815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs,
New York, 12866
SKIDMORE PHONE
518-580-5000
Statement of Policies and Procedures
Administrative
Complaints
We view Skidmore students as emerging adults responsible for
managing, with our support and guidance, their academic and
personal affairs. While we often are inclined toward solving
problems for our students, we try instead to help them acquire
the information and strategies they need to explore possible
remedies for their concerns. We ask parents to trust in this
educational effort whenever possible, rather than intervening
with an office or program on the student's behalf.
When students have questions about college policy or practice,
we expect them to review the appropriate policies and
handbooks and to pursue their concerns directly with the appropriate
office or program. For example, students should direct questions
about housing to the Office of Residential Life, while questions
related to financial aid should go to the staff of Student Aid
and Family Finance. The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
is available to advise any student about the appropriate office
and best strategy in any particular circumstance (as are many
members of the Student Affairs staff).
If a student remains dissatisfied with the decision of an office
or program, that student can ask the dean or vice president responsible
for the area of concern to review the decision or policy. However,
the dean or vice president will not change a decision that is consistent with general principles of fairness, equity, and
college policy. In the majority of academic situations, moreover,
the faculty exercise final authority for decisions regarding the classroom,
course requirements, or academic standards and expectations.
In most cases of complaint resolution, the dean or vice president's
decision is final. If students or parents remain dissatisfied
with the decision, they may ask the president to review the
practice or policy. Students and parents should write to the
president, explaining the circumstances and describing the conversations
that have taken place with other college staff. However, the president reviews only situations or problems
of substantial consequence to the student or parent and of broad
concern to the college. If the appropriate
dean or vice president has not yet reviewed the decision, the
president's office will generally direct the student and parent
to the campus office most directly responsible for the area
of concern.
Campus
Security Report
Skidmore College's annual Safety and Security Report includes statistics
for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on
campus; in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by Skidmore;
and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible
from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies
concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug
use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, bias-related crime, and
other matters. The Advisory Committee on Campus Security will provide,
upon request, all campus crime statistics as reported to the U.S.
Department of Education. You can obtain a copy of this report by
contacting Campus Safety (518-580-5567) or on the Web at
www.ope.ed.gov/security/ or
hudson2.skidmore.edu/ administration/business/security/safety_report.pdf.
Statement
of Nondiscrimination
It is the policy of Skidmore College to prohibit discrimination
for or against any individual or group of its students, prospective
students, employees, or prospective employees on the
basis of race, color, religion, gender, disability, age, national
or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. The college has
established mechanisms to provide prompt, fair, and impartial
consideration of any complaint of discrimination. Inquiries
concerning application of this policy should be directed to
the Director of Diversity and Affirmative Action initiatives
in the President's Office: 518-580-5943.
The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Policies of Skidmore
College
The 1974 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act detailed students'
rights of access to their official educational records. The
legislation gives current and former students of Skidmore College
the right to inspect, review, and copy their own permanent records.
At Skidmore, the permanent records covered by the Act include:
the student's application for admission; high school and/or
former college transcript(s); SAT scores; correspondence with
the Skidmore Office of Admissions; documents pertaining to grade
reports; dates of attendance; approval of leaves of absence;
correspondence with the Deans; senior audits; and the materials
contained in the student's career planning file.
The Act includes a list of types of records not open to student
inspection. These are parents' financial statements; confidential
letters and recommendations written before January 1, 1975;
letters and recommendations written after January 1, 1975 but
specifically designated as confidential; ancillary records of
instructional, supervisory and administrative personnel; confidential
law enforcement records; and records written by physicians,
psychiatrists, psychologists, and other recognized professionals
or paraprofessionals. Students and former students may request
a doctor of their choice to review their medical records.
Colleges are allowed to publish "directory information" including
the student's photographic image, name, address, telephone number, e-mail address,
date and place of birth, major field of study, class year, participation
in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height
of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment
status, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous
educational institution attended. Faculty and staff members may access student photos via online class rosters. If any current Skidmore student
does not want such directory information to be disclosed he
or she must notify the Registrar's Office in writing of the
specific information not to be released. Such notification is
necessary within ten days of the first day of classes of the
fall semester annually.
Except for parties identified as having legitimate access as
defined by the Act, Skidmore College must obtain the written
consent of the student before disclosing personally identifiable
information from the educational records. Legitimate access means that the information or record requested is relevant and necessary to the completion of tasks associated with the individual's job responsibilities; the information sought is to be used within the context of College business; and the the information is not to be transmitted to a third party. Student employees, contractual employees, or others identified as having a "legitimate educational interest" must operate under the same restrictions as other staff members.
Specifics related
to the disclosure process are available upon request in the
Registrar's Office. Students or former students may gain access
to their credential files in the Career Services Office only
if they have established a non-confidential (or open) file.
Upon request, their open file will be made available for their
inspection. Copies of the file are available for a nominal fee.
A student or former student who believes that information contained
in the permanent record is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation
of his or her privacy may request Skidmore to amend the record.
Such a request must be made in writing and must contain specific
information. Details related to this appeal process are available
through the Registrar's Office.
In accordance with the Solomon Amendment, Skidmore complies
with written requests for lists of enrolled students made by
recruiting offices from various branches of the military. The
information provided includes: name, anticipated graduation
year, birthdate, major(s), and local phone numbers. All of these
data elements are considered "directory information."
(Printed in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act Policies)
Regulations
Regarding Students Unable to Register or Attend Classes Because
of Religious Beliefs
Effective July 30, 1992, the People of New York State, represented
in the Senate and Assembly, amended the Education Law as follows:
1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission
as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason
that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs,
to register or attend classes or to participate in any examination,
study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is
unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes
on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on
the particular day or days, be excused from any examination
or any study or work requirements.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the
administrative officials of each institution of higher education
to make available to each student who is absent from school,
because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity
to register for classes or make up any examination, study or
work requirements which he or she may have missed because of
such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind
shall be charged by the institution for making available to
the said student such equivalent opportunity.
4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements
are held on Friday after four o'clock post meridian or on Saturday,
similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements
or opportunity to register shall be made available on other
days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special
fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations,
study or work requirements or registration held on other days.
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall
be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials
of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest
measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall
result to any student because of his or her availing himself
or herself of the provisions of this section.
6. Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any
faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith
with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain
an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in
which such institution of higher education is located for the
enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
6-a. It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials
of each institution of higher education to give written notice
to students of their rights under this section, informing them
that each student who is absent from school, because of his
or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity
to register for classes or make up any examination, study or
work requirements which he or she may have missed because of
such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind
shall be charged by the institution for making available to
each student such equivalent opportunity.
7. As used in this section, the term "institution of higher
education" shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized
and approved by the regents of the university of the state of
New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting
of a post-secondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include
any institution which is operated, supervised or controlled
by a church or by a religious or denominational organization
whose educational programs are principally designed for the
purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries
or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used
in this section, the term "religious belief" shall mean beliefs
associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively
for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption
under section 501 of the United States Code.
