Special Policies

  • Non-Discrimination Policy

    In compliance with Executive Order 11246, Boricua College is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Institution. Boricua College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, transgender orientation, genetic predisposition or carrier status, citizenship, disability, veteran or marital status in its student admissions, employment, access to programs and administration of educational and human resources policies.

  • Non Discrimination Against the Handicapped

    Boricua College takes seriously its obligation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 not to discriminate against qualified handicapped individuals in its federally assisted programs or activities. The College recognizes its responsibility under Section 504 to ensure that handicapped students, who meet the academic standards requisite for admission to, or participation in its programs, are not excluded or otherwise discriminated against because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids which are necessary to provide the handicapped student an equal opportunity to obtain an education. The College accepts its responsibility to ensure the availability of necessary auxiliary aids by assisting handicapped students obtain such aids from governmental units. Accordingly, handicapped students will be expected to exercise reasonable self-help in obtaining funds from outside sources for required aids. To ensure availability of necessary aids at the start of a semester, a handicapped student who believes he or she will need an auxiliary aid in order to participate in a course or courses offered by Boricua College, must notify the Vice President, Academic Dean or the Chairperson of his or her department. Such notice is required in order to give the College a reasonable amount of time to evaluate the request, identify sources for purchasing, leasing or hiring any necessary aid, and, if necessary, obtain funding for required aids from appropriate government or charitable agencies.

  • Sexual Discrimination in the Form of Sexual Harassment

    Boricua College reaffirms the principle that students, faculty and staff have a right to be free from sexual discrimination and/or sexual harassment by any member of the College community. Sexual harassment is defined as an attempt to coerce a person into a sexual relationship, to subject a person to unwanted sexual attention, to punish a refusal to comply with unwanted sexual advances, and/or to create a sexually intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment. Sexual harassment is understood to include a wide range of behaviors, from the actual coercing of sexual relations to the unwelcome emphasizing of sexual identity. This definition will be interpreted and applied consistent with accepted standards of mature behavior, academic freedom, and freedom of expression.

    The office of the Vice Presidents, Academic Deans, Department Chairpersons as well as the Department of Human Resources and Personnel have responsibility for monitoring compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.

    A student or an employee who feels aggrieved is urged to immediately address the matter with his/her Department Chairperson. The department chairperson is required to investigate the grievance and provide the aggrieved with a response or decision within a reasonable period of time. This investigation may consist of, but is not limited to, gathering information from other students involved, reviewing College policy, and any other action necessary to become familiar with the situation. If the aggrieved is unsatisfied with the response/decision from the Department Chairperson, he or she is encouraged to address the grievance both orally and in writing with the Vice President and Academic Dean. This next level of supervision will also have a reasonable period of time to investigate the issue and respond to the aggrieved in writing. Any individual who feels that a sexual harassment complaint did not receive prompt and equitable response should contact the Director of Human Resources.

    It is the College’s policy to respond to any reasonable complaint and take the necessary actions to settle the issue. There will be no adverse action taken against any individual making a complaint regardless of the investigation’s outcome. In compliance with the New York State Law (Chapter 739 of the Laws of 1990), Boricua will provide sexual assault prevention information on a regular basis.

  • Compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act

    The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act or Clery Act, signed in 1990, is a federal statute codified at 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f), with implementing regulations in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations at 34 C.F.R. 668.46.  This act requires all colleges and universities, who receive federal funding, to share information about crime on campus and their efforts to improve campus safety as well as inform the public of crime in or around campus. This information is made publicly accessible through the College's annual security report available at the College’s website in October 1. Copies of this report are also available at the Vice Presidents and Deans offices in all campus centers.

  • A Drug Free Campus

    The United States Department of Education (DE) has issued regulations implementing provisions of the Drug-Free School and Communities Act Amendments signed into law by the President on December 12, 1989. As mandated by these regulations, Boricua College is required to annually distribute to students, faculty, and staff information pertaining to: description of the applicable laws; description of the health risks; description of treatment and rehabilitation programs; and statement of the disciplinary sanctions on students and employees who violate these regulations.

