The Student Handbook (2025-2026)

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Contents

Updated 01/30/2026

The Student Handbook was prepared for the Board of Trustees of the College by and under the auspices of the vice president for student affairs.

The Student Handbook is applicable to all Providence College full-time undergraduate students. The Code of Conduct and Community Standards, regulatory policies and procedures apply to all full-time undergraduate students, graduate students, special students, and students in the School of Continuing Education.

This Handbook provides pertinent information about student life at Providence College, and the applicable policies and procedures, including behavioral standards.

It is the responsibility of all students to become familiar with the contents of this Handbook, to act with careful consideration of its requirements, and to seek assistance whenever necessary and as directed. In some instances, regulations governing a particular subject matter in the Handbook are also contained in the College catalogs or in other promulgated notices. The provisions of this Handbook are subject to revision by posting or otherwise published notice during the academic year.

In the event of a discrepancy between the information contained in this Handbook and another Collegepublication or document, the terms of this Handbook will apply.

A Message from the Dean of Students

Providence College is recognized not only as a center of intellectual excellence; but for its commitment to engaging and educating the whole person. The Division of Student Affairs identifies four foundational areas upon which our programs and services are formed. The four foundations are: Human Flourishing; Contemplation and Communication; Cultural Competence; and Integrated Learning. Students are asked to reflect on questions about meaning and purpose: To what extent am I flourishing? What prevents me from authentic happiness? What are my talents and strengths? Who am I called to be? What are my responsibilities to others? Through what lenses do I see the world? In what ways do others see things differently? What does what I am learning have to do with what I am doing?

PC is a community where students, faculty, administration and staff engage in learning and dialogue in an effort to develop ideas, values, competencies, and skills and to inspire a lifelong love of learning and a zeal for service and justice. It is our sincere hope that you participate fully.

Students and graduates have told us the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and organizations at Providence College extended their learning beyond the walls of the classrooms. Whether you are at a meeting in Slavin Center, competing or exercising in Concannon Fitness Center, volunteering in the community, praying in St. Dominic Chapel, or even eating with your peers at Raymond Dining Hall, Alumni Hall Food Court, or McPhail’s, you will have significant opportunities to grow personally, develop friendships, and learn about yourself and others.

The Division of Student Affairs is here to partner with and support you through our services, programs, and personal interactions. This Student Handbook will begin to help you understand and make use of the resources available to you. It will also explain your rights and responsibilities — in other words what will be expected of you and what you should expect from your peers.

We look forward to spending time with and getting to know you. GO FRIARS! Steven Sears, MBA, Ed.D

Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students

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St. Dominic and the Dominican Tradition

A stained-glass portrait of St. Dominic, arms outstretched.

The Dominican Tradition has its origin in the life and ministry of St. Dominic de Guzman (1172 – 1221), the son of a Spanish noble, who founded one of the largest religious Orders in the Catholic Church. His charismatic vision of a way of responding to the needs of the Church in the thirteenth century led to the establishment of the Order of Preachers –popularly known as the Dominicans.

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St. Dominic, Canon Regular and Itinerant Preacher

Dominic de Guzman completed his theological studies at Palencia in 1196, and became a Canon Regular, a member of a community of priests following the Rule of St. Augustine, of the cathedral of Osma in Spain. In 1203, Dominic first encountered the Albigensians of southern France while on a diplomatic mission with his bishop, Diego de Acebes, to arrange a marriage between the son of King

Alfonso VIII of Castile and the daughter of the King of Denmark.

After the marriage negotiations had failed in 1205, Dominic and Diego stopped at the papal court in Rome on their way back to Spain. Pope Innocent III (1198 – 1216) enlisted the services of Dominic and Diego and sent them to be part of the preaching mission against the Albigensians in Languedoc, the south of France. The nine years between 1206 and 1215 that he spent preaching among the Albigensians taught Dominic a great deal about the impact of the Perfect on their followers. These years also served as the germinating period for the development of a charismatic vision of a way of living the Gospel in accord with the Christian faith that would appeal to the deepest ideals and needs of the men and women of his time.

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Dominic’s Vision of the Family of Contemplative Preachers

Dominic was guided by the image of the early Christian community in Jerusalem in the opening chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, which was at the heart of the spirituality he had known as a Canon Regular. He believed that the renewal of Christian society necessitated communities of men and women committed to living the apostolic life. The major component of that apostolic life was to be the preaching of the Gospel by members of communities that lived in evangelical poverty, who were devoted to contemplative prayer and engaged in constant study of the word of God. In Dominic’s understanding, preachers were called to be the living reflection of the Gospel they proclaimed. Hence for him, the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience were meant to recreate and transform the preacher into an apostle, a living witness to the crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

During his early years of preaching in Languedoc, Dominic gathered a group of Albigensian women whom he had converted to form the nucleus of the first community of Dominican nuns. Through a life of contemplative prayer lived in a community dedicated to poverty and mutual service, these Dominican women would incarnate the apostolic life and preach the Gospel by their witness to prayer and service. Although the Order of Preachers did not yet have official status, the first community of Dominican women at Prouille in the south of France, the preaching nuns, initiated an evolutionary development in which countless women in the centuries to come in collaboration with their Dominican brothers would fully participate in and help to develop the life and ministry of the Order of Preachers, the Dominican Family.

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The Foundation of the Order of Friars Preachers

After the establishment of the Dominican nuns at Prouille, Dominic continued the implementation of his vision of communities of contemplative preachers living the apostolic life. In the Spring of 1215 at the invitation of Bishop Fulk of Toulouse in southern France, Dominic brought the men who were his preaching companions in Languedoc to this important city so they could establish a formal religious community there under the direction of the bishop. Later in 1215 when Bishop Fulk set out to attend the Fourth Lateran Council in Rome, Dominic accompanied him, hoping to obtain papal approval for his new community of contemplative preachers. In accord with the legislation of the Council, Pope Innocent III promised Dominic that he would approve the founding of the new Order of Preachers after Dominic had chosen one of the already existing Rules of religious life.

As a Canon Regular of Osma, Dominic was already following the Rule of St. Augustine. He supplemented this rule with legislation and customs borrowed from the Premonstratensians, an order of Canons Regular founded by St. Norbert at Premontre in 1120, who supported his own vision of the apostolic life by liturgical prayer. The spirituality of the Canons Regular was that of a community of religious priests who dedicated themselves to carrying out the daily liturgy of the Church through the solemn celebration of Mass and the Divine Office and to caring for the sacramental needs of the faithful. St. Dominic joined these priestly ideals of the Canons Regular to a ministry of preaching in poverty (mendicancy) that flowed from a life of contemplation and study.

In December, 1216, Pope Honorius III (1216 – 1227), the successor of Innocent III, approved Dominic’s plan for an order of contemplative preachers exercising the priestly ministry and living in mendicant poverty. They owned no property except for the land on which their religious houses (priories) were built and they were to work or beg for their daily needs. In the final four and a half years of his life, Dominic transformed the sixteen friars living in community at Toulouse into the international Order of Preachers whose lives and ministry would impact history until the present.

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The Development of the Order of Preachers

In August, 1217 Dominic sent seven friars to Paris to study, to teach and to found a priory, and four to Spain to preach and establish priories. Three friars remained in Toulouse to continue the ministry they had begun under Bishop Fulk, and two friars went to Prouille to preach in Languedoc and to minister to the spiritual and temporal needs of the preaching nuns. Dominic himself set out for Rome to gain further support from Pope Honorius and to prepare the way for foundations in Italy. The years from 1217 to 1220 saw the growth of the Order through the reception of new members, the establishment of new priories and the development of the preaching mission of the Order throughout Europe.

Under St. Dominic’s direction, thirty representatives from the twelve priories in Europe gathered for General Chapters at Bologna in 1220 and 1221. The General Chapter of 1220 enacted legislation for preaching, formation of new members, studies, the observance of poverty, and the procedures for General chapters. St. Dominic insisted that the Order’s laws were not to bind under sin, and that the Priors had the power to dispense from the Order’s laws when necessary for the sake of preaching or study.

The General Chapter of 1221 created Provinces as subdivisions of the Order, which would gather the priories of a certain geographic area under the authority of a Provincial, who was responsible to the Master of the Order. The twelve Provinces established by St. Dominic and the General Chapter were Spain, Provence, France, Lombardy, Tuscany, Germany, Hungary, England, Greece, Scandinavia, Poland and the Holy Land. However, the most significant work of the Chapter, which ended six weeks before Dominic’s death, was the formulation of the basic constitutional legislation that would concretize his vision and provide the flexibility for the subsequent development of the preaching mission of the Order.

The mission or purpose of the Order of Preachers is preaching and the eternal salvation of our brothers and sisters in the human family. The four means of attaining that end are: 1) the three vows of obedience, chastity and poverty; 2) community life with the monastic observances; 3) the solemn recitation of the Divine Office; and 4) the study of sacred truth.

Source: Providence College Mission and Ministry

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The Founding of Providence College

Providence College was founded in 1917 through a joint effort of the Diocese of Providence and the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph, with the blessing of Pope Benedict XV and the consent of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island.

The driving force behind the development of the College was the late Rt. Rev. Matthew Harkins,

D. D., Bishop of Providence, whose dream it was to create a center of advanced learning primarily for the Catholic youth of Rhode Island. However, the College’s charter demonstrates that the founders intended PC to serve members of all religious faiths as it reads: “no person shall be refused admission . . . nor shall any person be denied any of the privileges, honors, or degrees in said college on account of the religious opinion he may entertain.”

Bishop Harkins’ negotiations with the Dominicans of the Province of St. Joseph and his gifts of approximately 17 acres of land and $10,000 in scholarship funds helped make Providence College a reality. With donations coming primarily from Catholics of modest means, and a pledge from the Province of St. Joseph to provide Dominican administrators and teachers, the College broke ground for the imposing Harkins Hall in 1917. Two years later, in September

1919, it opened its doors to 71 students and nine Dominican faculty members.

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The Mission of Providence College

Providence College is a Catholic, Dominican, liberal arts institution of higher education and a community committed to academic excellence in pursuit of the truth, growth in virtue, and service of God and neighbor.

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History

Providence College was founded in 1917bytheDominican Friars at the invitation of Bishop Harkins to provide a Catholic education in the arts and sciences.

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Faith and Reason

Providence College is confident in the appeal of reason, believes that human beings are disposed to know the truth, and trusts in the power of grace to enlighten minds, open hearts, and transform lives. Providence College maintains that the pursuit of truth has intrinsic value, that faith and reason are compatible and complementary means to its discovery, and that the search for truth is the basis for dialogue with others and critical engagement with the world.

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Academic Excellence

Providence College is committed to academic excellence, and holds itself to the highest standards in teaching, learning, and scholarship. Its core curriculum addresses key questions of human existence, including life’s meaning and purpose, and stresses the importance of moral and ethical reasoning, aesthetic appreciation, and understanding the natural world, other cultures, and diverse traditions. Providence College honors academic freedom promotes critical thinking and engaged learning, and encourages a pedagogy of disputed questions.

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Community and Diversity

Providence College seeks to reflect the rich diversity of the human family. Following the example of St. Dominic, who extended a loving embrace to all, it welcomes qualified men and women of every background and affirms the God-given dignity, freedom, and equality of each person. Providence College promotes the common good, the human flourishing of each member of the campus community, and service of neighbors near and far.

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Veritas and Providence

Providence College brings the eight-hundred-year-old Dominican ideal of veritas to the issues and challenges of today. It seeks to share the fruits of contemplation in an increasingly global and diverse society, and to praise and bless all that is good and vital in human endeavors. Providence College supports the Dominican mission of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a new generation of students and helping them discover God’s providence in their lives.

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Notice of Non-Discrimination

Providence College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, or veteran status, and without regard to genetic information, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, or any other applicable legally protected basis, in the administration of its education policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other College-administered programs, and employment policies. In accordance with Title IX, it does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in its educational programs or activities. Nothing in this Notice shall require Providence College to act in a manner contrary to its Dominican mission and the teaching and tenets of the Catholic Church, and the College reserves the right to take actions designed to ensure and promote its Catholic and Dominican mission.

Inquiries regarding the application of this Notice of Non-Discrimination and Providence College’s non-discrimination policies may be directed as follows:

  • The Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator, Coordinator of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Coordinator, is:
    • Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources (Mirlen A. Mal, Harkins 302, 401-865-2430, mmal@providence.edu)

      Inquiries regarding ADA/Section 504 accommodations for students may also be directed to:
    • Academic Matters – Assistant Dean/Director of Accessibility Services (Jonathan A. Gomes, Library 216, 401-865-2470, jgomes3@providence.edu); and
    • Non-Academic Matters – Assistant Director of Student Outreach & Support Services (Whitney M. Tourinho, Slavin 201, 401-865-1029, wtourinh@providence.edu)
  • The Coordinator of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is:
    • Assistant Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Compliance (Simone N. Tubman, Harkins 312, 401-865-2878, stubman@providence.edu)

The Title IX Coordinator is assisted by deputy coordinators, including members of the faculty and the administration (https://equity-compliance.providence.edu/).

Concerns about the College’s application of Title IX can be made externally to:

  • Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, Telephone: 800-421-3481
  • Regional Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1475; Telephone: 202-453-6020
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
  • The Coordinator of the College’s Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act is:
  • Assistant Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Compliance (Simone N. Tubman, Harkins 312, 401-865-2878, stubman@providence.edu) Updated February 4, 2026

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Section I. Student Activities

At Providence College, students are challenged to extend the boundaries of learning through the activities they become involved in, the resources they utilize and the people they meet. Students are continually encouraged to contribute to the campus community in ways that can make a difference.

There is a long and rich history of co-curricular activities at Providence College. Student organizations are an integral part of the College and all students are encouraged to join and take part in the activities and organizations. With over 100 clubs and organizations from which to choose, all students are sure to find groups of interest to them. At the beginning of each semester, students are encouraged to attend the Involvement Fair to learn more about the individual clubs and organizations and to register to become involved in one or more.

Members of the faculty and administrative staff serve as advisors of student organizations. The organizations listed in this section of the Student Handbook are currently approved by and active at Providence College. Some of the organizations and activities listed function in association with academic departments of the College. For more information, call the Student Congress at 865-2419 or Student Engagement and Leadership at 865-2211.

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Clubs and Organizations

A student organization is defined as a group of students joined in the pursuit of a common purpose, guided by an approved constitution under the direction of chosen officers, and officially recognized by the College.

Students are urged to take an active role in student organizations, since such activity contributes to their overall education as a whole person and to the educational goals of Providence College. Correlative to that end, no student organization will be recognized by Providence College which conflicts with the goals of the College or the Catholic atmosphere in which the College seeks to accomplish its goals. The proximate administrative officer appointed to advise and oversee all student organizations is the vice president for student affairs.

Eligibility to seek election or hold office in a student organization is contingent upon satisfaction of the following conditions:

  1. The student has and maintains a cumulative grade point average of 2.25.
  2. The student is in good disciplinary and academic integrity standing.

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Official Recognition of Student Organizations

The official constitutions of all student organizations are submitted first to the Student Congress and then to the vice president for student affairs for approval. A guide and outline form for a constitution is available from the Student Congress.

Recognition of new departmental or professional organizations must be sought from the dean of undergraduate studies. New religious activities must have the approval of the College chaplain.

New student organizations may be initiated only with the approval of the Student Congress and the express approval of the vice president for student affairs whose decision is final.

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Advisors

Each student organization officially recognized by the College must have a full-time faculty member or administrator as its advisor. Any exception must be approved by the vice president for student affairs.

Advisors are approved by the Office of the Dean of Students. Appointment of the advisor becomes official upon notification from the dean of students to the organization. To ensure proper coordination and communication, students must consult with the advisor with respect to plans for future activities and all matters of organizational business. Advisors are expected to be invited to and attend meetings and participate in the functions of the organization as appropriate.

All deposits and withdrawals of student funds are done procedurally through the Office of the Dean of Students.

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Contracts

The Office of Student Activities & Cultural Programming maintains a file of information on professional talent. Because of the complex nature of professional talent contracts, all negotiations with talent agencies must have the prior approval of the vice president for student affairs or his/her designee and all contracts for professional services must be signed by the director of Student Engagement and Leadership or the dean of students. No student has the authority to bind the College in a contractual arrangement under any circumstances.

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Event Planning

The Student Engagement and Leadership staff provides event and activity planning guidance for students, clubs, and organizations to ensure a successful program. Refer to the office’s Successful Event Planning Handbook for policies, procedures, and helpful information required when planning a function.

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Scheduling

Social events and activities within the residence halls are scheduled through the Office of Residence Life & Housing, the Student Engagement and Leadership, and the College Events central reservation office.

All other social events and activities are scheduled through the Student Activities & Cultural Programming office and the College Events central reservation office in Harkins Hall. A social event is any party, dance, mixer, banquet, reception, picnic, or other group activity planned for and sponsored by college students, individually or collectively, on the College campus or off campus. All clubs and organizations must complete an online Event Proposal Form located on PC Central. It may be accessed through the MyPC portal Student Engagement and Leadership page. Please refer to the Successful Event Planning Guide for policies and procedures.

All College facilities and spaces, including the Slavin Center and lawn, McPhail’s, athletic facilities, and fields must be reserved online through Central Reservations/25Live. Your PC network log-in information is used to access the system to check availability of space. The reservation will be submitted on your behalf once you have completed the Event Registration Form.

Projectors, screens, computers, and public address equipment are available from Academic Media Services to individuals and organizations reserving facilities. Lecterns, tables, chairs, and display boards are available from the Department of Physical Plant. All requirements must be specified in writing when making the room reservation. Please refer to the Student Handbook section on Services and Facilities for more information.

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Student Organization Events that include Alcohol

One of the objectives of the Student Activities & Cultural Programming office is to make both the programs and the facilities of the College available to students of all ages. In order to assist those who plan on-campus and off-campus events, permission to sponsor such events at which alcoholic beverages are served may be granted to recognized student organizations (unofficial student organizations may not host such functions) only after the following procedures have been followed and applicable criteria met:

  1. An Event Registration Form has been submitted to the Student Engagement and Leadership and the event has been approved in principle. Once approved, requests to sell alcoholic beverages in venues other than McPhail’s must be submitted in writing to the vice president for student affairs at least fourteen (14) days prior to the proposed event by the president of the student organization.
  2. The Student Engagement and Leadership staff will work with Sodexo Dining Ser vices or the off-campus venue to make arrangements for alcohol service at the approved event.
  3. Student organizations may not host social events that encourage drinking or drunkenness as themes. Terms such as “beer bash,” “blast,” or “all you can drink” are strictly prohibited. Student groups may write “beer garden with proper ID” or “full bar with proper ID” on the advertisement.
  4. Student workers at any event at which alcoholic beverages are served must not consume any alcoholic beverage before or during the event.
  5. Alcoholic beverages are not to be featured as a source of fundraising.
  6. The director of Student Engagement and Leadership or his/her designee must make all purchases of alcohol for the event. Purchases made through other agencies are not permitted and bills received in such cases will not be honored by the College. Student beer or liquor representatives will not be recognized by the College.

The following additional regulations pertain to the event itself:

  1. The advisor of an organization and/or an official College representative must be present at all events for which the alcohol privilege has been given.
  2. Food and non-alcoholic beverages are to be served at all events at which alcohol is served and has been authorized.
  3. The bartenders and/or bar service at all student events must be approved by the director of Student Engagement and Leadership.
  4. The sponsoring organization bears the responsibility to assure that no one is coerced to drink, or to drink excessively. The sponsoring organization in cooperation with college staff should not admit intoxicated people to the event. Further, bands or entertainment acts may not be presented free alcoholic beverages.
  5. If any student organization or recognized student group unreasonably fails to prevent the consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 at an event sponsored, planned or promoted by the organization sponsors shall be referred to the Office of Community Standards.

In addition, the following procedures and regulations apply to off-campus events:

  1. Permission to provide/serve alcohol at off-campus events should be obtained from the Office of the Dean of Students at least 21 days prior to the event or any advertisement of the event.
  2. Advertising and/or selling tickets for off-campus parties may not occur on campus.
  3. The sponsoring organization must provide buses to and from the event. The Office of Public Safety should be advised of the event and their assistance should be obtained regarding the arrival and departure procedures of the buses. Alcohol consumption is not permitted on the buses. Voluntary Release Forms must be used.
  4. The establishment where the event is to take place must take full responsibility for compliance with liquor laws of the state and city or town.
  5. At off-campus events at which alcohol is served, the College assumes no responsibility for the supply, provision, or sale of any alcoholic beverage. The College shall not be responsible for providing bartenders, checking for proper identification, monitoring of consumption of beverages, and complying with state law.

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Student Organizations, Clubs, & Recreational Sports

All student activity fees are distributed via the vice president of student affairs and his/her designee to fund student clubs and organizations.

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Student Congress

The Student Congress, the central representative body of the students of Providence College, has three primary functions: to serve as the primary student voice on campus, to dispense allocated student activity fees to subordinate organizations, and to collaborate with the Office of Dean of Students to coordinate the selection of individuals for various committees.

The president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary are elected annually by the entire student body. Officers and representatives of the Student Congress are elected by each class. All serve for a term of one academic year.

Representatives from Student Congress serve on most College committees.

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McPhail’s Entertainment Facility

McPhail’s, named in honor of Rev. J. Stuart McPhail, O.P. former vice president for student services, is open seven days a week and located on the ground level of the Slavin Center (Room G10), is a great place to meet friends or grab a bite to eat. There are two pool tables, a projector screen TV, and a dance floor made from the panels of the original Alumni Hall gym floor. The snack bar offers soft drinks and milkshakes.

Popcorn and use of the pool tables are always free of charge. Activities at McPhail’s include Bingo on Thursday nights, theme nights, concerts, lectures, senior nights, game watches, and special dinners. For McPhail’s reservation inquiries, please complete the Event Registration Form on PC Central. It is accessible through the My-PC portal.

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Slavin Center

The Slavin Center named in honor of the Very Reverend Robert Joseph Slavin, O.P. Ph.D., the sixth president of Providence College, is the campus” student center. Within the Slavin Center are meeting rooms, services including the bookstore and bank, an information desk, administrative offices, student club/organization offices, and student gathering space.

Fall of 2009 marked the grand opening of an addition to the Slavin Center — the first since it opened its doors in 1971. The glass enclosed addition includes a large atrium, student social space featuring Dunkin’ Donuts, and a new lounge/reception area. The Slavin Center is open 24 hours a day

for students to enjoy. For more information regarding services located within the Slavin Center, please visit the Student Engagement and Leadership website.

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Campus Ministry

All students are invited to join in the many opportunities offered through your Campus Ministry. Campus Ministry, which is open to students of all faith traditions, offers a variety of avenues to grow in relationship with God by serving, connecting, and worshiping.

Serve the community through Faith Works, Habitat for Humanity, and Special Olympics, through working in soup kitchens, children’s centers, and nursing homes, or through immersion trips to New Orleans, Jamaica, and Guatemala.

Connect with old and new friends by planning post-Mass Bash, coming to Dinner with Dominicans, joining the Women’s Study Group or the Knights of Columbus, or building community across campus. The Peer Ministry programs also offers a wonderful chance to connect with others in your class in small groups to discuss how to grow in your faith during college.

Worship the Lord through singing or serving at Mass, attending or leading one of our many retreats, or helping out with one of our Bilingual Masses. If you wish to be Baptized, Confirmed, or enter into full communion with the Catholic Church, you can join our RCIA program to prepare for the Sacraments at Easter time.

Stop by the Campus Ministry Open House in September or January, visit the Campus Ministry Center in the Lower Level of St. Dominic Chapel, or call 865-2216 to learn more.

