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Return to: College Regulations and Policies
Response to an Active Threat Incident
At any moment, in any environment, violence may occur. It is not predictable, and may occur as a result of a domestic incident; stalking situation; armed assault or other violent incident.
In EVERY case, people survive because they take aggressive action to Run, Hide, or Fight. When you notice something that is concerning or threatening, or receive a College e2campus alert to “Take run, hide, fight action”, immediately assess your environment, and take one of the actions below to protect yourself:
RUN - If you have the time and opportunity to get away from danger, run from the area immediately. Don’t stop until you are well clear of the area, or until you are told to stop by responding officers. Take others with you, but do not stay back and wait for them. If you have the opportunity to grab your car keys and cell phone, take them with you.
HIDE - Select a nearby location in which you can lock the door from the inside, and hide from view from an attacker in the hallway. Turn off the lights, close the blinds, silence your cell phone, and remain quiet. Certain rooms have Night Lock devices on the bottom of each door, with a ‘key’ located in a wall-mounted box. Make sure you are aware of the location and operation of the Night Locks. If he can’t see you or get to you, you will likely avoid a confrontation.
FIGHT - If the attacker gets into your room, defend yourself at all costs. Work with others to incapacitate him, and grab the weapon by the barrel or top of the handgun (while standing off to the side as he enters). Point the weapon towards the floor or ceiling and DO NOT let go until he is restrained.
Remember: the incident will likely end within 5 minutes, before police officers can arrive. What you do in those 5 minutes may well save your life.
Distribution of Literature/Fundraising/Public Assembly/Solicitation
The College does not have an open forum for solicitation, distribution of literature, public assembly, signs, sales, or fundraising. Solicitations, distribution of literature, public assembly, signs, sales, and fundraising by external groups in any of Carroll Community College’s facilities are strictly prohibited unless official permission is authorized by the President or their designee.
Designated Public Forum
The College has designated space near the front of the Scott Center (T Building) and the Nursing and Allied Health Building (N Building), for free speech, peaceable public assembly and related activities. Other areas of the campus may be designated by the President or their designee as public forums to accommodate free speech and public assembly in special circumstances. The College reserves the right to limit certain activities, or to end the event, if it determines that public safety and/or the orderly conduct of college activities are at risk.
Procedures for Approval for Use of Designated Public Forum
The College places reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner in which individuals and groups may exercise rights of free speech and public assembly on College grounds. Groups wishing to receive approval to use the designated public forum for public gatherings or demonstrations or the distribution of literature must notify the President of their intentions. All requests must be made at least two weeks but no more than six weeks prior to date of the proposed activity. This is to allow an efficient and safe allocation of space, generally to the first group to request it for a particular time. College sponsored events have first priority on the use of campus grounds. The College reserves the right to relocate any assembly to ensure that the activity does not interfere with the normal operation of the College or interfere with the rights of others.
At the time of the request to the President, the following information will be required:
- Name of the person or organization sponsoring the event
- Date and time requested
- List of planned activities (i.e. speech, rally, march, signs, picketing, distribution of literature)
- Special equipment being used (sound amplification equipment will not be permitted)
- Anticipated attendance number
Prohibited Conduct
The policies and procedures of the College, especially those related to the safety and security of persons and property, must be observed at all times. In addition, those who schedule speech or public assembly activities on campus must not:
- Threaten or accost passers-by, or otherwise attempt to actively engage, approach or solicit employees, students, or campus visitors who are not interested.
- Interfere with, impede, or cause blockage of the flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
- Commit any act likely to create imminent safety or health hazards.
- Interfere with or disrupt any other lawful or permitted activity by anyone in the same general location at the same time.
- Engage in any commercial activity
- Conduct speech that includes words that by their very nature tend to incite an immediate breach of the peace.
- Engage in any speech or action that is not allowed by law.
- Engage in any speech that is likely to incite or produce immediate lawless action or that is, under current legal standards, either defamatory, obscene or indecent.
