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General Policies
Statement on Equal Opportunity and Affirmative ActionStatement on Equal Opportunity George Mason University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution committed to the principle that access to study and employment opportunities afforded by the university, including all benefits and privileges, be accorded to each personstudent, faculty, or staff memberon the basis of individual merit and without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, sex, or age (except where sex or age is a bona fide occupational qualification). George Mason maintains a continuing affirmative program to promote equal opportunity and to identify and eliminate discriminatory practices in every phase of university operations. Furthermore, affirmative action is taken to ensure that opportunities afforded by the university are fully available to persons with disabilities, women, disabled and Vietnam veterans, and minorities. The university makes every reasonable accommodation to enable students or employees with disabilities to undertake work or study for which they qualify. As required by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the university is committed to the broad application of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. Students and employees should bring problems or questions regarding EO/AA/sexual harassment policies to the attention of his/her supervisor, academic dean, department chair, the vice president for University Life, the student ombudsman, the director of Human Resources, a trusted faculty or staff member, the Women's Studies Research and Resource Center, or the vice president and university equity officer, Mason Hall, Suite D105, (703) 993-8730. Employees with disabilities may contact the ADA specialist in Mason Hall, Room D111, (703) 993-8857 or (703) 993-8787 (TDD). Students with disabilities may contact the Disability Resource Center in SUB I, Room 234, (703) 993-2474. Conduct within the University CommunityThe George Mason University community respects and protects the individual dignity, integrity, and reputation of all its members. All students, faculty and staff must comply with the conventions and regulations of university life that are necessary to maintain order, protect individuals and property, and fulfill the purposes and responsibilities of a university. This includes ensuring our commitment to high standards of civility and decency toward all. Students enrolling in the university assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the university's function as an educational institution. The Code of Virginia (Section 23-9.2:3) confers upon the university the responsibility for maintaining order within the university and the right to exclude those who are disruptive. The Office of the Judicial Administrator is administratively responsible for supervising student conduct on campus. A system of courts administers nonacademic discipline. In addition to these courts, the student Honor Committee, described in the "Academic Policies" chapter, is responsible for adjudicating violations of the Honor Code that relate to academic matters. Questions regarding student conduct should be directed to the Judicial Affairs Office, Student Union I, Room 302, (703) 993-2884. Immunization RequirementsUniversity policy requires that all students show documented evidence that they are immunized against certain communicable diseases. Immunizations that are required before registration for classes are as follows:
Highly Recommended/Optional
Records of immunization are to be sent to the Student Health Center, SUB I, MS 2D3, or faxed to the center at (703) 993-4053. If you have questions, or need additional information, call (703) 993-2836. Drug and Alcohol Policy(Adopted by the Board of Visitors, May 1990) Revised August 10, 1998 The abuse of drugs and alcohol by members of the George Mason University community is incompatible with the goals of the university. By defining standards of behavior and by providing educational programs to create an awareness of drug- and alcohol-related problems, the university attempts to prepare individuals to act responsibly. Those in need of assistance in dealing with such problems are encouraged to seek the confidential help of the university's Drug Education Services. Drugs
Alcohol
Notice to All State EmployeesThe federal Drug-Free Workplace Act requires that we inform you that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace. The workplace consists of any state-owned, controlled, or leased property, or the site where state work is performed. Any employee who violates this prohibition will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including discharge and/or will be required to satisfactorily participate in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program at the discretion of management. As a condition of employment, each employee must abide by the terms of this prohibition and notify his/her supervisor of any criminal drug statute conviction occurring in the workplace no later than five days after such conviction. I. General Laws and Regulations
Your driver's license will automatically be revoked for seven days if you refuse a breath test or if your BAC is .08 percent or higher. You no longer have the option of requesting a blood test instead of a breath test for an alcohol-related offense. Sobriety spot-checks to detect drunken drivers are legal. It is illegal to serve alcohol from an unregistered keg (common container holding four gallons or more). Only University Dining Services or other authorized entity may serve alcohol from kegs.
