Academic dishonesty (plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data) is a breach of the ethics of scholarship and a violation of one of the central norms of an academic community. Because reports of academic dishonesty are most likely to arise from work done in a course or for a divisional project, a member of the college faculty usually brings forward the report. When such a report is brought forward, the procedure is as follows:

1. The faculty member will inform the student and the School dean that a violation of academic honesty may have occurred. The School dean will inform the dean of advising of the violation.  The faculty member will provide all documentation to the dean of advising, who will meet with both the student and faculty member, and recommend a course of action. If the dean of advising determines that it is more likely than not that academic dishonesty has occurred and determines that it is a first offense, the dean of advising will:

• Write a letter of warning to the student, to remain in the student’s academic file;
• In consultation with the faculty member and the School dean, determine academic consequences that may include but are not limited to submitting a revised or new assignment; no evaluation given for the course regardless of add/drop/withdrawal deadlines or, in the case of Division III [3] work, a decision to set aside the project in question and require the student to do an alternative project on a different topic with a different committee (unless the committee concerned agrees to continue working with the student).

Academic integrity lies at the core of our work and unacknowledged borrowing from the work of others in any medium is a fundamental repudiation of the deepest values of the academic community. Therefore, in cases of egregious violation, the dean of advising may also refer the case for review through the community standards process [4], as outlined below.

Referral of the Case to the Community Standards Process
Second or multiple offenses concerning plagiarism or other violations of the ethics of scholarship [5] (as well as egregious first offenses) will be referred by the dean of advising to the community standards process [4].  Among the accountability measures available if found responsible for a violation of the Ethics of Scholarship are probation, suspension, and expulsion from the College.

Appeals
The student has the right to appeal the finding of academic dishonesty and/or sanctions to the vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty. Findings may be appealed only on procedural grounds.

Process for Appeal
Appeals of procedure and appeals of sanction(s) by the student must be submitted in writing to the vice president for academic affairs within five (5) business days after written notification of the finding and/or sanction is sent to the student. Appeals must state the specific rationale for a procedural appeal and/or the grounds for an appeal of the sanction.

In all cases of an appeal, the vice president of academic affairs shall review the appeal and the pertinent facts relative to the appeal, determine if further investigation is warranted, and render a decision.  The vice president of academic affairs will endeavor to render a decision within 21 days after an appeal has been submitted but may take additional time to consider the appeal when such time is deemed necessary. The vice president’s decision is final. 

Record of Cases of Academic Dishonesty
All cases of academic dishonesty should be reported in writing to the dean of advising.  A confidential record of all cases of plagiarism will be maintained by the Center for Academic Support and Advising [6] (CASA) to aid in determining appropriate action. 

Academic Dishonesty at another institution
Should a charge of academic dishonesty be brought against a Hampshire College student at another institution (i.e. Five Colleges, study abroad institution, internships or other external academic institutions) the policies and procedures of the host institution will apply.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism (from the Latin for kidnapper) is the presentation of another’s work as one’s own. The term, "plagiarism" covers everything from inadvertently passing off as one’s own the work of another because of ignorance, time constraints, or careless note-taking, to deliberately hiring a ghost writer to produce an examination or course paper. This range of possibilities is spelled out in more detail in the following list of examples.

Cheating
Cheating is the unfair or dishonest acquisition or use of information in order to gain an advantage. This includes but is not limited to unauthorized use of information from another person’s paper, quiz, or exam; buying/borrowing, or selling/loaning quizzes, exams, or papers; unauthorized use of opened textbooks, notes, or other devices during a quiz or exam. It is the responsibility of each student to consult with faculty about the study aids and materials that are permissible.

False Citation
Material should not be attributed to a source from which that material was not obtained. That is, one must not pass off primary sources as if they had been consulted when in fact, the material in the oral presentation or written work is based upon a secondary source. All primary and secondary source material must be properly identified and cited.

Poor Documentation
As scholarly writers, we are expected to acknowledge our indebtedness for ideas, phrases, sentences, data, computer code, charts, diagrams, figures, images, and longer verbatim quotations by citing our sources. Sources can include, but are not limited to, course readings, lectures, websites, interviews, and other students’ work. The necessity to cite sources extends to both published and unpublished work. Writers prepare for the necessity of proper source citation by taking careful notes on exact wording and spelling, page numbers, and source identification, including any material found on the internet. It is particularly important to present verbatim quotations exactly as they are in the original sources, including any errors. Paraphrases require documentation, and they must be a true restatement of the original rather than simply a rearrangement of the words in the sources. There are a number of methods of documentation. The form of the reference list or bibliography or footnote style may vary by discipline. There are a number of style manuals that describe the documentation rules for various academic disciplines. Some are in the reference collection at the library; many are online. Please the Hampshire College library for assistance on citing sources [7] via the associated link.

Unacknowledged Use of Work Produced by Others
Presenting papers or sections of papers (including any material found on websites) bought, borrowed, or stolen from others as one’s own is the most blatant form of plagiarism. Plagiarism can also extend to buying, borrowing, or stealing data, images, or computer code and presenting it as one’s own. There is no acceptable excuse for this behavior, including ignorance.

Unacknowledged Multiple Authors or Collaboration
The notion that intellectual work is and should be a lonely and fiercely independent enterprise is sometimes overemphasized. At Hampshire College, students are encouraged to collaborate on work for courses, work for Division II [8], and even Division III [3] “independent projects.” For example, students are encouraged to have better spellers look at their work if that is necessary, and faculty members show drafts of their work or discuss their ideas with colleagues. In almost any book or article, writers in footnotes and references lists recognize their indebtedness to colleagues who have criticized their work. Students, too, should acknowledge the assistance of their collaborators. In joint examinations or class projects, the contributions of each member of the group should be made clear and every member of the group should have an understanding of the whole project. All collaborators should be clearly acknowledged and cited on each individual’s work. Students should consult with their faculty about the expectations and limitations about collaboration specific to each course.

Unacknowledged Multiple Submission
Students are expected to generate original work in response to each assignment, unless the faculty member setting the assignment has expressly stated otherwise. Using the same paper or assignment, or portions thereof, for several purposes without prior approval (for example, submission of a paper to several classes or publication in several scholarly journals) is generally considered to be unacceptable.

False Data
Data fabricated or altered in a laboratory experiment or field project is an instance of academic fraud. Though it is not plagiarism per se, falsification of data is a clear violation of the ethics of scholarship [5].

A repudiation of plagiarism in all its forms is shared by all academic disciplines. However, there is some variation between disciplines regarding the methods and norms for acknowledging and citing sources within that discipline. These are best discussed with the faculty in the context of specific courses of projects. Ignorance of expectations around proper citations of sources and collaborations is not an excuse.

Students may apply to reserve study carrels [15]on the 2nd or 3rd floors.  Carrels are assigned to students for a semester at a time, and students may use them as their personal study space during the Library’s open hours. 

Division I is designed for exploration and for learning new ways of working across a wide range of critical, scientific, and creative approaches through Hampshire’s transdisciplinary curriculum. Students learn and practice academic, interpersonal, and collaborative skills to engage in meaningful work with others, including community engaged learning (CEL-1)as well as demonstrate engagement with Race and Power. Students are supported to develop skills for engaging in project-based learning, deepening their ability to pose and pursue authentic questions through collaborative or mentored projects. Students are mentored by advisors who guide them through the selection of courses. They are also mentored through advising networks of students, staff, and faculty. 

Because project-based work is an important component of Hampshire’s pedagogy, students take an active role in their learning. They deepen their ability to ask and answer authentic questions, sparking a love of learning and preparing them for a well-conceived individualized concentration of studies in Division II. Division I is the first two semesters of enrollment, during which time students' advisors will periodically review academic progress to identify developing areas of strength as well as indicators of the need for further study.

Note for first-year entrants with advanced standing: carefully read the advanced standing [16] description and contact CASA with questions.

Note for transfer entrants: the rules for completing Division I are significantly different than those for first year entrants. Students should refer to the Transfer Policy [17] for information and contact CASA with questions.

Division II is the core of the student’s academic experience at Hampshire. It is a generative time when students articulate their questions and interests and acquire the knowledge and skills that not only help them gain purchase on their questions, but also prepare them to carry out an extensive independent project in Division III. The challenge for Division II students is to continually think across their courses and other experiences to integrate their learning. Doing so requires ongoing reflection, seminars that enable integrative work, and regular communication with their advising networks. As such, students’ Division II concentrations evolve as they develop and deepen their interests, while finding new points of intersection.

Division II consists of a self-designed concentration pursued through courses and other appropriate learning experiences, such as special projects (including internships, community-based projects with an organization, and practica), field study, and study abroad. Students are expected to consider how race and power relates to their work (see Race and Power Requirement [20]) and to integrate the knowledge gained from community involvement into their academic program (see Community Engaged Learning or CEL-2 Requirement [20]).

