disabled" in the ANGEL course roster. There will be no self-enrollment for students in courses. Faculty may allow access to others at their discretion. Courses are searchable and accessible to students upon creation.

Undergraduate students are not authorized to access the ANGEL Gradebook. This item is currently under review and will be audited until a final decision is made.

Students will be allowed the role of Group Leader and will be able to request a group be made for online collaboration from any SUNY Fredonia employee who agrees to sponsor their online group. Student Group Leaders can add members to the group if they know the Fredonia e-mail address of the potential member. They will not be able to list ANGEL accounts or educational records. They will only see directory information.

Librarians will have access to courses for those who request reserve materials. Reserve readings will be published to ANGEL courses regardless of whether the instructor uses ANGEL for the class. Permission is granted to library staff by the instructor via the reserve request form.

Campus members may submit public items (news, events, forums, polls, surveys) to the ANGEL Administrator to post in Public Areas of ANGEL. Items will be selected based on their academic nature and relevance to a general student audience. Policy for increased access to public components is being developed.

Fredonia ID photos will be added to ANGEL to allow instructors to view photos of students enrolled in their classes.

Campus members may request guest ANGEL accounts by e-mailing the ANGEL Administrator. This item is being reviewed by the Electronic Services Group.

At this time, there are no plans to delete ANGEL accounts. When students graduate, their accounts will be disabled and categorized as ALUMNI. These accounts may be activated as part of the Eportfolio implementation. Employees who leave and students who don't return will also be disabled and categorized as EX.

Groups will automatically be created for Departments and Advisors based on Banner data.

Data purge policies are under development.

F. Virtual Private Network

SUNY Fredonia Information Technology Services provides a Virtual Private Network (VPN) primarily for Information Technology Services staff to remotely and securely monitor and administer systems as necessary. The following standards are designed to minimize the potential exposure to SUNY Fredonia from damages, which may result from unauthorized use of SUNY Fredonia resources. Damages include the loss of sensitive or university confidential data, intellectual property, damage to public image, damage to critical SUNY Fredonia internal systems, etc.

Limited VPN use is provided for employee administrative access to confidential databases when remote work-related business is absolutely necessary, and when the employee has Cabinet-level approval for such access. Employees with VPN privileges understand and agree to the following:

It is their responsibility to select, coordinate installation of, and pay associated fees for high-speed connectivity (DSL) through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

It is their responsibility to ensure that unauthorized users are not allowed access to SUNY Fredonia internal networks via their VPN.

VPN use is controlled using password authentication.

VPN gateways will be set up and managed by SUNY Fredonia ITS, and only ITS-approved VPN clients may be used.

By using VPN technology with personal equipment, users understand that their machines are a de facto extension of SUNY Fredonia's network, and as such are subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to SUNY Fredonia-owned equipment, i.e., their machines must be configured to comply with all SUNY Fredonia Security Policies, including the latest operation system security patches and anti-virus software definitions.

Desktop support and connectivity issues related to VPN access are provided by Information Technology Services on state-owned equipment only.

VI. Unauthorized Use

Violation of these regulations is unethical and may constitute a criminal offense.

Offenses will be dealt with according to any or all of the following: applicable federal laws, Chapters 156 and 165.15 of the New York State Penal Law; the SUNY Fredonia Student Rights and Responsibilities ; other laws, regulations, and policies of the campus, the State University of New York, the State of New York and the United States of America. Offenses may result in the suspension or permanent closing of usernames, campus disciplinary action, legal action and/or other action.

When Information Technology Services or the Residential Network (ResNet) Office becomes aware of a possible violation, the university will initiate an investigation in conjunction with the campus Security Administrator and/or relevant campus offices including the Office of Student Affairs, Human Resources Office, and University Police. Users are expected to cooperate fully in such investigations when requested.

In order to prevent further unauthorized activity during the course of such an investigation, Information Technology Services may suspend authorization for use of all computing facilities for the user(s) involved in the violation. ResNet reserves the right to temporarily suspend a user's Internet connection pending the outcome of any required Administrative Sanction Hearing.

The following include, but are not limited to, examples of unauthorized use:

A. Academic Dishonesty

Practicing any form of dishonesty through use of computing facilities (for example, cheating, plagiarism, or fraud) is prohibited.

B. Harassment

Using computers or networks to harass, abuse or intimidate another person is prohibited. Users shall not develop or use programs that harass other users. Users shall be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities, and take care not to display on screens in such locations images, sounds or messages that could create an atmosphere of discomfort or harassment for others.

C. Obscenity

Obscene language in electronic mail, messages, process names, file names, file data, and other publicly visible forms is prohibited.