Sanctions vary with severity of violation and range from written warnings to expulsion from the university. Included in most sanctions for students is an evaluation by the director of Drug Education Services to ascertain severity of alcohol and other drug problems, and a referral to arrange community service hours. Employees found in violation may be subject to action by their appropriate administrative office. II. Health Risks For many people in our society, the use of chemicals is a daily reality. These chemicals include over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, and illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. They also include legal chemicals such as alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. Many chemicals have the potential to improve our health and enrich our lives. Yet, many of these chemicals also have the potential to cause serious health problems. Alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain activity. Like any drug that affects the mind, alcohol has the potential to be abused. Decision-making abilities can be impaired by alcohol use, which can cause negative consequences such as risky sexual behavior. It is expected that all students and employees respect those who choose not to drink. Drinking alcohol should be avoided particularly by pregnant women and anyone taking prescribed medications or operating a motor vehicle. Long-term or heavy use of alcohol is linked to cancer, heart and liver damage, and other serious illnesses. Tolerance and physical and psychological dependence can develop. Excess use of alcohol can cause death due to alcohol poisoning. Illicit drugs have more than legal consequences; they have specific health and ethical risks that can cause dangerous consequences and/or unhealthy dependent behavior. Use of alcohol or any other drug in a manner that leads to impairment or intoxication is unhealthy, risky, and should be avoided and discouraged. The potential for health problems can also develop from the use of nicotine or caffeine products. Those in need of assistance in dealing with alcohol and other drug problems are encouraged to seek the confidential services of campus departments listed in Section IV. III. General Regulations for Individuals and Organizations Serving Alcoholic Beverages A. University regulations prohibit the possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverage on university grounds unless the university has sanctioned the location and/or conditions for possession or consumption (e.g., Bistro). For further information regarding service of alcohol at public and private events, as well as at the Patriot Center, Arlington Campus, and Prince William Campus, please review the comprehensive guidelines for alcohol service available in Drug Education Services. IV. Campus and Community Resources Drug Education Services—Nancy Schulte, LCSW, MSWAC Student Union I, Room 252D, (703) 993-3686 Health and Wellness Resources Student Union I, Room 238, (703) 993-3686 The State Employee Assistance Service (SEAS), (804) 786-6741 Alcoholics Anonymous—for campus meetings, call (703) 993-3686; in Virginia, call (703) 281-7501 Narcotics Anonymous—in Virginia, call (703) 281-8638 The Alcohol and Other Drug Policy, composed of these four sections, outlines subject matter pertaining to university regulations on substance use and abuse. This policy is annually distributed to all employees and students as a means of informing the campus community of alcohol and other drug laws, health risks, and campus and community resources. University regulations regarding the Alcohol and Other Drug Policy have been developed by a committee of faculty, staff, and students. This policy statement is available in Drug Education Services in Student Union I, Room 252D. This policy is also distributed through the student and faculty/staff handbooks and the university's two newspapers: Broadside and the Mason Gazette. Responsible Use of Computing PolicyI. ScopeThe Responsible Use of Computing Policy applies to all academic and operational departments and offices at all university locations, owned and leased. The policies and procedures provided herein apply to all university faculty, staff, students, visitors and contractors. II. PurposeThe university provides and maintains computing and telecommunications technologies to support the education, research, and work of its faculty, staff, and students. Topreserve the security, availability, and integrity of George Mason computing resources, and to protect all users' rights to an open exchange of ideas and information, this policy sets forth the responsibilities of each member of the George Mason community in the use of these resources. To accomplish these ends, this policy supports investigations of complaints involving George Mason computing abuse, including sexual harassment, honor code, and federal or state law violations. A user of George Mason's computing resources should be aware that violations of this policy may result in