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Section II: Services and Facilities

Campus Card Program: The PC Card

Harkins Hall 401. 401-865-CARD (2273)

For more information and policies regarding the PC Card Program, please visit the Web page at: https://pccard.providence.edu/

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Chirico Career Center

Slavin Center 108, 401-865-1290
Email: careers@providence.edu
https://chirico-career-center.providence.edu/

Career coaches assist students in identifying and executing individualized game plans, which increase the likelihood that their passions, their skills, and the market will intersect. A typical game plan will include many, if not all, of the following, and will be repeated through the four years of college, and throughout life: Self-Insight & Exploration, Professional Skills & Market Readiness.

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Class Cancellation and Office Closings Due to Weather

It may be necessary for Providence College to cancel/delay classes or limit services due to inclement weather. If a decision to delay/cancel is made, students will be notified by social media. Also, students may call the College Snow/Inclement Weather Line (401-865-1012) or listen to one of the following stations: television stations – Channels 6, 10, 12; radio stations – 630WPRO, 920WHJJ. If the College is to be closed for the entire day, efforts will be made to have the announcement on the air by 7:30 a.m.

Community Standards

Slavin Center 206, 401-865-2813
https://student-affairs.providence.edu/office-community-standards/

The Office of Community Standards, formerly known as Judicial Affairs and Student Conduct, is called Student Discipline at some other colleges and universities. Providence College renamed it in 2012 to more accurately reflect its purpose – to help students who have violated standards of behavior reconcile with themselves and the community. Guided by behavior change theories, this office seeks to mitigate things preventing students from human flourishing. Incidents can be seen as transformative life moments – leading to greater self-awareness and responsibility.

The Office of Community Standards supports our students” efforts to demonstrate strength of character, safe and productive behavior, and respect for all members of the Providence College community, its mission and the Code of Conduct. The Office of Community Standards achieves this through a commitment to education, meaningful dialogue, accountability and adherence to a disciplinary forum that is transparent, fair, and committed to student development. Because we are a community committed to Dominican and Catholic ideals and to the growth and success of each individual, the standards established for members of the Providence College community exceed those within the society at large. The Code of Conduct goes beyond what is simply required for public order; it also incorporates what is good, just and developmentally appropriate for the individual and for the College community. In all cases, the Office of Community Standards is dedicated to its educational role of holding students fairly and appropriately accountable in order to prepare them to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.

Please refer to Sections IV and V of this Handbook for information related to the Code of Conduct and Community Standards and the disciplinary process.

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Dean of Students

Dr. Steven A. Sears, Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
Slavin Center 201, 401-865-1782
https://dean-of-students.providence.edu/

Comprised of the offices of Residence Life & Housing, Student Activities & Cultural Programming, Career Education & Professional Development, Orientation, Transitions & Leadership, Recreational Sports & Fitness, Personal Counseling, Student Health, and Community Standards, Student Affairs plays a dynamic role in the journey upon which our students embark, the journey that defines their college careers. Driven by this mission, the leadership we provide pertains to the entire spectrum of our students” experiences; we are relentless in our efforts to not just explore, but also cultivate new frontiers of partnership and collaboration with all of the College’s constituents. We serve as the most ardent champions of our students” holistic development, and are energized by the limitless possibilities gifted to us by our charge to address the needs of our students in unique, efficacious and transparent ways.

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Food/Dining Facilities

For more information, menus, and policies visit the dining services web page.

Raymond Dining Hall — Office 401-865-2452
Alumni Hall Food Court—Office 401-865-2308

For student meal plan information, please visit: https://dining.providence.edu/new-semester-new-meal-plans/

Students who reside in the traditional and suite-style residence halls must be enrolled in a College meal plan. First year residential students must have the Anytime Dining meal plan. Upper-class students who reside in traditional style halls must have a minimum of a 19 meal plan. Upper-class students who reside in suite-style halls must have a minimum of the Friar Block 165 meal plan. Exemptions from the meal plan may be granted for documented medical reasons through the Dean of Students Office. Such exemption is at the absolute discretion of the vice president for student affairs or designee.

Students have until the Friday of the second week of classes each semester to request a decrease to the meal plan. Requests to decrease below the minimum requirement will not be considered. Students may request to increase their meal plan at any time. According to College policy, any meal plan change will be pro-rated from the date the change is processed.

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Personal Counseling Center (PCC)

Lower Bedford Hall, 401-865-2343

https://personal-counseling.providence.edu/

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with limited hours by appointment only.

Students face several challenges in their years at Providence College, and the Personal Counseling Center is here to help them meet these opportunities to integrate their personal, social, intellectual, and moral development. At times, students may feel an overwhelming amount of pressure, as well as the belief that no one else feels the same way. The Personal Counseling Center serves the needs of students seeking assistance around issues including, but not limited to: depression, self-esteem, anxiety, substance abuse, stress, eating disorders, sexuality, family pressures, crisis intervention, victimization, thoughts of suicide, life crisis, and critical life decisions. Asking for help during vulnerable times is a sign of strength. A counselor can give feedback, encourage further questioning, validate self-awareness and responsibility, and support students until self-confidence is secure again.

The Center offers individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, substance abuse assistance, workshops and outreach activities. Counseling can also help to provide students with the skills to become more successful and competent in dealing with test anxiety, stress management, and communication with faculty. With respect to academics, the Personal Counseling Center assists students in dealing with concerns related to memory, concentration, perfectionism, procrastination, and conflict resolution.

All services are confidential within the limits of the law and ethical guidelines. If the student’s counseling needs are long-term, or for any other reason it is deemed appropriate, referrals are occasionally made to individual professionals and agencies outside the College community.

For more information, call 865-2343 and ask to speak to a member of the counseling center staff. Services are free and confidential. To learn more, go to https://personal-counseling.providence.edu/

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Public Safety

Emergency Number: 865-2222

Chief of Public Safety, 865-1553

The Office of Public Safety is responsible for the protection of the College community and College property and facilities. All personal emergencies, injuries, or potentially dangerous situations should be reported immediately to the Office of Public Safety. All theft of or damage to personal property also should be reported to the office. The office issues parking permits to students, faculty and staff, and enforces all traffic regulations. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available at the office and via the website: https://safety.providence.edu/

Escort Services — 865-2391

A safety escort service is provided to undergraduate, continuing education, and graduate students by the Office of Public Safety upon request. A student escort service is available during the academic year. An off-campus safety shuttle bus service also is available.

Lost and Found — 865-2391

Any items found on campus should be delivered to the Office of Public Safety, which maintains a lost and found service.

Reporting an Emergency

The College’s Office of Public Safety is open and operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. More than 60 “Blue Light” phones and security cameras are located strategically across campus. These phones can be utilized for on-campus calls (non-emergency) and for emergency purposes.

If you discover an emergency on campus, you should report it as follows:

  • Dial 2222 from a campus phone or 865-2222 from a cell phone to report the emergency to the Office of Public Safety. (Note: the area code for all campus phone numbers is 401.)
  • You also can report an emergency by pressing the red emergency button on any Blue Light phone.
  • Provide your name and describe the emergency and its location.

A 911 Emergency is any situation that requires immediate police, fire, or medical response to preserve life or property.

  • Call 9-911 from an on-campus phone or 911 from a cell phone to report emergencies.
  • After you call 911, immediately call 865-2222 to notify the College’s Office of Public Safety.
  • Do not use 911 inappropriately as it may delay responses to true emergencies.
  • Blue Light phones cannot dial 911; use the red emergency button.

A non-emergency situation does not require immediate attention to preserve life or property. Examples are minor vehicle accidents, missing property, excessive noise, and similar police-related matters.

  • To report a non-emergency situation on the College campus, call the Office of Public Safety at 865-2391 or use a campus Blue Light phone to dial security.

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Crime Alerts — Timely Warning Policy

In the event that campus security or local law enforcement authority receives a report of a crime (in accordance with the F.B.I. definitions of crime categories), and the commission of the crime (whether on or off-campus) constitutes an ongoing threat to the campus community, a campus-wide, timely warning in the form of a “crime alert” will be issued in an email message to students, faculty, and staff. The purposes of the timely warning are to alert the campus community to the occurrence of a crime that poses an ongoing threat and to heighten student and employee safety awareness in a manner that will aid in the prevention of similar crimes. The email will identify that a crime alert has been issued, provide pertinent information regarding the incident and may provide a link to other safety awareness tips.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Act, determinations about whether and when to issue warnings will be made by the Office of Public Safety on a case by case basis in light of all the facts surrounding a crime, including factors such as the nature of the crime, the continuing danger to the campus community, the availability of accurate information, and the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts. Depending on the particular circumstances of the crime, the Office of Public Safety may provide expanded notice in accordance with the College’s emergency notification policies and procedures. Anyone with information warranting a timely warning should report the circumstances to the Office of Public Safety.

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Information about the College’s Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures

In the event of an emergency, Providence College will utilize multiple means of communicating with members of its community. The Providence College Emergency Notification System consists of two separate notification platforms—“Friar ALERT, and the “Blue Light” all-campus emergency notification system.

“Friar ALERT” is designed to produce mass notification of a campus emergency through campus telephone, cell phone / text messaging, email and social media communications. The system allows messages to be delivered that will direct the campus community regarding safety measures during a critical incident on the campus or in the surrounding community. The system can be customized to include specific locations or populations of the campus depending on the risk assessment.

More than 60 emergency “Blue Light” telephones are located throughout campus; all emergency calls are received in the Office of Public Safety, which has the ability to monitor activity in the area through remote cameras. More than half of these emergency telephones include a “Red Light” signal and audible message capability that can be activated by the College in the event of a campus-wide emergency to send an audible message with instructions about what immediate actions individuals should take. The College also may utilize campus radio and television communications systems to issue emergency messages.

Campus security vehicles have been retrofitted with public address systems to enable broadcast of emergency alerts and/or instructions. When information or instructions are broadcast through any of the above communication channels, all members of the campus community should immediately follow the specific instructions provided in that broadcast.

The larger College community will also be notified primarily through website updates; in the event of an emergency on campus the main Providence College webpage will be redirected to an emergency webpage with information about the incident. Telephone emergency hotlines, email, and local news and media outlets are additional also means of notifying the larger campus community. The College also may utilize campus radio and television communications systems to issue emergency messages.

The College’s Emergency Notification system is tested on an annual basis. The director of emergency management, or his designee, notifies the campus community of the test. This notification includes information on the system and procedures to add or change personal contact information.

It shall be the responsibility of any member of Providence College who becomes aware of a potential or existing emergency to notify the Office of Public Safety. The primary responsibility for monitoring emergency threats and events resides with the Office of Public Safety. The Office of Public Safety operates on a continuous 24/7/365 basis and is always available to receive emergency communications from a variety of official and public sources.

If, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, there is a confirmed significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees, the executive director of public safety or his designee will be immediately notified. The Associate Vice President/Chief of Public Safety, or his designee, will be immediately notified. The Chief will then confer with persons with the relevant expertise in order to help assess the type(s) of threat, including the vice president for student affairs and the director of emergency management. If the emergency is deemed an imminent threat to the campus community, the College’s emergency notification system will be activated without delay taking into account the safety of the community, unless doing so would compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

An Emergency Procedures Quick Reference Guide is available at the following here.

For the purposes of assessing and evaluating emergency plans and capabilities, under the direction of the College’s director of emergency management, an annual series of emergency response drills for faculty, staff, and students will be scheduled, including an annual test of the overall emergency response and evacuation procedures. Information regarding the College’s emergency response procedures will be published to the College community in conjunction with the annual test. Documentation related to the annual test will be maintained in the Office of Public Safety. Additionally, residence hall fire drills are conducted four times a year by Residence Life & Housing administrators and fire safety procedures are discussed regularly with all students who live in campus residence halls.

For the purposes of assessing and evaluating emergency plans and capabilities, under the direction of the College’s director of emergency management, an annual series of emergency response drills for faculty, staff, and students will be scheduled. This may also include an annual test of the overall emergency response and evacuation procedures. Information regarding the College’s emergency response procedures will be published to the College community in conjunction with a scheduled annual test. Documentation related to an annual test will be maintained in the Office of Public Safety. Additionally, residence hall fire drills are conducted five times a year (Fall, Spring & Summer) by Residence Life & Housing administrators and fire safety procedures are discussed regularly with all students who live in campus residence halls.

Missing Students

Refer to Missing Student Policy in the Campus Life Section of the Student Handbook.

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Recreation and Athletic Facilities

Upper Level of the Peterson Recreation Center, 865-2338
https://recreation.providence.edu/

There are several recreation and athletic facilities on campus. The Concannon Fitness Center is a 23,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that serves the fitness needs and well-being of students, student-athletes, faculty, and staff. Opened and dedicated in fall 2007, the center specializes in cardiovascular and strength training. The center offers 13,850 square feet of dedicated fitness space on two levels for use by the general College community and a 3,600- square-foot varsity weight room for student-athletes.

The Peterson Recreation Center is where much of the intramural and recreation activity takes place. The Center includes the Begley Arena (track and field house), the Cuddy Racquetball Complex and the Taylor Natatorium and dedicated spaces for group fitness and personal training. Adjacent to these facilities is Lennon Field, home to the varsity field hockey program, as well as outdoor intramural programs.

Hendricken Field is a state-of-the-art turf facility which is home to multiple club sport programs, while also supporting outdoor intramurals and recreational use.

Schneider Arena, home of the College’s men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, also provides student activities such as ice skating and intramural hockey. Please visit the Student Life Web site for more information.

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Residence Life & Housing

Slavin Center 105, 401-865-2392
https://residence-life.providence.edu/

The Office of Residence Life & Housing overseas facilitates all aspects of student life that constitutes on-campus residence, as well as assists students living off-campus.

We serve approximately 3,100 students who live on campus in our traditional residence halls, suite-style hall, and apartment complexes. As we serve our resident students, we strive to provide an atmosphere that promotes academic, spiritual, and emotional growth in a community that is strongly committed to upholding the Catholic heritage of Providence College and the traditions of the Dominican Order.

Students must register each academic year they are not living on campus and keep contact information updated. The College neither endorses nor warrants any off-campus property, nor is the College responsible for policing any off-campus rental property.

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Services for Students with Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations under 504/ADA. Any student requesting academic accommodation for a class, or modifications must first meet with a staff member from the Student Success Center. Members of the faculty and staff of Providence College will not provide any academic accommodation or modification until they receive official notification from the Student Success Center. Accommodations that fundamentally alter the nature of the educational program will not be approved.

Non-Academic Related Accommodations—Dean of Students Office
Slavin Center 201, 401-865-1782
https://dean-of-students.providence.edu/disability-accommodations/

Academic Related Accommodations — Student Success Center (SSC)
Phillips Memorial Library, 2nd Floor
https://student-success-center.providence.edu/

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Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL)

Slavin Center 106, 401-865-2111
https://student-engagement-leadership.providence.edu/clubs-and-organizations/

From Orientation through Senior Week, the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) empowers students to lead, serve, and grow as members of our community. We support student organizations, promote leadership development, and facilitate signature campus programs.

The staff is also responsible for the Slavin Information Desk/Ticket Office.

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Student Health Center

Lower Davis Hall, 401-865-2422

In order to treat most illnesses and injuries, the College maintains a Student Health Center. The Student Health Center is staffed by three full-time nurse practitioners. Students are seen by appointment only.

The Student Health Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the academic year. Services are suspended during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and Spring Recesses.

When the Student Health Center is closed in the evenings and on weekends, emergency medical services are provided on campus to all students by emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Students are not treated in the Student Health Center when it is closed. Students need to contact the EMTs at 401-865-2391 and they will respond directly to the site of the emergency. EMT services are provided on campus only. Students are not treated in the Student Health Center when it is closed.

Incoming students must submit a physical examination record completed by their own provider on forms supplied by the College. This must include a record of all past illnesses, and evidence of all immunizations required by the RIDOH. A copy of the provider’s EMR (electronic medical record or other provided form) is acceptable documentation for immunizations and physical. Every student at Providence College must have medical insurance. Insurance coverage information, including policy number, mailing address, and phone number, must be included on the health record.

It should be noted that the Student Health Center does not provide X-rays, surgical procedures, or treatment for major illnesses. Students requiring services not provided by the health center will be referred to an off-campus specialist, a local hospital or to their own primary care provider.

There is no charge to be seen by any of the providers in the Student Health Center; however, students must assume financial responsibility for all costs involved in off-campus treatment including laboratory testing obtained in health services that is sent to an off-campus laboratory for processing. The health center does not administer allergy shots; therefore, students requiring allergy shots are encouraged to make arrangements with a local allergist prior to coming to campus.

All student health records are confidential as required by applicable law and College policy. It should be noted that information pertaining to a student’s (18 years and older) visit cannot be released without written consent from the student.

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Student Success Center (SSC)

Phillips Memorial Library, 2nd Floor
https://student-success-center.providence.edu/

Academic Advising at Providence College is faculty based, and it emphasizes the development of strong faculty-student relationships. Supplemental advising services are also available through the schools, academic departments, and pre-professional programs, as well as the College’s new Student Success Center (SSC).

Located on the second floor of the Phillips Memorial Library, the SSC is the hub of academic advising for first- and second-year undeclared students, as well first- and second-year students in select majors. In addition to serving these specific populations, SSC advisors are available to help any PC student navigate academic challenges, explore program options and alternatives, and connect with life-changing, high-impact learning experiences, such as study abroad, research, and internship opportunities. SSC advisors can even help students chart a new academic course if/when their personal or professional goals have changed.

The Student Success Center is also the College’s centralized hub for academic support. Programs include tutoring in writing and the content areas, academic skills workshops, one-on-one academic coaching, and specialized support for student-athletes, multicultural students, students with documented disabilities, and students for whom English is a second language. Whether you are a first-year student adjusting to college-level expectations or a senior working to produce a top-notch capstone project, the Center’s caring and capable peer tutors and full-time staff are here to help you reach your full potential.

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Transportation

Shuttle Information Line: 865-2940
https://transportation.providence.edu/

Transportation Office: 865-2234

Providence College provides a variety of transportation services for students to make access to the neighborhood, city, and state easily accessible to students. Those services include the following:

FriarNite Ride Shuttle

FRIAR NITE RIDE will be a late-night shuttle service for all PC students traveling on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights between the hours of 7pm-3am. Route and schedule information is available on the Providence College Shuttle Services page.

RIPTA

RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority): Students may ride free of charge throughout the state simply by swiping their student ID. RIPTA has a bus stop at the Huxley Gate with the inbound bus going to Kennedy Plaza where students may obtain connecting buses serving the entire state including the airport. Schedule information is available at http://www.ripta.com/

Van Program

The Transportation Office offers the services of the Van Program that provides students, faculty, and on-campus departments the opportunity to reserve a van to access off-campus events/locations for approved academic and college sponsored programs. There are currently three 12 person vans and Seven 7 person minivans to support outside classroom learning opportunities and co-curricular programs. For more information, please visit the Providence College website.

Zipcar

Get 24/7 access to Zipcar’s parked all over the city! Students can simply reserve online, gain access with their Zipcar and drive. Zipcar’s low hourly and daily rates include gas and insurance. Students need to be 18+ to join. Members aged 18-20 can use a dedicated group of Zipcars parked on the Providence College campus. Members age 21+ also have access to thousands of Zipcars all around the world. http://www.zipcar.com/pc

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Section III: Campus Life

The following policies and regulations are binding on all students, their visitors and guests. Residing on campus is not an absolute right. When students live on campus, it is assumed that they agree to the policies, regulations, and procedures of the College and accept responsibility for their behavior.

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A.    Non-Smoking/Vaping Policy

The Rhode Island Public Health and Workplace Safety Act prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places within the state, including post-secondary education facilities (R.I.G.L. 23-20.10, et seq). Smoking/Vaping is expressly prohibited in all College-owned and operated buildings and vehicles, including but not limited to residence facilities, suites and apartments, workspaces and offices, auditoriums, classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, elevators, hallways and stairwells, cafeterias, lounges, and restrooms. This non-smoking/vaping policy applies to faculty, staff, students, contractors, and visitors. Evidence of indoor smoking/vaping, including the ashes of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, other smoking equipment or products, or vaping paraphernalia (e.g. electronic cigarettes and “vape pens’) will result in disciplinary action.

Smoking/Vaping outdoors is permitted in one of the College-designated smoking areas only. Receptacles for waste are provided in designated outdoor locations. For a list and map of designated outdoor smoking areas on campus, please visit the Office of Public Safety. Additionally, the sale and/or marketing of cigarettes, tobacco products, e-cigarettes, vape pens, and all e-cigarette and “vape pen” paraphernalia, is prohibited on campus.

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B.     Residence Life & Housing

Residence Life & Housing Regulations and Policies

The Residence Life & Housing contract is binding for an entire academic year and includes regulations and policies promulgated by the College from time to time pertaining to Residence Life & Housing, including the need to demonstrate consideration for peers and for the College community, and to take proper care of College property. As permitted by the Residence Life & Housing contract, the College shall have the right to enter a student’s room at any time for safety-related reasons, and decisions regarding the need to enter the apartment are to be determined at the sole discretion of the College.

Students who violate residence policies and regulations may be referred to the student conduct process.

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On-Campus Living

All members of the freshmen, sophomore, and junior classes must reside on campus, with the exception of those who commute from the home of a parent or guardian, are married, or have a compelling reason to reside off campus. All students who reside on campus must be full-time students in the day school and regularly attend the classes in which they are registered. All students who reside on campus must do so for the entire academic year; thus, residential students are responsible for all charges associated with that one-year commitment. Exceptions to the provisions in this paragraph are for extraordinary circumstances only, are rarely granted, and must be obtained in writing from the director of Residence Life & Housing.

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Commuters Commuter Status

The College defines a commuter student as an individual who lives within a 55-mile drive of campus and travels regularly from their permanent home to and from campus. “Permanent home” is defined as the domicile where one or both of the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) live. A family-owned apartment or house that is not the parent(s)’ or guardian(s)’ primary residence does not qualify as the permanent home.

The Office of Residence Life & Housing will waive the on-campus housing requirement for those students who qualify for commuter status and wish to live at their permanent home. Students who deliberately manipulate these procedures, with or without the assistance of parents, will be regarded in violation of the College’s Code of Conduct and will be subject to disciplinary action by the College. Furthermore, students who are observed to breach their commuter status agreement will be assessed the housing fee for each semester in which such breach has occurred.

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College-Owned Houses

Students obliged to live on campus may be granted living in an off-campus house through the College’s hybrid housing program. Hybrid housing is comprised of both College-owned properties and properties managed by third party landlords. Students who live in hybrid housing are considered on-campus residents, are required to have a meal plan, and are beholden to the same policies, procedures, and expectations of on-campus residential students, including housing reassignment and removal. Hybrid housing is designed primarily for seniors and is available to juniors based on availability.

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Off-Campus Living

The College reserves the right to oblige students to live on campus. Once the on-campus room selection process has been completed each year, the Office of Residence Life & Housing will decide whether to approve requests to live off campus. Permission must be granted before a student signs a lease for an off-campus house or apartment.

Students living off campus, including students who commute from their permanent home addresses, are required to notify the College of their addresses and telephone numbers via the Office of Residence Life & Housing by the beginning of the second week of classes. Students are obliged to keep such information up to date; thus, any changes to contact information must be reported immediately. In addition, contact information and changes to permanent addresses must be promptly reported to the Office of the Registrar.

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Occupancy in Residence Halls, Suites, Apartments, or College-Owned Houses

The College contract for room and board (room and board are not separable) terminates on the evening of the last day of a student’s final examination and the student must vacate his/her room within 24 hours after the last final examination. Seniors, and those non-seniors who are authorized to participate in commencement activities, may continue to reside on campus until commencement day.

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Early Arrival

Requests for early arrival to campus, which are considered on a case-by-case basis and rarely granted, are facilitated through the Office of Residence Life & Housing. Students who participate in a recognized sport or student activity may be eligible for early return at the discretion of the director of Residence Life & Housing or his/her designee. The director of Residence Life & Housing/director’s designee will consider the request only after the athletic coach or activity moderator substantiates the need for early arrival by providing the director with the rationale, expectations to be communicated to the requested group, and a specific schedule of events with correlating dates. In addition, the coach or moderator must provide Residence Life & Housing with a list of all students approved by the coach or moderator for early return to campus. In the event that the request is approved, the coach or advisor will be notified regarding the remaining necessary steps in the process.

