Student Off-Campus Activities and Field Trips

(Statement No. 720; June 24, 2015)

1. STATEMENT. Off-campus activities and field trips can be a vital part of the education of students. The College, the employees, and the students must share the responsibility of assuring safety for all during the trip.
    
2. PROCEDURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
   1. Student Responsibilities
      1. When individuals register for school, they assume the personal responsibility to abide by the policies and regulations of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as stated in the College Catalog, the Student Handbook, and other official publications of the College.
      2. All student activities initiated by a college recognized club, organization, or program are subject to college policies and regulations as outlined by the Board of Trustees, the College Code of Conduct, and the College Administration. This applies to on-campus or off-campus events and field trips.
      3. Students will be responsible for observing the itinerary provided to them, as well as the policies and regulations of the College, while a member of the off-campus activity or field trip.
      4. Students traveling to or from a scheduled off-campus activity or field trip in their own vehicle will assume the same liability as any other travel. In case of accident or injury, the vehicle owner’s insurance will be the primary source of payment.
      5. Students must make requests to the College sponsor of the activity or trip if accommodations due to a disability are needed. These requests must be made as far in advance of the trip as possible.
   2. Sponsor Responsibilities
      1. Each activity, event, program, or field trip must be supervised by a college-approved person.
      2. All off-campus activities or field trips must be approved, in advance, through established campus procedures.
      3. The sponsor will make known to students the accepted itinerary of the off-campus activity or field trip.
      4. Employees operating college vehicles must have a valid driver’s license on file with the designated campus/center office. In rare instances, if a qualified student driver is necessary, this exception will be forwarded with appropriate documentation (copy of student’s driver’s license and Authority for Release of Information form) to the Vice President of Administration and Finance for consideration.  Prior to approval, student information will be forwarded to the insurance carrier by the District Business Office for verification and retained in the commercial fleet insurance policy file.
      5. College personnel using their private vehicles to transport students must have a certificate of insurance showing current liability insurance on the vehicle being used. Verification must be submitted with the campus travel approval request. In case of college employee or student accident or injury in a private vehicle, the vehicle owner’s insurance will be the primary source of payment.
      6. Vehicular accidents and/or injury while traveling on a college-sponsored off-campus activity or field trip must be reported as soon as possible to the Campus Vice President, who will notify the Dean of Business Services, who will in turn report to the Vice President for Administration and Finance with a written report to the insurance company. The notification of injury or death due to an accident must be done through the appropriate Vice President’s office, who will immediately contact the College President.
      7. In the event of an accident, emergency, or any incident in which a participant is harmed or could potentially have been harmed, the sponsor is to notify the appropriate local authorities as well as the Campus Police Department, Supervisor of Student Activities and/or Dean of Student Services immediately.  In case of medical emergency or injury, the sponsor should take action to obtain medical assistance.
   3. College Responsibilities
      1. The College maintains a commercial fleet insurance policy on all school-owned vehicles. The policy includes liability, auto medical payments, uninsured motorists, comprehensive, and collision coverage. Everyone riding in the vehicle is covered within the limits of the policy.
      2. College sponsors will be informed of the policies and procedures related to off-campus activities and field trips by their campus Deans and/or Department Chairs.

Freedom of Expression Policy

(Statement No. 721; March 11, 2020)

Access to College Facilities – Fundamental to the democratic process is the right of free speech and peaceful assembly. Students and other members of the College community shall have the right to express their views or support causes by orderly means which do not disrupt the regular and essential operations of the College.

While supporting the rights of students and other members of the college community, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College recognizes the responsibility to maintain an atmosphere on campus conducive to the educational process.

In order to maintain this atmosphere, demonstrations and non-college affiliated speakers must be registered with the campus Dean of Students office at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled event. The event must be held in the following locations:

Jackson County Campus – Festival ground on the North side of the Gymnasium
Harrison County Campus – Southwest corner of campus: corner of Switzer and Runnymeade
Perkinston Campus – The lawn area north of the flag pole
George County Center – North end of the Multi-Purpose building
West Harrison County Center – The flag pole in front of the Administration building
The Bryant Center at Tradition - The parking lot near the maintenance building

Demonstrations and non-college affiliated speakers shall be denied registration by the Dean of Student Services office when:

1. The Dean of Student Services, in consultation with campus police, has a reasonable basis to conclude that the demonstration or speaker substantially threatens to disrupt the normal activities of the college, threatens health or safety, or results in a violation of criminal law; or
2. The Dean of Student Services, in consultation with campus police, has a reasonable basis to conclude that there is a danger to those participating in the demonstration.
3. The Dean of Student Services, in consultation with campus police, has the authority to ask anyone to remove any mask or props that may be used to conceal ones identity.