revocation of access, suspension of accounts, disciplinary action, or prosecution, and that evidence of illegal activity will be turned over to the appropriate authorities. It is your responsibility to read and follow this policy and all applicable laws and procedures. If you observe someone violating this policy or another university policy, using George Mason computing resources, you can report it by e-mail to the Security Review Panel (SRP) at stopit@gmu.edu. Many local computing systems have similar e-mail reporting addresses. III. Rules of UseAccess to George Mason computing resources is a privilege granted on a presumption that every member of the university community will exercise it responsibly. Because it is impossible to anticipate all the ways in which individuals can damage, interrupt, or misuse computing facilities, this policy focuses on a few simple rules. These rules describe actions that you should avoid and the principles behind them. Each rule is followed by a (not exhaustive) list of examples of actions that would violate the rule. Rule 1: Use George Mason computing resources consistently with the stated priorities. These priorities are set on the use of George Mason computing resources: High: All educational, research, and administrative purposes of the university. Low: Other uses indirectly related to university purposes that have an educational or research benefit, including news reading, web browsing, chat sessions, and personal communications. Forbidden: Selling access to George Mason computing Note: Employees and contractors of the Commonwealth of Virginia may not use George Mason computing resources for recreation or entertainment. The low-priority uses of George Mason computing should be avoided during the times of peak demand, typically the mid-afternoon to late evening hours. During peak periods, other users may be prevented from doing their high-priority work if you are doing something of low priority. Those users are likely to complain to you or to the SRP if they observe you interfering with their work. Certain activities, such as broadcasting e-mail to very large distributions, will consume large amounts of resources; avoid them. Rule 2: Don't allow anyone to use your account for illegitimate purposes. Your account username identifies you to the entire international Internet user community. Another person using your account, whether or not you have given permission, will be acting in your name. You may be held responsible for that person's actions in your account. If that person violates any policies, his or her actions will be traced back to your username and you may be held responsible. The easiest way to protect yourself is to protect your password. If you have a legitimate reason to give someone access, keep it strictly temporary, and change your password after that person finishes using your account. Definitely do not give your password to anyone you do not trust. If someone else offers you use of an account you are not authorized to use, decline. If you discover someone's password, don't use it; report the access of the password to the owner or to stopit@gmu.edu. Rule 3: Honor the privacy of other users. The university respects the desire for privacy, and voluntarily chooses to refrain from inspecting users' files, except in certain well-defined cases (described below in Section V). System administrators who carry out standard administrative practicese.g., backing up files, cleaning up trash or temporary files, or searching for rogue programsdo notviolate privacy. Examples of privacy violations are given below to assist you to avoid violating the privacy of other users:
Rule 4: Don't impersonate any other person. Using George Mason computing resources to impersonate someone else is wrong. If you use someone else's account without permission, you may be committing acts of fraud because the account owner's name will be attached to the transactions you have performed. If, while using someone else's account, you communicate with others, you should clearly identify yourself as doing so. If you send anonymous mail or postings, you should realize that it is normal etiquette to identify that your message is anonymous or is signed by pseudonym. Because policy violators often use anonymous communication to hide their identities, many people give less credence to anonymous communication than to signed communication. System administrators who receive anonymous complaints and cannot locate the sender for additional information or clarification may be unable to assist the sender or provide witnesses to support claims of illegal activity. Rule 5: Don't use George Mason computing resources to violate other policies or laws. Don't use George Mason computing resources to commit violations of federal or state laws, or other university policies. Examples are given below to assist you to avoid inadvertent violations. This list is not comprehensive. In case of doubt, contact the Security Review Panel or send e-mail to stopit@gmu.edu.