D. Child Pornography

Federal Child Pornography Law makes it illegal to create, possess, or distribute graphic depiction of minors engaged in sexual activity, including computer graphics. Computers storing such information can be seized as evidence.

E. Pornography

Pornography in electronic mail, file data, web sites, and other publicly visible forms, is prohibited.

Revised policy approved by the authority of the President's Cabinet March 2010. s/Computer and Network Usage Policy March 2010.doc

Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment

University Policy

Sexual discrimination in the form of sexual harassment, defined as the use of one's authority and power to coerce another individual into sexual acts or relations or to punish the other for his/her refusal, shall be a violation of the policy of SUNY Fredonia.

What Is Sexual Discrimination?

"No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment may include repeated unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature carried out by someone in the workplace or educational setting. Such behavior may offend the recipient, cause discomfort or humiliation and interfere with job or school performance.

Peer Harassment - Students have a right to an environment free from sexual harassment, not only by persons in positions of power, but by any member of the university community. Sexual harassment constitutes a serious threat to the free interaction and exchange necessary for educational and personal development.

Sexual harassment may range from inappropriate sexual innuendos to coerced sexual relations. It can happen to both men and women, but a woman is more often the victim.

What Can Be Done About Sexual Discrimination/Harassment?

What can a student do when he/she believes that. . .

• course material ignores or depreciates a student because of his/her sex?
• an adviser does not take a student's career and educational goals seriously because she/he appears to believe them inappropriate for members of his/her sex?
• a student is denied resources, such as financial aid, teaching assistantships, or admission to a program for sexist reasons?
• a student is pressured by a professor or staff person to participate with him/her in social and/or sexual activities?

Students often feel powerless in such situations but there are people on campus who are willing to talk to them about those problems without any obligation on the part of either party. Such situations as those described above are not condoned by SUNY Fredonia or the teaching profession. In some instances they occur out of ignorance and misunderstanding and need only to be brought to the attention of the professor. In other instances they can be considered unethical and subject to professional reprimand.

Actions a Student Can Take

(In suggested order)

1. The student can talk to the professor or staff person, carefully explaining why he/she views the particular comment, joke, course reading, action taken, etc. as sexist. The student should regard the meeting as a kind of consciousness-raising session where he/she can help him/her understand how he/she feels. Sometimes people aren't aware of how their remarks or actions affect someone else, and communicating their feelings to the professor might be the most helpful to him/her in avoiding such actions in the future. The student is to be sure to prepare for the meeting ahead of time with documentation (e.g., class notes, tapes, specific comments he/she made and a logical presentation). Sometimes people don't understand how sexist remarks can hurt; it might help the student to draw the analogy of racist or anti-ethnic remarks - "Would you make fun of a person's skin color or ethnic background? Then why do so with sex?" To get support the student should consider going to see the professor with several other people from class. If he/she can't find others in the class (and discussing the issues with other students in itself may help raise consciousness), he/she should take friends along who aren't in the class. The student might also seek help from those listed below.
2. The student should contact university people and groups who are concerned about sexual discrimination. These people are willing to listen, discuss specific incidents, and provide help and advice if wanted:

   Sandra A. Lewis, Affirmative Action, (716) 673-3358

   Ann McCarron Burns, University Police, (716) 673-3465

   David E. Herman, Student Affairs, (716) 673-3271

   Leanna White, Counseling Center, (716) 673-3424

   Monica White, Student Affairs, (716) 673-3271

   Averl Otis, Multicultural Affairs, (716) 673-3398

3. If a student has talked to the professor or staff person and sexual discrimination continues, the student should write a letter to him/her documenting the incidents and explaining why they are offensive. The student should state that he/she has not obtained results from previous discussion(s) and note the date(s) of the discussion(s). The student should send a carbon copy to the head of his/her department or unit and to one of the above-listed people. Students, who fail to receive a satisfactory answer from the staff members and/or head, should request a meeting with the two of them and take along an objective third party (another professor or perhaps one of the people in the above list).
4. Students should not enroll in classes that are sexually discriminatory, and should let the professor know why they haven't enrolled. In filling out course evaluation forms, a student should make it known why he/she has been offended by such discriminatory comments or actions. If the professor has responded to earlier complaints and has made efforts to change, support those efforts in the evaluation. Students are asked to remember to always give full support to professors who are fair and who treat students as human beings regardless of sex.
5. It may be necessary to file a formal grievance or complaint. This is a very serious step and should not be undertaken without discussion and counsel with a staff member who understands established grievance procedures at SUNY Fredonia. Once again, students are asked to consult with one of the people on the above list.

Credit for the above is readily given to the Project on the Status and Education of Women, Association of American Colleges, 1818 R Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., and the Utah State University Committee on the Status of Women.