- Incite others to commit any of the acts prohibited.
- Enter any college building or structure without prior permission from a College official to do so, with or without signs, sign supports, poles or other implements.
- Possess any wood, metal, fiberglass or other material used as sign standards or holders. Signs or banners that are displayed may only be held by hand, without the use of such standards or holders.
Non-Interference
Assembly and petitioning activities may not interfere with or inconvenience College operations or programs and must be consistent with the College’s educational purposes. Individuals engaged in assembly and petitioning activities must comply with the College’s Student Code of Conduct and/or policies governing staff and faculty and may not obstruct, disrupt, interrupt, or attempt to physically force the cancellation of any event or activity sponsored by the College or by users authorized to use the College facilities. Further, participants may not engage in harassing, physically abusive, threatening, or intimidating conduct toward any person. Participants shall comply with the directives of any College official acting in the performance of their duty.
Right to Dissent
The right to dissent is the complement of the right to speak, but these rights need not occupy the same forum at the same time. A speaker is entitled to communicate their message to the audience during their allotted time, and the audience is entitled to hear the message and see the speaker during that time. A dissenter must not substantially interfere with the speaker’s ability to communicate or the audience’s ability to hear and see the speaker. Likewise, the audience must respect the right to dissent.
Dissemination or Display of Printed Material
After receiving written approval from the President or their designee, individuals or groups may petition and/or distribute pamphlets, booklets, brochures, and other forms of printed material to individuals who desire such information. Materials may be displayed or distributed only within the designated area on the approved date and during the approved time on the condition that all such material is designed for informational (not commercial) purposes. The sponsoring individual or group must provide a receptacle for the disposal of any material distributed. The College does not assume any obligation or liability for the content of such distributed material. Any signs used must either be held by participants or be freestanding signs that do not stick into the ground. No signs or other materials may be mounted or posted on any buildings, walls, windows, doors, sidewalks, trees, light poles, or any other College owned equipment or property.
Distribution of the following materials is specifically not authorized by the College and may subject the sponsor to criminal prosecution or civil liability:
- Advertising material designed to promote the sale of commercial products or services.
- Advertisement of, or information concerning, any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part on chance.
- Unauthorized copyrighted material.
- Obscene or indecent material.
- Material or information that defames any race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religious group, or any other protected class or any individual member of such group.
- Material advocating violence, or words that are designed to invoke violence.
- Slanderous or libelous language or materials.
- Deliberate misinformation that may result in harm to any individuals or group.
- Any noncompliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
- Advertising materials left on cars, in buildings, or anywhere on campus. This restriction includes commercial and non-commercial advertisements and promotional materials and information.
Care of Designated Area
Participants are responsible for the cleanliness and order of the designated area following its use. The designated area should be left in the condition it was in before the activity. Any materials used must be removed from the designated area. Individuals or groups who damage or destroy College property shall be held responsible for such damage or destruction. This includes but is not limited to any damage to the campus buildings, sidewalks, lawns, shrubs, and trees.
College Policy and Procedure
The College reserves the right to restrict any individual’s or group’s use of the designated public forum if such use violates other College policies or procedures.
Sales and Fundraising
No commercial (or for-profit) sales may be conducted. Commercial sales, to include goods and merchandise, to students and staff on the College premises is forbidden except through the Bookstore or other College-approved organizations or agencies. The solicitation of funds to support any activity or cause not sponsored by the College or the Student Government Organization is also prohibited. Fundraising activities by students must be approved by the Director of Student Life.
The College prohibits alcohol-related advertising and promotions. It also bans any promotional sponsorship of campus events or activities by alcohol-related companies and businesses.
Solicitations within campus facilities by businesses as a means to recruit students for employment are an allowed activity provided that activity is approved by the College administration.
Assembly Security
The College reserves the right to charge individuals or groups wishing to use the designated public forum for additional security at a rate determined by the Chief of the College’s Campus Police. The Chief will determine the need for and the number of additional officers necessary to perform security functions during any public assembly event.