All users of George Mason computing resources are subject to all federal and state obscenity laws. IV. Schools, Institutes, Centers, and DepartmentsGeorge Mason organizational units operate computers and networks to support their missions. The principles of this policy apply to all university organizational units, and any computers owned or operated by the university. Units may set additional local policies and expectations that are consistent with this policy. For example, local units may stipulate that material displayed for public access from their sites should be consistent with their public image and mission. They may set guidelines for format and content of material in home pages, ftp directories, listservs, netlibs, info servers, and the like, and may appoint an editor or moderator for such material. They may prioritize and prohibit types of use in order to efficiently manage their computing resources. V. Electronic Information EnvironmentYour personal e-mail, electronic files maintained on university equipment, and personal web pages are part of a unique electronic information environment. This environment creates unique privacy issues that involve federal and state laws as well as university policies. This section provides a starting point in your considerations on how to use this electronic information environment. E-mail is not secure. It is easily forwarded to a multitude of recipients and may be altered. Intruders to the network may be able to bypass your password protection. Your e-mail may also be accessible under freedom of information laws and backup computer tapes may contain deleted e-mail for over a year. Mail undelivered for any reason may be copied to the mailbox of a "postmaster" on the sender or recipient computers. For all of these reasons and others, your expectations of privacy concerning your e-mail and electronic files should take these realities into account. Most systems have public directories for temporary files. Examples are print spoolers, system-wide web caches, and scratch areas used by document editors. The temporary files stored in these directories are usually restricted to being readable only by the owner. To protect privacy and prevent these directories from overflowing, system administrators empty them regularly. You should never count on these files surviving after you log out. No user may intentionally read personal files, including those storing e-mail, without the owner's consent. In the event of a lawful investigation of misconduct, law enforcement officials and university officials involved in the investigation may inspect user files and communications. In such a case, the chair of the SRP should be notified immediately, preferably before the inspection occurs. Users whose files have been inspected will normally be notified within 14days by e-mail or other appropriate means. The university reserves the right, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to inspect user files and communications for the purposes of investigating allegations of illegal activity or violations of university policies, or to protect the integrity and safety of network systems. VI. Web PagesThe university's official web pages (www.gmu.edu) contain public information about the university's offerings, programs, and promises to students and the public. These pages project the public identity of the university and are its first electronic point of contact with the general public, students, parents, and employers. The university exercises editorial control over the content of its official web pages. The university is not responsible for information, including photographic images, published on or accessible through personal web pages, including personal home pages. Personal web pages, created and maintained by employees, students or university-recognized student groups, are the sole responsibility of the person or student group identified by the account. The university does not monitor the contents of these personal web pages. The individual creating or maintaining personal web pages may be held criminally or civilly liable for the materials posted on the website. For example, an individual who posts obscene material may be subject to criminal prosecution and an individual who posts copyrighted material might be liable to the owner of the copyrighted material under copyright law. Personal web pages contain the personal expression of their creators. The contents, including link identifiers, of these pages include academic subjects, hobbies, religion, art, and politics, as well as materials that some viewers may find offensive. Neither the contents nor the link identifiers are reviewed or endorsed by the university. If you feel you might be offended by material following a link identifier or material on the page itself, you should not continue. The university will investigate all complaints involving personal web pages and will remove or block material or links to material that violate federal or state law or university policy. VII. System Administrators (SAs)The SAs of various computers on George Mason campuses have special responsibilities. They have been granted extraordinary powers to override or alter access controls, configurations, and passwords, which they should exercise with great care and integrity. SAs manage computers and administer policies, but they do not create policies. Their actions are constrained by this policy and by the policies of local administrative units. A set of guidelines and standards for all SAs is created and maintained by the SRP. These guidelines will address job descriptions, integrity issues, and standard system administration actions that do not violate privacy. Managers of university units who employ SAs are responsible for ensuring that the SAs comply with and enforce the requirements of this policy and local policy in the systems for which they are responsible. SAs who violate this policy or any local policy, or who misuse their powers, are subject to disciplinary action. If a SA observes someone engaging in activities that would seriously compromise the security or integrity of a system or network, e.g., intrusions, break-ins, unauthorized service or access denials, or Trojan horses, the