General Policies
Statement on Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
George Mason University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution
committed to the principle that access to study or employment opportunities afforded
by the university, including all benefits and privileges, be accorded to each person--student,
faculty, or staff member--on the basis of individual merit and without regard to race,
color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation,
sex, or age (except where sex or age is a bona fide occupational qualification).
George Mason shall maintain a continuing affirmative program to promote equal opportunity
and to identify and eliminate discriminatory practices in every phase of university
operations. Furthermore, affirmative action will be taken to ensure that opportunities
afforded by the university are fully available to persons with disabilities, women,
disabled and Vietnam veterans, and minorities. The university will make every reasonable
accommodation to enable students or employees with disabilities to undertake work
or study for which they qualify.
As required by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the university is committed
to the broad application of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the American Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.
Students and employees should bring problems or questions regarding EO/AA/sexual
harassment policies to the attention of the supervisor, department chair, the vice
president for University Life, an academic dean, the director of Human Resources,
a trusted faculty or staff member, the Women's Studies Research and Resource Center,
or the vice president and university equity officer, Mason Hall, Suite D105, (703)
993-8730. Employees with disabilities can contact the ADA coordinator in Mason Hall,
Room D111, (703) 993-8857. Students with disabilities can contact Disability Support
Services in SUB I, Room 234, (703) 993-2474.
Conduct within the University Community
The George Mason University community respects and protects the individual dignity,
integrity, and reputation of all its members. All students, faculty and staff must
comply with the conventions and regulations of university life that are necessary
to maintain order, protect individuals and property, and fulfill the purposes and
responsibilities of a university. This includes ensuring our commitment to high standards
of civility and decency toward all.
Students enrolling in the university assume an obligation to conduct themselves in
a manner compatible with the university's function as an educational institution.
The Code of Virginia (Section 23-9.2:3) confers upon the university the responsibility
for maintaining order within the university and the right to exclude those who are
disruptive.
The Office of the Judicial Administrator is administratively responsible for supervising
student conduct on campus. A system of courts administers nonacademic discipline.
In addition to these courts, the student Honor Committee, described under Academic
Policies, is responsible for adjudicating violations of the Honor Code that relate
to academic matters. Questions regarding student conduct should be directed to the
Judicial Affairs Office, Student Union I, Room 302, (703) 993-2884.
Privacy of Student Records
Annually, George Mason University informs students of the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. This act, with which the institution intends to
comply fully, protects the privacy of education records, establishes the right of
students to inspect and review their education records, and provides guidelines for
the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings.
Students also have the right to file complaints with the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act Office concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with
the act.
Local policy explains in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for
compliance with the provisions of the act. The Office of the Registrar keeps a copy
of the policy, and it is available on the Internet at www.gmu.edu.
George Mason may exchange personally identifiable information on its students for
educational purposes with institutions in which students have previously enrolled
or seek to enroll. Typically, this agreement assists applicants in the orderly transfer
of credit from one institution to another. Students who wish to withhold personally
identifiable information under this arrangement should contact the registrar at their
institution.
George Mason routinely complies with requests from the State Council of Higher Education
for Virginia (SCHEV) for personally identifiable information on enrolled students.
This information is for research purposes, and as a condition of accepting the data,
SCHEV has agreed to protect it from further disclosure, except as aggregate data.
Questions concerning the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act may be referred
to the Office of the Registrar.
Parking Policy
All faculty, staff, and students who park in lots owned or operated by George
Mason University must display a valid decal or day pass, or must park in the Parking
Deck on Mason Drive off Patriot Circle and pay an hourly or daily rate. Visitors
and guests must park in the Parking Deck or at a meter, unless special arrangements
have been made through Parking Services.
Decal and day pass enforcement runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday,
and until 2 p.m. on Saturday. Metered parking is designated for short-term use and
is monitored from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, at Presidents Park, Student
Apartments, and Lot T. Meters at Finley, SUB I, and Lot E are monitored Monday through
Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Broken meters are considered
closed parking spaces, and any vehicle parked in such spaces are subject to citation.
Restricted areas such as yellow curbs, crosswalks, sidewalks, landscaped/barricaded
areas, loading zones, handicapped spaces, and fire/emergency lanes are monitored
24 hours, seven days a week.
To avoid receiving a substantial fine, students, faculty, and staff should purchase
a decal as soon as they drive onto the campus. Three types of parking decals are
available: yearly, semester, and summer. Day passes are available for faculty, staff,
and students with a valid ID from an accredited university. Decals and multiple-day
passes may be purchased at the Parking Services Sales Office located in Room 201
off the main lobby of Student Union I. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
Monday through Thursday, and until 5 p.m. on Friday when classes are in session.
Single-day passes may be purchased at the parking information booths located in front
of the Finley Building and in Lot K off Roanoke Lane. The information booths are
open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Finley Booth is also open on Saturday
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Summer hours of operation can be obtained by calling the Parking
Services Office Handicapped parking is available at a number of convenient locations
at George Mason University facilities. A DMV handicapped permit must be presented
to obtain a permanent George Mason handicapped permit. Temporarily handicapped persons
must display a decal or day pass along with a valid George Mason handicapped permit
to avoid citation. Parking in or blocking access to a handicapped space carries a
fine at the prevailing rate.