Each student develops a Division II contract outlining their concentration and program which is periodically reviewed and revised as the student’s program of study evolves. The contract supports students in thinking about the questions that drive them, the goals they have for their learning in Division II, and their plan to accomplish their goals. Students’ goals might include acquiring content knowledge and skills (e.g. research, writing, quantitative, production, project management, creative expression, cultural perspectives, collaboration skills), learning a language, or other educational goals. The contract asks students to outline the kinds of courses and out-of-classroom experiences that will help them reach their goals.

A strong Division II concentration is a highly individualized program of study that gives the student a solid foundation in knowledge and techniques, the broader concepts behind them and the contexts from which they emerge, and critical, analytical, and creative skills. Division II is typically four full semesters of academic work, culminating in the production of a Division II portfolio and a final meeting with the committee.

As part of their Division II, students take a Division II seminar which supports their transition from Division II to Division III. The sixth-semester Div II seminar supports students’ compiling of the Div II Portfolio and completion of a robust Div III proposal by the end of the semester.

In their final two semesters, students undertake a major independent project with the guidance of a committee. Typically, Division III projects explore a specific aspect of the student’s Division II work in depth. Division III students devote the majority of their time to the independent project.

We expect scholars and artists to move beyond the boundaries of their particular fields of expertise and to participate in the collective activities that help to define and invigorate intellectual and artistic life. In a similar way, students are expected to engage in two Advanced Educational Activities concurrent with their Division III independent project that have the dual goal of broadening the scope of their intellectual endeavor and making their more mature skills and viewpoints available to the College at large.

Division III Requirements

The Advanced Independent Project

Each student designs, implements, and completes a two-semester advanced independent project that encompasses a sophisticated and complex set of questions, concepts, skills, and abilities. The completed project should clearly demonstrate the student’s ability to perform advanced work. The culmination of the Division III advanced independent project—whether a thesis, portfolio, film, exhibit, computer program, performance, or committee-approved combination of these—must be in a form that can be evaluated by the student’s faculty committee. Judgment of the quality and scope of the advanced independent project is the responsibility of a student’s committee.

Division III Advanced Educational Activities

In addition to their Division III projects, students must complete two Advanced Educational Activities approved by their Division III committees, referred to in the following as the primary AEA and the second AEA. Students should consider the following points carefully.

• The primary AEA must be an advanced-level academic course or supervised teaching assistantship (TA) for a full academic course.
• An advanced-level Hampshire course is defined as a course offered by one of the five interdisciplinary schools numbered 250 or higher. The schools are Cognitive Science (CS), Critical Social Inquiry (CSI), Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies (HACU), Interdisciplinary Arts (IA) and Natural Science (NS).
• An advanced-level Five College course is defined as a course numbered 300 or higher taken at one of the other four institutions in the consortium.
• An advanced-level course taken at an institution outside the Five College consortium is one that is defined at the host institution as an advanced or upper-level course. 

• The second AEA may be a full academic course; a supervised teaching assistantship; an independent study; facilitation of an EPEC course registered as an independent study, or a special project such as an internship.

• All AEAs must be at least three semester credits or the equivalent.

• Hampshire courses must be successfully completed and evaluated. Any courses taken for a traditional grade used for either AEA must be graded C or better or its equivalent from an international institution. They may not be audited, taken pass/fail, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or any other binary grading scheme. 

Note: 

Students studying away from campus on field study or an exchange program in Division III should carefully plan with their committees how they are going to satisfy their AEAs in keeping with the above definition. They may not use the entirety of their field study as an AEA but may use a component, such as a special project or a course. Students should check the planning guides for study away from campus and discuss them with their faculty. Two courses may not be combined to satisfy one AEA.The work for all AEAs must be completed by the end of the Hampshire advising and progress review period in the student’s final semester. Formal awarding of the degree will be delayed if documentation of completion of one or both AEAs is not received prior to the degree award date. Students may not negotiate an incomplete in the final semester for any AEA. Failure to complete an AEA will result in the student having to complete an advanced-level course at another institution, pre-approved by the Division III chairperson in a revised contract. The student’s graduation date will be delayed until after receipt of a transcript documenting successful completion of the substituted course.

Field Study:

Students studying away from campus on field study or an exchange program in Division III should carefully plan with their committees how they are going to satisfy their AEAs in keeping with the above definitions. They may not use the entire field study as an AEA but may use a component, such a special project or a course. The component used for the Advanced Educational Activity will be registered separately and evaluated or certified as complete by the Division III chair.

If the student is using a special project, they must submit a special project form to Central Records and submit documentation of completion to their Division III chair. Although not required, a site supervisor evaluation may be submitted to Central Records for inclusion in the student’s Hampshire transcript. If the student is using a course, they must submit an official copy of their transcript to both Central Records and their chair.

Teaching Assistantship (TA) Definition:

A student is considered a TA if they are assisting in the planning of and engaging in teaching activities in a course approved by the Division III committee. This course must be a full academic course, or a course equivalent in level of activity and time commitment to a full academic course. Please note that TA responsibilities differ significantly from the duties of a work-study or office/course assistant position, which are more limited in scope. Examples of the responsibilities of a teaching assistant might include: leading discussions, holding office hours for student appointments, and providing feedback on papers or other assignments.

Special Project Definition:

“Special Projects” [26] are robust supervised or mentored learning experiences that students have at or away from Hampshire with organizations (such as schools, labs companies, or nonprofit organizations) or with community groups. They can be internships, practica, or other independent projects that are evaluated by a qualified supervisor at the organization or community group and approved by the student’s advisor. They must engage a student in learning for 180 hours or more. Students must fill out a special project form (obtained from the Central Records office). Declaration of a special project must occur by the add/drop deadline in the student’s final semester.

 Transfer students are required to fulfill all requirements of Hampshire’s Division I, II, and III. Transfer course work completed prior to enrollment at Hampshire may be used to satisfy some of Hampshire’s graduation requirements. To be considered for transfer status, students must have been enrolled at a regionally accredited college or university on a full- or part-time basis and have completed at least 15 transferable semester credits or 23 quarter credits in a variety of academic (liberal arts and sciences) disciplines post-high school graduation prior to enrollment at Hampshire. Courses must be comparable in academic demands and disciplines to those offered at Hampshire, be graded C or better and not be recorded as high school credit except for courses completed during high school dual-enrollment programs when the student’s transfer institution has awarded them credit. Students who have completed fewer than 15 semester credits or 23 quarter credits of college work will be considered first-year entrants and should refer to the description of the first-year program [27] which includes a policy on advanced standing for more information. Hampshire College will also transfer Advanced Placement Program (AP) exams scores of 4 or 5 and International Baccalaureate (IB) higher level exams scores of 5 or higher for up to four Division I elective requirements. Comparable international exams will be considered for transfer credit on a case by case basis.

Division I: In order for transfer students to pass (complete) Division I, eight academic courses which may include eligible exams as described above must be identified for Division I. They may all be from the student’s transcripts or may be a combination of transfer courses and Hampshire courses. Student’s transcripts are evaluated prior to their arrival to determine if they have the required number of courses to pass Division I from their transcript. Central Records will record a Division I “pass” for students who do. Students who have remaining Division I requirements will satisfy them in their first semester of enrollment at Hampshire and pass Division I by the semester’s end. Prior to arrival Central Records will establish an estimate of the number of semesters students can expect to spend at Hampshire to graduate based on the number of transfer courses that have been accepted. Unlike first year entrants. transfer students do not complete Division I portfolios or submit Division I retrospective essays. They do not take a Division I seminar and are not required to complete the CEL-1 [28] requirement.

Division II: Like all Hampshire College students, transfer students negotiate a plan of study for Division II [8] with their advisor. Transfer courses not used for the completion of Division I are eligible for inclusion in Division II with approval of Division II committees. Please see the section concerning requirements and procedures for filing Division II [8]. When determining whether a student's Division II is ready to be passed, the faculty committee takes into consideration: whether the student has met the goals set out in the contract; the number and type of courses and other learning activities in the portfolio and whether they form a comprehensive body of work; the student’s proficiency with writing and other modes of expression and presentation; and the student’s readiness, in terms of requisite knowledge and skills, to embark on the proposed Division III [3] project. Transfer students are required to complete the CEL-2 [20] (Community Engagement and Learning) requirement, the Race and Power requirement as well as a supported project during Division II.

Division III: Transfer students follow the Division III policy guidelines. Transfer work does not apply to Division III.

Mass Transfer Agreement: Courses transfer under this agreement in a block for students who have earned an associates degree in Massachusetts. The expectation is that students will complete their education at Hampshire in two years (two semesters in Division II and two semesters in Division III) though students may take additional time to complete.