SA may take immediate action to stop the threat or minimize the damage. This may include termination of processes, scanning for rogue programs, disconnection from a network, protection and holding of evidence for an investigation, or temporary suspension of an account. Account suspensions must be reported immediately to the SRP. SAs who observe suspected violations of law should immediately alert the University Police. Should a valid complaint be filed against an SA, the SRP will determine if the SA's action could have been accomplished only by someone with the extraordinary powers of an SA. If not, the SRP will follow the "stopit" procedure to request that the SA refrain from the action in the future; if so, the SRP will forward the latter to the SA's supervisor for appropriate action. VIII. Security Review Panel (SRP)This policy establishes a SRP that is responsible for reviewing SA's decisions, responding to complaints, and periodically reviewing this policy. The SRP consists of three faculty members, one graduate student, one undergraduate student, one University Computing and Information Systems (UCIS) staff member, and one non-UCIS system administrator (SA). The SRP members are appointed by the vice president for information technology and services for a term not to exceed two academic years. The SRP chair will be one of the faculty members and will be appointed by the vice president for information technology and services. SAs will report all violations and their responses to the SRP immediately. Any member of the community can report a violation to the SRP via the "stopit" mechanism. Upon receipt of a complaint from a user or a SA, the SRP chair will assign one of the members as the "case worker" for that complaint. The three-step "stopit" process within which the SRP operates is described below in Part IX. The SRP is authorized to create subgroups to assist in its mission. An example is a George Mason Emergency Response Team (CERT), which coordinates responses to abuses, provides technical assistance on security matters to SAs, and issues security advisories. The SRP is also responsible for periodically reviewing these policies and recommending improvements and clarifications as needed. All modifications to the policies will be made after full public disclosure and a reasonable period for public comment. IX. The Stopit ProcessThe process described here, called "stopit" after a similar process at MIT, uses a graduated approach to handle violations of this policy. The approach is based on two premises: The vast majority of users are responsible; and most offenders, given the opportunity to stop uncivil or disruptive behavior without having to admit guilt, will do so and will not repeat the offense. This policy distinguishes between incidents that pose no immediate dangers to persons or to system integrity, and incidents that do. The three-step "stopit" process described below is designed for cases in which there are no immediate dangers. Incidents posing immediate dangers to persons or systems require immediate action. These include active system break-ins or intrusions, denials of service, and fraud or criminal activity conducted using Masonet resources. In these cases, the responsible SA may take reasonable actions to deal with the threat, such as temporarily disconnecting the system from the network, temporarily suspending accounts, and calling law enforcement officers. The SA taking such actions will notify his or her supervisor and the SRP chair as soon as practicable. The "stopit" process rests on two foundations: Wide Distribution of Policy Information Notices describing the essence of this policy will be displayed in computer labs on George Mason premises; the same information will be given to new users and to each user annually. New users will be asked to sign their agreement to this policy as a condition of activating their accounts. Standard Reporting Mechanism The "stopit" e-mail address (stopit@gmu.edu) is monitored regularly by SRP members, who will respond promptly to complaints. Anyone observing harmful or disruptive behavior should report it to the stopit e-mail address or to University Police. The SRP member who responds to a complaint will normally forward it to the SA of the system on which the infraction apparently occurred. That SA will investigate the complaint, determine its validity, and take appropriate actions such as sending the first warning (see below). The steps of the process are as follows: STOPIT 1: First Warning The SRP member handling a case (or SA, if the case is delegated) will send a warning letter to the alleged perpetrators of improper use of George Mason computing resources, harassment, or other uncivil behavior. The letter will have this form: "Someone using your account did [whatever the offense is]." This is followed by an explanation of which policy this behavior violates and why it is a violation. "Account holders are responsible for the use of their accounts. If you were unaware that your account was being used in this way, it may have been compromised. Your system administrator can help you change your password and re-secure your account. If you are aware, then please make sure that this does not happen again." This warning ensures that the alleged perpetrators are aware that a policy violation may have occurred and that there was a complaint. It offers them a chance to desist without having to admit guilt and a chance to secure their account against unauthorized use. STOPIT 2: Second Warning If there is a second offense from an account that received a first-warning letter, the cognizant SRP member will issue a second warning and may require that the account holder come to a mandatory interview. The SRP chair can authorize the temporary suspension of access to the user's account if the individual fails to arrange for a mandatory interview. The user can request a hearing before the full SRP. STOPIT 3: Disciplinary Procedures If the previous "stopit" stages do not convince the perpetrators to desist, the matter will be turned over to the appropriate university authority designated for that type of offense. The SRP will make available all information and evidence it has on the case to that authority. If