Non-Compliance
All individuals and groups participating in expressive speech, outdoor assemblies, and distribution/petitioning are subject to sanctions for failing to comply with these regulations or other College policies. Such sanctions may include payment of reasonable charges resulting from non-compliance, including, but not limited to, repairing; cleaning; painting; and/or replacement costs. College students, faculty, and staff may also be subject to institutional disciplinary or administrative action as outlined in the Student Handbook and/or policies governing staff and faculty. Violations that require police intervention will be reported to the Campus College Police who may enforce applicable laws of the State of Maryland or Carroll County.
Approved by the Board of Trustees - March 16, 1994
Approved Carroll County Attorney’s Office 3/11/2013
Approved by the Board of Trustees May 15, 2013
Revised 2/24/16-title-mc
Revised 10/05/17 Legal Review - Kollman & Saucier, P.A.
Approved by the Board of Trustees December, 13, 2017
Bulletin Board Usage - Advertising
All bulletin board notices must be approved and stamped by the Office of Student Life at least one week prior to an event, with the exception of notices for classroom bulletin boards and bulletin boards that are specific to and managed by a college department. Unapproved and non-college related postings will be removed.
All community postings must be stamped for approval by the Office of Student Life, who will post to appropriate bulletin boards. Display of College community postings will be limited to the bulletin board beside the ATM machine located in the main level of the “A” Building and the lower level of “A” Building near Room A015.
All posters, placards, and signs announcing activities and events of interest to and related to the student body must be stamped for approval by the Office of Student Life, who will post to bulletin boards found in common areas throughout the campus facilities (excluding classroom and departmental bulletin boards). At its discretion, Student Life may also place information on tables and study desks, or leave in mail boxes. After posters have become obsolete, they should be removed by the person or organization responsible. The College prohibits alcohol-related advertising and promotions. It also bans any promotional sponsorship of campus events or activities by alcohol-related companies and businesses.
At times, it is necessary for faculty and staff to display information to students advising of class scheduling, instructor illness, assignments, etc. Understanding this need, please use the following guidelines to prevent damage to walls and doors:
- Use bulletin boards on classroom doors; do not tape messages to walls.
- Use window glass, if available; otherwise, use door frames.
- If not practical to use doorframes, information may be taped to doors but should be removed as soon as possible. The longer tape is on, the more difficult it is to get off.
Note: Restrooms, elevators, entrance glass doors to any building, and planters are not appropriate places for posting flyers.
Approved Carroll County Attorney’s Office, March 11, 2013
Copyright Compliance Statement
Carroll Community College recognizes and supports the full enforcement of copyright laws for the protection of intellectual property rights. All College faculty, staff, and students are expected to comply with federal laws regarding the use of copyright protected materials. As an institution of higher learning, Carroll Community College supports the fair use exemption, whereby copyrighted materials may be legally used and reproduced for the purposes of criticism, commentary, teaching, scholarship, and research as noted in the federal copyright law (17 U.S.C. 107 at copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html)
Newspapers and Periodicals on Campus
Placing free magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals on the campus of Carroll Community College is prohibited unless specifically approved by the College. The College will consider approval of periodicals of educational value and consistent with the mission of the College. Requests for approval are to be directed to the Director of Student Life.
If approved, it is the responsibility of the vendor to maintain the papers in a neat and orderly fashion in racks approved by the College. Old issues will be removed and new issues placed in the rack by the vendor. Publications are not to be left by the vendor, either inside or outside college buildings, for college staff to process. Failure by the vendor to properly maintain publications in the approved racks terminates the agreement, and further distribution on campus will be prohibited.
Political Activities - Facility Use
College facilities cannot be used by candidates for campaign purposes. The College is a limited public forum for school sponsored events. College faculty and approved student organizations may sponsor events within the College’s educational mission. These events must be nonpartisan, and require the prior approval of the appropriate Provost or Vice President and the President of the College. The College cannot appear to sponsor or endorse any candidate or political party.
