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Student Policies & Guidelines

Hazing Policy

The Johns Hopkins University prohibits hazing.

Hazing is defined to be:

Any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.

If you’re not sure whether or not something happening to you or to someone else is hazing, ask yourself these questions:

  • Would I feel comfortable participating in this activity if my parents were watching?
  • Would I get in trouble if a school/college administrator walked by and saw us?
  • Am I being asked to keep these activities a secret?
  • Am I doing anything illegal?
  • Does participation in this activity violate my values or those of this organization?
  • Is this causing emotional or physical distress or stress to myself or to others?
  • Am I going to be able to get a job if I have to put a criminal arrest on my application?

Examples of conduct that would violate this policy may include but are not limited to:

  • All forms of physical activity not part of an organized, voluntary athletic context or not specifically directed toward constructive work
  • Any activity (including voluntary athletic contests and constructive work) that might reasonably bring harm to the individual
  • Paddling, beating or otherwise permitting undergraduate or alumni members to hit individuals
  • Depriving individuals of the opportunity for sufficient sleep, decent and edible meals, or access of means of maintaining bodily cleanliness
  • Activities that interfere with an individual’s academic efforts by causing exhaustion, loss of sleep, or loss of reasonable study time
  • Requiring individuals to consume alcohol or drugs
  • Forcing, coercing, or permitting individuals to eat or drink foreign or unusual substances
  • Any requirement which compels an individual to participate in any activity which is illegal, perverse, publicly indecent, contrary to the individual’s moral and/ or religious beliefs, or contrary to the Student Code of Conduct and/ or policies and regulations of the University.

Groups such as fraternities, athletic teams, and student organizations may be held accountable for misconduct by individuals committed in the context of group membership.

Sexual Misconduct Policy

Complaints of sexual misconduct are processed pursuant to The Johns Hopkins University sexual misconduct policy and procedures.

Drug, Alcohol, and Firearms Policies for Students

The University, in keeping with its basic mission, 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. In addition to providing appropriate educational programs throughout the year, each division of the University will include such programs as part of its orientation for new students.

The University further recognizes that alcoholism and drug addiction are illnesses that are not easily resolvable by personal effort and may require professional assistance and/ or treatment. Participation in such programs may be required of a student as a “condition of continual enrollment.” The University will adhere to strict policies of confidentiality for all participants in drug/ alcohol abuse rehabilitation programs as described in University and Federal regulations covering confidentiality of student health records. Maryland and District of Columbia laws prohibit the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under the age of 21. The possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs as defined by federal, state, and local statutes is prohibited.

Students are expected to obey the law. Individuals who violate the law, in addition to being subject to criminal penalties, may be subject to University disciplinary measures. The University will not excuse acts of misconduct committed by students whose judgment is impaired due to alcohol or drug abuse.

Homewood Open Space Policies

This policy governs any open space on campus and applies to all Johns Hopkins University students, alumni, employees, and visitors.

  • Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in open spaces at all times, except by written permission of the Office of the Dean of Student Life.
  • Glass bottles of any kind are prohibited in open spaces after dark.
  • All trash must be disposed of in trash cans or removed from open space.
  • The operation of any non-University vehicle in open space is strictly prohibited.
  • Disorderly conduct, disruptive or mischievous behavior, vandalism, fights, assaults, or any other violation of University policy, the Student Conduct Code, state law or city ordinance is prohibited.
  • All persons on open spaces, including Johns Hopkins University students and guests, must comply promptly and completely with the requests of University staff acting in accordance with their duties, including, but not limited to, requests for identification, for noise or activity abatement, dispersal, and for the surrender of beverages for examination and/ or confiscation.
  • Students are responsible for informing their guests of all University policies, in and out of buildings, and are accountable for the actions of
    their guests.
  • Skateboarding is permitted on paved and bricked paths only. Skateboarding on stairs, benches, railings, and any other than paved or bricked paths is prohibited. Skateboarders are urged to use caution and yield to pedestrians.

While voluntary compliance with open space policy is expected, where violations are found, enforcement staff may, at their discretion, issue a warning, or, without warning require any person or group of people to leave open space for a policy violation and/or for exigent circumstances. Enforcement staff, at their discretion, may confiscate alcoholic beverages from persons in open spaces. Violators of state law or city ordinances may be subject to arrest by Campus Security Officers or Baltimore City Police.

Students who are found in violation of the alcoholic beverage restriction in this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, including up to a $50 fine for a first violation, and may face additional sanctions based upon the nature and circumstances of the misconduct incident. Additional violations of the policy will bring more severe sanctions. In addition to fines, sanctions for misconduct may range from a warning through expulsion.

Students who violate other sections of this policy, or who fail to comply with Campus Security Officers and other staff acting to enforce this policy, may face disciplinary action.

Policy on Pets

No pets of any kind are permitted in university housing. The University also has the following policy on dogs:

  1. While on university property, dogs must be leashed, licensed, and under the control of their owners or handlers at all times.
  2. Dogs are not allowed in the common areas of any University building, including classrooms, except when being taken to and from non-public areas. (Guide dogs for the visually impaired are permitted in common areas.)
  3. Dogs may not be tied up and left unattended on any campus grounds.
  4. Owners or handlers are responsible for the removal of excrement deposited by their animals on University property.

If any infraction of these rules is observed, Campus Security should be notified (410-516-4600), and they will attempt to resolve the problem with the owner. If unsuccessful, or unable to locate the owner, the Municipal Animal Shelter will be notified to impound the dog in accordance with applicable animal control laws. Owners will be responsible for all impoundment fees.

The University strongly encourages students not to bring their pets to school unless they have cleared it with both their landlord and their roommates and are sure they have the means to care for their pets properly. Pets are often abandoned because there is no one to care for them over vacations, or the landlord threatens to evict the owner. If you do own a pet and cannot keep it, contact Animal Rescue (410) 636-1360, the Humane Society (410) 833-8848, or Baltimore SPCA (410) 235-8826 which will do its best to find the animal a new place to live.

Jay the Blue Jay Statue: Guidelines for Use

The statue of Jay the Blue Jay, located near the Freshman Quad, was created by students for students as an outlet to express themselves creatively and spontaneously and promote the Blue Jay spirit. Students use it to promote events, programming, and community spirit, and to further the free and open exchange of ideas that is a hallmark of the Johns Hopkins University community.

The following Guidelines apply to the painting of Jay:

  1. Only Johns Hopkins students, student groups, and student organizations, and authorized University staff, may paint on Jay.
  2. Painters should paint only the statue. No individual, group, or organization is permitted to paint the sidewalk, lamp posts, grass, or buildings surrounding Jay, and any individual, group, or organization that does so will be held financially responsible for the University cleaning costs incurred as a result.
  3. Painters should remove all painting supplies when finished. Any supplies left at or near the statue will be disposed of.
  4. As a medium for spontaneous expression shared by all Johns Hopkins students, with no advance permission required, the statue may be painted over by other students at any time.
  5. The University expects students to comply with the law and University policies when painting on Jay, and reserves the right to remove paintings that may violate a law or policy, such as paintings containing threats, hate symbols, or epithets directed at a specific person or group.