Any demonstration or non-college affiliated event which does not comply with the Freedom of Expression policy is in violation of this policy and will be subject to immediate cancellation and an order for all participants to disband by the Dean of Student Services or their designee.

Academic Freedom

In the development of knowledge, research endeavors, and creative activities, college faculty and students must be free to cultivate a spirit of inquiry and scholarly criticism. They must be able to examine ideas in an atmosphere of freedom and confidence and to participate as responsible citizens in community affairs. Academic freedom must be subject to the self-restraints imposed by good judgment and public support of the institution. The faculty member must fulfill his or her responsibility to society and to the teaching profession by manifesting academic competence, scholarly discretion, and good citizenship. At no time will the principle of academic freedom protect an incompetent or negligent faculty member nor will it prevent the institution from making proper effort to evaluate the work of each faculty member.

Any faculty member, who deem that their academic freedom has been violated, can submit formal complaints by following the guidelines set forth in Statement No. 242, Due Process Procedures for Employees, in the MGCCC Policies and Procedures Manual.

Intellectual Property

This statement provides guidelines for the management of intellectual property resources produced by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College faculty, administration, staff, students, or anyone utilizing college facilities or engaged under the direction of college personnel. The Intellectual Property Administrative Statement No. 504 is located in the MGCCC Policy and Procedure Manual on the college website at www.mgccc.edu.

Prohibitions on Firearms and Deadly Weapons

Students are prohibited from having in their possession any weapon prohibited by law, any gun and/or other device designed to be used as a weapon, such as firearms, including devices for firing blank charges, or any incendiary device or stink bombs, tear gas, or other dangerous chemicals on college grounds or at a college activity. Any student found in violation of this policy may be dismissed, expelled, or barred from the college, in addition to all other penalties and actions that may be available, provided the rights of due process are followed.

Search and Interrogation of Students

The rights of students regarding search and interrogation shall be in accordance with the United States Constitution. The Board recognizes that the law must be upheld, and when circumstances require, school officials may search and question students, particularly in cases involving the welfare and safety of people, the protection of property, a possible broken law, or a possible broken school code.

Searches of Residence Halls and Students’ Vehicles

Students, as any other citizen, are protected by the Constitution against unreasonable search and seizure. If, however, there is “probable cause” to believe that the law has been violated, a search may be considered reasonable.

Colleges are charged with the responsibility of maintaining proper standards of conduct, discipline, and safety. Therefore, in the reasonable exercise of the college’s duty to maintain discipline and an educational atmosphere, a college official may search a student’s room when “probable cause” exists.

The college will not delegate to law enforcement officers its reasonable right to searches for purposes of maintaining order and discipline on campus. However, college officials will cooperate with law enforcement personnel when they present a search warrant.

Normal inspection of student rooms for health, safety, and standards of maintenance are obviously within the authority of college officials and can be made if necessary in the absence of the student.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Motor Vehicle Rules and Parking Regulations

The following rules are for the mutual safety of all students, employees and visitors. Your cooperation, compliance and familiarity with these rules are expected as long as you desire to drive and park on this campus.

SECTION 1. Motor Vehicle Registration (parking permit):

SECTION 2. Parking Regulations:

PARKING:

SECTION 3. State and Campus Moving Violations: 

The minimum fine for each of the following listed violations is twenty-five ($25.00) per violation for campus citations and more for state citations.

SECTION 4 Campus Parking and Moving Violation Appeals:

Any person issued a citation shall be entitled to an administrative hearing before the Chief of Campus Police. The officer issuing the citation may be required to attend the hearing.

SECTION 5. Abandoned Vehicles:

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and/or its agents or employees shall not be liable in any manner whatsoever for any damage to an abandoned vehicle occurring during removal or impoundment and/or storage.