it appears from the evidence that any federal or state laws may have been violated, the SRP may suspend the account pending the outcome of the university's or law enforcement authorities' investigation. X. Amendments and AdditionsAll amendments and additions to this policy are to be reviewed and approved by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Senior Vice President. XI. Effective DateThe policies herein are effective October 20, 1997. This administrative policy shall be reviewed annually and revised, if necessary, and becomes effective at the beginning of the university's fiscal year, unless otherwise noted. Any updates or additions to this information are on the website www.gmu.edu/srp and take precedence over any printed matter. Parking PolicyAll faculty, staff, and students who park in lots owned or operated by George Mason University must display a valid decal, or must park in the Parking Deck and pay an hourly or daily rate. The Parking Deck is located on Mason Pond Drive off Patriot Circle. Visitors and guests must park in the Parking Deck or at a meter, unless special arrangements have been made through Parking Services. Decal enforcement runs from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. Metered parking is designated for short-term use and is monitored from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Broken meters are considered closed parking spaces, and any vehicles parked in such spaces are subject to citation. Restricted areas such as yellow curbs, crosswalks, sidewalks, landscaped/barricaded areas, loading zones, handicapped spaces, and fire/emergency lanes are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To avoid receiving a substantial fine, students, faculty, and staff should purchase a decal as soon as they drive onto the campus. Three types of parking decals are available: yearly, semester, and summer. Decals may be purchased at the Parking Services sales office, located in Room 1014 in Student Union II. The hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and until 5 p.m. on Friday. Handicapped parking is available at a number of convenient locations at George Mason University facilities. A Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) handicapped permit must be presented to obtain a George Mason handicapped permit. A DMV permit alone is not sufficient for handicapped spaces in university lots. A visitor with a DMV tag/permit may park in the Parking Deck at prevailing rates. If no handicapped space is available, a metered space may be used for up to four hours. Parking in or blocking access to a handicapped space carries a fine at the prevailing rate. Some parking lots have designated spaces reserved for special permit holders, or for service and repair vehicles. Please read all signs posted at entrances to the parking lots. For additional parking information, call the Parking Services Office at (703) 993-2710. Motorist Assistance Program (MAP)The Motorist Assistance Program is available at the Fairfax Campus from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Call the Parking Services MAP line at (703) 993-2715 to access this service. MAP is designed to assist drivers who have minor car problems. Trained MAP personnel are available to help with dead batteries. MAP personnel also can contact lockout or towing services at the owner's request and expense. Sexual Assault PolicyThe following policy applies to all members of the George Mason University community: students, faculty, administrators, staff, contract employees and visitors. The university is committed to providing an institutional environment where all persons may pursue their studies, careers, duties, and activities in an atmosphere free of threat of unwelcome and unwanted sexual actions. It strongly condemns sexual offenses, will not tolerate sexual offenders, and supports those who have been victimized. Sexual assault includes the attempt or act of rape (sexual intercourse without consent, by a stranger, an acquaintance or an intimate), forced sodomy (forced oral or anal sex), or the forced penetration by a foreign object including a finger. Non-penetration sexual assault includes the act of touching an unwilling person's intimate parts such as genitalia, groin, breast, or buttocks or the clothing covering these parts, or forcing an unwilling person to touch another's intimate parts. The above acts constitute sexual assault when they are committed against a person's will as evidenced by refusal of consent or through the use of force, threat, or intimidation, or against a person who, by virtue of mental incapacity or physical helplessness, is unable to give or withhold consent. This includes, but is not limited to, incapacity or helplessness caused by alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication of the assailant shall not diminish the assailant's responsibility for the sexual assault. The university will respond promptly, fairly, and decisively to all reports of sexual assault. Members of the university community accused of these actions will be subject to university disciplinary procedures when the alleged incident has occurred on campus or when the action has occurred off campus and materially affects the learning environment or operations of the university. Sexual assaults are serious violations of the university's student judicial code, faculty standards and university employee policies. They are crimes under state law and punishable by fines and /or imprisonment. In addition, these actions are subject to civil suit for damages. George Mason University is compliant with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (The Clery Act) as amended in 1998, which requires all post-secondary institutions to publish and distribute certain information regarding campus crimes, including reports of campus sexual assault, sexual assault policies and security programming to all current students, employees and to any applicant who so requests. George Mason University shall make 24-hour assistance available to those who have been affected by sexual assault through the Office of Sexual Assault Services. Sexual Harassment PolicySexual harassment is unacceptable conduct and is not condoned in any form