Early arrival may also be requested by students who live an extreme distance from the College (defined as a permanent address equal to or greater than 250 miles away). Extreme-distance students are permitted to request to arrive one day prior to their scheduled move-in date.

Meal plans begin at dinner the day before classes start.

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Break, Maymester & Summer Housing

Students are expected to vacate the campus during the College’s vacation and holiday periods. Students with extraordinary circumstances may request permission to remain on campus; requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and rarely granted. The director of Residence Life & Housing (or designee) will consider the request only after the student has completed and submitted the requisite form(s) available online by the established deadline.

If a request is granted, the student may be required to vacate his/her assigned building and secure housing in one of several residential buildings that will be accessible during the time period; buildings available for summer housing vary from year to year and will be communicated by the Office of Residence Life & Housing in a timely fashion.

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Summer Storage

The College does not offer a summer storage service. Students seeking to store items during the summer period or between semesters are directed to identify professional storage solutions to meet this need.

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Withdrawals and Refunds

A student who assumes residence at the beginning of the fall semester is responsible for all tuition, room, and board charges for both the fall and spring semesters of the academic year. A student who does not reside on campus during the fall semester and assumes residence in January is responsible for all tuition, room, and board charges for the spring semester. When a student is removed from the College because of violations of college regulations, policy, and/or procedures, refunds may not be granted.

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Room and Roommate Selection and Assignment

The assignment of rooms and roommates shall be made under the guidelines established, maintained, (and revised from time to time) by the director of Residence Life & Housing.

Violations of these guidelines may result in disciplinary action. Students currently living in the traditional or suite-style residence halls or apartments make room selections for the following year based on a systematic process implemented by the Office of Residence Life & Housing. Information concerning this process is provided to students in a timely fashion by the Residence Life & Housing staff. To participate in the room selection process, a room deposit payable to Providence College must be made to the Office of the Bursar before the deadline set by that office. Upon completion of the selection process, each student will be required to sign a binding contract with Providence College that will be in effect for one academic year.

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Residential Student Responsibilities

All residence facilities are under the supervision and control of the Office of Residence Life & Housing, which includes administrative staff, live-in professional staff, and resident assistants. Students are required to comply with the directives of all such personnel. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

Students are responsible for the condition of their rooms and for the condition of all other College property. The decorations in and arrangements of the room must be in compliance with safety and fire requirements and with the College’s policies, the laws of the State of Rhode Island and the federal government. Egress from the rooms must be readily and easily accomplished. The exit from a room should be clear of all obstacles. Corridors and stairwells must be kept clear of all obstructions and items that may constitute a safety or fire hazard.

For safety and security purposes, main entrance and exit doors to and locking devices for residence facilities must not be tampered with in any way, including use of an object to prop them open; likewise, doors to living spaces should not be left ajar or unlocked. No student shall provide any individual with his/her assigned room combination, personal access card (swipe card), and/or key to gain access to residence halls, residence hall rooms and/or other privileged areas that have been provided to the respective student. Students who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, including a combination change fee.

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Residence Hall and Floor Meetings

Residence hall and floor meetings provide opportunities for students to engage and learn about the latest happenings on campus or in the hall, to address residence hall concerns, and plan events together. Specifically, students will receive information about openings, closings, room selection, etc. Floor meetings provide a conduit for dialogue and for students to build lifelong relationships.

Each student is required to attend all meetings and is responsible for the information introduced and/or decided at the meeting regarding community expectations and other areas of student living. A student’s failure to attend or notify the live-in professional that they cannot attend a meeting may result in disciplinary action.

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Responsibility for Proper Care of Living and Common Areas

Resident students are responsible for the condition of college property in their respective rooms, and, as determined by the College, in the common areas of the residence halls. Common areas are defined as any space within a residence hall not lived in by students, excluding those areas where access is prohibited. Common areas include but are not limited to study lounges, laundry rooms, kitchens, restrooms, hallways and corridors, and stairwells and elevators. Students should encourage one another to share in accepting responsibility for ensuring that College property is not damaged or stolen.

It is the responsibility of the occupants of a room to report any maintenance concerns by submitting a work order through the Brightly work order system, available on the PC Portal.

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Inspection and Assessment of Damage

Rooms will be inspected at the beginning of each academic year, and whenever a new student moves into a room. At these times, a room condition report will be submitted by the occupants. A second inspection, at the end of the year, will be compared with the original room condition report as a basis for assessing any damage. Except for normal wear and tear, costs for all damage and additional cleaning services will be assigned to the residents of a room. Whenever possible, damage costs will be assessed to the individual causing the damage. When that cannot be determined, occupants of a room shall be held equally responsible for damage occurring in the room.

The cost of repairing damage to common areas for which no responsible individuals or group can be identified will be equally divided among the residents of the floor or the residents of the building. Assessed damage to rooms, floors, and building areas are charged accordingly. Bills for damages will be issued throughout the year, and unpaid bills shall constitute indebtedness to the College as set forth in the College catalog.

Assessment of the cost of damage to college property shall not preclude imposition of disciplinary action against the student or students causing the damage. Students who are found responsible for the vandalism and/or theft of personal property belonging to another shall be subject to further disciplinary proceedings processed through the Office of Community Standards and/or the Office of Residence Life & Housing, to include full restitution to the victim(s) within a timeframe prescribed by the College.

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Loss of or Damage to Personal Property

The College does not assume responsibility for loss of or damage to the personal property of a student whether the College is in session or on holiday. During the summer vacation period, no personal items may be stored in residence halls unless specifically authorized by the director

of Residence Life & Housing. For those periods, the Office of Residence Life & Housing will publish the appropriate rules and regulations and also determine which residence facilities will be open and available.

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Athletic Activity, and Use of Athletic and Other Devices Prohibited

Athletic activity and the use of sporting equipment are not permitted in the residence halls or apartment complexes. Such activities include but are not limited to: throwing or bouncing a ball; playing hockey, racquetball, darts, or other types of sports; and weightlifting in the hallways, stairwells, lounges, residence hall rooms, suites, and apartments. Some sporting equipment may be delineated under Policies and Regulations: Student Responsibilities: Standards of Conduct Jurisdiction: Weapons-related Offenses, shall be considered a weapon, and are therefore prohibited.

Pets and Animals

No animals designated as pets may enter and/or be kept in on-campus apartments or in the residence hall rooms or suites; however, fish in small aquariums (fewer than 10 gallons) are permitted.

Students with service animals, or students seeking approval for emotional support animal accommodations, must contact the Dean of Students Office for compliance, documentation, and proper recordkeeping.

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Disorderly Noise and Quiet Hours

Noise

Residence halls are primarily a space supporting student academic, spiritual, and social success. The expectation is that our residence halls will be reasonably quiet at all times. All residents have the right to read, study, and sleep free from any undue noise. Residents should consider the noise that can be heard outside of a room, suite, or apartment to be intrusive to the community and be prepared to reduce sound levels.

  • The general noise level within the hall must be such that it does not interfere with the rights mentioned above.
  • Noise, particularly sustained, must not be readily audible within the private living quarters of other students.
  • Instruments or amplification devices (including, but not limited to, subwoofers and speakers) may not be used in the residence halls to produce excessive volume. The Office of Residence Life & Housing and/or Public Safety may confiscate this sound equipment if students are repeatedly addressed for noise disturbances using these devices.
  • Noise emanating from within one residence hall must not be audible within any other residence hall or Providence College building.
  • No amplified sound is permitted at outside events without the prior permission of the Director of Student Activities or the Director of Residence Life & Housing or his/her Designee.

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Quiet Hours

Quiet Hours are defined as a period during which noise and intrusive behavior must be kept at a respectful minimum. “Quiet Hours” are as follows:

  • Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Quiet Hours are in effect, Sunday through Thursday from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
  • Quiet Hours are in effect on Friday and Saturday from midnight to 10 a.m.
  • 24-hour Quiet Hours are in effect during reading days and exam periods.

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Posting in the Residence Halls

The posting and distribution of flyers, posters and advertisements within the residence halls is prohibited without the express permission of the director of Residence Life & Housing/director’s designee.

Flyers, postings and advertisements found within the residence halls in violation of this policy will be immediately removed, and the person or sponsoring group responsible for the posting will be subject to disciplinary action. Similarly, persons found posting in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.

Faculty, staff, and approved groups seeking to post in the residence halls should contact the Office of Residence Life & Housing for stamped approval.

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Visitation and Hosting Guests

Providence College’s visitation policy is formulated in the desire to create and maintain an environment that contributes to the living and learning opportunities for students residing in residence facilities. The policy is anchored in a concern for the safety, security, and privacy needs of students, and it is shaped by the Catholic and Dominican mission of the College. As such, emphasis is on the development of the whole person while fostering a climate of respect and shared responsibility in order to enhance the quality of life on campus.

Visitation is a privilege, not a right. Visits in individual student rooms, apartments, hybrid houses, or suites by other members of the College’s student body or by non-students are subject to regulations promulgated by the vice president for student affairs, the director of Residence Life & Housing, and/or the director of Community Standards. Regulations and procedures may be modified at any time.

Visitation occurs when any person, including a Providence College student, is observed to be present in a room and/or residence hall to which they are not assigned. Visitation does not encompass the community management, administration, or safety & security procedures enacted by Residence Life & Housing personnel.

Visitation must always involve the mutual consent of all roommates. The resident assistant (RA) staff is available to assist roommates with establishing a room/suite/apartment visitation agreement upon request or need.

All resident students are responsible for the behavior of their guests whether or not those guests are students of the College, and all regulations applicable to resident students shall apply to their

guests. Students will be held responsible for behavior that takes place in their residence hall room, including but not limited to the possession or storage of alcohol by roommates or guests.

All students must accompany their guests at all times. The College reserves the right to remove guests when deemed appropriate and at its discretion.

All overnight non-student guests and guests visiting during the times listed below must be registered via the guest registration system. Guests must show photo ID and the Providence College guest pass (e-mailed to the host and guest upon approval) when signing into a traditional residence hall. Guests must be able to produce a photo ID and a guest pass at the request of college personnel during the following hours:

  • Sunday-Thursday: 9:00pm-7:00am
  • Friday and Saturday: 9 :00pm-7:00am Hosts are permitted to have a maximum of two guests registered at any time: A separate form must be submitted for each individual guest, each time they plan to visit campus.

Monday through Friday, all guest visitation requests must be submitted via the guest registration form by 12:00pm noon on the day that the guest is intended to arrive to campus.

For Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays where the College is closed, the form must be completed by 12:00pm noon the Friday before the guest’s intended arrival.

The guest registration form closes at noon on Fridays and reopens on Monday (except when Monday falls on a holiday.)

If approved, guests must ensure that they have their guest pass (approval email) AND a government issued ID (Driver’s license, State ID, Passport, or Military ID) with them at all times. Forms of identification from other institutions are not permitted to be used in place of government ID. Guests must also remain with their host student(s) at all times.

Parking for guests is not guaranteed and is available on a limited basis. Parking may be restricted or revoked at any time at the discretion of the Office of Public Safety. Hosts must ensure guests intending to have their personal vehicle on campus overnight enter campus through the Huxley Avenue gate. The host and guest must register with the Office of Public Safety to receive a guest parking pass and be directed to the appropriate designated parking area.

Failure to adhere to these guidelines will result in the guest being denied access to or trespassed from all Providence College Residence Halls.

All residents are responsible for signing in and signing out each of their guests. All guests must be signed in with a first and last name. Residents failing to sign in guests are subject to disciplinary action and loss of guest privileges. Residents shall not sign in guest(s) for other Providence College students. Guests visiting apartments, McCarthy, Sullivan, and Koffler Halls are not required to sign in and out. Nonetheless, guests on these premises must be escorted at all times while inside the building and must carry photo ID and a guest pass.

Overnight, non-student guests must be registered by the host student through the College’s online guest registration process. Guests of traditional halls and semi suites (Shanley McVinney, Meagher, Raymond, McDermott, Guzman, St. Joseph, Aquinas, Sullivan and Koffler Halls) are required to reside in same-sex residence halls when staying on campus overnight. An overnight guest must be the same sex as the resident student housing that guest; therefore, student hosts are responsible for finding appropriate housing in a residence hall, suite, or apartment for their opposite-sex overnight guests.

Building common areas in apartments and suites are always designated as co-ed. Overnight guests are not permitted to reside, sleep, or unreasonably occupy building common areas and must always have a host present with them. All residents hosting guests must obtain approval from all roommates and comply with all visitation requirements.

Guests may be approved to visit campus for a maximum of three (3) days and two (2) nights at the discretion of the director of Residence Life & Housing or his/her designee. Students are permitted to host a maximum of two guests during any single period of their stay. The College reserves the right to remove guests when deemed appropriate and at its discretion. Students will not be permitted to register or host guests during specified weekends, exam periods, or high-risk time periods at the discretion of the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. These time frames will be announced in advance.

The number of persons (including guests) present within a single living space cannot exceed double the occupancy of the apartment, house, room, or suite. Occupancy is defined by the total number of individuals on record assigned to the living space. Students are not permitted to host any guest under the age of 18 years old beyond 8:00 p.m.

Students who invite visitors into residence communities are expected to adhere to the norms and values associated with Catholic teaching. Any student who is found to be in violation of the visitation policy will be subject to disciplinary action and may face a range of sanctions.

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Safety in the Residence Halls

The Student Handbook includes policies governing on-campus living. Each residence hall is staffed with a hall director and several resident assistants who regularly monitor compliance with public safety requirements. These staff members also rely on the cooperation of residential students to enforce regulations and report violations that may compromise the safety and security of residents. The Office of Residence Life & Housing must be notified immediately if students or other members of the community discover that any safety and security system, including doors and locks, appear to have been tampered with and/or are not in proper working order. In addition, students are prohibited from using objects to prop-open doors and doors to living spaces should not be left ajar or unlocked.

Throwing or suspension of articles, objects or people from residence hall windows is strictly prohibited. Additionally, window screens may not be removed.

Hallways must remain clear of all items throughout the year, including welcome mats, clothing, shoes, athletic equipment, etc. Please be mindful of this on move-in day. Items left in the hallway are subject to confiscation and the owner may be referred for disciplinary action.

Furniture cannot be arranged in a manner that fully or partially blocks physical access into a room. There must be 4.5 feet of entry space into each room; one should not have to turn sideways or squeeze to enter a room. Nothing should impede the complete opening of an entrance door — there should be full clearance when entering or exiting a room.

Please remember that furniture cannot be placed in the hallways. If you have a request for furniture removal (or additional furniture) from your room, please submit a work order with the Physical Plant. Directions for creating a work order can be found on the MyPC Portal.

Work orders should be submitted at least 2 business days in advance. Students are prohibited from moving, removing and/or dismantling furniture, closet doors, locks, window frames, windows, and any other College owned property. Please also refer to your housing contract and/or contact Residence Life with any questions regarding the handling or furniture.

Attachments are NOT permitted on the ceiling, beds, or sprinkler heads (including tape, string, stickers, privacy sheets, or curtains). Room entrance doors are to remain free of all unauthorized materials, including but not limited to dry erase boards, decorations, and pictures. All rooms must have a fire exit chart, which is provided by the College, on the back of the room entrance door. The chart must not be covered.

Posters and wall hangings of any size are permitted one foot from the ceiling and must be anchored at all four corners with an approved adhesive (refer to “What to Bring” section for more information). Posters and hangings cannot cover windows.

Smoking is not permitted in any of the Providence College residence halls or buildings. All extension cords must meet or exceed the following safety standards:

  • They must be UL-approved/listed
  • They must have a grounded plug (possess the third prong)
  • They must be 14 gauge
  • They must be 15 amps
  • Three-prong multi-plugs must have surge protection (limited to 1 per outlet) Providence College takes fire safety seriously; therefore, the use of the following items in suites and traditional hall student rooms is not permitted: clothing irons, coffee makers with hot plates (Keurigs are acceptable), and heated styling tools. These items can be used in common areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

The following prohibited items will be confiscated, and disciplinary action will be taken if found in the residence halls:

  • instruments or amplification devices producing excessive volume, including, but not limited to, subwoofers and speakers
  • electric heaters/air conditioners unless approved by the Dean of Students Office
  • select electrical lights, including tube and neon lighting, paper lights
  • electric blankets
  • popcorn poppers
  • grills, propane, flammable liquid, charcoal
  • hot plates/pots, rice cookers, waffle irons, griddles, broiler ovens, toasters, toaster ovens (only permitted in apartments)
  • candles (including for decoration), incense, and items carrying a live flame
  • duct tape (items posted with duct tape will result in damage billing fine)
  • pets (except fish in ten-gallon tanks or less)
  • live trees or plants greater than 3ft.
  • weapons and projectile devices including dart boards, pellet guns, foam dart guns, etc.
  • two-prong extension cords — Note: students are encouraged to bring extenders with surge protection or 3-prong extension cords (these items are available in the PC Bookstore). All 3-prong multi-plugs must be surge protected.
  • multi-plug extension cords without surge protection
  • homemade bed risers (cement blocks, bricks, pipes)
  • additional furniture (e.g. couches, recliners, small foam furniture, hammocks, tables 2’x2′, dressers, PC lounge furniture)
  • gasoline-operated machinery Possession of, and improper or unauthorized use of, cooking or heating devices or prohibited items (candles, halogen lamps, and decorations, etc.).

Students found to be in possession of prohibited items may be issued a residential life fine. The fines range from $25.00 to $100.00.

Students who believe a residential fine has been issued to them in error may discuss the matter with their Complex Director within (10) business days. It is important to note that any conversation regarding a prohibited item should focus on the policy and specific facts surrounding the violation.

Students found to be in violation of this policy (3) or more times during the academic year will be referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Prohibited item fine payments may be paid at the Office of Residence Life.

The following items are permitted in the residence halls:

  • adjustable wheeled desk chairs
  • bookshelves(must reasonably fit with other furniture in room)
  • knee-high coffee tables
  • 1′ x 1′ eating trays
  • end table/bed stand (no bigger than 1′ x 1′)
  • “husband” bed pillows
  • bean bags
  • ottomans
  • collapsible beach/camping chairs
  • small entertainment centers
  • under the bed storage containers
  • small folding worktables (no larger than 2′ x 2′)
  • College-approved bed raisers
  • holiday/string lights (cannot be daisy chained)
  • artificial Christmas trees less than 3ft.

Residence Hall Fire Safety Regulations — Fire Safety Systems
Providence College residence halls are all compliant with local, state and federal fire codes. All residence halls are equipped with smoke detectors and sprinkler systems and are monitored 24/7 by the Office of Public Safety as well as the Providence Fire Department.

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Fire Safety Systems by Residence Hall
Residence HallSupervised Fire AlarmSmoke DetectorsSprinkler System
AquinasYesYesWet/Dry
BedfordYesYesWet/Dry
CunninghamYesYesWet/Dry
DavisYesYesWet/Dry
DiTragliaYesYesWet/Dry
FennellYesYesWet
GuzmanYesYesWet
KofflerYesYesWet/Dry
St. JosephYesYesWet/Dry
Mal BrownYesYesWet/Dry
McCarthyYesYesWet/Dry
McDermottYesYesWet
McVinneyYesYesWet
MeagherYesYesWet
RaymondYesYesWet

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C. Campus Emergency and Fire Safety Regulations

Fire Evacuation Procedures

In the event of a fire, call 9-911, then (401)865-2222 to notify the Office of Public Safety. Familiarize yourself with the College’s Emergency Evacuation Plan and Rally Point locations for your building — both plans are located on the inside of every dorm room door. Be aware of the locations of emergency exits and building fire alarm pull stations. If you discover a fire, pull the nearest fire alarm. When a fire alarm sounds, always assume an emergency exists and evacuate the building immediately. Failure to evacuate may result in disciplinary action. Assist persons with disabilities to exit. Do not attempt to extinguish the fire on your own. Do not use elevators. Alert others of the fire upon evacuating.

Smoke is the greatest danger in a fire. During evacuation, or if you are trapped, always stay low to the floor where the air is less toxic. If trapped, shout at regular intervals to alert rescue personnel of your location. Find a window and place an article of clothing outside as a marker for rescue personnel. Should your clothes catch on fire, cover your face with your hands and STOP, DROP, and ROLL to smother flames.

In classrooms, faculty should adopt the role of Rally Point Coordinators; therefore, faculty should take the class roster with them when evacuating and report to the building’s Rally Point. If it is safe to do so, close the classroom door as you exit, but do not lock the door. Once at the Rally Point, take attendance and await further instruction from the College’s Public Safety officers.

In administrative and faculty offices, the designated Rally Point Coordinator should exit the building with the Emergency Evacuation Contact List and report to the building’s Rally Point. Once at the Rally Point, take attendance to ensure that everyone is accounted for, and await further instructions from the College’s Public Safety officers.

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General Evacuation

Although fire is the most likely cause for evacuation, malicious or terrorist attacks might also necessitate an evacuation of your building. Governmental authorities cannot reliably estimate the likelihood of a terrorist attack in any American community, and college campuses are just as vulnerable to attacks without warning as are other areas within their respective communities. We also know that those who perpetrate violent attacks use various weapons, including but not limited to explosions, bomb threats or suspicious packages, and chemical or biological agents.

If the response to a crisis on campus requires an emergency evacuation of your building, you will be notified via the College’s Emergency Notification System, which also includes the fire alarm system. Whether the evacuation is due to a fire or some other circumstance, the College’s Emergency Procedures Guide should be followed. Evacuation procedures are outlined in our Emergency Procedures Guide.

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Evacuation Procedures

When you are directed (via fire alarm or other methods of communication) to evacuate, you must do so immediately. Assist persons with disabilities to exit. Do not use elevators. In classrooms, faculty adopt the role of Rally Point Coordinators; therefore, faculty should take the class roster with them when evacuating and report to the building’s Rally Point. If it is safe to do so, close the classroom door as you exit, but do not lock the door. Once at the Rally Point, take attendance and await further instruction from the College’s Public Safety officers.
In administrative and faculty offices, the designated Rally Point Coordinator should exit the building with the Emergency Evacuation Contact List and report to the building’s Rally Point. Once at the Rally Point, take attendance to ensure accountability and await further instruction from the College’s Public Safety officers.

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Evacuation of Persons with Disabilities

  • Visual Impairments: Inform the person of the nature of the emergency and offer to guide the person to the nearest exit and Rally Point.
  • Hearing Impairments: Alert the person that there is an emergency situation by using hand gestures or by turning the light switch on and off. Verbalize or mouth instructions or provide the person with a short note containing instructions.
  • Mobility Impairments: Since elevators should not be used, individuals who can walk may be able to evacuate themselves with some assistance. For individuals unable to walk: if there is no immediate danger, escort the individual to a safe place to await rescue personnel. Whenever possible, someone should remain with the person while another individual exits the building and notifies rescue personnel of the person’s exact location. Only in extreme situations should you try to evacuate a person in a wheelchair yourself. The mobility-impaired person is the best authority on how he/she should be moved. Ask before you move someone. While it is best to let rescue personnel conduct the evacuation, the person can be carried by two people who have interlocked their arms to form a “chair, or the person can be carried in a sturdy office chair.

An evacuation chair is available in the Office of Public Safety, call extension 2222.

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Fire Safety Improvements

Fire safety improvements will be reported in the Annual Security Report. This data includes the most recent fire safety upgrades and proposed fire safety upgrades to residence halls, if any.

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Fire Safety Education

Fire safety training is provided to Residence Assistants (RA’s) during orientation and training. Floor meetings by RA’s and Hall Directors will also focus on fire and dorm safety for students. Educational fire safety inspections of all dorm rooms are conducted by Residence Life & Housing administrators. Students found in v io l at io n of the fire policies are required to receive counseling from Residence Life & Housing administrators. Fire safety literature and video information is provided to the students and available anytime from the Office of Residence Life & Housing.

