Policy Statements

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Policy Statements

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Johns Hopkins University is committed to recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students. As such, Johns Hopkins does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristic in any student program or activity administered by the university or with regard to admission or employment. Defense Department discrimination in ROTC programs on the basis of sexual orientation conflicts with this university policy. The university continues its ROTC program, but encourages a change in the Defense Department Policy.

Questions regarding Title VI, Title IX, and Section 504 should be referred to the Office of Institutional Equity, 130 Garland Hall, Telephone: 410-516-8075, TTY: 410-516-6225.

Present Department of Defense policy governing participation in University-based ROTC programs discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. Such discrimination is inconsistent with the Johns Hopkins University nondiscrimination policy. Because ROTC is a valuable component of the University that provides an opportunity for many students to afford a Hopkins education, to train for a career, and to become positive forces in the military, the University, after careful study, has decided to continue the ROTC program and to encourage a change in federal policy that brings it into conformity with the University’s policy.

Johns Hopkins University admits as regular students only persons who have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent, or persons who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in Maryland.

To be eligible for federal student aid, students who are beyond the age of compulsory attendance but who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent must meet ability-to-benefit criteria or meet the student eligibility requirements for a student who is home schooled.

Notice is hereby given that the Johns Hopkins Part-Time Programs in Engineering and Applied Science complies with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-380), as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students, with certain rights with respect to their education records. They are (1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit to the Registrar written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The Registrar will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the Registrar, the student will be advised of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed; (2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students should write the university official responsible for the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the records as requested by the student, the student will be notified of the decision and advised of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing; (3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosures without consent. Disclosure without consent is granted to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility; (4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Government of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

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

The Johns Hopkins University does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic in any student program or activity administered by the university or with regard to admission or employment.

A person with a disability is defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. For faculty, staff and students with disabilities, it is important to provide to the university a comprehensive evaluation of a specific disability from an appropriate qualified diagnostician that identifies the disability, describes the current level of functioning in an academic or employment setting and lists recommended accommodations. The university provides appropriate, necessary and reasonable accommodations in programs and facilities for those individuals who are qualified.

The policy is available on the JHU Disability Support Services Web site at www.jhu.edu/disabilityservices. Questions regarding compliance with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 should be referred to Peggy Hayeslip, director, ADA Compliance and Disability Services, Office of Institutional Equity, Garland Hall, Suite 130, 410-516-8949 or (TTY) 410-516-6225.

Preamble

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to providing its staff, faculty and students the opportunity to pursue excellence in their academic and professional endeavors. This can only exist when each member of our community is assured an atmosphere of mutual respect, one in which they are judged solely on criteria related to academic or job performance. The university is committed to providing such an environment, free from all forms of harassment and discrimination. Each member of the community is responsible for fostering mutual respect, for being familiar with this policy and for refraining from conduct that violates this policy.

Sexual harassment, whether between people of different sexes or the same sex, is defined to include, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other behavior of a sexual nature when:

1. submission to such conduct is made implicitly or explicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment or participation in an educational program;
2. submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for personnel decisions or for academic evaluation or advancement;
3. such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment.

Fundamental to the University’s purpose is the free and open exchange of ideas. It is not, therefore, the University’s purpose, in promulgating this policy, to inhibit free speech or the free communication of ideas by members of the academic community.

Policy

The University will not tolerate sexual harassment, a form of discrimination, a violation of federal and state law, and a serious violation of University policy. In accordance with its educational mission, the University works to educate its community regarding sexual harassment. The University encourages individuals to report incidents of sexual harassment and provides a network of confidential consultants by which individuals can report complaints of sexual harassment. The means by which complaints are resolved can range from informal to formal.

The University encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of sexual harassment, regardless of who the alleged offender may be. Individuals who either believe they have become the victim of sexual harassment or have witnessed sexual harassment should discuss their concerns with any member of the Sexual Harassment Prevention and Resolution system. Complainants are assured that problems of this nature will be treated in a confidential manner, subject to the University’s legal obligation to respond appropriately to any and all allegations of sexual harassment.

The University prohibits acts of reprisal against anyone involved in lodging a complaint of sexual harassment. Conversely, the University considers filing intentionally false reports of sexual harassment a violation of this policy.