NOTE: Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Financial Aid Office [29] regarding the number of semesters of financial aid eligibility.

At Hampshire, "Special Projects" are robust supervised or mentored learning experiences that students can pursue at or away from Hampshire with organizations (such as schools, labs, companies, or nonprofit organizations) or with community groups. Special Projects can be essential to a student’s education and should result in substantial learning. Special Projects may be paid or unpaid. They can be internships, practicums, or other independent projects approved by the student’s advisor that are evaluated by a site supervisor at the organization or community group hosting the activity. Special Projects can take place at any time of the calendar year and can be initiated at any time after a student enrolls at Hampshire up until the add/drop deadline in the final semester of Division III. They must engage a student in learning for 180 hours or more.

As Special Projects can be started and completed off the semester schedule, they do not count toward full-time student status for a given semester in Division I and II. This means that students must register for a minimum of three academic courses equivalent to at least 12 credits, which may include independent study and teaching assistantships in the spring and fall semesters in addition to any Special Projects in progress. In Division III, students must follow the Division III Policy Guidelines to use a Special Project for an Advanced Educational Activity. For outside institutions (graduate programs, scholarship organizations, transfer institutions, etc.), the College recommends four credits for a successfully completed Special Project. Please note that the special projects policy went into effect in summer of 2018.

Divisional Notes

If a Special Project is to be included in Division I, II, or III, it must be completed and evaluated by the appropriate divisional passing deadline.

• A Special Project completed by the Division I passing deadline may count as one of the seven courses required for Division I [30].
• Students should speak to their committees to determine how Special Projects may be used in their Division II.
• A Special Project may be used to fulfill one of the two Advanced Educational Activities [3] with permission of students' Division III committees.

Procedure

Registration

The student secures the site and completes a registration form [31] detailing the scope and length of the project, to be reviewed by both the student's advisor and the site supervisor.

• The site supervisor may be anyone approved by the student's advisor.

The student can submit the registration form with faculty approval to Central Records anytime (before or after completing the Special Project), but only completed, evaluated special projects go on the permanent transcript. Central Records registers the Special Project with the student's advisor as the faculty member of record. When used as an Advanced Educational Activity In Division III, the registration forms are due the last day of the add/drop period in the student's final semester of enrollment. Students should list the Special Project on their contracts by the Division III revision deadline at the latest.

Only one registration is allowed for an individual Special Project, even if the number of hours of engagement exceeds 180. A student is free to do more than one Special Project at the same site, but they must register for them separately and the Projects should have different focuses.

 Evaluations

Upon conclusion of the project, the student writes a reflective self-evaluation and obtains a written evaluation from the site supervisor stating that the Special Project has been completed and that the hour requirement has been satisfied along with narrative comments on the student’s work. The student submits the documentation to their advisors. The students may also, but are not obliged to, bring a copy of the site supervisor evaluation to Central Records for inclusion in their transcripts.

Special Projects can be started and completed off the semester schedule. When an advisor signs a student's form, the expectation is that the student will follow the procedure outlined above. If this process is not followed, the Special Project will not be included in the student's transcript.

If the student does not complete a Special Project, or separates from the College without completing, a registered Special Project, it will be removed from their transcripts without a "W" notation.

For Faculty

In addition to signing off on the registration form, the student's advisor completes an evaluation on TheHub based on the evaluation from the site supervisor. The student is responsible for obtaining the site supervisor’s evaluation and submitting it to their advisor along with their own self evaluation. The advisor’s evaluation may be brief or detailed, but at least certifies for the student's official transcript that the experience was completed and that the hour requirement of a minimum of 180 hours engaged in learning was satisfied. The evaluation ideally contains evaluative comments shared by the site supervisor.

Once the Special Project has been completed, advisors are asked to write their evaluation on TheHub as soon as possible, ideally within 30 days or by the semesters end. In Division III, the deadlines for Advanced Educational Activities apply.

Dates and deadlines are located on the Academic Calendar [34].

There are two periods a semester in which students may register for Hampshire and Five College courses: preregistration and add/drop. At preregistration, students register for courses for the upcoming semester. Before or during this period, students must meet with their advisors to discuss plans and obtain advisor authorization, which is required to participate in preregistration.[1] Students may register and drop courses on TheHub [35] during preregistration and again during the add/drop period at the beginning of the semester. There are two deadlines during the add/drop period: the last day to add a class on TheHub; and the last day to drop a class on TheHub and to submit paper registration forms to Central Records. No record of courses dropped during either preregistration or add/drop will appear on student transcripts. Note that courses will not be removed from the transcript after the drop deadline at the beginning of the semester has passed.

Students who have not registered for courses they are attending by the end of the add/drop period should contact Central Records to petition for late registration.

Students may withdraw from Hampshire and Five College courses between the drop deadline and the published course withdrawal deadline in November for a fall course and April for a spring course. A "W" for course withdrawal is recorded on student transcripts. Note that only successfully completed co-curricular courses appear on student transcripts. Students may not withdraw from courses after the course withdrawal deadline. Failure to withdraw from a course by the deadline could result in a “no evaluation” notation for a Hampshire course or an “F” for a Five College course.  Students with documented medical reasons or other verified, unforeseen grounds of personal or family hardship may contact the Center for Academic Support and Advising [25] to request an exception to this policy. Any request for an exception to registration policy must occur by the drop deadline in the semester after the course in question.

In some cases, faculty may grant students an extension for completing work. See the policy for incomplete courses [36] for more information.

Students who withdraw from the institution or take a medical leave during a semester should refer to the information on academic work in the leave policy [37].

The need to observe religious holidays will be honored by arrangement with individual faculty members. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts statute ensures that any student who is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study, or work requirement that may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day, provided, however, that such makeup shall not create an unreasonable burden upon the College. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to the student.

For more information about course registration, please visit the Central Records webpage [22].

[1] Some holds will prevent students from participating in preregistration. Students should check the "Approvals and Holds" page on TheHub [35] for information on holds.

What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA, is a federal law governing the privacy of education records. It grants specific rights to current and former students and sets restrictions on how schools may handle education records. It is College policy to keep student academic records confidential, with the exception of public information, which may be released at the discretion of Hampshire College officials.

FERPA requires that schools obtain written permission from students before releasing education records. Exceptions to this include emergency situations in which the health and safety of the student is involved, to provide information to schools to which a Hampshire student is transferring, in certain student conduct cases, and in other circumstances described in FERPA. In addition, in well-defined circumstances, some information may be released without written permission from the student. College officials with a legitimate educational interest may also have access to a student's education records without prior consent.

What is an education record?
The definition of an education record under FERPA is broad. It refers to any record that is directly related to a student and that is kept by the College or someone acting on behalf of the College from which an individual student, or students, can be personally (individually) identified. Records can include: files, documents, and materials maintained by the College in any medium.

FERPA gives each student the following rights:

• The right to inspect and review education records the school is keeping on the student within 45 days of making a request.
• The right to consent to any disclosure of those records, unless disclosure is permitted under FERPA.
• The right to seek amendment to those records.
• The right to file a complaint with the FERPA Family Policy Compliance Office in Washington, D.C.

Note: When a student reaches the age of 18 or begins attending a postsecondary institution regardless of age, FERPA rights transfer to the student.

Public Information
The items below are considered public information and may be released to third parties at the discretion of Hampshire College officials. Students may request that public information be withheld. Since there are important consequences of such a request, students must consult with the director of central records.

• Name
• Campus box number and phone
• Campus email address
• ID photo
• Pronouns
• Dates of attendance
• Field of concentration
• Name of advisor
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
• Dates, titles, and committees of Divisional projects
• Most recent educational institution attended

Privacy of Records
Students complete an annual 'privacy of records' form on TheHub [19] regarding parent or guardian access, which they may change at any time. Ordinarily, students themselves share evaluations and Five College grades with others. In some cases, however, parents, guardians or individuals acting as parents in the absence of a parent or guardian, may request information from advisors, faculty, or staff. Students indicate whether the College may release to these individuals general information on academic progress and financial matters and/or copies of academic contracts, and whether, upon request, the College may send them copies of evaluations.  Other third parties may obtain non-directory information if the student has granted specific permission to do so.

Privacy rights apply only to currently enrolled students and former students; Hampshire applicants are not covered. These rights pertain to any education records in whatever form maintained by the College.

Telephone inquiries for information on alumni are answered by the Alumni and Family Relations Office [42], which releases this information only to other alumni, Hampshire and Five College faculty, and other inquirers expressly authorized by the alum. Hampshire students interested in contacting alums are encouraged to email alumni@hampshire.edu [43] with their requests.