    Boricua College is concerned about the well-being of its students and employees, and recognizes that abuse of illicit drugs and alcohol is hazardous to the physical and mental health of human beings and a threat to the safety and well-being of the College and the community as a whole. It is, therefore the College’s policy that the unlawful manufacture, possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs, or other controlled substances or alcohol abuse on the College premises is strictly prohibited.

  • Children on Campus Policy

    Children are not allowed unattended on College property.

  • Campus Safety and Security Policy

    The College has a Campus Security Advisory Committee comprising administrators, students, faculty and community members that periodically evaluates and makes recommendations to the President or his appointed representative on the issue of campus security.

  • FERPA Act

    The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.  FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

    • Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

    • Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records which they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

    • Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):

      • School officials with legitimate educational interest;

      • Other schools to which a student is transferring;

      • Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;

      • Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;

      • Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;

      • Accrediting organizations;

      • To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;

      • Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and

      • State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook, or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school.

  • Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for Computing and Networking Resources

    Computing and data communications at Boricua College are valuable and limited resources that serve a large number of variety of users.  All users have the responsibility to make use of these resources in an efficient, ethical and legal manner.  The College’s computer and network services provide access to resources on an off campus and shall be used in a manner consistent with the instructional, research, and administrative objectives of the College community in general and with the purpose for which such use was intended.  Such open access is a privilege, and imposes upon users certain responsibilities and obligations.  Access to the College’s computers and network services is granted subject to College policies, and local, state, and federal laws.  Acceptable use is always ethical, reflects academic honesty, and shows restraint in the consumption of shared resources. It demonstrates respect for intellectual property, protection of sensitive information, ownership of data, copyright laws, system security mechanisms, and individuals’ rights to privacy and to freedom from intimidation and harassment.  All activities inconsistent with these objectives are considered to be inappropriate and may jeopardize continued use of computing facilities and networks.

    In consideration of being allowed to use the College’s central computer and network services (“Resources”), students, faculty, staff or any other member of the College’s community shall:

    • shall not use the Resources for any illegal activity or for any activity prohibited by this policy (see subsequent pages for examples of inappropriate conduct that is prohibited), the “Students’ Rights and Responsibilities” policy or the policies set forth in the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual.

    • agrees not to use the Resources to infringe upon or otherwise impair, interfere with or violate any copyright or other intellectual property rights of another. This pertains to all copyrighted material, including, but not limited to music, video and software. I understand that I may be potentially liable for misuse of the Resources, including acts that are contrary to College policy. I agree to be responsible for all claims arising from my misuse of the Resources and shall indemnify and hold harmless the College from any costs, expenses or liabilities that might be asserted or imposed upon it or any of its officers, agents or affiliates as a result of such misuse.

    • avoid any action that interferes with the efficient operations of the Resources or impedes the flow of information necessary for academic or administrative operations of the College.

    • protect my computer resources such as ID, logins and systems from unauthorized use. I acknowledge that I am responsible for reasonably securing my computer, including implementing such protections as logins to prohibit unauthorized use, applying in a timely fashion operating system and software patches that protect my computer from hackers, and implementing virus scanning software.

    • access only information that is my own, which is publicly available, or to which my access has been authorized. I will only access networks, network resources, and information for their intended use.

 The College considers violations of acceptable use principles or guidelines to be serious offenses.  The College will take such action it deems necessary to copy and examine any files or information resident on college systems allegedly related to unacceptable use, and to protect its network from systems and events that threaten or degrade operations.  Violations may be referred to the appropriate College entity for discipline.

 The College’s campus administrators will use its best efforts to contact the offending party via email, telephone, or in person to explain the problem and discuss its resolution before taking any action deemed necessary to protect the integrity of the Resources.

 In the case of major infractions, specifically those that impair other’s’ ability to use networking and computing resources, campus administrators may immediately restrict systems or network access as it deems necessary to mitigate such activities.