at George Mason University. This policy is part of the university's efforts to maintain learning and work environments free from sexual harassment. While this problem can seriously affect all members of an educational community, sexual harassment can be particularly devastating for our student population. A sexual harassment experience can affect a student's emotional well being, impair academic progress, and even inhibit the attainment of career goals. This problem can likewise affect employees and applicants for both employment and admission to the university in the same manner. Therefore, George Mason University must move to eliminate this problem from the community. It is generally agreed that what constitutes and defines sexual harassment can vary under particular circumstances and events. Nevertheless, using the definitions of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, the university defines sexual harassment as follows: "Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute harassment when (1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's academic performance or employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions about academic evaluation, employment, promotion, transfer, selection for training, performance evaluation, or selection for academic awards or benefits, etc; (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational or work environment or substantially interferes with a student's academic or an employee's work performance." While the definition quoted above reflects the historical fact that the majority of sexual harassment complaints involve a male harasser and a female complainant (or victim), the definition applies equally to female harassers and male victims as well as same-sex harassment. George Mason University is committed to eliminating sexual harassment from the campus while ensuring basic protection for all parties. The Office of the Vice President and University Equity Officer (a.k.a. Equity Office) is specifically charged to assist in the investigation and resolution of allegations of discrimination and harassment including sexual harassment. Further, the office exists, in part, to ensure that members of the campus community understand their responsibility to create and maintain an environment free from discriminatory actions and behaviors. For more information, contact the University Equity Office at (703) 993-8730 or (703) 993-8787 (TDD). Stalking Policy(Effective February 1, 1999) This policy applies equally to all members of the George Mason University community: students, faculty, administrators, staff, contract employees, and visitors. The university is committed to protecting the right of all individuals to pursue their intellectual, vocational, and personal interests without harassment or interference. The university is also committed to providing an environment in which visitors to and members of the campus community are treated with dignity, respect, and regard for their welfare and learning needs. George Mason University defines stalking as any behaviors or activities occurring on more than one occasion that collectively instill fear in the victim, and/or threaten his or her safety, mental health, or physical health. Such behaviors and activities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Nonconsensual communication, including face-to-face, telephone calls, voice messages, electronic mail, written letters, unwanted gifts, etc.
* These offenses may result in additional criminal charges. Stalking behavior will not be tolerated. Incidents occurring on or off campus are subject to university discipline when such actions materially affect the learning environment or operations of the university. Stalking is a crime under Virginia state law. Incidences of stalking outside the Commonwealth of Virginia may be admissible in court if they are relevant to the case and may be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor or a felony. Legal options available to victims of stalking include reporting to the local police, seeking a remedy through civil proceedings, and/or utilizing the campus judicial process. For more information on stalking issues or this policy, please contact Sexual Assault Services at (703) 993-4364. Individuals with Disabilities PolicyThe university is committed to complying with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by providing reasonable accommodations for applicants for admission, students, applicants for employment, employees, and visitors who are disabled. Applicants for admission and students requiring specific accommodations for a disability should contact the Disability Resource Center at (703) 993-2474 or the University Equity Office at (703) 993-8730. Applicants for employment and employees should contact Human Resources at (703) 993-2600 or the University Equity Office. Students and employees are responsible for providing appropriate documentation and for requesting reasonable accommodation in a timely manner. Other RegulationsWeaponsThe unauthorized possession, storage, display, or use of any kind of ammunition, firearms, fireworks, explosives, air rifles, air pistols, or other lethal instruments are prohibited on university property. Any questions regarding this regulation should be directed to the chief of police at (703) 993-3840. SmokingSmoking is not permitted in any building on campus. Bicycles/SkateboardsBike racks are provided at various on-campus locations for the convenience of students who bike to and from campus. For resident students, there are bike racks in the residential complexes. Bikes and skateboards are not permitted on sidewalks, stairs, ramps, footpaths, or grassy areas of the campus or inside university buildings. PetsNo pets, except those assisting people with disabilities, are permitted in university buildings at any time. In addition, pets that are on campus grounds must be on a leash and under supervision at all times. Solicitors and SalespeopleSolicitors and salespeople, except on official business with the university, are not permitted on the campus without prior approval of the University Services Office. George Mason University: 2001-2002 University Catalog: Catalog Index: General Policies | |