 The following are not considered “education records” and access will not be provided:

• Personal files kept by a College staff member if the record is not revealed to others and is kept in the sole possession of the staff member
• Records maintained separately from education records solely for law enforcement purposes
• Medical records maintained by the College’s student health clinic
• Parents’ financial records

Access to student education records may be provided without prior written consent where such disclosure involves:

• Hampshire College officials who have a legitimate educational interest in the record.  A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health 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 student conduct or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing their tasks.
• Officials of another school in which the student seeks or intends to enroll
• Federal, state, and local agencies and authorities as provided under law
• Parents of an eligible student if the student is claimed as a dependent for income tax purposes
• Organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of an educational institution, where such studies will not permit personal identification of students or their parents by those other than the representatives of such organizations
• Appropriate parties in a health or safety emergency
• Compliance with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena, where reasonable effort has been made to notify the student in advance of compliance
• Disclosure of final results of certain Formal Conduct Process proceedings (described in FERPA regulations) when there is a determination that a student committed a violation of its rules or policies with respect to the crime
• Disclosure to a parent of a student’s violation of a federal, state or local law or any rule or policy of the College governing the use or possession of alcohol or controlled substances
• Other circumstances permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended

The following College personnel have access to student files: staff of central records, dean of faculty, center for academic support and advising, admissions, and student life; offices of the College with responsibility for academic programs; the student’s advisor; current and potential divisional committee members; College employees gathering data for legitimate college purposes; or any College official with a legitimate educational interest in an education record. To qualify as legitimate and educational, an interest must be related in a clearly discernible way to the conduct of the normal business of the institution or to the educational welfare of the individual student or of other students. Exceptions to this policy may be made in individual cases with the permission of the director of central records, provided that the exceptions are consistent with applicable law.

Request for Amendment to Educational Records
Generally, students resolve minor inaccuracies in their narrative evaluations without a formal process. Requests for amendment to records are not used in cases where the student is disputing a faculty member’s judgment of academic work. Refer to the section on Evaluation of Educational Activities [44] for information on requesting changes to narrative evaluations.

If an eligible student believes information contained in their education record is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy, the student may request a review of the record and its amendment.  Requests to amend record may not be considered beyond 60 days after the student’s final semester of attendance. 

Requests for amendment will be reviewed within a reasonable time and if appropriate college officials so decide, the record will be amended. If the College decides not to amend a record, the student will be notified and informed of the right to a hearing.

Many members of the Hampshire community use names other than their legal names to identify themselves. As long as the use of this different name is not for the purposes of misrepresentation, Hampshire acknowledges that a preferred first name and pronoun may be used wherever possible in the course of a student’s education. The preferred first name is used except where the legal name is required, such as payroll records and student transcripts.

Students should give serious consideration to the request to use a preferred first name and/or pronoun, as this choice will be permanently reflected in the narrative portions of the academic transcript [45]. Although students are generally free to determine the preferred first name they wish to be known by, inappropriate use of the preferred first name policy (including but not limited to avoiding a legal obligation or misrepresentation) may be cause for denying the request. The College reserves the right to remove a preferred first name if it is used inappropriately.

Preferred first name requests are entered via the directory. Students have a choice of displaying their preferred first name instead of their legal first name, or in addition to their legal first name. Authorized changes to preferred first names will be almost immediate in some locations; others may take additional time based on system configurations. 

In addition to the preferred first name, students may select a pronoun from the list provided in their directory preferences [46] to be displayed on TheHub and Moodle.  Pronouns are viewable to members of the Hampshire community who have a login to the directory. If no pronoun has been selected "not set" will be displayed.  When writing evaluations, faculty use the pronoun entered on the directory. 

Changes to a current student's legal name can only be made in the central records  [32]office [32] and require a court order and social security card as supporting documentation. Students with legal name changes may request that their narrative evaluations be amended to reflect their gender identity. Such amendments can take up to 45 business days to process.

Disclaimer: This policy does not form a contract of any kind and may be modified, changed, altered, or rescinded at the discretion of Hampshire College.

The first page of the transcript includes the following:

• Divisional titles and dates of completion
• Hampshire and Five College course numbers and titles
• Five College grades
• Completed co-curricular activities
• Terms of enrollment (including semesters of field study and exchange programs)
• Last date of attendance for uncompleted terms
• Students degree status
• Transcript key

Note: Hampshire courses that are not successfully completed, incomplete, or audited are notated accordingly.

Evaluations and other documents included in the transcript completed by the transcript issue date:

• Division II evaluation, which Includes certification of the Community Engaged Learning (CEL-2) requirement  and the Multiple Cultural Perspectives requirement.
• Division III evaluation, which Includes evaluations and/or grades for the two Advanced Educational Activities.
• Evaluations for successfully completed Hampshire courses.
• Field study and exchange program evaluations and international transcripts.
• Special Project, Learning Activity, and Five College evaluations when submitted to central records by the student.

Note: If a student studied at another U.S. institution before or during enrollment at Hampshire, the transcript should be ordered directly from the institution attended. This includes transcripts for study abroad programs that are issued by a U.S. school of record institution.

Requesting a Transcript
Students request transcripts using a form on the Hampshire website. Go to "Transcript Requests and Information [47]" It can take up to 10 business days for The Central Records Office to produce a transcript so please plan accordingly.

Cost
Students are billed a one-time transcript fee, which entitles them to request transcripts both while enrolled and in the future at no additional charge. Students are responsible for expedited shipping costs.

Maintenance of Student Files
Students should inspect their academic records before leaving the College. Academic records are scanned for permanent archiving after students leave the College.  Requests for changes to academic records may not be considered beyond sixty (60) days after the student’s final semester of attendance. 

Transcripts/Outstanding Obligations

• Students who have outstanding financial obligations to the College may not receive official transcripts, nor will transcripts be issued to a third party. 
• Transcripts will not be issued for any student who has defaulted on any federal student loan until the College has been notified by an agency that the student is no longer in default. 
• If a student has not fulfilled any student conduct sanctions imposed through the Formal Conduct Process [48], the degree will be withheld and official transcripts will not be released.

Students who have not fulfilled obligations as described above may be issued one unofficial transcript that will be stamped with “issued to student” and “outstanding obligation.” Transcripts will not be issued to a third party.

Mid-semester Course Evaluations
Faculty indicate concerns or comments regarding student progress courses by published deadline [53]s. (Mandatory for first and second semester students; optional for others)

Course Summary Evaluations
Faculty indicate whether students will be receiving an evaluation, no evaluation, or an incomplete by the published deadline [53]. Also see course registration policy. [54]

Course Evaluations
Course evaluations are due by January 15th for a fall term and June 15th for a spring term.

Short Term Courses January or May/Summer
All student work must be completed within one week (7 days) after the end date of the course as listed on TheHub. Faculty must provide course completion summaries on TheHub ten days after the course end date. Full course evaluations are due from faculty two weeks after student work is turned in (three weeks after the course end date).

Incomplete courses
Faculty are not obligated to negotiate an incomplete. In those cases where a student has requested and the faculty member agrees that an incomplete is appropriate, that information must be recorded no later than the course completion summary [53] deadline for that semester.

To record an incomplete, the faculty member enters the negotiated date along with any other pertinent notes on TheHub [55] in the course summary by the course summary deadline. Students are notified of the incomplete via email and asked to agree to the terms.  The negotiated date will not exceed January 15^th for a fall course, and June 30^th for a spring course.

When the faculty member has determined that the conditions of the incomplete have been met, they must record that the course has been successfully completed on TheHub by January 15^th for a fall course and June 30^th for a spring course. If successful completion is not recorded by this time, the incomplete will automatically convert to a “no evaluation” notation. Faculty have one month from the negotiated date to evaluate the work.

Students experiencing exceptional circumstances that could make it difficult to adhere to any part of this policy should be referred immediately to CASA [6] for assistance with accommodating circumstances.

Division I and II
Evaluations for Division I and II work passed during a fall term are due January 30. Evaluations for Division I and II work passed during a spring term are due June 30. Check the academic calendar [56] for the evaluation deadline for Division I work that is passed at the beginning of a term. 

Division III
Division III evaluations, including all Advanced Educational Activities, are due by the published deadline [53]. No student can formally be awarded the degree unless all Division III evaluations have been received.

Students interested in participating in exchange must apply through the Global Education Office.The Hampshire Exchange application deadlines (fall and spring term) are listed each year on the GEO website [57] and advertised extensively around campus. Students who enroll at a program or institution where Hampshire has an exchange agreement must do so through Hampshire College. Students may not enroll directly with Hampshire exchange partners.

A meeting with the advisor (Division II or Division III chair) who will be supervising the work during the exchange should occur at an early stage. If this is a Division III exchange, this planning meeting must be followed by a meeting with the Division III advisor in CASA. Division III students should refer to the Division III section [3].