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Grilling Policy

Students and guests are prohibited from indoor and outdoor grilling within any area deemed to be property of the College. This includes, but is not limited to residence halls, athletic/intramural fields, office/administrative buildings, and common areas. Moreover, in addition to grills, students are not permitted to store any flammable or combustible items in any area of the residence halls, including individual rooms, common areas and kitchens.

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D. Missing Student Policy

This is notification to Providence College students of information and mandates under the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act, Section 485(j), regarding missing students.

As required by law, Providence College has adopted a missing student notification policy for students who reside in on-campus housing. In accordance with this policy, each student who resides in on-campus housing may identify an individual to be contacted by Providence College after such student is determined to be missing for more than twenty-four (24) hours, in accordance with procedures that have been established by the Office of Residence Life & Housing and the Office of Public Safety.

In the event that a student who resides in on-campus housing is reported missing for more than twenty-four (24) hours, an official missing-person report should be filed with the Office of Public Safety in person or via telephone (865-2222). If, after investigation of the official report, the Office of Public Safety determines that the student has been missing for more than twenty-four (24) hours, the following action shall be taken:

  • If the missing student is age 18 or older, the person designated as the “missing student contact, if any, by the missing student shall be contacted immediately.
  • If the missing student is under 18 years of age and not an emancipated individual, the custodial parent or legal guardian shall be contacted immediately.
  • If the missing student is age 18 or older and has not designated a “missing student contact, the appropriate law enforcement agency shall be contacted immediately.

An investigation into a report of a student who, voluntarily, decides to be out of contact, decides not to attend classes, decides to leave campus on an impromptu trip, or declines to respond to emails and phone calls, is very serious. To prevent undue concern about students” safety and well-being, students living in on-campus housing bear the responsibility for communicating their whereabouts to those with whom they live (roommates, resident assistants, etc.) especially if and when they expect to be away from campus for a period of time. “Suzanne’s Law” amends Section 370(a) of the Crime Control Act of 1990 and requires law enforcement to notify the National Crime Information Center of the Department of Justice when someone under the age of 21 is reported missing as part of the national “Amber Alert” bill. This reporting requirement also is part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, amending the Higher Education Act. This Federal law is named for Suzanne Lyall, a State University of New York at Albany student who has been missing since 1998.

Emergency Contact Forms can be obtained from the Office of Residence Life & Housing. Information on this form is required by the Office of Residence Life & Housing. You may designate a primary emergency contact person and a person to be notified if the College determines that you are missing. Please complete the form and submit it to the Office of Residence Life & Housing beginning each academic year. Also, please update the form as necessary (for example, when phone numbers change or to change the name of your emergency contact person).

If you, as a member of the College community, are concerned that another student might be missing or otherwise in danger, please immediately notify the Office of Public Safety by dialing

(401) 865-2222 (or ext. 2222 from an on-campus telephone).

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Section IV: Policies and Regulations

As a Catholic academic community, Providence College expects that all members of the community understand their behavioral responsibilities and respect the rights of all other community members. Providence College expects its students, wherever they are, to adhere to high standards of honor and good citizenship and to behave in a responsible manner that brings credit to themselves and the College. This section of the Student Handbook will outline the College’s general policies and procedures that apply to students, including students” rights, responsibilities and prohibited behaviors that violate the College’s community standards. These policies and procedures may be amended during the course of the academic year as deemed appropriate.

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A.    Student Rights and Responsibilities

Certain rights are afforded to every member of the Providence College student body. These rights include:

  1. The right to be free from discrimination, to be treated equally and individually without regard to race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status;
  2. The right to learn, which includes the right of access to ideas, facts, and opinions, the right to express and discuss those and other ideas, facts, and opinions with others in a forum and manner appropriate for a Catholic institution;
  3. The right to coexist peacefully with other members of the Providence College community, which includes the right to protection against force, violence, threat, harassment, and abuse; the responsibility to treat others respectfully and fairly; the right to assemble, to move about freely, and to join associations for educational, political, social, religious, or cultural purposes;
  4. The right to be treated fairly and to have access to a process for resolving claims of deprivations of rights; and the right to be informed of any charges of misconduct that could result in disciplinary proceedings, the right to have adequate time to prepare a response to the charges, the right to receive assistance from an advisor, the right to a fair hearing, and the right to be informed of the outcome of any proceeding as permitted by law.

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B. General Policies

Academic Integrity Policy

Students are expected to abide by the principles of academic integrity and to take full advantage of the College’s academic programs and activities in an honest manner. Please refer to the Academic Policies, including Academic Integrity, located in the College’s Undergraduate Catalog.

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Alcohol Policies

Alcohol abuse and underage alcohol use at Providence College have been recognized as serious challenges that jeopardize the safety and success of students and the College community. The College is actively working to address alcohol and other drug-related problems at PC and in the surrounding community through:

  • providing education
  • promoting a change in the campus culture regarding alcohol
  • promoting alcohol-free social options
  • reducing alcohol availability
  • developing alcohol policies and increasing the consistency of enforcement
  • reducing the marketing of alcohol
  • conducting early intervention
  • providing treatment and referrals The College is committed to a clear, meaningful and well-publicized set of limitations and consequences that hold students accountable for alcohol-related behaviors (BOTH on and off campus) and provide necessary educational, monitoring and support elements.

Providence College students are expected to comply with local, state, and federal laws relating to the use of alcohol. The College will not tolerate conduct that disrupts the campus or the academic or residential environment or jeopardizes the safety of another person. Rhode Island state law, applicable to all PC students regardless of home state or country, makes it illegal for anyone under age 21 to purchase, arrange to have purchased, transport, possess, consume, or carry alcoholic beverages.

Regardless of age, the unlawful use of alcohol, drunk and disorderly conduct (including assault and battery and property damage), and violation of any regulations listed below are considered serious offenses and will result in disciplinary action and possible sanctions through the Office of Community Standards and/or the Office of Residence Life & Housing.

Moreover, the College reserves the right to confiscate alcohol, alcohol paraphernalia, and false identifications pursuant to a violation and as circumstances require. Confiscated items will be disposed of and will not be returned under any circumstances. Confiscated false identifications will be submitted to the Office of Public Safety.

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Medical Amnesty

A student who calls for medical assistance on behalf of another person, or for oneself, due to use or abuse of alcohol or drugs will not be subject to disciplinary action for the following conduct violation(s) only: use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages and drugs. There is no limit to the number of times a student can call on behalf of someone else who needs medical attention and is immune from these specific Code violations. The College will not notify Providence Police of the incident as a result of a call for medical attention unless Providence Police assistance is needed to address other criminal activity, including the sale of an illegal drug and/or the possession of a large quantity of illegal drugs. In that event, the College’s caller amnesty policy does not preclude law enforcement authorities from making alcohol and drug related arrests or filing criminal charges.

If a student, or student group, calls on behalf of another student, that student/group is required to remain with the student experiencing the emergency until medical attention arrives. The Medical Amnesty Policy will not be granted to students who are confronted by college personnel prior to the request for medical assistance.

The student needing medical assistance will be required to meet with the dean of students, or designee, and may be expected to participate in an alcohol/drug education program and/or referral for assessment. The policy also does not preclude the College from contacting the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). The student will also be responsible for the costs associated with hospital transport, treatment, assessment, or property damage.

In cases where extreme or repeat violations of the Code of Conduct occur, the dean of students, or designee, will determine if interim measures and/or disciplinary action are required out of concern for the safety and welfare of the student and the College community.

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Hospital Transports

In the event a college official in his/her official capacity and at his/her sole discretion believes a student requires medical assessment and/or transportation to a hospital due to alcohol consumption, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or other medical professional(s) will be summoned to evaluate the student. Students determined to need medical attention for intoxication by an EMT or other medical professional will be transported to an area hospital with or without that student’s consent.

Any student transported to a hospital due to alcohol consumption from the College campus or a college-sponsored activity/event is required to:

  • Meet with an on-call administrator upon return to campus from the hospital,
  • Pay for the cost of the ambulance transport and other related costs,
  • Meet with a representative from the Personal Counseling Center, and
  • Go home with a parent or guardian the following weekend.

In addition, any student transported to a hospital for intoxication will:

  • Be referred to the Office of Community Standards.
  • Have his/her parent/guardian notified.

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For more detailed alcohol policy information please refer to the Code of Conduct located under the Student Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook.

Drones(Unmanned Aircraft Systems)

In order to maintain a safe environment for the College community, its visitors and guests, the use of drones or “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) on college property by students is prohibited. This policy is published on the OGC policy manual page.

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Drugs: Policy, and Possession, Use, Distribution and/or Sale

The possession, use, distribution and/or sale of any illegal drug, and the misuse of prescription drugs, are violations of federal and state law and College policy. The College cooperates with federal, state and local law enforcement investigations and efforts aimed at controlling the possession, use, distribution and sale of illegal drugs, including the non-medical use, sale or distribution of prescription drugs. By law, use of prescription drugs is limited to those for whom the prescription has been issued.

Any student using, dealing, selling, or distributing illegal drugs on campus or off campus may be dismissed from the College pursuant to the College’s disciplinary procedures. The possession, use, or distribution of drug paraphernalia (e.g., pipes, glassware, and other items) is strictly forbidden. For purposes of any disciplinary hearing, the College will conclude that a student is dealing in drugs if the student is found to have possessed a large quantity of illegal drugs. Judgments with respect to quantity will be made concerning any other illegal drugs. The College may be obligated to notify law enforcement authorities for drug violations on campus.

The College reserves the right to confiscate any illegal drugs found including medication for which the student does not have a prescription and drug paraphernalia pursuant to a violation and as circumstances require. Confiscated items will be disposed of and will not be returned under any circumstances.

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For more detailed drug policy information please refer to the Code of Conduct located under the Student Responsibilities section of the Student Handbook.

Alcohol and Drug-Free School and Workplace Policy

Applicability: Campus-Wide
Oversight: Human Resources / Student Affairs
Effective Revision Date: November 29, 2022

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Introduction

In accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989, Providence College has adopted the following Policy for all members of the college community. For the purposes of this Policy members of the college community include all students and employees (permanent or temporary or full-time or part-time). Students are also responsible for abiding by additional policies regarding drugs and alcohol as communicated in the Student Handbook.

Providence College is committed to maintaining a drug-free environment for its employees and its students. Our Policy prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of illegal drugs and controlled substances on Providence College property or during the course of college business. Federal regulations require the annual distribution of Providence College’s Alcohol & Drug-Free School & Workplace Policy.

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Standards of Conduct

All members of the Providence College community are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of illegal drugs, controlled substances, or alcohol on any College premises, in vehicles provided by Providence College, or at any worksite or location at which the activity or event is sponsored by Providence College. Common examples of controlled substances, as defined by local, state, and/or federal law, are cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, and heroin. Other drugs and substances that may be used and abused include, among others, alcohol, opioids, sedatives, stimulants and tranquilizers.

All members of the Providence College community are expected to comply with local, state, and federal laws relating to the use of alcohol and other drugs. Rhode Island state law, applicable to all members of the Providence College community regardless of home state or country, makes it illegal for anyone under age 21 to purchase, arrange to have purchased, transport, possess, consume, or carry alcoholic beverages. The possession, use, distribution and/or sale of any illegal drug, and the misuse of prescription drugs, are violations of federal and state law. While Rhode Island has legalized the use of marijuana for adults 21 and older, marijuana remains illegal under federal law and the RI legislation includes an exception for institutions that receive federal funding. Because Providence College receives federal funding, marijuana remains prohibited in any form or amount on any College premises, in vehicles provided by Providence College, or at any worksite or location at which the activity or event is sponsored by Providence College.

Additionally, every employee is required to notify the Office of Human Resources of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring on the campus no later than five days after the conviction.

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Health Risks
Alcohol

Alcohol use can be the cause of many serious health risks. All drugs including alcohol carry the risk of addiction which can cause long-term health consequences. For some individuals, any amount of drinking could be potentially harmful. Heavy and long-term use of alcohol can lead to overdose or withdrawal resulting in permanent health consequences, injuries and or fatalities. Additionally, alcohol use is linked to liver disease, increased rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety, and birth defects. More information on how alcohol and drugs effect health is available from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and College Drinking.

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Marijuana

Health effects of marijuana use include but are not limited to altered sensory perception followed by drowsiness/relaxation; slowed reaction time; problems with balance and coordination; increased heart rate and appetite; problems with learning and memory; anxiety and increased risks for psychosis. Commonly reported long-term effects include mental health problems, chronic cough, and frequent respiratory infections. THC vaping products mixed with the filler Vitamin E acetate (and possibly other chemicals) has led to serious lung illnesses and deaths. In combination with alcohol, effects include increased heart rate, blood pressure; further slowing of mental processing and reaction time. Withdrawal from frequent marijuana use can include symptoms of irritability, insomnia, decreased appetite, and anxiety. Marijuana use is linked to concerns related to pregnancy: infants can demonstrate problems with attention, memory, and problem solving. See more information on effects at: https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/cadchart.pdf

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Other Drugs

For all commonly used/abused drugs and adverse effects please refer to the following: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/commonly-used-drugs-charts

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Resources
College Resources

Personal Counseling Center (ongoing services available to full-time day school undergraduate students only; a consultation session and off campus referrals available for graduate students) Lower Bedford Hall — (401) 865-2343

The Personal Counseling Center provides undergraduate students with individual counseling for a range of personal, developmental, and psychological issues, including but not limited to: depression, self-esteem, homesickness, changing values, anxiety, substance use concerns, establishing an adult identity with family and peers, eating disorders, sexuality, family difficulties and pressures, crisis intervention, victimization, addiction and recovery, thoughts of suicide, life crises, and critical life decisions. With respect to academics, the PCC assists students in exploring problematic concerns such as memory, concentration, perfectionism, procrastination, and conflict resolution. The PCC also offers a consultation/assessment session for non-athlete graduate students, with a referral into the community for ongoing care needs. All students, including graduate students, have access to the Counseling Center’s After-Hours Mental Health Support phone service. Graduate Student-Athletes should reference the services found on our Clinical Sports Psychology Services website page. The PCC staff includes Licensed Mental Health Professionals including Psychologists, Clinical Social Workers, and Mental Health Counselors. The staff also includes Clinical Substance Use Counselors who, in addition to serving as a Generalist Mental Health Counselors, are available to meet with students for a substance use assessment and to make recommendations for appropriate treatment. Treatment could include ongoing counseling services at the PCC or a referral to an off-campus provider. The Substance Use Counselors are also endorsed by the State of Rhode Island to treat Problem Gambling and Sports Betting. The PCC provides the following services: Individual and Group Therapy, Psychiatric Services, Consultation, Assessment, and Treatment Planning. It is important to note that services are strictly Confidential. No one can access your information except the clinical counseling center staff. The only rare exceptions are situations where we are required by law or when a life-threatening situation exists.

Student Health Center (available to full-time undergraduate students only)

Lower Davis Hall — (401) 865-2422

The Student Health Center provides comprehensive and confidential physical and mental health services for all full-time undergraduate students. The Student Health Center also provides relevant health and wellness programming including screenings on nutrition, physical activity, alcohol and other drug use, tobacco, stress, and general wellness. All visits to the health center are free. Students’ insurance will be billed for any testing or referrals off campus, as well as prescriptions dispensed by the providers.

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Chaplain’s Office

St. Dominic Chapel — (401) 865-2216

The Office of the Chaplain & Campus Ministry invites students of all faiths to join the many spiritual, service, and social activities happening nearly every day through Campus Ministry. The Chaplains are also available to meet confidentially one-on-one with students to discuss any concerns, questions, or difficulties they may have.

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Public Safety

Huxley Avenue Gate — (401) 865-2391 (non-emergency) — (401) 865-2222 (emergency)

The Office of Public Safety operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The Office of Public Safety can be contacted to report an alleged violation of this Policy. In the event of a medical or other emergency, Public Safety is available to respond and will also contact campus EMTs or other emergency personnel to respond.

Employee Assistance Plan- New Directions (available to faculty and staff, and their family members only)

(800)624-5544 — eap.ndbh.com (company code: providencecollege)

Provides 24/7, free, confidential access to license counselors who in addition to substance abuse and addiction can assist with emotion and personal concerns, marriage, family, and relationships, stress, financial issues, legal assistance, job-related concerns, and work/life issues. Contact with staff at New Directions is confidential. For more information contact the Office of Human Resources at (401) 865-2341.

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Outside Community Resources
Primary Care Provider

It is highly recommended all individuals consult with their primary care provider as an additional resource. Research shows coordinated care with your physician aids in more effective treatment.

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Rhode Island Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings

(401)438-8860 — rhodeisland-aa.org — rics@rhodeisland-aa.org

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. AA meetings are available in most local communities. To learn more about AA or find a meeting in your local community, please visit aa.org.

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Smart Recovery Meetings

A secular, self-help, abstinence and science-based support group for those who wish to develop rational skills and gain independence from addictive behavior. Recovery meetings are open to all who are interested. Through discussion and support participants can learn the skills to change addictive behaviors, avoid relapses, and live a balanced life. To learn more or find a meeting, please visit www.smartne.org or national www.smartrecovery.org

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New England Region of Narcotics Anonymous

(866) NA-HELP-U (866-624-3578) — nerna.org

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. The group consists of individuals recovering from substance use disorders who meet regularly to help one another stay abstinent. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using. To learn more about NA or find a meeting in your local community, please visit na.org.

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Nicotine Abstinence Support

1-800-quit-now. https://health.ri.gov/tobacco

Quitting nicotine use is a process. Whether you are thinking about quitting, are not yet ready to quit, or have already quit, the Rhode Island Nicotine Helpline can help individuals with all forms of nicotine addiction—using safe and effective strategies. Free phone counseling, live online chat, and other support tools can help you quit for good.

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Rhode Island Al-Anon Family Groups

(401) 781-0044 — riafg.org — alanon.riafg@gmail.com

Al-Anon is a worldwide fellowship of those who feel their lives have been deeply affected by someone else’s drinking. Al-Anon groups exist in many local communities. To find an Al-Anon group, in another state, please visit al-anon.org.

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CODAC Behavioral Health

(401) 275-5039 — codac@codacinc.org

CODAC provides comprehensive outpatient and community-based resources to those living and struggling with the challenges of substance use disorder and behavioral healthcare issues. As a result, CODAC designed programs to promote and support recovery including outpatient therapy, intensive outpatient services (IOP) and medication assisted treatment. CODAC help participants acquire the skills necessary to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. CODAC locations were also named the first centers of excellence for opioid treatment in Rhode Island.

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Butler Hospital

(401) 455-6200 — butler.org

Butler Hospital is Rhode Island’s only non-profit, free-standing psychiatric hospital providing adults, seniors and adolescents specialized assessment and treatment for all major psychiatric illnesses and substance abuse. Butler is the major affiliated teaching hospital for psychiatry and behavioral health of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Butler Hospital offers a range of services for treating substance abuse disorders. Following an assessment patients choose a program that meets their needs.

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Adcare Treatment Centers

(866)-423-5841 https://adcare.com/programs

Adcare treatment centers provide treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. Services include but are not limited to medical detox, addiction focused healthcare, inpatient residential, partial hospital program (PHP)/ day treatment, intensive outpatient (IOP), outpatient therapy, telehealth addiction treatment, veterans services, first responders services, LGBTQ support, chronic mental illness treatment.

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College Sanctions
Employees

Any activity prohibited by this Policy constitutes grounds for immediate termination and possible referral for criminal prosecution. Additionally, any employee under the influence of drugs or alcohol such that judgment or performance is impaired, or inappropriate behaviors occur while on campus or on college business, will be subject to the full range of discipline available to the College and/or applicable collective bargaining agreements, up to and including termination.

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Students

Providence College students are expected to comply with local, state, and federal laws relating to the use of alcohol and other drugs. The College will not tolerate conduct that disrupts the campus or the academic or residential environment or jeopardizes the safety of another person. Violation of the alcohol and/or drug policies are considered serious offenses and will result in disciplinary action and possible sanctions through the Office of Community Standards and/or the Office of Residence Life & Housing. The full range of sanctions up to suspension and dismissal may be considered. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook.

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Legal Sanctions

For information on federal drug trafficking penalties, please consult the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. For a comprehensive guide to Rhode Island alcohol and drug laws and potential sanctions, please see Title 3 and Title 21 of Rhode Island General Laws. Listed below are examples of some state laws and potential sanctions:

Alcohol
RIGL — 3-8-10. Possession of alcoholic beverages by underage persons.

  • 30 hours community service
  • 60-day suspension of driver’s license
  • For a first offense, fine ranging from $150-$750
  • For a second offense, fine ranging from $300-$750 and possible mandated substance abuse assessment by a licensed substance abuse professional
  • For a third offense, fine ranging from $450-$950 RIGL” 3-8-11.1. Furnishing or procurement of alcoholic beverages for underage persons.
  • Fine ranging from $350-$1,000
  • Imprisonment not exceeding 6 months RIGL — 3-8-6. Unlawful drinking and misrepresentation by underage persons — Identification cards for person twenty-one and older.
  • For a first offense, fine ranging from $100-$500; 30 hours community service; possible sus pension of driver’s license for 30 days
  • For a second offense, fine ranging from $500-$750; 40 hours community service; possible suspension of driver’s license for 3 months
  • For a third offense, fine ranging from $750-$1000; 50 hours community service; possible suspension of driver’s license for one year RIGL — 21-28-4.01. Except as authorized by this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.
  • For a controlled substance, classified in schedule I or II, imprisonment for not more than 30 years; or fine ranging from $3,000-$100,000; or both
  • For a controlled substance, classified in schedule III or IV, imprisonment for not more than 20 years; or fine up $40,000; or both
  • For a controlled substance, classified in schedule V, imprisonment for not more than one year; or fine up $10,000; or both
  • For a controlled substance classified in schedules I, II and III, and IV and V in the absence of a valid prescription, imprisonment for not more than three years, or fined up to $5,000; or both Providence College supports students through education, intervention, prevention and support services designed to promote safe and responsible decisions/behaviors and address the individual needs of students. The Personal Counseling Center offers individual assessment, counseling and/or treatment referrals to students. Additionally, the College offers a multilevel educational program designed to meet the individual needs of students, including those who make high-risk choices around alcohol and other drug use. Students may refer themselves to these programs by contacting the Personal Counseling Center. Students also may be referred by another member of the PC community or mandated to participate through the Office of Community Standards.

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College Media

The College recognizes the value of student media and publications as part of the atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and, in fostering that goal, funds those vehicles. As publisher and manager, the College grants the student editors, editorial boards, and road cast managers the freedom to develop their own editorial and news coverage policies. While granting this freedom, however, the College reserves the right to limit editorial discretion in areas which compromise the values of the College, or which may subject the College to potential legal liability. Specifically, the College reserves the right to exclude advertisements in College media and publications, including, among others, advertisements for abortion services, research papers or research assistance services, or advertisements paid through an exchange for goods or services other than cash.

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Communication and Notification

Electronic mail (e-mail) is the official and universal method of communication and notification from college officials to the entire student body and individual students. Therefore, students are expected to check their college e-mail accounts on a regular basis. In addition, in an emergency or an urgent matter, the College may need to contact students via telephone; therefore, students must provide updated contact information to the College and are responsible for checking and responding to messages from the College.

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Confidentiality of Student Educational Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (‘FERPA’) of 1974, as amended, is a federal law governing the privacy of personally identifiable information in student educational records that provides specific rights to students with respect to those records. A student is any person who attends or has attended the College. Education records are any records (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, computer or other medium) maintained by the College or an agent of the College that are directly related to the student. Education records include financial aid, academic, disciplinary and health records, and other personally identifiable information.