The University will promptly respond to all complaints of sexual harassment. When necessary, the University will institute disciplinary proceedings against the offending individual, which may result in a range of sanctions, up to and including termination of University affiliation.

Complaints of sexual harrassment may be brought to Susan Boswell, dean of students, Levering Hall, telephone 410-516-8208; Ray Gillian, vice provost for Institutional Equity; or Caroline Laguerre-Brown, director, equity compliance and education, 130 Garland Hall, telephone 410-516-8075, TTY 410-516-6225.

In keeping with its basic mission, the University recognizes that its primary response to issues of alcohol and drug abuse must be through educational programs, as well as through intervention and treatment efforts. To that end, the University provides appropriate programs and efforts throughout the year. The brochure “Maintaining a Drug-Free Environment: The Hopkins Commitment” is distributed annually to all faculty, students, and staff of the Johns Hopkins University, and copies are available on request from the offices of the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, 4 East 33rd Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218; telephone 410-516-3800; or at the Counseling and Student Development Center located on the Homewood Campus; telephone 410-516-8270.

The possession, wearing, carrying, transporting, or use of a firearm or pellet weapon is strictly forbidden on University premises. This prohibition also extends to any person who may have acquired a government-issued permit or license. Violation of this regulation will result in disciplinary action and sanctions up to and including expulsion, in the case of students, or termination of employment, in the case of employees. Disciplinary action for violations of this regulation will be the responsibility of the divisional student affairs officer, dean or director, or the vice president for human resources, as may be appropriate, in accordance with applicable procedures. Any questions regarding this policy, including the granting of exceptions for law enforcement officers and for persons acting under the supervision of authorized University personnel, should be addressed to the appropriate chief campus security officer.

In accordance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (PL 102-26), as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the University issues its Annual Security Report that describes the security services at each of the University’s divisions and reports crime statistics for each of the campuses. The report is published on line at www.jhu.edu/~security/annual_report.htm. Copies of the report are available from the University’s Security Department, 14 Shriver Hall, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218- 2689; telephone 410-516-4600.

The Johns Hopkins University reserves the right from time to time to film or take photographs of faculty, staff, and students engaged in teaching, research, clinical practices, and other activities, as well as casual and portrait photography or film. These photographs and films will be used in such publications as catalogs, posters, advertisements, recruitment and development materials, as well as on the university’s Web site, for various videos, or for distribution to local, state, or national media for promotional purposes. Classes will be photographed only with the permission of the faculty member.

Such photographs and film-including digital media-which will be kept in the files and archive of The Johns Hopkins University, will remain available for use by the university without time limitations or restrictions. Faculty, students, and staff are made aware by virtue of this policy that the university reserves the right to alter photography and film for creative purposes. Faculty, students, and staff who do not want their photographs used in the manner(s) described in this policy statement should contact the Office of Communications and Public Affairs.

Faculty and students are advised that persons in public places are deemed by law to have no expectation of privacy and are subject to being photographed by third parties. The Johns Hopkins University has no control over the use of photographs or film taken by third parties, including without limitation the news media covering University activities.

The Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term. The federal Title IV financial aid programs must be recalculated in these situations.

If a student leaves the institution prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term, the financial aid office recalculates eligibility for Title IV funds. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula:

Percentage of payment period or term completed = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the days in the term.) This percentage is also the percentage of earned aid.

Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula:

Aid to be returned = (100% of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid) multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the payment period or term.

If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the institution would be required to return a portion of the funds and the student would be required to return a portion of the funds. Keep in mind that when Title IV funds are returned, the student borrower may owe a debit balance to the institution.

If a student earned more aid than was disbursed to him/her, the institution would owe the student a post-withdrawal disbursement which must be paid within 120 days of the student’s withdrawal.

The institution must return the amount of Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 30 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student’s withdrawal.

Refunds are allocated in the following order:

• Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
• Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans (other than PLUS loans)
• Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans
• Federal Perkins Loans
• Federal Parent (PLUS) Loans
• Direct PLUS Loans
• Federal Pell Grants for which a Return of funds is required
• Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants for which a Return of funds is required
• Other assistance under this Title for which a Return of funds is required (e.g., LEAP)