Eligibility Requirements for Hampshire Exchange (both domestic and international):

To be eligible to participate in a semester on Exchange you must

• Have filed for Division II or be in your first semester of Division III. Division I students and Division III students in their last semester are not eligible.
• Be in good academic and disciplinary standing to qualify.
• For Exchange Programs, students must apply for the program through the Global Education Office.
• Receive approval from your academic committee.
• Be in good financial standing at Hampshire. Students who may have outstanding financial obligations may not be eligible.
• Receive necessary approvals from all relevant offices by the Field Study, Leave & Exchange Deadline the semester prior to being away (November for spring/April for fall).

Policy on Good Academic and Disciplinary Standing for Field Study

Students wanting to participate in a semester on Field Study must be in good academic, financial and disciplinary standing at Hampshire College.  The Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA), the Global Education Office (GEO) and the Division of Justice, Equity, and Antiracism (JEA) collaborate to review all academic and conduct records of students who are applying to be on Exchange.  Students who are on academic contract are not eligible to participate in either Exchange until the terms of the contract have been fulfilled. In addition, students must be clear of any outstanding or ongoing Formal Student Conduct processes  and probationary terms cannot coincide with the intended semester away (all must be completed the semester before leaving campus). Students who may be on probation (disciplinary status sanction [60]) or contract at the time of application but whose probationary terms end prior to the planned semester off-campus are not automatically disqualified from participating. Hampshire reserves the right to review each case on the nature, severity, and number of incidents prior to approving the semester away.  Students may be required to submit additional information to CASA or GEO as well as participate in an interview prior to their approval for a semester on Exchange. Once a student’s application is approved, approval may be revoked at any time for failure to maintain good academic and disciplinary status through the time of departure.  It is in the student’s best interest to notify the appropriate CASA or GEO advisor/program manager if they have a violation of the norms for community living and policies prior to application.  If a student’s application for Exchange has been denied or their eligibility status to participate has been revoked, students have an opportunity to seek a review by filing a written request to the Dean of Faculty within 3 days once they have been notified.

Academic Expectations:

A semester of exchange is considered a full semester of enrollment for the purpose of academic standing. Students are expected to fulfill the academic requirements as outlined by their exchange program and their Division II or III committee. To remain in good academic standing at Hampshire while on exchange, students must successfully complete a minimum of 12 U.S. credits or the equivalent. If the host institution requires more to be fully enrolled, then the student needs to fulfill the host institution requirement. Successful completion of a course means receiving an evaluation or a grade of C or better or the equivalent. The final transcript must show evidence of this and will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress and good academic standing [18].  [61]

Failure to successfully complete a semester of exchange may impact a student’s academic progress, divisional status, or financial aid eligibility. Fees and refunds associated with exchange withdrawal will be assessed per the program specific student agreement. The Global Education Office and CASA must be notified in writing of any withdrawal from an exchange program. [61]

Enrollment Status:

Students on exchange will be considered full-time students for the purpose of educational loan obligations. If, for other valid reasons, certification of student status is necessary, the Central Records Office [32] will prepare a letter bearing the College seal.

A student on exchange may not have use of any Hampshire College or Five College facilities. A student on exchange may have access to library resources.

Fees:

Students who participate in a Hampshire Exchange program are charged Hampshire College tuition for that semester. Room, board, and other fees vary by program; refer to the Global Education Office website [57]. Fees associated with exchange withdrawal will be assessed per the program withdrawal and refund policy [62]
[63]

Insurance:

Students on Hampshire Exchange are required to have health insurance coverage. Students who will be studying outside of the United States will need to confirm that their provider will cover them internationally. Some exchange programs may have additional, country-specific insurance requirements.

All students, including those on exchange, are automatically enrolled in the Hampshire College health insurance plan. Students have the option to waive Hampshire's insurance if they are covered under another acceptable insurance plan. If covered through Hampshire College health insurance, students will automatically be covered internationally. Plan and coverage information for Hampshire's health insurance can be found through the student health insurance [64] webpage.

Financial Aid:

Financial aid students who enroll in exchange are able to continue to receive Hampshire financial assistance. State and federal funding is also applicable. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office to determine the exact terms and conditions of their aid package. Refer to the Financial Aid website [29].

Transcripts or Evaluations:

After students are enrolled in a Hampshire Exchange program, Central Records will add the comment
‘Documentation of Completion Pending’ to their transcript. Exchange counts as a full semester of enrollment at Hampshire.

All exchanges must be documented to be included in your Division II or III portfolio. Students on exchange are required to carry a full course load that is equivalent to (or above) 12 US credits. If the host institution requires more to be fully enrolled, then the student needs to fulfill the host institution requirement. To document your exchange, you must have official transcripts or evaluations from the institution you are attending.

Transcripts or evaluations should be sent directly to the Global Education Office no later than 30 days after the start of the semester of your return from exchange. When Central Records receives your transcripts and or evaluations from the Global Education Office, they will replace the above comment with the appropriate titles of your courses and other learning activities that you have successfully completed.

International Students:

International students (with an F-1 student visa) are required to consult with the international student advisor [65] regarding visa implications of exchange BEFORE applying for exchange.

Returning from Exchange:

In order to preregister for courses or participate in the on campus housing lottery process, the student must notify CASA of their intention to return by the November and April enrollment deadline.  Students should refer to online forms  [66]and information [66] on the Hampshire College website and TheHub. Other information regarding returning to Hampshire is also included at this website. If CASA is not notified of a student’s plans for the term following the exchange by the notification deadline, the student will be withdrawn from the College.

Field Study at Hampshire is an approved semester of academic work or study that requires a student to be away from the College for a semester. Field study status assumes that the student is engaged in academic work away from the College, not just living off campus. Field Study should only be taken when a student has adequate academic preparation. Field Study may be international or domestic and may be course-based or self-designed.

Field Study must be pre-approved by Division II or Division III committees. Ideally, students should have their field study plans approved by the field study, leave, and withdrawl deadline in the semester prior to the field study. If plans are not definite or if a signature is missing, the form should still be submitted by the deadline and an appointment made with a CASA [6] dean the following week. Occasionally a student will find that their plans cannot be finalized until later in the term or during the summer.

A student on field study is supervised by an appropriate person at the field-study site. The student is entitled to limited supervision by the Division II or Division III committee. Students must submit the required documentation [67] to show evidence of continued full-time enrollment in the field study semester and successful completion of the semester.

Students are expected to fulfill the academic requirements as outlined by their field study program and their Division II or III committee. Failure to successfully complete a semester of field study may impact a student’s academic progress, divisional status, or financial aid eligibility.

A student on field study may not have use of any Hampshire College or Five College facilities. A student on field study may have access to library resources.

The center for academic support and  [6]advising [6] staff are available to answer questions about field study.

Field Study Options

Students may choose between a Course-Based Field Study or a Self Designed Field Study.

Hampshire College offers a number of faculty-led short-term field courses for academic credit that provide students the opportunity for off-campus study and research either elsewhere in the U.S. or abroad. These courses are offered and administered through the global education office (GEO) during January or summer and are generally 2-4 weeks in length. All Hampshire short-term field courses have an application, course fee, and registration process administered through the global education office.  For more information see the global education office webpage [59].

Eligibility Requirements for Short-term Field Courses:

To be eligible to participate in a GEO short-term field course, you must:

• Be an actively enrolled student in good academic [18] and disciplinary standing [60]
• Qualify for specific course prerequisites
• Be in good financial standing at Hampshire. Students who have outstanding financial obligations may not be eligible.
• Apply to the global education office using the online application system by the published application deadlines.  

Note:  Students on medical leave are not eligible to participate in short-term field courses. Students on personal leave must request permission to apply from the global education office.

Policy on Good Academic and Disciplinary Standing for Short-term Field Courses:

Students wanting to participate in a short-term field course must be in both good academic and disciplinary standing at Hampshire College.  The center for academic support and advising (CASA), the global education office (GEO) and the Division of Justice, Equity, and Antiracism (JEA) collaborate to review all academic and conduct records of students who are applying for a short-term field course. Students must be clear of any outstanding or ongoing formal student conduct processes and probationary terms cannot coincide with the intended period away (all must be completed the semester before leaving campus). Students who may be on  probation (disciplinary status sanction [60]) or contract at the time of application but whose probationary terms end prior to the planned period off-campus are not automatically disqualified from participating. Students may be required to submit additional information to CASA or GEO as well as participate in an interview prior to their approval for a short-term field course. Once a student’s application is approved, approval may be revoked at any time for failure to maintain good academic and disciplinary standing at any time up to the time of departure.  It is in the student’s best interest to notify the appropriate advisor if they have violated the norms for community living and policies prior to application.  If a student’s application for a short-term field course has been denied or their eligibility status to participate has been revoked, students have an opportunity to seek a review by filing a written request to the Dean of Faculty within 3 days once they have been notified. Hampshire reserves the right to review each case on the nature, severity, and number of incidents prior to approval of participation in a short-term field course. 