A student has the following rights: to inspect and review his or her educational records; to request an amendment to a record that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA; to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent; and to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. In accordance with FERPA, the College provides annual notice to students regarding these rights.

Students have the right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from students” education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. There are a number of exceptions to this nondisclosure policy, including one for health or safety emergencies. The law permits the College to disclose otherwise private and confidential information from an education record to appropriate parties in an emergency situation if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. Appropriate parties may include school officials, parents, law enforcement authorities, emergency responders, public health officials, medical personnel and other members of the community.

The College is permitted, with or without a student’s consent, to inform parents when their student has violated any law or College policy regarding the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the student is not yet 21 years of age. The College is permitted to disclose to anyone the final results of a disciplinary proceeding conducted against a student who is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense if it is determined that the student committed a violation of the College’s own rules or policies with respect to such crime or offense. In any disciplinary proceeding alleging a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense, both the accuser and the accused will be informed of the final results and any sanction imposed against the accused.

The College is permitted to disclose any and all education records, including disciplinary records, to another institution at which a student seeks or intends to enroll if that information is related to the student’s enrollment or transfer; this includes but is not limited to updated or corrected information.

The College discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with a legitimate educational interest in the records. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including Safety and Security staff and Student Health Center staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using College employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest in the educational record if the official needs to review the record in order to fulfill his or her job-related responsibilities.

Disclosure without consent is permitted when the College is returning records to the apparent creator (e.g., of a transcript or letter) to verify authenticity. Disclosure without consent is permitted to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, provided the College makes a reasonable effort to notify the student of the order or subpoena prior to release unless the subpoena specifies that notice is prohibited. Disclosure without consent is permitted to lending institutions in connection with an application for or receipt of financial aid. Disclosure without consent is permitted to Veterans Administration officials.

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which your education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including your Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without your consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the

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

A student has the right to block the release of directory information. Directory information is student data not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed; the College, at its discretion, may release directory information. Currently, directory information is limited to the following: name; address (local and permanent); telephone listing (local and permanent); e-mail address; date and place of birth; major field of study; class year; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; height/weight of members of athletic teams; enrollment status (e.g., full-time or part-time); dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; and previous education institutions attended. A student may, to the extent permitted by FERPA, block the release of directory information by filing timely, written notice with the Office of the Registrar.

All personally identifiable information not included as directory information is confidential. That information includes, but is not limited to, the following: name of a student’s parent(s) or other family members; address of a student’s family; a personal identifier such as social security number or student number; race/ethnicity; gender; a list of personal characteristics; academic evaluations and grades; transcripts and other academic records; scores on tests required for a new student; and a student’s class schedule.

If a student wishes to authorize disclosure of confidential information to parents/guardians or any other designated individual, institution or entity, a FERPA Release Form, must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. Once the appropriate written authorization by the student is received in this office, designated individuals may be informed of the student’s status at Providence College with respect to grades, academic standing, and financial obligations; this authorization remains in effect for as long as the student is enrolled at the College. If at any time after submission of the form the student wishes to revoke consent or modify the list of individuals, institutions or entities authorized to receive confidential information, a new authorization form must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

A personal record kept by a faculty or staff member if it is kept in the sole possession of the maker of the record, is not accessible or revealed to any other person except a temporary substitute for the maker of the record and is not used for purposes other than a memory or reference tool, is not an educational record. Grades on peer-graded tests or assignments before they are collected and recorded by a faculty member are not educational records. A record created and maintained by the Office of Safety and Security for law enforcement purposes is not an educational record. An employment record of a person whose employment is not contingent on the fact that he or she is a student is not an educational record. A record made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional if the records are used only for treatment of a student and made available only to those persons providing the treatment is not an educational record (other laws protect the confidentiality of medical or treatment records). An alumni record that contains information about a student after he or she is no longer in attendance at the College and that does not relate to the person as a student is not an educational record.

Students may obtain more detailed information about FERPA, including the procedures for exercising their rights, in the Office of the Registrar, Harkins Hall 310.

Complaints concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA may be filed with the U.S. Department of Education. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA are:

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

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Copyright Policy

The federal Copyright Law (Title 17, United State Code, Section 101 and following) requires all members of the Providence College community to respect the proprietary rights of owners of copyrights and to refrain from actions that constitute an infringement of copyright or other proprietary rights. Copyright Guidelines have been developed to assist members of the community to comply with federal copyright law. Members of the Providence College community are expected to become familiar with these Copyright Guidelines, to act with careful consideration of their requirements, and to seek assistance whenever necessary and as directed.

Willful disregard of Providence College’s Copyright Policy by members of the community may result in personal liability in the event that legal action is taken against them. Further, the College may refuse to defend employees named in a court suit and employees may be personally liable for any damages incurred as a result of the copyright violation.

Please refer to the Phillips Memorial Library’s website for the Guidelines and other resources focused on copyright law and higher education: https://pml.providence.edu/resources/

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Accessibility Services and Policies

Providence College helps students with disabilities to access the College’s educational programs and activities, including but not limited to its living spaces, classrooms, air-conditioned rooms, special dining options, priority scheduling, and recreational activities. Specially equipped residence hall rooms and additional rooms in the apartment complex for upperclassmen are provided for those students who need them. Accommodations for transportation to off-campus College-related events may be arranged 3-5 days in advance through the Transportation Office. Academic support services are also available to persons with disabilities through the Student Success Center.

The College provides services to students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and relevant Rhode Island law. To protect the interests of students who are entitled to reasonable accommodations based on their disability, the college has established student procedures for ADA/504 Grievance Resolution:

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Student Procedures for ADA/504 Grievance Resolution (revised January 2023)

Any student with a documented disability who believes that he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of that disability may use this process to file a grievance with the College. The following process is designed to help the student and the College reach an understanding of the situation and resolve any differences in as cooperative, respectful and timely a manner possible.

1)     Informal attempt to resolve

  • A student who has a disability grievance is encouraged to first attempt to resolve the matter informally by meeting with that decision making office/entity for reconsideration (see chart below, ‘Informal Attempt’). The purpose of the meeting is to reach a mutual understanding of the student’s situation and the accommodation issue.
  • It is strongly recommended the student keep a written record/log of all attempts to reach a resolution.
Academic AccommodationsNon-Academic Accommodations
→ Informal AttemptOffice/ EntityAccessibility Services, Student Success CenterStudent Outreach and Support Services
Formal AttemptUnit LeadAssistant Vice President/Dean for Student Academic Success (or designee)Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)
Last Formal Attempt/AppealDivisional VP OfficeSr. Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs (or designee)Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)

2)     Formal attempt to resolve

  • If no resolution is reached after an informal attempt to resolve, or if the student chooses to bypass the informal attempt, the student may file a formal complaint in writing with the unit lead (see chart below, ‘Formal Attempt’). A formal complaint should be submitted as soon as possible, but certainly within a reasonable amount of time, generally no longer than 60 days, after the problem occurred.
  • The written complaint should be as brief and factual as possible, citing the date/time of occurrence and the precise nature of the problem, along with the hoped-for outcomes or relief. A listing of all the meetings in which attempts were made to resolve the problem must also be included.
  • Within five (5) business days of receipt of the formal complaint, the unit lead (see chart below) will review the written submission and provide the student with an opportunity to present his/her complaint. The unit lead may interview the person(s) against whom the complaint is made, as well as other members of the College community as deemed necessary. Every reasonable effort will be made to preserve confidentiality. Members of the College community asked to provide information are mandated to cooperate with the unit lead. The student who has filed a complaint may be accompanied by an advisor during the process who is a member of the College community. Advisors may not be attorneys, and certain employees may be precluded from serving as advisors. The advisor’s role is limited to providing support and consultation. Within ten (10) business days following the unit lead’s gathering of information, the unit lead issues a written decision to the student. This entire process should be completed generally within 45 days from the receipt of the formal complaint, unless additional time is needed for good cause (i.e., essential individuals and/or information are not readily available).
Academic AccommodationsNon-Academic Accommodations
Informal AttemptOffice/ EntityAccessibility Services, Student Success CenterStudent Outreach and Support Services
→ Formal AttemptUnit LeadAssistant Vice President/Dean for Student Academic Success (or designee)Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)
Last Formal Attempt/AppealDivisional VP OfficeSr. Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs (or designee)Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)

3)        Last Formal Attempt to Resolve/Appeal

  • If the student is not satisfied with the unit lead’s decision, the student may, within ten
    (10) business days, submit a written appeal to the divisional vice president office (see
    chart below, ‘Last Formal Attempt’).
  • The written request for review must specify the particular substantive and/or procedural basis for the appeal and must be made on grounds other than general dissatisfaction with the proposed disposition. Furthermore, the appeal must be directed only to issues raised in the formal complaint as filed or to procedural errors in the conduct of the grievance procedure itself, and not to new issues.
  • If the grievance involves a decision that is being challenged, the review by the divisional
    vice president’s office usually will be limited to the following considerations:
    • Were the proper facts and criteria brought to bear on the decision?
    • Were improper or extraneous facts or criteria brought to bear that substantially affected the decision to the detriment of the grievant?
    • Were there any procedural irregularities that substantially affected the outcome of the matter to the detriment of the grievant?
    • Given the proper facts, criteria, and procedures, was the decision a reasonable
      one?
  • Within thirty (30) business days, the divisional vice president office will issue a decision to the student and provide a copy to the unit lead. The decision of the divisional vice president office is final.
  • The above procedural steps do not limit the student or any of the College community members directly involved with the problem from attempting to informally resolve the matter at any time during the formal complaint process. The time frames detailed above may be adjusted for good cause (i.e., essential individuals and/or information are not readily available).
Academic AccommodationsNon-Academic Accommodations
Informal AttemptOffice/ EntityAccessibility Services, Student Success CenterStudent Outreach and Support Services
→ Formal AttemptUnit LeadAssistant Vice President/Dean for Student Academic Success (or designee)Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)
Last Formal Attempt/AppealDivisional VP OfficeSr. Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs (or designee)Vice President of Student Affairs (or designee)

Related Policy & Resources
See Providence College’s Nondiscrimination Policy – https://equity-compliance.providence.edu/policy-resolution-process/

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights– Use of this grievance procedure does not limit an individual’s pursuit of other remedies, including the right to pursue a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights by visiting their webpage or calling 800.421.3481

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Electronic Mail (E-mail) Policy

  1. Mailings are only allowed by college units (departments, programs, administrative offices, student organizations, and committees) must be directly related to the unit’s mission, and must be authorized by the unit supervisor, chair, or administrator.
  2. All student e-mail requests will be forwarded to the vice president for student affairs, or his/her designee, for approval.
  3. Messages can only be for informational purposes and not of a personal, recreational, commercial, or classified nature.
  4. All student listserv messages are distributed as part of the Morning Mail and must be submitted by 4pm on the day prior.
  5. Sponsoring units may submit no more than 2 email requests per event/announcement.
  6. The message must contain the sponsoring unit’s name and a representative’s contact information.
  7. The submission needs to specify the intended audience (faculty, staff, or students by graduation year).
  8. Emergency message will be broadcast to all users without the use of a listserv.
  9. The method of distribution for the broadcast messages will be up to the discretion of the system administrator.

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Fundraising and Sales

Fundraising Policy
Students and student organizations are encouraged to conduct fundraising to supplement costs associated with managing their organization, academic class projects, and/or running programs/events. Fundraising must not negatively impact the College or the community and must not interfere with the College’s own development activities. Students must complete and return an Event Registration Form at least three weeks prior to any fundraising activity. The Office of Student Activities & Cultural Programming reserves the right to limit the number of fundraising activities held in a given week/month.

When fundraising, students must never keep funds in club/organization offices or their personal rooms; rather, students should bring it to the Student Activities & Cultural Programming Office to be secured or the Office of the Dean of Students to be deposited into an agency account.

Refer to the Student Activities & Cultural Programming Office’s Successful Event Planning Handbook on the MyPC Portal for a list of student fundraising policies and procedures.

Sales Representatives and Vendors
A sales representative (student or non-student) who wishes to solicit on campus, including on college administered social media sites, must have approval in writing from the assistant vice president for business services. Solicitation and the sale of items in the residence halls, in addition to meeting all of the following requirements, must be explicitly permitted by the director of Residence Life & Housing.

Recognized Providence College organizations desiring to sell goods or services on campus to the College community may be permitted to do so under the following guidelines:

  • items offered for sale are not in competition with the College.
  • profits from such sales must revert to the organization; no one may sell items for personal gain.
  • Vendor permits must be obtained and displayed.

Since selling goods or services of any kind is a business enterprise, any and all exceptions to the above must be explicitly permitted by the vice president for business services. Such permission should not be granted without consultation with the administrative officer under whose jurisdiction the one seeking permission falls and unless a genuine service is provided to the College community that the College itself is not able or willing to provide.

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Anti-Harassment Policy

As a Catholic institution of higher learning, Providence College is committed to maintaining an environment in which all students, staff and faculty are treated with dignity and respect as created in the image and likeness of God. Discriminatory harassment is unwelcome conduct that unreasonably interferes with a person’s ability to work or learn because it creates an intimidating or hostile environment for individuals or groups based on their status, i.e., the conduct is accompanied by demeaning expressions concerning the race, gender, age, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, or disability of the victim(s). It can include unwelcome verbal, written, graphic, and/or physical conduct directed at one or more members of a targeted group, such as epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, and threatened or actual physical assault or harm. The College’s anti-harassment policy applies to all students, faculty and staff in both on and off-campus College-sponsored programs and activities. The College does not tolerate such misconduct and anyone who engages in this behavior may be subject to disciplinary procedures.

Providence College does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities in accordance with Title IX. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are types of sex discrimination and sex discrimination is illegal. Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature, or gender-based, that is severe or pervasive, and that creates a hostile or abusive learning, working or living environment, thereby unreasonably interfering with a person’s ability to learn or work. This type of behavior may occur between or among peers and may be directed to persons of the opposite or same sex as that of the harasser. It is not possible to list all circumstances that might constitute sexual harassment. Examples include unwelcome sexual innuendo, comments and sexual teasing; visual display or transmission of degrading sexual images; the hostile use of sexually derogatory terms, jokes, and graffiti; intrusive sexually explicit questions or storytelling; spreading sexual rumors or rating others as to sexual activity or performance; stalking; sexual extortion; and attempted or actual sexual assault or violence. (Also, please refer to the Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College.)

The higher-education academic, educational, and research settings necessarily accommodate themes, topics, and material that are germane to the subject matter and that, in other settings, may not be appropriate. Policies forbidding harassment do not threaten such academic freedoms.

All harassment inquiries and complaints are taken seriously and handled in a confidential manner. Retaliatory behavior is prohibited. A copy of the Anti-Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedures, including a list of resources, is available at https://human-resources.providence.edu/policies/.

Bias Incident or Hate Crime
Providence College strongly encourages campus community members to take an active role in reporting bias incidents and hate crimes in order to ensure that the College remains an inclusive and welcoming campus. Such incidents may be targeted at specific individuals, but they also can affect an entire group or community. This type of behavior violates the College’s Anti-Harassment Policy and also may be prohibited by other policies and codes of conduct.

A bias incident is an incident of verbal or non-verbal conduct or behavior directed to an individual or group, based on the individual or group’s race, religion, ethnicity or national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability, that is threatening, harassing, intimidating, discriminatory, or hostile. Please be aware that just because the expression of an idea or point of view may be offensive or inflammatory to some, it is not necessarily a bias-related incident. Providence College values freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas in discourse.

A hate crime, generally, refers to a crime committed not out of animosity toward a victim as an individual, but out of hostility toward the group to which the victim belongs. Rhode Island General Laws, section 42-28-46, defines a hate crime as “any crime motivated by bigotry and bias including, but not limited to, threatened, attempted, or completed acts that appear after investigation to have been motivated by racial, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, or disability prejudice.” The Rhode Island Hate Crimes Sentencing Act (section 12-19-38) provides enhanced penalties when a person has been convicted of a crime in which he or she selected the victim or selected the property that is damaged because of the “hatred or animus toward the actual or perceived disability, religion, color, race, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, or gender” of the victim, owner, or occupant of the property.

A bias incident or hate crime causes a unique — and often more severe — type of harm as compared to other improper acts or crimes because the attack is based on the victim’s membership in a group as opposed to the victim’s individual traits or actual behavior. It is common for victims to be affected as follows: feeling fearful, helpless, and vulnerable, with a diminished sense of self-worth, for an extended period of time; feeling the need to retaliate against a member of the group represented by the perpetrator; and, experiencing severe emotional and psychological problems.

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Sexual Misconduct Policy

Sexual misconduct in all forms violates the sanctity of the human body, mind, and spirit and will not be tolerated within our community. All forms of sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment are forbidden.

Sexual misconduct is one of the most serious violations of the College’s Code of Student Conduct for its students, and some forms of sexual misconduct constitute violations of civil and criminal law. Students are expected to be aware of and abide by this policy. It is available at Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College. The policy includes definitions of prohibited behavior, reporting procedures, and resources and services.

Hazing Policy
Consistent with Rhode Island law, athletic conference guidelines and national fraternal policies, hazing is prohibited at Providence College. The term “hazing” means any act that, as an explicit or implicit condition for initiation to, affiliation with, or continued membership in, a team, club, group, or organization, could be assessed by a reasonable person as creating an undue risk of danger to a person’s physical or mental health via, for example, humiliating, intimidating, or demeaning treatment; consumption of alcohol, drugs, or other substances; or other violations of College policy. A claim that one or more student participants in the activity did so voluntarily and/or were given an opportunity to opt-out of participation at any time are not viable defenses to a charge of hazing.

It is not possible to list all circumstances that might constitute hazing; however, the following examples should inform students as to the general types of unacceptable behavior that will not be tolerated at Providence College: forcing or coercing someone to consume food, alcohol, other drugs or other substances; forcing or coercing someone to publicly wear apparel that is conspicuous and outside the norm of what is considered to be in good taste, or engaging in public stunts and buffoonery or degrading or humiliating games or activities; whipping, paddling, branding, striking, tattooing, piercing someone’s body; exposing someone to extreme weather conditions; depriving someone of sleep/rest or disturbing someone’s sleep during normal rest hours; isolating or confining someone in a small space; forcing or coercing someone to engage in physical activity that is likely to create a risk of harm, or that adversely affects someone’s health or safety; forcing or coercing someone to participate in pranks such as stealing from or harassing another organization, or theft or vandalism of College property or personal property; ridiculing, yelling, screaming or cursing at new members; any other activities that are not consistent with state law, the College’s mission, or the educational process.

There are many activities in which members of student groups may voluntarily participate that foster camaraderie and team building, promote unity and a sense of belonging, and build self-confidence and self-esteem. Examples of such activities include attending pre-season or organizational training sessions; administering supervised testing for skills, endurance, or performance; sponsoring a skit night; wearing appropriate, similar clothing as a symbol of unity; performing community service; completing a ropes course; and participating in a supervised group trip. Hazing shall not include any activity or conduct that furthers the mission of Providence College or military training (ROTC) program goals, provided that these goals, as well as the activity and conduct in support of these goals, are deemed appropriate and approved by the College.

If a student (leader, captain, organizer, or participant) is unclear as to whether a particular activity or certain behavior would constitute a violation of the College’s hazing policy, the student, prior to authorizing, organizing or engaging in the activity, should consult with an administrator. Community members who have experienced hazing or have information about a possible hazing incident should report the activity to the Office of Public Safety, the dean of students, the director of athletics or club and recreational sports, executive associate athletic director/SWA, the director of Residence Life & Housing, or the director of Student Activities & Cultural Programming. All reports will be taken seriously and investigated promptly. Retaliation and reprisals against persons who file a report or who cooperate with an investigation of hazing are prohibited. When evidence of retaliatory behavior exists, the person or persons responsible will be subject to appropriate and immediate disciplinary action. In addition to disciplinary action imposed by the College, teams, clubs, and organizations may be subject to additional sanctions imposed by their respective governing bodies or conferences. Persons who violate Rhode Island law (R.I.G.L. — 11-21-1) may receive sanctions consisting of a fine and/or incarceration.

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Health Insurance Policy

The College is committed to meeting the medical needs of its students by requiring that all students be enrolled in a comprehensive health insurance plan. The College provides a medical insurance plan that all students will automatically be enrolled in. If a student has comparable insurance that covers them in Rhode Island, they can waive the College insurance by providing proof of their insurance plan via an on-line process. Unless the insurance is waived on-line, students will automatically be enrolled and billed for the College plan. All International students are required to have the College insurance.

Questions regarding the College medical insurance plan are handled through the Bursar’s Office (401-865-2284.)

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Leave of Absence for Behavior that Poses Significant Safety Risks

Providence College is committed to providing a healthy, safe and supportive environment for students to help them achieve their best, from a holistic viewpoint, at every important stage of their college years. The College hopes to be able to assist students to further develop self-awareness and to address certain problems that may impede their ability to take full advantage of the College’s academic and other programs and activities. Sometimes, however, particular behavior may be of such a concern to the College that the student may have to take a temporary leave of absence in order for the behavior to be adequately addressed.

In this light, students who exhibit behavior that poses a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services, may be required to take an involuntary leave of absence from the College. Involuntary leaves of absence are imposed only in extreme circumstances. At the discretion of the dean of students, or designee, parents/guardians may be notified under such circumstances.

The dean of students, or designee, will ultimately make determinations as to whether a leave is necessary. Time frames with respect to the beginning and ending of the involuntary leave will be determined on a case-by-case basis. At the conclusion of the involuntary leave of absence, the student must present sufficient documentation to the dean of students to assess whether that the student is ready and able to be readmitted to the College.

The dean of students, or designee, reserves the right to obtain an independent medical evaluation prior to authorizing the student’s return. When a student returns to the College, reasonable behavioral and/or treatment conditions for continued residence and/or enrollment may be issued by the College depending on the specific circumstances.

Students who exhibit behavior that poses a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by one or more reasonable accommodations may decide that it is in their best interest to take a voluntary leave of absence from the College. With respect to returning to the College, the College will work with them in the same manner as described above for involuntary leaves to effectuate a safe and healthy return.

Campus Assessment Response Evaluation (CARE): Early Intervention and Support for Students of Concern
The Office of the Dean of Students encourages members of the College community to share concerns about student behaviors. If a person recognizes signs of distress or observes disruptive behavior, he or she can submit an email to the dean of students. All emergency situations must be reported immediately to the Office of Public Safety at 865-2222.

The dean’s office will reach out to the student to offer support and connect him or her with appropriate resources on campus or in the community. Students with significant or complex behavioral, emotional, social, academic or medical concerns will be referred to the CARE Team in the Office of the Dean of Students. Using an interdisciplinary case management approach, the CARE Team develops intervention plans for students and monitors their status.

The Office of the Dean of Students will acknowledge receipt of all reports and may contact the reporter to obtain additional information. The office will contact the reporter when the situation is addressed. The Office of the Dean of Students may be contacted at any time with questions about how a report is being handled. 

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Health Records

(See Confidentiality of Student Educational Records)

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Mail Services

The College’s Mail Center, Friar Station, is located in the lower level of Raymond Hall. Friar Station contains an intelligent locker system. Students have access to the Friar Station 24/7 during the semester with a valid PC Card.

Phone: 865-2126
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm;
Saturday 8:00am until noon;
Sunday closed.

All full-time undergraduate students are assigned a Friar Stop # (FS ####). They will keep this throughout their stay at the College. All mail and packages sent to students should include this.

Student Name
FS####, Providence College
212 Huxley Ave.
Providence, RI 02918

As mail and packages are delivered to the College, if they fit they are placed in one of the intelligent smart lockers located in Friar Station. Once the placed a locker, the student will receive an email from LuxerOne with instructions on retrieving the item(s).

If a package does not fit in a locker, the student will receive an email from Brynka with instructions on picking up the item(s) at the Friar Station window during business hours.

There are collection boxes located outside the Mail Center for the US Postal Service, UPS and Fed Ex for outgoing mail and packages with proper postage or an official mailing label.