During an election year, outside nonpartisan organizations may use specified College facilities to sponsor political forums or debates for the purposes of providing the community the opportunity to hear diverse political views. The Theater in the Scott Center may be rented on a space-available basis for this purpose by following all College Facility Use Guidelines and Theater Rental Guidelines, including but not limited to a Lease Agreement, Lease Rider, Application for Use, and Fee Schedule. The College will not charge fees for nonpartisan political forums or debates sponsored by the State of Maryland, the Federal Government or the Board of Carroll County Commissioners.
College classrooms are also eligible for use for this purpose on a space-available basis. The Great Hall in the A Building and the Conferencing Center in the K Building are not available for this purpose unless sponsored by Carroll Community College.
Animals and Pets
Carroll Community College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and MD§7-704 and Maryland Code §7-705, allowing service dogs on campus for anyone with a disability needing assistance as defined by the ADA. With the exception of service animals and service animals-in-training accompanied by their owners or trainers, animals are not permitted in buildings without proper authorization. Service animal owners and trainers must be aware of the College’s policies before any service animals or service animals in training may enter a science lab. Requests for this accommodation must be made through the Office of Disability Services due to the hazards that may be present in the laboratory environment. Every effort will be made to accommodate this request; however, for the safety of the dog and the college community, standard precautions must be taken.
Comfort animals are not included in the legal definition of service animals. A request, along with supporting documentation, must be made through the Office of Disability Support Services (Room A101). This request must be approved as a necessary accommodation prior to bringing a comfort animal on campus or in classrooms.
Anonymous Publications
The organization or individual responsible for literature appearing on campus must be clearly identifiable within the publication. Literature which is not identifiable may not be distributed on campus.
Children on Campus
Non-Student Minors (all children under the age of 18) are generally only permitted on campus as an invitee, participant or visitor to College sponsored events, unless enrolled in a Program on campus. Non-Student Minors are generally not permitted in College Facilities without an authorized purpose or express permission, or unless accompanied by an Authorized Adult.
- Employees are not permitted to bring children with them during their normally scheduled work hours. Depending on the circumstances, exceptions may be granted with prior supervisor approval.
- Unless as part of a recognized CCC activity under the supervision of a designated college official, children may not use campus parking areas, roadways, gymnasium, or amphitheater for riding bicycles, rollerblading, skateboarding, or for other recreational purposes.
- Children may not enter any area of the college which may pose a health or safety risk or which contains expensive, fragile, or sensitive equipment.
- Children are not permitted in the Testing Center.
Parents, whether students, faculty, or staff are not to bring their children to the college on a routine or regular basis. Only currently enrolled college students, employees, and officially invited college guests are permitted in college classrooms and laboratories while classes and other educational activities are being conducted. Bringing children to class is discouraged due to the potential interruption of the learning environment. If an emergency situation requires that a child accompany a student to class, approval from the instructor is required. If an emergency situation requires that an employee bring a child to work, approval of his/her supervisor is required.
The presence of children shall always be subject to the following conditions:
A. Pre-High School Aged Children (children under the age of 14)
1. Pre-High School Aged Children must be under the direct supervision of an Authorized Adult at all times while on campus.
2. Pre-High School Aged Children may not disrupt the learning, business, or professional environment of the College.
B. High School-Aged Children (children ages 14-17)
1. High School-Aged Children not participating in a program on Campus may have limited use of College Facilities that are open to the public as long as they meet behavioral standards expected of enrolled students and adhere to the reasonable direction of College officials.
2. High School-Aged Children that do not meet the College community conduct standards may be directed to leave campus by Campus Police.
3. High School-Aged Children are generally permitted at events and venues on campus that are open to the public however, the College reserves the right to determine at its sole discretion whether events or venues are appropriate for unescorted or unsupervised Non-Student Minors.