Fees and Financial Aid:

The cost of each short-term field course varies. Please refer to the course-specific webpage listed at Short-term Field Courses [59] for more information about the course fee and additional costs. Airfare is generally NOT included in the course fee. Fully enrolled students who receive need-based financial aid from Hampshire College are eligible to apply for financial assistance through the global education office (GEO). For further details and payment information visit the Short-term Field Study Course Fees and Financial Aid [72] webpage.

Insurance:

Students participating on short-term field courses are required to have health insurance coverage. Students who will be studying outside of the United States will need to confirm that their provider will cover them internationally.

All Hampshire students are automatically enrolled in the Hampshire College health insurance plan. Students have the option to waive Hampshire's insurance if they are covered under another acceptable insurance plan. If covered through Hampshire College health insurance, students will automatically be covered internationally. Plan and coverage information for Hampshire's health insurance can be found through the student health insurance [64] webpage

Personal Leave of Absence

There are various reasons students might consider a personal leave: to take time away from Hampshire for personal circumstances; the desire to travel or work; or simply the need for a break. Personal leaves are not intended for students planning to obtain academic credit while away.

A personal leave may be granted to any student for one term. By the field study, leave and exchange deadline, students must meet with a dean in the Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA) to notify the College of their intention to take personal leave for the upcoming semester.

In extenuating circumstances, students already enrolled in a term may take a personal leave for the semester, but must meet with a CASA dean to request the leave by the end of the drop deadline at the beginning of the term. Requests for a personal leave after the drop deadline will be denied and are considered to be requests for withdrawal from the institution.

Automatic readmission after one semester will be assumed, provided students declare their intention to return by the field study, leave and exchange deadline of the term away from campus. A personal leave is not a semester of active enrollment. Students anticipated graduation will be adjusted to a later date by one semester to account for the term away. Should students pursue academic work while on personal leave, there is no guarantee that it will be accepted. Students who fail to notify the College of their intention to return will be withdrawn and must apply for readmission.

Leave with Conditions of Return

Students who are not making satisfactory academic progress as determined by CASA may be required to take a leave to make up for academic deficiencies by completing course and divisional work elsewhere. If students do not meet the conditions of return terms, students will be withdrawn. Read more about this academic progress under the Guidelines for Academic Progress [18] section.

Procedure for Filing for Leave of Absence

The first step in the process is for students to meet with a CASA dean to discuss their plans before the leave deadline. CASA will provide a form that requires signatures from the student's advisor, housing operations office, financial aid office, the bursar, the international student advisor in the multicultural and international student services offices (for students with an F-1 student visa), and a CASA dean. To return from leave of absence the following semester, students should refer to online forms and information on the Hampshire College website. If CASA is not notified of the student's plans for the term following the personal leave by the notification deadline, the student will be withdrawn.

Students on leave do not have an advisor and may not work with faculty. They may not complete divisional work or negotiate the Division II or the Division III contract. Students on leave of absence may not have use of any Hampshire College or Five College facilities. Specifically, this involves the library; the Robert Crown Center; the Hampshire College or University of Massachusetts Amherst Health and Counseling Services; the Outdoors Program/Recreational Athletics college-sponsored trips; enrolling in, teaching, or auditing Hampshire or Five College interchange courses; having a job on campus, or having a validated Hampshire ID card.

Deadlines and Fees

The leave of absence fee is $400 for each term.

A change of status from fully enrolled to leave of absence after the start of classes will, if approved, lead to the partial or full forfeiture of tuition, room, and board fees. Refer to the Student Accounts website [73] for the refund schedule. Factors determining the amount of the refund include the date of leave, the type of leave, and the financial aid status of the student. Upon leave, financial aid students may have a part of their aid returned to the programs that assisted them as mandated by the federal return-of-funds formula. Returns are applied in the following order: federal student and parent loans, federal grants, college and outside grants, and scholarships. Students will be responsible for a balance due created by the return-of-funds process. 

Insurance

Students who have waived insurance coverage for the preceding term are not eligible to apply for insurance while on leave. Students enrolled in the insurance plan are eligible for coverage for a maximum of two semesters. Health insurance does not automatically continue while on leave. To request continuation of health insurance while on medical leave, contact student accounts at 413.559.6982.

Students may purchase the supplemental health insurance offered by Hampshire College that entitles leave students to medical care as outlined in the college insurance company brochure and on the Student Financial Services website [74]. Supplemental insurance does not cover a student for care at the Hampshire College  [75]Health and Counseling Services [75] or University of  [76]Massachusetts Amherst University Health Services [76].

Vacating Student Rooms

See the Residential Life & Housing Policies [77] section.

International Students

International students (with an F-1 student visa) are required to consult with the International Student Services Office (ISS@hampshire.edu [78]) before submitting their leave of absence form to CASA; or if filing for medical leave, before submitting the medical leave declaration and any supporting medical documentation to the Office of Student Success and Engagement. Mandatory advisement will address the visa implications and procedures for international students taking a leave of absence or medical leave, and requests for authorization for a SEVIS Reduced Course Load (RCL) due to a medical condition, if applicable.  Without receiving timely advisement from their international student advisor, the student risks jeopardizing their student visa status and lawful presence in the U.S.  The advisor/director is located in international student services [79] in the World Lounge on the first floor of the merrill student life center.

[1] Students who begin medical leave within the last two weeks of classes may appeal to the dean of academic support and advising to discuss the possibility of completing work. This request must be in writing, addressed directly to the dean. Students should not negotiate the completion of work with the faculty member teaching the course. Approval to complete work will be considered on a course-by-course basis. If an exception is granted for one or more courses, a firm date for submitting the work will be established. If students do not complete the work, a “no evaluation” notation will be recorded on their transcripts. If students complete the approved courses, the semester will count as a semester of enrollment.

A medical leave is a leave of absence from the College that may be granted to students who are unable to continue their enrollment because of physical or psychological conditions. Non-degree students are not eligible for medical leave. A request for medical leave is considered a request to withdraw from Hampshire College. Students seeking a medical leave must contact Health and Counseling Services (413.559.5458) to discuss the circumstances and the process for taking a medical leave from the College. The final day to take a medical leave is the last day of classes for the current semester; students cannot take a retroactive medical leave after classes have concluded. All medical leaves are processed by the Senior Director for Health and Counseling Services or an appointed designee. A "W" for withdrawal will appear on transcripts for courses in progress if a student goes on medical leave after the add/drop deadline. Students seeking a medical leave must fill out a medical leave declaration.

As with any other leave, the College reserves the right to deny a student’s request for medical leave.

A student on voluntary or involuntary medical leave normally will not be permitted to participate in College activities or to utilize the College’s services, facilities, or programs (including extracurricular activities) and will also be restricted from entering the campus during the leave period; exceptions to these restrictions must be approved in advance by Health and Counseling Services in consultation with the Division of Justice, Equity, and Antiracism.

Students on medical leave must complete a readmissions application. Refer to the readmission policy [82] for details.

Students who have waived insurance coverage for the preceding term are not eligible to apply for insurance while on medical leave. Students enrolled in the insurance plan are eligible for coverage for a maximum of two (2) semesters. Insurance must be requested. Refer to the student  [74]financial services website [74] for more information.

A change of status from fully enrolled to leave of absence after the opening of the term (enrollment check-in date) will, if approved, lead to the partial or full forfeiture of tuition, room, and board fees. Refer to the fee brochure and refund schedule [84]. Factors determining the amount of the refund include the date of leave, the type of leave, and the financial aid status of the student. Upon leave, financial aid students may have a part of their aid returned to the programs that assisted them as mandated by the federal return-of-funds formula. Returns are applied in the following order: federal student and parent loans, federal grants, college and outside grants and scholarships. Students will be responsible for a balance due created by the return-of-funds process.

For information about medical leave in relation to academic work, see the leave policy [37] in the Academic Policies section.

Duration of Medical Leave
Students on medical leave normally will be assumed to be on leave for the remainder of the semester in which the leave began and for one additional semester. Students beginning a medical leave within the last two weeks of classes are considered to be on medical leave for the remainder of the semester as well as two full consecutive semesters. Students may be permitted to return in accordance with the readmission policy [82].

Students on medical leave will have their leave automatically extended for a second consecutive semester. Students who do not apply for readmission after their second semester of medical leave are withdrawn from the College.

Students who want to return to the College after any medical leave (voluntary or involuntary) must follow the readmission policy [82].