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Motor Vehicle Regulations

Introduction

Parking and operating a motor vehicle on the campus of Providence College is a privilege, not a right, and constitutes acceptance by the individual of the responsibility to ensure that his or her vehicle is neither parked nor operated in violation of any College regulation nor motor vehicle or traffic regulation of the State of Rhode Island.

All students and their visitors to the Providence College campus operating or parking a vehicle are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and understanding all motor vehicle and traffic regulations as established by the Office of Public Safety. The College reserves the right to revoke parking privileges at any time and without prior notice.

The College assumes no responsibility for loss or theft of, damage to, or property missing from vehicles while parked or operated on the Providence College campus.

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Registration of Motor Vehicles

All motor vehicles to be operated or parked on campus must be registered with the Office of Transportation by completing the proper registration form. All applicants for a campus parking and operating permit must present a valid College ID card, driver’s license, state registration certificate, and proof of minimum liability insurance required by the state in which the vehicle is registered (The College requires each student to have liability insurance in amounts set by the College). Registering of a motor vehicle by a person not eligible to do so or authorizing another person to register a vehicle to evade or circumvent any of the restrictions, limitations, or provisions of these motor vehicle and traffic regulations is prohibited.

All juniors and seniors are eligible to park on campus if they are a campus resident, but only after applying for and receiving a parking sticker. The Transportation office holds an annual parking lottery to determine overnight resident parking. Parking stickers are valid for the academic school year. A valid parking sticker allows a student to park on campus but does not guarantee a parking space.

Eligible students can register online on/or about May 1st of every year, for parking stickers for the next academic year. All mandatory fields must be completed so that the application process can successfully proceed. Applicants should print and retain the voucher (final page in application process) for their records. The fee is $100 for a single semester and $200 for the full academic year. Parking permits will be picked up at the Transportation Office during normal business hours.

Permits must be placed on the lower left part of the driver’s side windshield. The permit is not to be removed or transferred. A replacement sticker may be obtained for a newly purchased vehicle or a replacement windshield at the Transportation Office.

All commuter students are eligible to park on campus at no cost, but only after applying for and receiving a parking permit. Commuters are those students living more than 1/2 mile away from the borders of the campus.

Off-campus students may now start to apply for a parking AFTER HOURS permit/sticker. This permit must be affixed to your vehicle before you are allowed to park on campus during the authorized parking hours.

  • Monday – Friday: From 4:30 pm until 2:00 am
  • Saturday – Sunday: All Day until 2:00 am

Motorcycles, motorbikes, and similar motor vehicles may not be operated or parked on the interior of the campus at any time. Such vehicles must be parked in the assigned area adjacent to the Huxley Avenue Gate. Scooters, one wheels, rental scooters and bikes offered off campus and throughout the city of Providence, snowmobiles, skateboards, rollerblades, and any vehicle determined by the Office of Public Safety to be inappropriate and/or unsafe for use on campus are prohibited.

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Permit/Decal

A permit/decal allows the possessor to park on campus but does not guarantee a parking space. Student permits/decals must be affixed to the windshield, on the inside lower left-hand corner (driver’s side lower left-hand corner) at all times. Permits/decals not properly affixed to the vehicle will be considered invalid. Displaying a stolen, altered, counterfeit, or improperly obtained decal or permit is prohibited.

Permits/decals are not transferable. The Transportation Office must be notified within two business days of any change of vehicle, state registration plate, or any other information pertinent to motor vehicle registration. Improper use or display of a permit/decal will be treated as a possessory violation under these regulations.

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On-Campus Parking Policy

Freshmen and sophomores are not granted on-campus parking privileges. The Office of Transportation issues color-coded parking permits/decals that correspond to a designated parking area. Anyone issued a parking permit/decal is responsible for parking in an approved space in the area designated by his or her permit/decal. The driver of any vehicle found parked in an area that does not correspond to the parking permit/decal will be issued a parking violation.

The following parking areas and roadways will be continually monitored to ensure safe passage for emergency vehicles: Harkins Hall, Albertus Magnus, Phillips Memorial Library, Priory, Slavin/Concannon/Peterson, Raymond Hall, Aquinas Circle, Grotto Lane, Feinstein Academic Center, Hunt-Cavanagh, St. Dominic Hall, and St. Dominic Chapel. Vehicles parked illegally in any of these areas may be towed.

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Parking for Persons with Handicaps

Whether permanent or temporary, accessible parking for people with handicaps is available in many campus lots. State-issued handicapped stickers and license plates, displayed with a valid College permit, will be honored in these areas.

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Parking Violations

Campus public safety personnel are authorized and directed to enforce all campus parking regulations and issue parking tickets to the driver of a vehicle violating the parking policy. The fine levied with the issuance of each parking ticket must be paid to the Office of Transportation within seven (7) working days after the ticket is issued. Parking privileges may be revoked for frequent violations or non-payment of fines.

Any vehicle parked on campus and found to have three or more outstanding violations is subject to being booted or towed. Students must report to the Office of Public Safety to settle their fines. Vehicles receiving multiple booting may be subject to towing and sent to the Office of Community Standards.

Parking violations include:

  • Parking in a designated fire lane
  • Parking to block a fire hydrant
  • Parking in any road or accessway lacking marked parking spaces. (These are also considered fire lanes.)
  • Parking so as to obstruct entrance into or exit from a building
  • Parking in a posted reserved or assigned space
  • Parking so as to impede the flow of traffic
  • Parking in a designated handicapped space without the required state-issued permit and a valid College parking permit/decal
  • Parking in any lot other than that authorized by the issued parking permit/decal
  • Parking on a crosswalk
  • Parking on a lawn or walkway
  • Parking so as to occupy more than one parking space
  • Parking in any marked “no parking” zone (other than those cited as major violations)
  • Parking in any other area that has not been specifically designated for parking (other than those cited as major violations)

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Snow Emergencies

The director of the Physical Plant is authorized to restrict parking on the campus during a declared snow emergency so that snow removal operations are not impeded. The restrictions issued by the director of the Physical Plant are deemed part of these regulations.

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Parking and Traffic Regulations

Traffic and parking regulations are in effect 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All laws of the State of Rhode Island governing the operation of motor vehicles are deemed to be regulations of the College as well. Drivers of all motor vehicles operating on the Providence College campus are required to allow pedestrians the right-of-way, to observe the posted speed limit of 15 miles per hour, and to obey all traffic and directional signs and the directions of public safety personnel. Driving on lawns, walkways, or any area not designated for vehicular traffic is prohibited.

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Enforcement of Regulations

Campus public safety personnel are authorized and directed to enforce all motor vehicle traffic and parking regulations contained herein and promulgated by the Office of Public Safety. Failure to comply with the directions of public safety personnel acting in the performance of their duties is a serious violation of college regulations. A campus public safety officer may require an owner, operator, or passenger of a motor vehicle to produce identification. Refusal to identify oneself is a serious violation of college regulations.

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Penalties

The privileges of registering, operating, or parking a motor vehicle on campus may be revoked or denied for major violations or for multiple minor violations of these regulations. Any vehicle violations may be referred to the appropriate administrative officer of the College who has jurisdiction over the offender. Students receiving more than seven (7) violations in one academic year will be referred to the Office of Community Standards. At that time, the privilege to retain a parking permit/decal will be reviewed. Such violations by visitors may be referred to the appropriate local authorities.

All members of the Providence College community and guests are reminded that traffic and parking regulations are for the benefit of all who enter the campus and continued disregard of the regulations will lead to the suspension or cancellation of the right to bring a vehicle to campus.

Non-Smoking Policy
(See Campus Life Section A)

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Off-Campus Events

Permission for off-campus social events must be granted by the Director of Student Activities and Cultural Programming. Residence hall organizations should obtain permission through the Office of Residence Life & Housing.

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Posting Policy

Students may not post or distribute any signs, notices, flyers, leaflets or other correspondence or documents, without first receiving the express permission of the Student Activities & Cultural Programming office. Inserting materials into student mailboxes without permission from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs is also prohibited. Posting in Harkins Hall requires the prior permission of the Registrar.

All posted material must be affixed to approved and covered bulletin boards only; absolutely no posters, signs, notices, etc., may be affixed in any manner to walls, doors, windows or posts. Posters and signs advertising an event must bear the name of the sponsor and must be removed from bulletin boards within 24 hours after the event.

Students may not post materials in the residence halls, suites or apartment buildings without prior permission of the Office of Residence Life & Housing, or in Raymond Dining Hall without prior permission of the Office of Student Activities & Cultural Programming.

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Reservation of Facilities

The use of all College facilities by students must be coordinated by the central reservationist. The central reservation office is located in Harkins Hall 404, 865-1040. Reservation requests must be submitted online through the College’s MyPC portal Central Reservations/25Live page.

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Sexual Misconduct Policy (See policy information following Anti-Harassment Policy)

Sports Activities

To protect the grounds, sports activities are not permitted on the quadrangle or any grassed area adjacent to campus buildings. Instead, East Campus fields should be scheduled for this purpose. Students are expected to take care to avoid breaking windows or causing any other damage to college property. Charges for any property damage will be billed directly to the student(s) responsible. Arrangements and permission for the use of a specific field must be obtained and coordinated through the assistant athletic director for facilities/game day management, 865-2034, or the director of recreational sports, 865-2338.

Study Abroad Eligibility

Providence College students are held to an institutional standard before being allowed to study abroad for credit.

Note: As students engaged in study abroad are representing both the U.S. and Providence College, it is axiomatic that any violation of the student code of conduct becomes more consequential and serious. To that end, any conduct that violates the code while a student is studying abroad, may result in a more severe sanction than would be given for the same conduct violation while on the Providence College campus.

See the Study Abroad Eligibility Information page for requirements.

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Transportation and Travel to Events and Activities; Participation in Events and Activities

Driving to events and activities, and transporting other students to these events and activities, will require waivers, insurance, and releases. Students assume all risks reasonably associated with this type of transportation, and the College assumes no responsibility or risk. Information concerning requirements for permission to transport students is available in the Student Activities and Cultural Programming Office.

Students who participate in trips conducted, sponsored, or organized by individuals or groups of students do so at their own risk.

Students who voluntarily participate in non-varsity athletic activities assume all risks reasonably associated with those activities. Students may participate in club and/or intramural sports program, or activity provided they are enrolled in an appropriate health insurance program. Proof of insurance is absolutely required in all cases. In addition, students must sign a medical consent and insurance form prior to participating in any athletic program or activity.

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Voter Registration

Students may obtain information about voter registration and access voter registration forms at https://registrar.providence.edu/students/voter-registration/.

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Web Page Policy

In addition to any local, state, or federal laws regulating technology, the Usage Policy For Technology Resources (which immediately follows this section), and any relevant policies and guidelines contained within this Student Handbook, the following regulations apply to all students, and to all student clubs and organizations regarding the creation and maintenance of Web pages:

  1. Any information provided about the College must be true and accurate.
  2. All Web pages are expected to adhere to the standards established by the College, including design and presentation.
  3. It is within the absolute discretion of the College to determine whether material is lewd, indecent, or obscene.
  4. The College reserves the right to close down any Web page and/or require a page to be redesigned.
  5. Solicitation of any services or products must follow the same procedures for solicitation as provided in this Handbook.
  6. Design of any Web page must be approved by the vice president for student affairs.
  7. These regulations are subject to revision by posting or published notice.
  8. Violations of these policies may subject the individual or student organization to disciplinary action.

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Usage Policy for Information Technology Resources

Misuse or abuse of any computer, computer system, service, program, data, communication network, or campus technology resource is prohibited. Please refer to https://it.providence.edu/departments/information-security/ webpage on the MyPC Portal for the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

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C. Student Responsibilities: Standards of Conduct

Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibilities

The Office of Community Standards (OCS) supports our students” efforts to demonstrate strength of character, safe and productive behavior, and respect for all members of the Providence College community, its mission and the Code of Conduct. The Office of Community Standards achieves this through a commitment to education, meaningful dialogue, accountability and adherence to a disciplinary forum that is transparent, fair, and committed to student development.

Because we are a community committed to Dominican and Catholic ideals and to the growth and success of each individual, the standards established for members of the Providence College community exceed those within the society at large. The Code of Conduct goes beyond what is simply required for public order; it also incorporates what is good, just and developmentally appropriate for the individual and for the College community. In all cases, the Office of Community Standards is dedicated to its educational role of holding students fairly and appropriately accountable in order to prepare them to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.

Jurisdiction

In accord with its educational mission, and Dominican and Catholic identity, Providence College has established standards of conduct to govern student behavior both on-campus and off- campus, including but not limited to behavior at college-sponsored activities and events. Each student is required to engage in responsible social conduct that reflects positive credit upon the College community and to model good citizenship in any community. Each student shall be responsible for his/her conduct from the time of application for admission through the actual awarding of a degree, including conduct before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and during periods between terms/semesters of actual enrollment. The Director of Community Standards shall decide whether the Code of Conduct shall be applied to behavior occurring off campus on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, conduct constituting a violation of city, state, or federal law may result in disciplinary action.

If an accused student fails to appear for a scheduled hearing, the hearing will be adjudicated in absentia. The College may decide not to stop or suspend misconduct proceedings against a student who has withdrawn or taken a leave of absence from the College during the period of time in which a misconduct charge is pending.

A note to members of the Senior Class: Violations of any standard of conduct near or at the end of the academic year may result in a loss of privileges, including the ability to participate in senior-week events and activities, award ceremonies, and/or commencement exercises. Egregious violations may result in suspension, dismissal and/or the withholding of a diploma.

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Students’ duty to report arrests or violations of law

Providence College requires each student to disclose any arrests for violations of federal, state, local, or international law, excluding minor traffic violations that do not result in injury to others, within 72 hours. This duty applies regardless of where the arrest occurred (inside or outside the state of Rhode Island) and regardless of whether the college is in session at the time of the arrest. An arrest includes the issuance of a written citation or summons regardless of whether the student is taken into custody by law enforcement.

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Code of Conduct and Community Standards

The following types of misconduct, including attempts to commit such conduct, are violations of the Code of Conduct and are subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in this Handbook (NOTE, cases involving alleged sexual misconduct are subject to a different set of procedures outlined in ‘Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College.’

  1. Abuse of the Student Conduct System. Abuse of proceedings related to the conduct process, including but not limited to:
    1. Failure to obey a notice to appear for a meeting or hearing as part of the Student Conduct System.
    2. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information during a student conduct proceeding and/or investigation.
    3. Disruption of or interference with the orderly conduct of a student conduct proceeding.
    4. Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the student conduct system.
    5. Attempting to influence the impartiality of a student conduct hearing officer prior to, and/or during the course of, a student conduct proceeding.
    6. Harassment and/or intimidation of a member of a student conduct hearing prior to, and/or during the course of, a student conduct proceeding.
    7. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the student conduct system. Failure to comply with any sanction imposed under the Code of Conduct.
    8. Making or filing a false report, known by the reporter to be false, of an offense under this code, local, state, or federal law.
  2. Abuse of the Information Technology Resources or Facilities. Unauthorized access or use of computer equipment, networks, software, or data, including violation of the College’s Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy.
  3. Aiding, Abetting, or Inciting.
    1. Assisting or encouraging another person to engage in a violation of college policy, rule, or regulation.
    2. Failure to make an effort to discourage another person from violating a policy, rule, or regulation.
    3. Failure to report a violation about which a student has direct knowledge.
  4. Alcohol. The College prohibits the unlawful and unauthorized possession, use, abuse, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages and paraphernalia. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the following:
    1. Underage possession or consumption of alcohol anywhere on college property, at college-sponsored events, student organization/club/team events, or off-campus establishments. Attending a gathering (including off-campus) where alcohol is being consumed while under the age of 21. The college reserves the right to consider some, or all, room occupants to be in possession of alcohol, other drugs and/or related paraphernalia if the substance/item is located in their assigned space, regardless of whether or not it was purchased, otherwise obtained, and/or allowed in the room by a room occupant.
    2. The use, sale, possession, or distribution of alcohol by or to underage persons anywhere on college property or at college-sponsored events, or off-campus establishments.
    3. The possession or consumption of alcohol in restricted areas or on city property, streets, and sidewalks. Regardless of age, no one may drink from or possess an open container of alcohol in restricted areas, city property (streets and sidewalks), or common areas on campus. Open containers of alcohol are prohibited on the streets of Providence and could result in arrests and legal action.
    4. The sale, distribution or dispensing of alcohol without a permit in any premises, building, apartment, or other place used by any club, association, social, or organization to the members thereof, their guests, or other persons.
    5. On-campus possession of hard liquor by any student of any age, with the limited exception of purchase and consumption of such beverages at McPhail’s by those 21 years or older.
    6. Intoxication, regardless of age, in public or private.
    7. Encouraging or contributing to the intoxication of another person, and/or hosting, encouraging or participating in the rapid consumption of alcohol, including drinking games that may put a person’s health at risk.
    8. Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
    9. Excessive alcohol consumption requiring medical transport, and/or the consumption of alcohol while using prescription or over-the-counter medication where such alcohol-drug combinations are inadvisable such that medical transport is necessary.
    10. The on-campus use, or possession of paraphernalia specifically associated with the consumption of alcohol (e.g. funnels, beer-pong tables, shot glasses, any item associated with drinking games, etc.).
    11. The possession by a student or students or student groups of central alcohol sources (including kegs, beer balls, punch bowls, etc.) on campus or at student organization events that occur either on campus or off campus. However, this policy does not prohibit a student over the age of 21 from possessing a common source container off campus as long as that student(s) is not in violation of other College policies or any law, regulation or ordinance.
    12. The possession or storage of excessive amounts of alcohol on campus by students. An excessive amount of alcohol is defined as any amount in excess of six (6) standard drinks per person at any given time. One standard drink is equivalent to a 12-ounce beer or a 5-ounce glass of wine. Providence College reserves the right to limit and/or dispose of any excessive or unsafe amounts of alcohol at the discretion of college officials. This regulation is a limitation on possession and storage and in no way is meant to suggest that the consumption of 6 standard drinks or fewer during a single episode is safe, healthy, or appropriate.
    13. The possession of alcoholic beverages in the following residence halls: Aquinas, McDermott, McVinney and Raymond as students living in these halls are all, or are nearly all, under the age of 21.
    14. Participation in drinking games, consuming shots of alcohol, and any type of binge drinking (e.g. Chugging, ‘shotgunning’, etc. ) is prohibited in residence halls and on college property. Simulated drinking games are prohibited regardless of whether or not alcohol is present.

      Note: When a suspected policy violation is encountered by college staff or public safety in a residence hall room or apartment, college staff may enter rooms or apartments to address policy violations, to confiscate containers of alcohol, whether full or empty, and /or to disperse guests, if appropriate. College staff may confiscate all alcohol present at the time of a suspected violation regardless of the type of alcohol or the age of the residents. College staff may also, at the time and location of a suspected alcohol violation and when students are present in the room, open and inspect refrigerator(s) and/or coolers (both personal and college owned) in order to remove alcohol from the premises. Students are expected to comply with college staff in their efforts. Failure to comply will result in more sever sanctions if a student is found responsible. Items found that violate the college policies will be confiscated by appropriate college personnel and not returned.
    15. The possession, consumption, or storage of alcohol in common areas of individual suites and apartments by students aged 21 years or older if any resident of the suite/apartment is under 21 years of age.
    16. The possession or consumption by students 21 or older of open containers of alcohol in the common areas of individual suites or apartments whenever guests/visitors under the age of 21 are present. Otherwise, students 21 years or older may possess, consume, and store alcohol in the privacy of their individual residence hall rooms except as prescribed by law or other policies in the Student Handbook.
    17. Violation(s) of the regulations for Student Organization Events (refer to Student Activities section of Student Handbook).
    18. The possession, distribution, use or consumption of powdered alcohol in any form at any location on or off campus.
    19. Displaying alcohol containers (whether unopened, partially filled or empty) on campus including in residence hall rooms. It is a further violation of the Code of Conduct for underage students to possess or store empty alcohol containers anywhere on campus, including residence halls.
    20. Hosting a guest, registered or unregistered, whose alcohol consumption requires medical transport, including the consumption of alcohol while using prescription or over-the-counter medicine where such alcohol-drug combinations are inadvisable. Please refer to the General Policies section of the Student Handbook for more detailed information.
    21. Hosting a party where alcohol is present, and/or enabling underage alcohol consumption (including off-campus). Students will be considered to be enabling the underage consumption of alcohol if they possess or have alcohol present in their residence for use by others, regardless of how they purchased or acquired the alcohol. Students are also responsible for misconduct if they passively allow illegal alcohol use within their residence hall room or off-campus residence or otherwise provide a setting that allows for the underage consumption of alcohol.
  5. Disruptive or Disorderly Conduct; Breach of Peace.
    1. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research.
    2. Disruption of College-sponsored events or activities, including any functions on- or off- campus, or of other authorized non-College activities when such activities occur on college premises.
    3. Disruption of normal College operations and/or infringement on the rights of other members of the College community.
    4. Leading or inciting others to disrupt scheduled and/or normal activities within any campus building or area.
    5. Any behavior resulting in the persistent interruption of a reasonable level of peace and quiet.
    6. Off-campus behavior that is disorderly and disruptive to others in the community or the neighborhoods surrounding the College. Refer also to #21, “Good Neighbor Policy.”
    7. Failure to comply with the directives of college officials, Office of Public Safety, and/or law enforcement authorities.
    8. Bringing disrepute upon the College.
    9. Throwing or dropping objects from windows, roofs or any location on campus that is deemed reckless or dangerous to others and/or causes property damage.
    10. Use of sporting equipment or engaging in athletic activity in unauthorized areas including, but limited to, residence halls, hallways, stairwells and lounges.
    11. Operating Scooters, one wheels, rental scooters and bikes offered off campus and throughout the city of Providence, snowmobiles, skateboards, rollerblades, or any vehicle determined by the Office of Public Safety to be inappropriate and/or unsafe for use on campus is prohibited within the interior of the campus.
  6. Drug Violations.
    1. Possession/use of marijuana, including edibles and oils anywhere on college property, at college-sponsored events or student organization/club/team events.
    2. The on-campus use or possession of marijuana paraphernalia and/or other drug-related paraphernalia including, but not limited to bongs, bowls, grinders, vaporizers, hookahs, shishas, scales, and pipes.
    3. The cultivation, manufacturing, provision, sale or distribution of marijuana (including edibles or oils) or marijuana paraphernalia.
    4. Unauthorized use or possession of any controlled substance or illegal drug. This includes unauthorized possession or use of prescription medication for which the student in possession does not have a valid prescription.
    5. Provision, sale, or distribution of any controlled substance, illegal drug, or drug paraphernalia, or prescription drug.
    6. Knowingly being present in a room or space where marijuana is being used, whether or not the student is using or observed using the marijuana.
    7. Knowingly being present in a room or space where an illegal drug is being used, whether or not the student is using or observed using the illegal drug.
    8. Use of marijuana, any controlled substance and/or illegal drug, or misuse of any prescription or over-the-counter medication requiring medical transport.
    9. Intoxication whether in public or private. Providence College reserves the right to sanction students in cases in which indicators of drugs are present, but where no drugs are recovered. These indicators may include but are not limited to, symptoms of drug intoxication, the odor or residue of prohibited drugs, the presence of drug paraphernalia, attempts to mask odors, or other evidence of behavior designed to avoid detection.

Note: When a suspected policy violation is encountered by college staff or public safety in a residence hall, room or apartment, college staff may enter rooms or apartments to address policy

violations, to confiscate marijuana and/or other drugs, and /or to disperse guests, if appropriate. College staff may confiscate all marijuana, and/or other drugs present at the time of a suspected violation regardless of the age of the residents. College staff may also, at the time and location of a suspected drug violation and when students are present in the room, open and inspect draws and closets (both personal and college owned) in order to remove drugs from the premises.

Students are expected to comply with college staff in their efforts.