(Revised by the President’s Executive Team, November 6, 2020)
Prohibition of Individuals on Sex Offender Registry
Carroll Community College is committed to offering accessible educational opportunities to our community. In support of that commitment, the College maintains an open door policy of admission. The college also provides learning opportunities for the younger learners and houses a Child Development Center. Therefore, the College prohibits the enrollment of Individuals listed on any State Services Sex Offender registry and/or Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Sex Offender registry. This would include online classes, programs, or attending any college-sponsored events, on or off campus. Further, according to the Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Procedures §11-722, a registered sex offender may not enter the grounds or buildings of Carroll Community College for any reason.
Trespass Policy
Denial of access to College grounds in accordance with the Maryland Annotated Code, Education Article, Sections 26-102, the governing board, president, or any person designated in writing by the board or any of these persons, may deny access to the building or grounds of the College to any person who:
- Is not a bona fide, currently registered student, or staff or faculty member at the College and who does not have lawful business to pursue at the College; or,
- Is a bona fide, currently registered student at the College and has been suspended or expelled from the College, for the duration of the suspension or expulsion: or,
- Is a registered sex offender listed on any State Services Sex Offender registry and/or Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Sex Offender registry;
- Acts in a manner that disrupts or disturbs the normal educational functions of the College.
- Staff may demand identification - Administrative personnel and authorized employees of the College may demand identification and evidence of qualification from any person who desires to use or enter the premises of the institution.
- Agreement with law enforcement agencies - The governing board of the College may enter into an agreement with appropriate law enforcement agencies to carry out the responsibilities of this statute when:
- College is closed; or,
- The governing board, president, or any of their designees are not present in the buildings or on the grounds of the institution
Penalty - Any person violating this statute is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000, imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both if the person:
- Trespasses on the grounds of any public institution of higher education;
- Fails or refuses to leave the grounds of the institution after being requested to do so by an authorized employee of the institution; or
- Willfully damages or defaces any building, furnishing, statue, monument, memorial, tree, shrub, grass, or flower on the grounds of the institution.
Persons authorized to enforce the above statute are:
- President
- Executive Vice President, Administration
- Provost
- Vice President, Continuing Education and Training
- Director, Student Care and Integrity
- Director, Facilities Management
- Director, Risk Management
- Chief, Campus Police
- Campus Police (Carroll Community College employees)
- Or, any person authorized by the above named individuals
Revised: November 18, 2016
Restroom and Locker Room Use
Carroll Community College provides separate facilities on the basis of sex at all campus buildings for restrooms and locker rooms. Transgender and gender nonconforming individuals are free to access these facilities consistent with their gender identity and are not required to use facilities indicative of their sex assigned at birth.
- Transgender or Trans describes a person whose gender identity does not correspond to their assigned sex at birth.
- Gender Nonconforming describes people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms gender variant or gender atypical are also used. Gender nonconforming individuals may identify as male, female, some combination of both, or neither.
- Gender Identity refers to a person’s deeply felt internal sense of being male or female, regardless of their sex assigned at birth.
- Sex Assigned at Birth refers to the sex designation, usually “male” or “female,” assigned to a person when they are born.
Food and Beverage Consumption
At Carroll Community College, food and drink are permitted in designated areas only. Food and drink are not allowed in the Theatre, labs (i.e., computer, science, and art) or the Library.
Inclement Weather Procedures
Weather related closing information can be found on the Carroll Community College website at carrollcc.edu, Canvas, or by calling our inclement weather line, 410-386-8457.
Register with e2Campus, the College’s Emergency Notification System, at carrollcc.edu/alerts to receive weather-related announcements through social media or by email or text message on your mobile devices. This service will also post the message on the College’s website and Canvas. Be sure to visit the College’s website or your email for the complete announcement due to the limited size of text messaging capability. If no announcement is made, you may assume that the regular schedule is in effect.