Some parking lots have designated spaces that are reserved for special permit holders,
or for service and repair vehicles. Please read all signs posted at entrances to
the parking lots. For additional parking information, call the Parking Services Office
at (703) 993-2710.
Motorist Assistance Program
The Motorist Assistance Program helps motorists with flat tires, jump starts,
and lock outs. Call (703) 993-2715 to access this service.
Sexual Assault Policy
The following policy applies to all members of the George Mason University community:
students, faculty, administrators, staff, contract employees, and visitors.
The university is committed to providing an institutional environment where all persons
may pursue their studies, careers, duties, and activities in an atmosphere free of
the threat of unwelcome and unwanted sexual actions. It strongly condemns sexual
offenses and will not tolerate sexual offenders.
Sexual assaults are serious violations of the university's student judicial code,
faculty standards, and university employee policies. They are crimes under state
law and are punishable by fines and/or imprisonment. In addition, these actions are
subject to civil suit for damages.
The university will respond promptly, fairly, and decisively to all reports of sexual
assault. Members of the university community accused of these actions will be subject
to university disciplinary procedures when the alleged incident has occurred on campus
or when the action has occurred off campus and materially affects the learning environment
or operations of the university.
Sexual assault includes the attempt or act of rape (sexual intercourse without consent,
both by a stranger and acquaintance), forced sodomy (oral or anal sex), or forced
penetration by a foreign object including a finger. Nonpenetration sexual assault
includes the act of touching an unwilling person's intimate parts such as genitalia,
groin, breast, or buttocks or the clothing covering these parts, or forcing an unwilling
person to touch another's intimate parts.
The above acts constitute sexual assault when they are committed against a person's
will as evidenced by refusal of consent or through the use of force, threat, or intimidation,
or against a person who, by virtue of mental incapacity or physical helplessness,
is unable to give or withhold consent. This includes, but is not limited to, incapacity
or helplessness caused by alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication of the assailant shall
not diminish the assailant's responsibility for sexual assault.
Sexual Harassment Policy
Sexual harassment is unacceptable conduct and will not be condoned in any form
at George Mason University. This policy is part of the university's efforts to maintain
a learning and work environment free from sexual harassment. While this problem can
seriously affect all members of an educational community, sexual harassment can be
particularly devastating for our student population. A sexual harassment experience
can affect a student's emotional well being, impair academic progress, and even inhibit
the attainment of career goals. This problem can likewise affect employees and applicants
for both employment and admission to the university in the same manner. Therefore,
George Mason University must move to eliminate this problem from our community.
It is generally agreed that what constitutes and defines sexual harassment can vary
under particular circumstances and events. Nevertheless, using the definitions of
the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of
Education's Office for Civil Rights, the university defines sexual harassment as
follows:
"Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute harassment when (1) submission to
or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition
of an individual's academic performance or employment; (2) submission to or rejection
of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for decisions about academic
evaluation, employment, promotion, transfer, selection for training, performance
evaluation, or selection for academic awards or benefits, etc; (3) such conduct has
the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational
or work environment or substantially interferes with a student's academic or an employee's
work performance."
While the definition quoted above reflects the historical fact that the majority
of sexual harassment complaints involve a male harasser and a female complaintant
(or victim), the definition applies equally to female harassers and male victims
as well as same-sex harassment.
George Mason University is committed to eliminating sexual harassment from the campus
while ensuring basic protection for all parties. The Office of the Vice President
and the university equity officer (a.k.a. Equity Office) are specifically charged
to assist in the investigation and resolution of allegation of discrimination and
harassment including sexual harassment. Further, the office exists, in part, to ensure
that members of the campus community understand their responsibility to create and
maintain an environment free from discriminatory actions and behaviors.
For more information, contact the University Equity Office at (703) 993-8730.
Individuals with Disabilities Policy
The university is committed to complying with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by providing reasonable accommodations
for applicants for admission, students, applicants for employment, employees, and
visitors who are disabled. Applicants for admission and students requiring specific
accommodations for a disability should contact the Disability Resource Center at
(703) 993-2474 or the University Equity Office at (703) 993-8730. Applicants for
employment and employees should contact Human Resources at (703) 993-2600 or the
University Equity Office.
Other Regulations
Weapons
The unauthorized possession, storage, display, or use of any kind of ammunition,
firearms, fireworks, explosives, air rifles, air pistols, or other lethal instruments
are prohibited on university property. Any questions regarding this regulation should
be directed to University Police, (703) 993-2810.
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted in any building on campus.
Bicycles/Skateboards
Bike racks are provided at various on-campus locations for the convenience of
students who bike to and from campus. For resident students, there are bike racks
in the residential complexes.
Bikes and skateboards are not permitted on sidewalks, stairs, ramps, footpaths, or
grassy areas of the campus or inside university buildings.
Pets
No pets are permitted in university buildings at any time. In addition, pets that
are on campus grounds must be on a leash and under supervision at all times.
Solicitors and Salespeople
Solicitors and salespeople, except on official business with the university, are
not permitted on the campus without prior approval of the Auxiliary Enterprises Office.
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