Failure to comply will result in more severe sanctions if a student is found responsible. Items found that violate the college policies will be confiscated by appropriate college personnel and not returned.

  1. Failure to Comply or Identify, Misrepresentation.
    1. Failure to comply with the directions of college officials (including but not limited to public safety officers and Residence Life & Housing staff) acting in performance of their duties.
    2. Failure to identify oneself or to show College identification to college officials upon request. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that they are always carrying their PC ID while on campus and failing or forgetting to carry the PC ID is a violation of the student code of conduct.
    3. Misrepresenting oneself or purporting to be an employee or representative of the College without authorization.
  2. Fire Safety or Emergency Evacuation Violations.
    1. The unauthorized or improper use of or tampering with fire-safety equipment, fire alarms, smoke alarms, or other emergency equipment.
    2. Initiating or causing to be initiated any false report or warning of fire, explosion, or other emergency.
    3. Failing to follow evacuation procedures.
    4. Improperly exiting or entering through an emergency exit door or stairwell.
    5. Arson.
    6. Violation of the College’s Smoking Policy.
    7. Possession, improper or unauthorized use of cooking or heating devices or prohibited items (candles, halogen lamps, and decorations, etc.).
    8. Starting a fire anywhere on college property without explicit permission from Office of Public Safety.
    9. Violation of relevant policies in the Student Handbook as promulgated by the Office of Residence Life & Housing.
    10. Unauthorized hosting of guests in a room or arranging furniture or decorating in away that impedes room or hallway egress.
    11. Pets/animals are not allowed in residence halls or any campus building. The only exception being if the student has received College approval for an Emotional Support Animal or a Service Animal.
    12. The posting and distribution of flyers, posters and advertisements or any type of solicitation within the residence halls is prohibited without the express permission of the dean of Residence Life & Housing/dean’s designee. Flyers, postings and advertisements found within the residence halls in violation of this policy will be immediately removed, and the person or sponsoring group responsible for the posting will be subject to disciplinary action. Similarly, persons found posting or soliciting in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
  3. Fraud, Falsification, or Misuse of Documents.
    1. Acts of fraud or attempted fraud committed by forgery, by alteration or use of college documents, records, forms, identification, or by other means.
    2. Knowingly providing false information on official College documents, records, or forms.
    3. Possession, distribution, or use of false identification.
    4. False identification cards and documents will be confiscated and turned over to the Office of Public Safety.
    5. Distribution of false identifications. False identification cards and documents will be confiscated and turned over to the Office of Public Safety.
    6. Use of false identification. False identification cards and documents will be confiscated and turned over to the Office of Public Safety.
  4. Gambling.
    1. Unauthorized gambling on college property or at any College function.
    2. Illegal gambling or knowingly being in the presence of illegal gambling activities.
    3. Betting, wagering, or selling pools on any athletic event.
    4. Possessing on one’s person or premises (e.g., residence hall room, automobile) any card, book, or other device for registering bets.
    5. Knowingly permitting the use of one’s premises or one’s computer or electronic communication device for illegal gambling.
    6. Knowingly receiving or delivering a letter, package, or parcel related to illegal gambling.
    7. Offering, soliciting, or accepting a bribe to influence the outcome of an athletic event.
    8. Involvement in bookmaking or wagering pools with respect to sporting events.
    9. Promoting any of the above.
  5. Harassment, Assault, Abuse, Reckless Endangerment, Lewd, Indecent, or Obscene Conduct.
    1. Non-sexual physical abuse or assault.
    2. Verbal abuse.
    3. Any conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive campus, education or working environment for another person or group of persons.
    4. Stalking.
    5. Unauthorized use of electronic or other devices to make an audio or video record of any person while on or off college premises without his/her prior knowledge and consent when such recording is likely to cause injury or distress, including but not limited to surreptitiously recording or photographing in any format another person in a residential setting, recreational facility, locker room, or restroom.
    6. Use of abusive or obscene language or gestures.
    7. Other types of indecent actions.
    8. Harassment.
    9. Threats of physical harm.
    10. Intimidation or coercion.
    11. Any conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person.
    12. Violation of the College’s Anti-Harassment Policy.
    13. Engaging in mutual physical fighting.
    14. Unauthorized physical contact.
    15. Posting in an electronic medium or in a physical location where others can view images of another that depict that person’s intimate body parts, or that person engaged in a sexual act, without that person’s consent.
  6. Hazing. Conduct that violates the College’s Hazing Policy. Please refer to the General Policies section of the Student Handbook for more detailed information.
  7. Property.
    1. Theft of property of the College or a member of the college community.
    2. Damage to property of the College or property of a member of the College community.
    3. Damage to personal or public property on-campus or off-campus.
    4. Knowingly possessing stolen property.
    5. Vandalism or conduct requiring cleaning services or other reparative services on or off campus.
    6. Unauthorized use of property of a member of the College community.

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Other violations, as noted in the ‘Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College‘ are:

  1. Retaliation — Title IX. Retaliatory acts, or attempts to retaliate, against anyone who has reported in good faith sexual misconduct or discrimination, who has assisted, testified, is expected to participate, refuses to participate, or has participated in any manner, in an investigation or grievance process pursuant to this Policy, or who otherwise supports the report, are prohibited. Retaliation includes intimidation, verbal or physical threats, coercion, or discrimination. When evidence of retaliatory behavior exists, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken. Evidence of retaliation may exist even when there is a finding of “not responsible” on the underlying formal complaint. Retaliation does not include good-faith actions lawfully pursued in response to a report of a Policy violation.

    During a formal complaint process under the Title IX Regulations, no party or witness can be compelled to testify, or to appear at a meeting or hearing; therefore, the College cannot interfere with this right, or any privilege secured by Title IX, by compelling testimony or appearance, or by charging an individual with a code of conduct violation for refusing to testify or appear in a Title IX matter as referenced in this Policy and its grievance resolution procedures.
  2. Making a Materially False Statement Members of the College community are expected to provide truthful information in any report, meeting, or proceeding under this Policy and its Appendices. Providing or submitting false or misleading information in bad faith, with a motive to obtain personal advantage or to cause intentional harm to another person in connection with an incident of sexual misconduct, is prohibited, and the individual is subject to disciplinary sanctions under the relevant disciplinary system. This provision does not apply to reports made or information provided in good faith, even if the facts claimed in the report are not ultimately substantiated. A determination regarding responsibility alone, is not sufficient to conclude that any party violated this provision.

No Policy Deterrent to Reporting: The health and safety of every member of the College community is of utmost importance. Providence College recognizes that individuals who have been drinking and/or using drugs (whether such use is voluntary or involuntary) at the time that an incident of violence occurs, including but not limited to, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. Providence College strongly encourages reports of violence to institution officials. A bystander acting in good faith, or a reporting individual acting in good faith, who discloses any incident of violence to college officials or law enforcement normally will not be subject to a code of conduct charge for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies, or student guest policies, occurring at or near the time of the commission of the incident of violence.

Regarding matters involving Title IX, the Title IX coordinator may issue No Contact Directives to the parties as a supportive measure. Please refer to the Providence College Sexual Misconduct Policy for more information. Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College

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Other supporting definitions related to Sexual Harassment that students should be aware of, as noted in the ‘Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College‘ are:

  1. Preponderance of Evidence Standard. The standard of proof in the College’s grievance resolution proceedings, including its Title IX proceedings, is the preponderance of evidence standard, which requires proving that it is more likely than not that reported sexual misconduct occurred, or that an appeal has merit.
  2. Consent. Consent is demonstrated through mutually understandable words and/or actions that indicate a willingness to engage in specific sexual activity. Consent must be knowing and voluntary (freely given). To give consent, a person must be awake, of legal age (16 in Rhode Island), and have the capacity to reasonably understand the nature of her/his actions. A person who is physically or mentally incapacitated cannot give consent. A person may not use physical force, verbal threats, intimidation, or coercion as a method for obtaining consent. Prior consent does not imply current or future consent, even in the context of a relationship. Consent may be withdrawn by either person at any time, and once withdrawal of consent is expressed, the sexual activity must stop. Consent is automatically withdrawn if the person who had provided it becomes incapacitated.
  3. Incapacitation. Incapacitation means being in a state where a person lacks the capacity to appreciate the fact that the situation is sexual, or cannot appreciate (rationally and reasonably) the nature and/or extent of the situation. Incapacity can be found based on someone’s physical or mental status, based on developmental disability, or based on alcohol or drug use. A person who knows or should reasonably have known that another person is incapacitated may not engage in sexual activity with that person. A person’s state of incapacity is a subjective determination that is based on all of the facts available because persons reach incapacitation at different points and as a result of different stimuli.

Incapacity can result from mental disability, involuntary physical restraint, or from the ingestion of substances, including “date-rape” drugs. Administering any substance to another person, without their knowledge, for the purpose of inducing incapacity is a violation of this Policy.

Use of alcohol or other drugs does not, in and of itself, negate a person’s ability to give consent. Alcohol-related incapacity results from a level of alcohol ingestion that is more severe than being under the influence, impairment, intoxication, inebriation, or drunkenness. Common and obvious warning signs of possible incapacitation include consistently slurred or incomprehensible speech, unsteady gait, vomiting, or incontinence. A person who is incapacitated may not be able to understand some or all of the following questions: Do you know where you are?’ “Do you know how you got here?’ “Do you know what is happening?’

A person who is not incapacitated at the beginning of sexual activity, may, by virtue of alcohol or drug ingestion prior to or during the activity, reach a state of incapacitation as the activity continues and progresses. Persons who are sleeping or completely passed out are incapacitated.

Factors that can influence a person’s state include body composition; tolerance for alcohol and other drugs; amount and type of alcohol or other drugs consumed, and the mixture taken; amount of food intake prior to consumption; genetics; and propensity for blacking out. A memory lapse regarding an incident is not, in itself, conclusive evidence of incapacitation. Alcohol-induced memory lapses, sometimes called “blackouts, are common. Such memory lapses, or blackouts, do not involve a loss of consciousness. An individual who is unable to form long-term memories of the incident has experienced a memory lapse; that individual may have been able to walk and talk and consent to sexual activity at the time of the incident.

When there is a determination of incapacitation, two additional questions are relevant: First, did the person initiating sexual activity know that the other party was incapacitated? If the answer to the first question is “No, ask: Should a sober, reasonable person in the same situation have known that the other party was incapacitated? If the answer to either question is “Yes, consent was absent and the conduct is likely a violation of this Policy.

Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College, should be regarded as the primary source for policy regarding sexual misconduct.

  1. Trespass, Unauthorized Possession of Keys/Combination or Identification Card.
    1. Unauthorized entry into college premises or facilities, including but not limited to, offices, areas under construction, tunnels, attics, roofs, or labs.
    2. Unauthorized use of college premises or facilities.
    3. Unauthorized possession, duplication, distribution, or use of keys or door combination to any premises.
    4. Unauthorized possession or use of another person’s College identification card.
  2. Unauthorized Commercial Activity or Use of College Trademarks
    1. Commercial activity including but not limited to selling items or raffle tickets, solicitation, or fundraising without permission from the appropriate College official.
    2. Selling or distributing items on campus without receiving prior approval for their design and artwork from the Office of Student Activities and Cultural Programming.
    3. Unauthorized soliciting or canvassing by any individual, group, or organization.
    4. Soliciting within the residence halls without the permission of the Director of Residence Life & Housing.

Please refer to the Vendor and Fundraising policies located under the General Policies section of the Student Handbook for more information.

  1. Unauthorized Visitation, Violation of the Guest Policy.
    1. Failure to register and accompany a guest.
    2. Violation of visitation hours.
    3. Violation of the Hosting Guest Policy, including any other rules and regulations issued by the Office of Residence Life & Housing.
    4. All students are responsible for the behavior of their registered or unregistered guests whether or not those guests are students of the College and all regulations applicable to students shall apply to their guests. Please refer to the Visitation and Hosting Guests Policy, located under the Campus Life section of the Student Handbook, for more detail.
  2. Violation of College Policy. Violation of any College policy, regulation, or rule, including but not limited to policies set forth by the Offices of the Vice Presidents for Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, and policies and regulations published in hard copy or available electronically on the College’s website.
  3. Violation of any Federal or State law, or Local ordinance or regulation.
  4. Weapons-related Offenses.
    1. Possession or storage of a firearm.
    2. Possession or storage of ammunition.
    3. Possession or storage of knives longer than 3.5 inches excluding dining utensils and cutlery used in a kitchen.
    4. Possession or storage of fireworks.
    5. Possession or storage of explosive or incendiary devices.
    6. Possession or storage of dangerous chemicals.
    7. Possession or storage of air rifles, stun guns, tasers, pellet or BB guns.
    8. Possession or storage of a bow or crossbow designed to shoot arrows.
    9. Use of an item in such a manner that poses a potential or actual hazard to the safety or health of others.
    10. Possession or storage of brass knuckles, nun chucks, etc. which may be used as a weapon posing a potential or actual hazard to the safety or welfare of others.
    11. Use of projectile devices including dart boards, pellet guns, foam dart guns, etc., even if these items are labeled as a toy.
  5. Good Neighbor Policy. While living, traveling, or socializing within the neighborhoods surrounding our campus, all students are expected to be mindful of their duty to treat neighbors with dignity and respect. Peaceful co-existence with neighbors can be achieved when students act in a manner that accounts for the fact that student schedules typically differ from those of their neighbors, many of whom have made long-term commitments to the neighborhood. The City of Providence has an ordinance that defines “public nuisance” as a gathering of 5 or more persons engaged in any illegal activity that creates a substantial disturbance to a significant portion of the neighborhood. Students who are listed as residents of a property designated by Providence Police as a “public nuisance property” are in violation of the College’s Good Neighbor Policy. On a case-by-case basis, the College can determine that students who are listed as residents of a property not designated as a “public nuisance property, but that nonetheless create a nuisance or pose a substantial risk of harm, are in violation of the College’s Good Neighbor Policy. “Illegal activity” includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Excessive noise or traffic.
    2. Obstruction of public streets by crowds or vehicles.
    3. Illegal parking.
    4. Public Drunkenness.
    5. Public urination.
    6. Service of alcohol to minors.
    7. Fights.
    8. Disturbances of the peace.
    9. Littering.
    10. Throwing objects from steps, porches, windows or other locations connected with the house.
    11. All students are responsible for the behavior of their registered or unregistered guests whether or not those guests are students of the College and all regulations applicable to students shall apply to their guests. Please refer to the Visitation and Hosting Guests Policy, located under the Campus Life section of the Student Handbook, for more detail.

Students found responsible for violating this section of the Code of Conduct will receive appropriate disciplinary sanctions, to include parental/legal guardian notification.

As a reminder, all students are responsible for the behavior of their guests whether or not those guests are students of the College and all regulations applicable to students shall apply to their guests. Students will be held responsible for the behavior of their guests on or off-campus (please see section 17d. of the Providence College student code of conduct).

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Off-Campus behavior at sporting events

Providence College is committed to a safe and welcoming environment that encourages and promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches, Providence College students, and spectators/guests of Providence College students.

We request your cooperation by supporting our Dominican Catholic mission to create an inclusive environment that respects all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and disabilities. Profane, bigoted, demeaning or abusive or other disruptive and intimidating language and actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches, team representatives, or spectators will not be tolerated and are grounds for removal from the site of competition.

People attending Providence sporting events are expected to:

  • Demonstrate civility at all times
  • Not interfere with other guests” ability to enjoy the game
  • Refrain from using profane, bigoted, demeaning or abusive or other disruptive and intimidating language and/or gestures
  • Not become inebriated or appear to be intoxicated to a diminished capacity
  • Produce a ticket upon request and sit in a seat that matches your ticket
  • Refrain from entering the playing surface and all team areas, especially during the game
  • Not throw objects onto the playing surface or disrupt the game for any reason
  • Failure to abide by these expectations are grounds for removal from the site of competition.

Guest services and event security staff have been trained to help ensure that all fans adhere to the Fan Code of Conduct. Those in attendance are encouraged to report any and all behavior that goes against the Fan Code of Conduct to the nearest guest services staff member or event security personnel. Individuals who refuse to adhere to the Fan Code of Conduct will be subject to removal from the site of competition.

For Providence College students, this code of conduct applies both in arena and while using College provided transportation to and from the games.

Any violation of the fan code of conduct may result in the full range of sanctions including being banned from future events. https://friars.com/sports/2024/10/9/fan-code-of-conduct

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Section V: Resolution Procedures

Providence College views student discipline as an integral part of its educational process, assisting students in their growth and development, and helping them to understand the harmful impact of their inappropriate behavior. The student discipline process also protects the College community from persons who might diminish the mission or thwart the goals of the College. Through the disciplinary system, the College reserves the right to dismiss, suspend, or otherwise penalize a student for serious violations of published regulations, policies, and proscriptions.

Resolution procedures in sexual misconduct cases follow a distinct format and can be viewed at Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College.

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General Guidelines and Notices

  1. The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, through its Office of Community Standards and Office of Residence Life, is responsible for administering the disciplinary system. The Director of Community Standards shall establish or amend procedural regulations governing the resolution of disciplinary matters. The vice president for student affairs has authority to construe these regulations.
  2. The College reserves the right to investigate and resolve a report of misconduct regardless of whether the reporter pursues a complaint. The College may initiate code of conduct proceedings against a student whose conduct does not conform to established standards regardless of whether such conduct occurred on or off campus. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, or the existence of other mental impairment, does not alter the fact of, or excuse, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. The Code of Student Conduct may be applied to conduct that takes place during the time beginning when a person is accepted as a student, and continuing through graduation including during intra-semester breaks and between semesters. Further, the Code of Student Conduct applies to guests of students, and hosts may be held accountable for the misconduct of their guests.
  3. Members of an officially recognized student group, club, or organization and its officers may be held responsible for violations of the Code of Student Conduct when particular misconduct received the tacit or explicit consent or encouragement of the group, club, or organization, or of its leaders, officers, or spokespersons. Under such circumstances, the College may temporarily or permanently rescind official recognition of the student group, club, or organization.
  4. Electronic mail is the official method by which Providence College communicates to students. Students are responsible not only for monitoring and reading their college email, but also for taking necessary and timely action based on such communications.
  5. Code of conduct proceedings are internal to the College and are not an extension of any external judicial system. The College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student regardless of pending civil or criminal action involving the same or a different set of factual circumstances. College disciplinary action may proceed before, simultaneous with, or after external investigative or judicial action, and the College is not bound or impeded by any action taken by external authorities. College disciplinary procedures are fundamentally fair to students and are notably different from those used in a civil or criminal proceeding.
  6. The functions of the vice president for student affairs, the Director of Community Standards, and the Director of Residence Life & Housing as described in these procedures may be delegated to their designees who are members of the College administration and who shall exercise those functions on their behalf.
  7. Time frames provided for resolving grievances may be adjusted for compelling reasons with notice and an explanation to the respondent and the complainant. Once a complaint has been received, all records that may be relevant to the grievance should be retained until the matter has been resolved. For purposes of grievance procedures, any reference to “business days” means a day when the College is open for business.
  8. Generally, conversations between students and licensed and pastoral counselors in the Personal Counseling Center and the Chaplain’s Office are strictly confidential; except in rare, extreme circumstances, no identifying information will be shared without the student’s permission. Similarly, employees of the Student Health Center can have conversations with students without revealing to anyone else personally identifying information about an incident unless there is an ongoing health or safety emergency. Conversations between students and other College officials are kept as confidential as possible; however, information about certain types of incidents, including sexual misconduct, must be shared by employees (staff and faculty) with the Title IX Coordinator. In cases involving potential criminal conduct, the College must determine, consistent with state and local law, whether appropriate law enforcement or other authorities should be notified. In planning a response to a report of sexual assault, the wishes of the complainant are given due consideration and the College’s response will be discussed with the complainant.
  9. Retaliation against any person involved in the complaint resolution process, including the complainant or a witness, is strictly prohibited. Retaliation includes intimidation, threats, harassment, and other adverse actions threatened or taken against the complainant or witness. Retaliation may result in disciplinary action independent of the sanction or interim measures imposed in response to the underlying charges of misconduct.

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Definitions

The term ‘student” means an individual who pays an acceptance fee, registers, or takes a course, whether or not for credit, either on a full-time or part-time basis, at Providence College. Persons approved to study in a domestic or foreign program are students. For purposes of this Code and its procedures, a person who is registered for courses, who withdraws after allegedly violating the Code, who is not officially enrolled for a particular term/semester but who has a continuing relationship with the College, or who has received a notice of acceptance for admission, is considered a ‘student.’

The term “member of the College community” means any student, any member of the faculty, staff, or administration, or any other person employed by the College.

The term “group, club, organization” means any number of persons who have complied with the formal requirements for college recognition as such.

The term “campus” means all lands, buildings, and facilities owned, leased, operated, or used by Providence College.

The term “Community Standards Board Hearing” or “Hearing Board” means the group of trained individuals authorized by the director of community standards to determine whether a student has violated the Code of Conduct.

The term “hearing officer” refers to an individual assigned to decide a case in a Formal Hearing or a Board Hearing.

The term “reporter” refers to an individual who informs a college official of a suspected code of conduct violation. This individual does not have to be the alleged victim and may report the matter anonymously. A reporter may be a witness to the incident, a person to whom an alleged victim or an accused student tells about the incident, or a person who otherwise learns about the incident.

The terms “complainant” and “reporting party” means any person who files a claim alleging some type of victimization by a student that constitutes a violation of the Code of Conduct.

The terms “accused student” and “respondent” mean any student accused of violating the Code of Conduct.

The term “No Contact Directive” means a directive issued by either Public Safety or the Title IX Coordinator requiring students to refrain from any type of contact or communication with another specified person while the Directive is in place. Regarding Title IX matters, the No Contact Directive is not a punitive or disciplinary action but rather is considered a supportive measure for the involved parties.

The term “advisor” means a full-time member of the faculty, staff, or administration whose role is to support and consult the involved student during any related meetings or proceedings. In all cases except sexual misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking, the following applies: the Advisor must be a full-time member of the faculty, staff, or administration; the student may choose from a list of college employees who are familiar with the college’s policies and procedures and the limited role of the Advisor (some members of the community may not be able to serve in this capacity); an Advisor may not be an attorney; the Advisor’s role is limited to providing support and consultation (the Advisor may not actively participate in the hearing; however, the Advisor may ask for procedural clarifications before, during, or after meetings or proceedings, and the Advisor may ask for a brief break for the benefit of the advisee). A student who participates at a hearing without an advisor is assumed to have voluntarily waived their right to an advisor for that hearing.

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Leave of Absence Policy

In most situations when a student with pending disciplinary action is approved for a personal leave of absence, the Community Standards process shall continue, with the student provided the opportunity to participate in the investigation and hearing process remotely. Exceptions may be granted by the Director of Community Standards and/or Dean of Students Office. In most situations when a student with pending disciplinary action is approved for a medical leave of absence, the Community Standards process will be suspended until the student is approved to return from medical leave by the Dean of Students Office. The student shall not be permitted to register for courses until the Community Standards process is resolved. If the timing of this prohibits a student from registering by the end of the add/drop period, the student will be placed on a personal leave of absence until the Community Standards process is resolved.

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Interim Measures

At any point in time prior to the final resolution of charges, the College may take interim action of a protective and/or remedial nature, including but not limited to, suspension or issuance of a “no contact directive.” Other possible interim measures include banning the respondent from areas of campus, and/or removal or relocation from residential buildings; or temporarily suspending the respondent from one or more College activities or programs.

For the purposes of interim removal or relocation from residential buildings, the issuance of such interim measure has been designated by the Dean of Students to be the responsibility of the Assistant Dean and Director of Residence Life.

With respect to certain types of code of conduct charges, the complainant may seek assistance from the Office of the Dean of Students in modifying academic, living, working, and transportation situations. The College will make every effort to honor requests if such changes are reasonably available. Other steps meant to reduce or eliminate health or safety risks may be taken.