Involuntary Medical Leave
All students (including those with physical or psychological conditions) are required to meet the academic, behavioral, and other standards of the College; requests for reasonable accommodations to meet these requirements are considered on a case-by-case basis. Threatening or other inappropriate behavior by a student will usually be addressed either through the College’s student conduct process or by a qualified health professional. Where such behavior is deemed attributable to a physical or psychological condition, the College may, in its discretion, initiate the following:

The College may encourage the student to voluntarily seek professional assistance and/or apply for a voluntary medical leave in order to address the condition. If the student is unwilling to take a voluntary medical leave, the College may place the student on involuntary medical leave. When, prior to being placed on an involuntary medical leave, a student requests to take a voluntary medical leave, they normally will be permitted to do so.

Examples of behavior that may lead to involuntary medical leave include, but are not limited to: 

• Engaging in or threatening behavior that is deemed dangerous to the student or to others (e.g., physical threat to self or others, suicide attempt or threat, demonstrated inability to care for oneself)
• Engaging in or threatening behavior that is deemed to be disruptive of the ability of the student or other members of the College community (including other students, faculty, and staff) to participate in the College’s academic, residential, or social environment
• Engaging in or threatening behavior that is likely to cause significant damage to property

The following procedures will apply to involuntary medical leaves:

• Prior to placing a student on involuntary medical leave, the Senior Vice President for Justice, Equity, and Antiracism, Senior Director for Student Success and Engagment, and the Senior Director for Health & Counseling Services will make an assessment of the student’s ability to participate in the College’s academic, residential, or social environment. When the student is available on campus, the assessment may include a meeting with a clinician from Health and Counseling Services or the Senior Vice President for Justice, Equity, and Antiracism or designee, at which time they will: (a) discuss the areas of concern with the student; (b) give the student an opportunity to respond to those concerns; and (c) explain the College’s involuntary medical leave policy to the student. Further assessment may include consultation with persons knowledgeable about the College’s obligations regarding students with disabilities and with appropriate health or other professionals. The total assessment will take into consideration the following: (a) the nature, duration, and severity of the risk of harm; (b) the likelihood that the harm will occur; and (c) whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures would sufficiently mitigate the risk.
• If the process is initiated by the dean of students office, the student may be required to be evaluated by an appropriate health professional selected by the College. Such evaluation normally must be completed within five (5) business days after the dean’s request. The student will be requested to sign a written authorization permitting the health professional to exchange health information with appropriate representatives of the College. A student’s refusal to sign such authorization will impede the dean’s ability to make an assessment and may negatively affect the leave decision.
• If the assessment results in a decision to place the student on involuntary medical leave, the assessor will inform the student of that decision in writing. The student may request reconsideration of the decision by submitting a written request (including the grounds for reconsideration and requested resolution) to the dean of students within ten (10) business days of receiving notice of the decision. The student will also need to sign a form giving the dean permission to speak with any medical professionals involved in the case. The student also may utilize the Section 504 complaint procedure referred to in the accessibility resources and services [85] section of this handbook.
• The College may immediately suspend a student from the campus and/or from student housing if it determines that such immediate action is warranted due to: (a) imminent risk of substantial harm to the health/safety of the student or others; (b) the student’s refusal to participate in any part of the above-described process; or (c) a senior administrator’s determination that such action is necessary under the circumstances then known to them. Following an immediate interim suspension, the College will engage in the procedures described above as soon as reasonably practicable.

Students placed on involuntary medical leave will be subject to the policies and procedures for readmission [82]. 

Students with Financial Aid

It is important to note, if the student withdraws from all classes in a semester and has federal financial aid, the Return of Title IV Funds [80] policy applies. The same applies if a student has state funding or outside scholarships, the financial aid office is obligated to follow any state or outside aid return policy. Students receiving federal and/or state financial aid must contact the financial aid office to determine how their federal financial aid could be affected due to their withdrawal. Additionally, any refunds for tuition and fees will be reviewed and calculated by the Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts following the Tuition and Fees Refund Schedule [81] policy.

Students are required to meet with a CASA dean to discuss their plans as the first step in the process of withdrawing from the College. CASA will provide a form that requires signatures from the student's advisor and other offices on campus. Students who wish to withdraw from an exchange program should refer to the exchange section [62]. Withdrawing from an exchange program after the program start and/or opening of the term is considered withdrawing from Hampshire College.

Deadlines and Fees
The enrollment notification deadline is listed each year in the academic  [56]calendar [56] and tuition information on the Student Financial Services website [74].

A change of status from fully enrolled to withdrawal after the first day of classes will lead to the partial or full forfeiture of tuition, room, and board fees. Refer to the Tuition and Fees Refund Schedule [86] for refund information. Factors determining the amount of the refund include the date of leave, the type of leave, and the financial aid status of the student. Upon withdrawal, financial aid students may have a part of their aid returned to the programs that assisted them as mandated by the federal return-of-funds formula. Returns are applied in the following order: federal student and parent loans, federal grants, college and outside grants and scholarships. Students will be responsible for a balance due created by the return-of-funds process. 

Fees associated with exchange withdrawal will be assessed per the program withdrawal and refund policy (see GEO website [62]).

Vacating Student Rooms
See the residence life policies [77] section [77].

International Students
International students (with an F-1 student visa) are required to consult with the international student advisor BEFORE filing for withdrawal with CASA [6], regarding visa implications of withdrawing. Without receiving timely advisement from the international student advisor, the student risks jeopardizing their student visa status and lawful presence in the U.S. The advisor is located in the World Lounge on the 1st flor of the Merrill Student Life Center (Email: ISS@hampshire.edu [78]). 

Students with Financial Aid

It is important to note, if the student withdraws from all classes in a semester and has federal financial aid, the “Return of Title IV Funds [80]” policy applies. The same applies if a student has state funding or outside scholarships, the financial aid office is obligated to follow any state or outside aid return policy. Students receiving federal and/or state financial aid must contact the financial aid office to determine how their federal financial aid could be affected due to their withdrawal. Additionally, any refunds for tuition and fees will be reviewed and calculated by the Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts following the “Tuition and Fees Refund Schedule [81]” policy.

In addition to the standard readmission application, compare your leave/withdrawal circumstances to these categories and be sure to include these supplemental materials:

Readmission after Academic Withdrawal
Applicants must provide documentation of completion of all academic work stipulated in the academic withdrawal letter.

Readmission after Administrative Withdrawal
Students who have been administratively withdrawn from the College because they have not informed the College of their enrollment plans must submit information concerning any academic activities while away as part of the application.

Readmission after Incomplete Medical Records Withdrawal
A student who has been administratively withdrawn due to missing medical records must submit required documentation to Health and  [75]Counseling Services [75]. Health and Counseling Services will notify CASA [6] once all medical information has been received. Reinstatement will be automatic if the student is in good academic and disciplinary standing and the materials have been received by the Friday before the start of the upcoming semester.

Readmission after Disciplinary Suspension
In addition to any criteria and recommendations made at the time of suspension from the College, evidence of responsible behavior in academic and nonacademic areas will be among the criteria used to determine readiness to reenter the Hampshire community.

Readmission after Financial Withdrawal
Students financially withdrawn at the end of a semester may be reinstated without going through the Readmissions process if the student is in good academic and disciplinary standing  and the account is paid in full the Friday before classes begin for the upcoming semester. Students are required to go through the Readmissions process if the account is not paid by that deadline. If the student misses the above deadline, then the account must be paid in full by the Readmissions application deadline corresponding with the semester the student wishes to return.

Readmission after Medical Leave
In addition to a completed readmission application, the student must submit a letter to CASA [6] from a qualified health professional that contains the following information:

1. A specific diagnosis and prognosis of the health condition that led to the medical leave
2. Description of the treatment that was received by the student during leave
3. An assessment of the student’s present and sustained ability to meet the academic, behavioral, and other requirements of the College
4. An assessment of the student’s present and sustained ability to live independently in student housing
5. An assessment of whether the student’s return to the College presents a potential threat to the health or safety of the student or to others in the College community
6. Recommendations for continued treatment or accommodations (if any) upon return to the College. If requested to do so, the student also must provide the College with written permission to contact their health professional. In specific cases, additional requirements are possible. This information will be held as confidential by College health officers and the readmissions committee to the extent practical.

For International Students
International students (with an F-1 student visa) are required to contact the international student advisor immediately after applying for readmission, regardless of withdrawal type, to discuss visa status, enrollment limitations, and to obtain an updated Form I-20 necessary for returning to Hampshire. The advisor is located in the International Student Services office in the Merrill Student Life Center.

Request for Accommodations/Documentation of a Disability

In order to be recognized by the College as a person with a disability and become entitled to reasonable accommodations, a student must first disclose a disability [94] with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS), request specific accommodations connected to their disability-related access needs, and provide appropriate supporting documentation in accordance with our documentation guidelines [95]. That signifies that the student is formally registering with the College as a person with a disability and is seeking accommodations. Students may not receive accommodations from the College without such disclosure and/or without providing appropriate supporting information and documentation.