The following radio and TV stations in and around the Carroll County/southern Pennsylvania area will carry the announcements for Carroll Community College:
Radio stations:
WBAL-1090AM, WIYY-98FM, WSOX-96.1FM, WTTR-1470AM
Television stations:
WMAR-2, WBAL-11, WJZ-13, WPMT-FOX 43 (Pennsylvania)
Announcements will be made, including weekends, beginning at approximately 6:30 a.m. for day classes/events and at approximately 4:00 p.m. or earlier for evening classes/events and also on weekends. When the College is closed, all activities will also be canceled unless an announcement is made to the contrary.
When the College closes due to inclement weather, ALL credit and non-credit classes, including evening courses, are canceled in ALL College locations, including the Multi-Service Center, and Carroll County Public Schools.
When the Carroll County Public School system closes for the day or during the day, credit and non-credit College classes being held in the public school facilities will be canceled. You may call 410-386-8457 and press 1 for information about non-credit courses.
Credit late opening/closings: If the College opens late, all credit class sessions starting prior to the scheduled opening time will be canceled. Credit Lab sections that begin after the opening time will be held even though the lecture component of that class may have been cancelled.
If a credit class session is cancelled or the college campus is closed for any reason, it is each student’s responsibility to visit their course Canvas site/s for announcements and/or assignments related to the canceled class sessions. If the student is unable to access the internet, the student is to contact instructors at the phone number or the email on the course syllabus. It is strongly suggested that the student do this as soon as word is provided that a class session will be canceled or the college campus closed so that any alternative or makeup assignments may be completed prior to the next scheduled class meeting(s). Please note that a student’s failure to access Canvas or otherwise contact instructors may result in an unexcused absence and lost credit for any work missed. Asynchronous classes are not impacted by College closings.
Continuing Education non-credit late openings/closings: Classes starting at the late opening time or later will meet as scheduled. Unless notified otherwise, full-day seminars and classes scheduled to run from morning into the afternoon WILL begin at the late opening time and continue until their regularly scheduled end time. All other continuing education classes are cancelled. Come to the next session as scheduled. If this is the last session, you will be contacted by college staff about a make-up class. When the College closes due to inclement weather, classes are canceled in all locations, including the Multi-Service Center and the public schools. You may call 410-386-8457 and press 1 for information about non-credit courses.
Videotaping/Photographing of Students and Visitors
Because Carroll Community College is a public institution, photographs of students, staff, faculty, or visitors in common areas on campus or at public ceremonies or events can be used in printed and electronic public relations materials without their permission. The individual has no privacy rights in this instance and no model’s release is required. However, every effort will be made by the photographer to notify individuals within the shoot area so that they may choose to exclude themselves from the photograph.
Vehicular Assistance
Campus Police will provide assistance to faculty, staff, students, and patrons who need their vehicle battery recharged. If this service is required, contact the Information Center staff, who will notify Campus Police of your need for assistance.
Biking, Roller Blading, Skateboarding, Hoverboards, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones and Model Aircraft)
Carroll Community College does not allow skateboarding, roller blading, bicycling, sidewalk scooters, or hoverboards on campus with the following exceptions: 1) a credit or noncredit program that may include their use while using proper personal equipment protection and in accordance with regulations and code; (2) as a method of transportation to and from work or instruction. These methods of transportation may only be used outside, and if brought inside, must be properly secured. Bicycles are to be kept outside in approved bike racks. Hoverboards must be stored outside as they are never allowed inside any building. NO EXCEPTIONS.
All unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which includes drones and model aircraft are not permitted to be flown on college owned or leased grounds without first receiving College approval unless part of a credit or noncredit program that may include their use. For all other users, including outside vendors, requests must be made by contacting the Office of Risk Management. Their use will be considered on a case-by-case basis, following all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. UAS must never be flown inside buildings, unless as part of the College’s drone program and then only in designated areas.
If a violation occurs, Campus Police will advise that these activities are against College policy and politely request that one refrain from the activity or leave campus.
Failure to respond to requests these requests may result in faculty, staff, or student disciplinary action or police action in the case of an individual who is not a faculty, staff, or student.
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