Interim Suspension
The dean of students (or designee) may invoke an interim suspension when:

  1. the continued presence of the student on campus is deemed likely to interfere with the educational process or the orderly operation of the College.
  2. the continued presence of the student on campus is likely to endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the College community, or is intimidating or threatening to another individual within the College community; or,
  3. the offense allegedly committed by the student is of such a serious nature as to adversely affect the student’s suitability as a member of the College community.

An interim suspension is an immediate temporary suspension from the College pending a disciplinary hearing. During the interim suspension, a student shall be denied access to the College campus, facilities (including classes), and/or all other College activities or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible, as the dean of students (or designee) may determine to be appropriate. An interim suspension may be broad and inclusive or may be restricted to a specific location and/or function.

The decision to alter or suspend privileges for an interim period shall be communicated in writing to the student, shall be effective immediately, and shall remain in effect until the conclusion of a conduct hearing or administrative decision unless it is revised or rescinded prior to such conclusion. A student who has been suspended under such circumstances has the right to receive written notice and an opportunity to present written arguments against the imposition of the suspension within 5 days of the notice of suspension, and to receive timely written notification of the outcome of such arguments. If the respondent is suspended under such circumstances, the formal resolution process should be completed as quickly as reasonably possible.

The College will not reimburse a student for any expenses incurred during the interim suspension period.

The College reserves the right to contact a parent/legal guardian of a student who has been placed on interim suspension.

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Filing and Investigating a Report or Complaint

Any member of the College community may file a report of suspected student misconduct to the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Residence Life & Housing, or the Office of Public Safety; additionally, a report of suspected sexual misconduct also can be reported to the Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Coordinator. Reporters are encouraged to make a report as soon as possible after the incident(s), or within a time period that is reasonable under the circumstances.

Generally, once a report has been filed, the information will be reviewed to determine whether it alleges misconduct pursuant to the Code, and, if so, an investigation will be conducted. The investigation may include meeting with the complainant, the accused student, and others who may have relevant information; obtaining written statements from witnesses; and seeking other potentially relevant records or information. Members of the College community asked to provide information in order to help resolve a complaint must be cooperative and truthful.

The investigative information will be submitted to the Director of Community Standards, who will determine whether to proceed with the complaint. The Director will explain to students the grievance procedures and answer their questions. Possible next steps are outlined below.

With respect to reports of sexual misconduct, please refer to the Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College.

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Alternative Resolution Agreement by the College

Providence College endeavors to provide prompt and equitable grievance resolution procedures for reporting students and responding students (“the parties”) that are consistent with its published policies.

Alternative resolutions provide a path for addressing the situation at the most proximate level — as close to the source of concern — as possible. In cases involving claims of harm done to others, depending on the circumstances, an alternative resolution may be considered. Factors relevant to the decision may include: the degree of severity of the reported behavior; whether the key facts are in dispute; an assessment of intent and impact; whether the information gathered thus far suggests that there is no policy violation; willingness of all parties to participate and, other key considerations. Please see the Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College for the Alternative Resolution Process in reports of Title IX prohibited behaviors.

The Director of Community Standards, in consultation with other College officials as needed, determines whether an alternative resolution may be appropriate. Participation in the alternative resolution process is voluntary. The students directly involved would participate in individual conference meetings with a college official to ensure they understand the Alternative Resolution Process before entering into the process. The parties and the College must be in agreement that an alternative resolution is appropriate and must also agree upon the terms of the alternative resolution.

At any time prior to the conclusion of the alternative resolution process, the College or the parties may decide to end the alternative resolution process and begin a formal resolution process. Participation in the alternative resolution process does not constitute a responsible finding of a policy violation and is not reflected as such on a student’s disciplinary record. If the responding party is found responsible for any related violations in the future, this agreement can be considered during the sanctioning phase of that disciplinary proceeding.

The alternative resolution process cannot result in suspension or expulsion of a responding party. Common remedies and components include but are not limited to: explicit agreements about future conduct with post-resolution monitoring; third-party assistance to the parties to establish guidelines for future interactions; modifications to academic, living, transportation, and working situations; issuance of a No-Contact Directive and/or other protective measures; limitations placed upon the responding party regarding access to academic programs or activities, or access to specific spaces or buildings on campus; a written apology, which may include an explanation; educational programming for the responding party related to the reported behavior; or, other appropriate relief not resulting from a formal disciplinary process.

Non-compliance with an Alternative Resolution Agreement would be regarded as a failure to comply with a directive of a college official, and lead to a Community Standards review. As with other investigatory and resolution procedures, documented information can be subpoenaed if a criminal investigation or civil suit is initiated.

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Formal Hearings within the Office of Community Standards or the Office of Residence Life & Housing

When an alternative resolution is not pursued as a means of resolution, the Offices of Residence Life or Community Standards may convene a formal hearing where one or two staff members serve as the hearing officer(s). Responding students will receive notice of the hearing and alleged charges at least two (2) business days in advance. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Residence Life or Office of Community Standards in advance of the hearing to review the incident report. Formal Hearings normally will be resolved within thirty (30) business days of receipt of the complaint (or receipt of the matter after a failed attempt to mediate), or, in sexual misconduct matters, within the time frames identified in Policy.

Community Standards Board Hearing

At the discretion of the director of community standards (or designee), charges may be heard by a Community Standards Board consisting of either three members of the PC community who serve as the hearing officers and the Director of Community Standards (or designee) serves as Protector of the Process. The Board will make a finding of “responsible” or “not responsible” for each violation the student is charged with. A student may be found responsible for a lesser related violation than the one listed in their Notice of Pending Disciplinary Action letter if the allegations for the lesser-related violation stem from the same facts and circumstances in the investigative report available for review by the accused student and hearing officers prior to the hearing. For example, a student charged with non-sexual physical abuse or assault may be found responsible for the lesser-related violation of unauthorized physical conduct. When a student is found responsible, the director (or designee) will determine appropriate sanctions to be imposed.

There shall be a single verbatim record, such as a tape recording, of the Board Hearing (excluding deliberations). This record is the property of the College.

In non-sexual misconduct cases, Board Hearings normally will conclude, and the decision issued (via a “Final Outcome Letter’), within a reasonable time frame from the conclusion of the investigation and referral to the Office of Community Standards.

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Community Standards and Residence Life & Housing Hearings and Board Hearings: Rights Provided to the Accused and the Complainant

Consistent with the search for truth is a process that treats students fairly, with due care for their well-being, and in a dignified manner; therefore, students are provided with basic rights and protections during the grievance process. These rights and protections, as applicable, include:

  1. the right to bring a complaint and to an impartial, fair, and prompt investigation, knowing that time frames referenced in this Handbook may be adjusted for compelling reasons with notice and an explanation to the Parties;
  2. the right to be treated with dignity, respect and sensitivity throughout the process;
  3. the right to confidentiality, with disclosures made on a need-to-know basis only;
  4. the right to be protected against retaliation;
  5. the right to receive notice of the charges and an explanation of the grievance process;
  6. the right to have access to relevant information; the right to a reasonable time frame to prepare for a proceeding;
  7. the right to have an Advisor;
  8. the right to a fair opportunity to provide relevant information via statements, documents and witnesses;
  9. the right to refrain from providing incriminating statements during the investigation and/or Community Standards Process, knowing that the grievance resolution process will continue without delay with the information available;
  10. the right to a reasonable and fair outcome, applying the preponderance of evidence standard of proof (i.e., Is it more likely than not that this Policy was violated?);
  11. the right to be informed of the outcome as permitted by law;
  12. the right to appeal the outcome for specified grounds;
  13. the right to expect that sanctions are implemented and completed, and that any necessary follow-up, remedial actions are taken; and,
  14. the right to be informed that information gathered by the College may be subpoenaed in criminal or civil proceedings and/or may be shared with law enforcement authorities.

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Grievance Procedures and Time Frames

The following grievance procedures apply to Community Standards and Residence Life & Housing Formal Hearings and Board Hearings and are designed to provide a prompt and equitable resolution of complaints:

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Pre-Hearing Process and Exchange of Information

Within a reasonable time frame after the conclusion of the fact-gathering process (this process may be referred to as the investigation), the Office of Community Standards or the Office of Residence Life & Housing shall notify in writing the student of all charges and the hearing date. Prior to a hearing, the student may meet with the Director of Community Standards or designee to discuss the status of the case and options for going forward. A student may, but is never obligated to, declare responsibility and forgo a hearing on any charge(s). In such an instance the student agrees to waive their right to a hearing and will receive notice of the outcome of the process via final outcome letter within five (5) business days. Upon receiving the final outcome letter, the student may appeal within five (5) business days on the grounds of excessively harsh sanctioning only.

Formal Hearings normally will be resolved within thirty (30) business days of receipt of the complaint or receipt of the matter after a failed attempt to mediate via an alternative resolution process. The respondent and complainant shall receive reasonable notice of the date, time, and location of a hearing (at least 2 business days in advance).

At least two business (2) days in advance of a Hearing, the file and any lists of witnesses will be made available, for review only, to the respondent. It is the responsibility of the respondent to contact the Office of Community Standards to make arrangements to review the file. The respondent may submit a written list of proposed witnesses, if any, at least two (2) business days in advance of a Hearing; however, the Director of Community Standards, or designee, will determine which witnesses shall be required to appear and failure to appear may result in a disciplinary charge. If a party or a witness chooses not to attend the hearing, the hearing officers will consider any statements or interviews given during the investigation. The hearing officers shall not draw an inference about the determination of responsibility based solely on a party or witness’s absence from the hearing.

In advance of the hearing, the respondent will be informed as to the identity of the hearing officers and provided with an opportunity to object to any hearing officer for cause.

Cases in which more than one student is charged with violating the same Code section(s) and/or which depend on common information may, at the discretion of the Director of Community Standards or designee, either be considered jointly in a single consolidated hearing or be assigned to separate, individual hearings. If charged students do not voluntarily waive their right to confidentiality, the hearing shall not be consolidated.

In all cases except sexual misconduct, relationship violence, and stalking, the following applies: Respondents may identify one Advisor for support and consultation during any related meetings or proceedings.

WHO: The Advisor must be a member of the faculty, staff, or administration. The student may choose from a list of college employees who are familiar with the college’s policies and procedures and the limited role of the Advisor (some members of the community may not be able to serve in this capacity). An Advisor may not be an attorney.

WHAT: The Advisor’s role is limited to providing support and consultation; the Advisor may not actively participate in the hearing; however, the Advisor may ask for procedural clarifications before, during, or after meetings or proceedings, and the Advisor may ask for a brief break for the benefit of the advisee. A student should select as an Advisor a person whose schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time for the hearing because, normally, delays will not be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an Advisor. All communications regarding the case, including notice about meetings and proceedings, will be between the College and the student. It is the choice and responsibility of the student to notify the Advisor of any communications.

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Hearing Procedures

Hearings in sexual misconduct cases have a distinct format (Policies and Procedures | Title IX | Providence College) the procedures below are for all other cases.

If an accused student does not participate in the investigation and or subsequent hearing, the process will continue and the information in support of the charges shall be presented and considered in that student’s absence, and the accused student will be notified of the decision.

The Director of Community Standards will determine whether the presence of the complainant(s) as a witness(es) and any additional witnesses is necessary at the hearing based on the information contained in the investigative report. The responding student(s) also has the right to submit names of witnesses they would like questioned at the hearing to the Director of Community standards or designee for consideration. The responding student(s) will be notified at least two (2) business days in advance if any witnesses have been asked to attend the hearing. If witnesses fail to attend the hearing upon request from the Director of Community Standards or designee, the hearing process will continue, and any statements or interviews contained in the investigative report may be considered by the hearing officer(s). In the absence of good cause, as determined by the hearing officer or Community Standards Board Chair (in consultation with the Director of Community Standards/Protector of the Process) in his/her sole discretion, the Parties may not introduce witnesses, documents, or other information at the Hearing that were not provided by the deadline. Relevant records, exhibits, and written statements maybe received and considered at the discretion of the Director of Community Standards/Protector of the Process.

The College may determine that it is necessary to make accommodations to alleviate concerns and fears regarding confrontation during Hearings. The hearing officer or Board Chair in consultation with the Director of Community Standards/Protector of the Process will determine the order of witnesses and resolve any questions of procedure arising during the Hearing. Witnesses, including complainants asked to attend the hearing will provide information directly to and answer questions from the Hearing Officers. The Director of Community Standards/Protector of the Process may have the respondent submit questions beforehand to be asked of witnesses by the board chair. The Director of Community Standards/Protector of the Process may disallow or reframe any questions that are irrelevant, redundant, or could be considered abusive. This method is used to preserve the educational tone of the Hearing and to avoid the creation of an adversarial environment.

Hearings are internal to the College and are not an extension of any external judicial system. Procedures are fundamentally fair to students and are notably different from those used in a civil or criminal proceeding. The hearing shall be closed to persons other than those who are directly involved. The responding students and their respective advisors, if any, shall be allowed to attend the entire portion of the hearing at which information is received (excluding deliberations). Witnesses are permitted to attend the hearing only when they are providing information. Respondent(s) may make a brief opening statement verbally or may submit their opening statement in writing for review by the hearing officer or hearing board. If the Chair and/Director of Community Standards (or Designee) determines that unresolved issues exist that would be clarified by the presentation of additional information, the hearing may be suspended and reconvened in a timely manner to receive such additional information.

After all other portions of the hearing have concluded, the responding student may make or submit a closing statement and request a short recess to prepare it. The standard of proof for determining whether the accused student violated the Code of Conduct for all hearings is a preponderance of evidence, which is defined as more likely to be true than not.1 When a Board is hearing the case, a simple majority vote is required in all decisions.

Within five (5) business days of the conclusion of deliberations, the Respondent will receive a “Final Outcome Letter” via email; the Letter will notify the respondent of the outcome, and the right to appeal for specified grounds.

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Formal Hearings or Board Hearings: Possible Findings with Respect to Each Charge

Not Responsible — The accused student is not responsible for a violation of one or more standards of the Code of Conduct.

Responsible — The accused student is responsible for a violation of one or more standards of the Code of Conduct.

Note: The purpose of the hearing is to find the truth and determine what occurred. Providence College students are held to a very high standard and are expected to be honest and forthright throughout the entire conduct process. The objective of the hearing is to find the truth, not to try and escape responsibility by exploiting perceived ambiguities or omissions in the text of this document. Students that act in an uncooperative or dishonest manner during the Community Standards process may face harsher sanctions if found responsible.

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Range of Sanctions

One or more of the following sanctions may be imposed upon any student found to have violated the Code of Conduct and Community Standards. Failure to complete an assigned sanction by the established deadline will result in a temporary disciplinary hold placed on the student’s account and possible referral to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for further review.

Disciplinary Hold — Students with a disciplinary hold will be prevented from registering for courses until the hold is resolved.

Disciplinary Warning — A written notice to the student that the student is violating or has violated the Code of Conduct.

Disciplinary Probation — A written reprimand for violation of the Code of Conduct. Probation is for a designated period of time and includes the probability of more severe disciplinary sanctions if the student is found responsible for violating the Code during the probationary period. Probationary status may include a loss of privileges.

Loss of Privileges — Denial of specified privileges for a designated period of time. Fines — Previously established and published fines may be imposed.

Restitution — Compensation for loss, damage, or injury. This may take the form of appropriate service and/or monetary or material replacement.

Community Mentor Referral — A one-on-one meeting with an appointed Providence College faculty or staff member to engage in meaningful dialogue, identify resources, and help plan the completion of assigned sanctions. The program provides an opportunity for students to connect with campus services and adds another form of support and guidance outside of a conduct hearing.

Community Service/Educational Project — Assignment of community service opportunities, research projects, educational program attendance, or other appropriate learning experiences.

Alcohol/Drug Education — Participation in an alcohol/drug education program which may include BASICS, Brief Motivational Interview (BMI), CHOICES, referral for assessment, and/or any other appropriate program.

BASICS Booster — a meeting to follow up and review, reflect and adjust goals set during the BASICS program

Discretionary Sanctions — Work assignments, reflection essay, removal of guest privileges, activity privilege ban, parental notification, or other related discretionary assignments.

Weekend(s) at Home- Requirement to spend weekends at home for a designated period of time.

Residence Hall Probation/Room Relocation — A formal warning that further violations of the Code of Conduct will constitute grounds for loss of the privilege of living in a particular residence hall/room, or campus housing, for a specified period of time or until a specific condition or conditions are met. The student may be relocated from his/her assigned on-campus housing at the discretion of the Office of Residence Life & Housing.

Residence Hall Suspension — Temporary or Permanent — Separation of the student from the residence halls for a definite period of time. If the suspension is temporary, conditions for readmission may be specified. If removed from campus housing, a student may not live in or visit college-owned residence.

Deferred Suspension — Deferred suspension is a designated period of time during which a student is no longer in good standing with the college and will be required to adhere to specific requirements and conditions in order to remain enrolled.

Deferred suspension may include the loss of privileges and likely will result in suspension (or dismissal) if the student is found responsible for violating the Code during this period.

Suspension — Separation of the student from the College for a definite period of time. Conditions for readmission may be specified.

Dismissal — Permanent separation of the student from the College.

Withholding Degree — The College may withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the completion of the process set forth in the Code of Conduct Grievance Procedures, including the completion of all sanctions imposed, if any.

Revocation of Admission and/or Degree — Admission to, or a degree awarded from, the College may be revoked for fraud, misrepresentation, or other violation of college standards in obtaining the degree, or for other serious violations committed by a student prior to graduation.

Repeated Violations — A prior disciplinary record is not relevant in determining responsibility for a code violation; however, once a student is found responsible for a violation, such history is relevant in determining appropriate sanctions. In the case of repeated violations involving the same or similar type of behavior, a student may receive more severe sanctions than s/he otherwise would receive. In the case of multiple violations involving different or dissimilar types of behavior, a student may receive more severe sanctions than s/he otherwise would receive.

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Sanctions for Alcohol and Drug Violations

The Office of Community Standards (OCS) and the Office of Residence Life & Housing (ORLH) may employ whatever sanctions deemed appropriate by the hearing officer(s) as pertains to a particular alcohol or drug conduct violation. At a minimum, every student found responsible for an alcohol or drug conduct violation will be required to participate in an appropriate educational sanction and will receive a disciplinary warning. In addition, a student found responsible for an alcohol or drug violation will automatically have his/her housing assignment and privileges (including on- or off-campus eligibility and the ability to participate in housing selection) reviewed. The OCS has enunciated general and graduated guidelines for alcohol or drug conduct violations below; however, these guidelines are not absolute or exhaustive. Sanctions are applied as appropriate given all circumstances.

The following sanctions may be imposed for violation of the alcohol policy:

First Offense: Disciplinary warning, mandatory participation in an alcohol educational offering, civic engagement experience, reflection component, $60 fine, review of housing privileges. Referral to the Personal Counseling Center for assessment as appropriate. Students transported to the hospital due to alcohol use face additional requirements (see section on alcohol policies). 

Second Offense: Disciplinary probation (for an offense that occurs within one calendar year of the first offense), mandatory participation in an alcohol educational offering, civic engagement experience, reflection component, parental notification, $100 fine, and review of housing privileges. Referral to Personal Counseling Center for assessment as appropriate. 

Third Offense: Possible deferred suspension, suspension or dismissal, $150 fine, mandatory participation in an appropriate alcohol intervention offering, civic engagement experience, parental notification, community mentor assignment, referral to the Personal Counseling Center for assessment and review of housing privileges.

The following sanctions may be imposed for violation of the drug policy regarding use or possession of marijuana and derivative(s):

First Offense: Disciplinary probation, mandatory participation in a drug educational offering, parental notification, civic engagement experience, reflection component, $100 fine, review of housing privileges. Referral to the Personal Counseling Center for assessment as appropriate.

Second Offense: Disciplinary probation and possible deferred suspension, suspension, mandatory participation in a drug educational offering, civic engagement experience, reflection component, parental notification, $150 fine, review of housing privileges, and referral to the Personal Counseling Center for assessment. 

Third Offense: Suspension.

The following sanctions may be imposed for violation of the drug policy regarding distribution or sale of marijuana and derivative(s), or drug paraphernalia:

  • Providing marijuana to others, compensation not involved: $200 fine, disciplinary probation or possible suspension or dismissal, notification to parents/guardian, participation in drug educational offering.
  • Providing marijuana, compensation involved: Suspension or possible dismissal.
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia: $100 fine, disciplinary probation, notification to parents/guardian, confiscation of paraphernalia.

It should be noted that fines are used in part to support educational opportunities and alcohol- and drug-free social/recreational opportunities for students.

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Possible Sanctions for Groups, Clubs, or Organizations

In addition to those sanctions listed above, one or more of the following additional sanctions may be imposed upon student groups, clubs, or organizations:

  1. Loss of Some Privileges — Loss of certain privileges for a specified period of time.
  2. Loss of Official Recognition — Loss of all privileges, including official recognition, for a specified period of time.

Other Fines

  • Violation Code Section 21J (Good Neighbor Policy) – $500 fine divided among members of the house when items are thrown but the Providence Police do not formally list an address as a “Public Nuisance Property”.

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Other Possible Consequences of Conduct Violations

A history of findings that the Code of Conduct has been violated may have a negative impact on a student’s ability to assume leadership roles on campus, including but not limited to the following organizations or positions: Resident Assistant; Student Congress; Friars Club; Board of Programmers; Orientation Leader; Urban Action. Students placed on disciplinary probation may not be permitted to participate in international student programs during their probationary status. Students should be aware that they may be obligated to report academic and disciplinary sanctions, including pending disciplinary action, if they submit an application to attend or transfer to another undergraduate college or to attend graduate school; additionally, such disclosures may be necessary on some employment applications, particularly for governmental (federal, state, local) positions, and on some licensure applications.

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Rights of and Grounds for Appeal

For rights and grounds for appeal in sexual misconduct cases, please consult the College’s Sexual
Misconduct Policy Grievance Procedures for Reports of Policy Violations Against Students.

An appeal must clearly argue one or more of the following grounds:

  1. Procedural Error — The departure from designated procedures resulted in significant prejudice, thereby adversely affecting the outcome of the hearing.
  2. New Information — Information or relevant facts that would have altered the decision were not presented in the original hearing because such information or facts were not known and were not reasonably available to the person appealing the decision at the time of the original hearing.
  3. Excessive or Inappropriate Sanction — The sanction imposed is either excessive or not appropriate for the violation.

Appeals submitted by any means other than the link provided in the final outcome letter will not be accepted.

Within five (5) business days of the emailing of the Final Outcome Letter, the respondent may submit a written appeal through the Maxient Platform, a link will be provided in the outcome letter. The appeals officer may decide the appeal based on meetings with the parties, decision makers, and/or written submissions and the case file. The respondent will receive via email an Appeal Outcome Letter within ten (10) business days of the filing of the appeal. The appeals officer has authority to grant or deny the appeal, to modify the findings and/or sanctions, or to remand the case for further proceedings as directed. The decision of the appeals officer is final and sanctions, if any, will be imposed.

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Disciplinary Record Access and Retention

In accordance with the 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), disciplinary records are part of a student’s formal educational record and are maintained in the Office of Community Standards for a period of seven (7) years from the date of incident.

A student’s disciplinary record may be shared with faculty, administrative staff and other authorized employees and agents of the College who have a legitimate educational interest in the information. This may include review of study abroad eligibility, alcohol assessment referrals, and selection of College leadership positions.

Refer to the Confidentiality of Student Educational Records section of the Student Handbook for information pertaining to student rights and disclosure policies under FERPA.

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  1. “Evidence that is more credible and convincing to the mind. That evidence which, when fairly considered, produces the stronger impression and is more convincing as to the truth when weighed against other opposing evidence; it is not determined by the number of witnesses or the quantity of documentation. Rather, the weight of all the evidence is determined when considering the opportunity for knowledge, the information possessed and the manner of testifying.” Black’s Law Dictionary ↩︎

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