Students who have never registered with OARS may begin the accommodation request process for the first time by completing an OARS Registration online self-report [96] and uploading supporting documentation from their healthcare provider. Students who are already registered with OARS or who have already used the OARS Registration form will request all future accommodations through an Additional Accommodation request on their personal OARS Portal account [97], and new accommodation requests may require additional supporting documentation of disability if not already on file. Students may be asked to meet with the OARS office if a self-report is not sufficient for the College to engage in an adequate determination according to the need for an interactive process. Students who are facing barriers to filling out a self-report may reach out to the OARS office at oars@hampshire.edu [98] to schedule an intake meeting.

A request for accommodations may be made at the point of disclosure of disability or at some future date. Accommodations are not retroactive, so students are strongly encouraged to reach out to OARS as soon as they are aware of an accessibility need requiring an accommodation request. Some students who go through the process of documenting a disability are not seeking specific accommodations, but are rather seeking confirmation of a disability that they can present to faculty to assist in best meeting their learning strengths and weaknesses; faculty are not obligated to provide any accommodations which are not formally approved through OARS. 

Housing Accommodation Requests

OARS works closely with the Housing Accommodation Committee to review and approve requests for accommodations in the residential setting. The Housing Accommodation Committee includes members of the Housing Operations Office, Dining Services, and Health and Counseling Services who consult to ensure students' disability-related needs are met in the residence halls with reasonable accommodations and appropriate placement. Please navigate to the Housing Accommodation Request Process [99] for more information about requesting housing-based accommodations 

Review of Requests

All requests for accommodations will be assessed by the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services [100] through an interactive process with the student. It is OARS’ general practice to discuss accommodations directly with the student requesting them prior to approval and to consider the student's history of accommodation, self-report of necessary accommodations, and documentation from a relevant treating professional. OARS may request further information from the student and/or treating professional and may make its own recommendations for alternative, reasonable accommodations which are more appropriate to address individual circumstances in the context of Hampshire courses and curricula. Students will be notified in a timely manner by OARS when requests are approved, modified, or denied. Students can request additional accommodations at any time or appeal denial of accommodations through the grievance process [101].

Disability Related Accommodations and Academic Contracts

(Please find more about academic contracts and accommodations here: Guidelines for Academic Progress [68].)

Request for Accommodations at the Five Colleges

Hampshire students frequently take courses at the other four colleges in the Five College consortium. If a student documents a disability at their home college, they do not need to engage the same process at the other colleges. Requests for accommodations in courses at other colleges must be made with OARS staff per Five College campus, per semester, with the Five College Accommodation Request form [102], a standardized form used by all consortium member schools. OARS staff will certify that the student is recognized as a person with a disability and approved for accommodations at Hampshire College. The student is then responsible for bringing verification of accommodation from their home institution to the accessibility services office at the host institution.

The final decision regarding the appropriateness or feasibility of such a request for accommodation rests with the accessibility services administrator at the other campus. Though the hosting institution’s accessibility services staff will consult with OARS when appropriate to support students as proactively as possible, any formal grievances regarding barriers or discrimination encountered at another institution in the Five Colleges should follow the host institution’s grievance process.

More about accommodations at other campuses, including the required Five College Accommodation Request form [102] and contact information for all Accessibility/Disability Services offices across the consortium can be found on the Five Colleges Accessibility and Accommodations [103] page.

Hampshire College prohibits discrimination [104] on the basis of disability. The College has adopted a grievance procedure to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints which allege any action prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state law.  These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in any programs, activities, and employment opportunities available at Hampshire College.  These laws also prohibit retaliation against an individual who files a complaint regarding disability discrimination, files a grievance under this procedure, or cooperates in the investigation of such complaint or grievance.

If a student is in need of accommodation related to any of Hampshire’s physical environments or programs, they are strongly encouraged to disclose their disability [105] to OARS in order to have access to advocacy and on-campus resources which assist with proactive removal and prevention of barriers through accommodations or other means. This includes, but is not limited to dining and residence [99], academic programs [94], co-curricular programs and events, and on campus employment. If students do encounter any additional, unforeseen barriers to College programs, services, or resources, they are encouraged to report these barriers as soon as reasonably possible to the department where the barrier was encountered and to the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS). If a student encounters a barrier or discrimination in the course of working for the college as a student employee, the student can still seek resolution through the student grievance process.

Informal Solutions are Encouraged
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) encourages alternative means of dispute resolution [106] when appropriate and to the extent authorized by law. These methods include settlement negotiations, conciliation, facilitation, mediation and arbitration. The use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms is completely voluntary and is intended to supplement, and not to supplant, the remedies provided by the ADA as an aspect of the interactive accommodation process [105]. No alternative dispute resolution procedure precludes the affected person from seeking relief under the enforcement provisions of the ADA. Alternative dispute resolution measures are not required to be used prior to the filing of an administrative complaint with the federal government or through existing campus discrimination grievance procedures.

The College encourages students to seek the aid and intervention of the director of OARS in order to resolve complaints informally – typically conciliation or facilitation of a remedy. If informal procedures do not satisfactorily address the student's concerns, they may still file a written grievance.

Filing a Written Grievance
Students have the right to file a grievance if they believe they have been denied equal access to the college's programs, resources or services (academic or otherwise) because of, or on the basis of, a disability. In order to establish the basis for such a grievance students must first register with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services [105] (OARS) and provide written documentation of their disability. The written grievance should include the student's identifying information (name and student ID), a description of how the College has denied equal access to the student, any steps that the student has already taken to identify and resolve the problem, and the desired remedy.  Students are encouraged to include relevant documents to support their account.

The formal grievance should be given to the director of OARS. The director will investigate the complaint and meet with the parties cited to resolve the student’s concerns. Absent any unusual circumstances, the director will make recommendations for resolution to the student and other parties involved within thirty days after the filing of the grievance.

Appealing a Grievance Resolution
If the proposed resolution is unacceptable to the student or to the other principals in the grievance, either party may then appeal to the Senior Vice President for Justice, Equity and Antiracism. The Senior Vice President may attempt to reach an informal resolution and/or investigate the grievance as described above or shall review all of the documents pertaining to the case, hear the parties and convene such meetings as required to resolve the complaint. If consensus on a resolution cannot be reached, the Senior Vice President will render a decision as soon as possible after an appeal has been submitted. It typically takes about 10 days, but may take up to 21 days, to consider the appeal when such additional time is deemed necessary. In rare instances where extenuating circumstances exist, appeals may take longer than 21 days for a decision to be rendered.  The decision of the Senior Vice President is final.

If a grievance pertains to the actions of the director of OARS or the Senior Vice President specifically, or they are unable to otherwise serve in the above outlined capacities due to any other conflict of interest, an appropriate senior-level administrator will be appointed to serve in their place during the relevant parts of the grievance process.

Privacy and Confidentiality
Personal information regarding such grievances is considered confidential. The College reserves the right to consult with legal counsel, relevant faculty or staff, and/or experts in the field of disability services in order to obtain information or advice regarding the subject of the grievance. All individuals consulted agree to be bound by the rules governing disclosure of confidential personal information.

State and Federal Options
The College recognizes the right of students to file grievances with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights or other regulators if they believe that their rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have been violated.

Office for Civil Rights, Boston Office
U.S. Department of Education
8^th Floor
5 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109-3921
Telephone: (617) 289-0111
Fax: (617) 289-0150
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov [107]

United States Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Disability Rights Section, NYA
Washington, DC 20530
(202) 307-0663 (voice and TDD)
Fax: (202) 307-1198

ADA Coordinator
Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108
http://www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources/your-rights/civil-rights/disability-rights/ada-rights-and-grievance.html [108]

Hampshire College will reasonably accommodate requests for assistance animals, including service animals and emotional support animals to reside with their owner/handler in college provided housing. To learn what constitutes a service animal, emotional support animal or a pet and how to apply for this accommodation please see our animal definitions and policies.

Service Animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Tasks performed can include, among other things, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, or pressing an elevator button.

Emotional Support Animals, comfort animals, and therapy dogs are not service animals under Title II and Title III of the ADA. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not considered service animals either. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. It does not matter if a person has a note from a doctor that states that the person has a disability and needs to have the animal for emotional support. A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal.

To learn more about what constitutes a pet, emotional support animal, or service animal, and how to gain an exemption to our Pet Policy, please see our animal definitions and policies [109] on the Norms for Community Living and Policies section.

Students in need of accommodation related to a service or emotional support animal and would like to register with the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS) should review:

• Request and Review of Eligibility Policies [105]
• Student Responsibilities for Service and Emotional Support Animals [110]
• Disability Disclosure and Accommodation Request Process [94]
• Housing-based Accommodations [99]