Field Trips

Field trips can serve as effective instructional aids and can be scheduled with the approval of the academic dean.  Field trips involving absences from additional classes are limited to one per semester unless jointly planned by all instructors. 

In arranging a field trip to be held during class hours, the following regulations apply:

• Student participation is voluntary. 
• Students participating in a field trip will be required to make up any work missed in other classes as a result of the trip. 
• If a student elects not to participate, some alternative form of instruction must be provided.
• The college assumes neither legal nor financial responsibility for students while on a field trip.

The faculty member will ensure that each participant completes an “Off Campus Activity Waiver” form and that completed forms are filed with the Business Office prior to the trip.  Forms are available from the Division Office or the Academic Services folder on c-Chest. 

Because campus lighting is significantly diminished after 11:00 p.m., faculty members are asked to notify the Maintenance Department and the Office of Public Safety of any late returns to campus.  Notification must be provided 48 hours prior to the event so that lighting and security patrols can be adjusted accordingly.  Parking Lot A has been designated as the primary staging area for departures and arrivals associated with field trips and sporting events.  Faculty may also wish to provide the college’s security contact number (410-758-7275) to all participants.

Food and Drinks in the Classroom

The College realizes that some students coming to campus in the evenings may not have had an opportunity to eat.  Therefore, snack food and drinks are permitted in the classroom as long as the situation is not distracting to the instructional presentation.  Limited vending services are available in most campus buildings.  It is the faculty member’s responsibility to ensure that the assigned classroom is maintained in a clean and neat appearance. Food and drink are not permitted in the gymnasium, the Performing Arts and Cadby Theatres, or in laboratories/computer facilities of any type.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Policy 

Chesapeake College’s Board of Trustees has approved a policy regarding student privacy rights with respect to their educational record.  The policy states the college will only release any information from a student’s education record under the following circumstances:

• If the college is required to do so by law;

• If the student provides the college with written permission as outlined in the Family Educational Rights and  Privacy Act (FERPA);

• In the event of a health or safety emergency as outlined in FERPA and interpreted by the college administration.

Parental disclosure will take place in accordance with the policy outlined above.  Students will be informed of their right to provide their parents (or any other third party of their choosing) access to their education record during the college’s academic advising process.  The college will provide information to parents, in both electronic and hard-copy forms, regarding the process for gaining access to a student’s education records.

Disclosure of information contained in a student’s education record will take place through the Office of Registration, which will certify that the student has provided written permission for the college to release information from the education record to the third party requesting that information.  The responsibility for disclosure of information from a student record and oversight of this process rests with the Registrar or his/her designee.

FERPA gives students the right to inspect and review all educational records with the following exceptions: financial records of student’s parents, confidential letters or statements placed in the file prior to January 1, 1975, and psychiatric or medical records retained by a professional for treatment purposes.  The college’s policy, information for parents, and related forms can be accessed on the college’s website by selecting the “Current Students” tab, and then “Privacy Policy.” 

Serving Students with Disabilities

Chesapeake College is fully committed to providing access, academic adjustments, and services for students with disabilities.  All services provided comply with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  A qualified individual with a disability is one who meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or for participation in programs and/or activities.  Students with disabilities include, but are not limited to, mobility impaired, visually impaired, learning disabled, hearing impaired, attention deficit disorders, and other medical conditions.

Students with disabilities may receive services through the College's Director of Accessibility Services, Lynnette Blake.  The Director will process and coordinate academic adjustments and accommodations for students with faculty and staff.  In addition, pre-admission counseling, personal counseling, academic advising, and priority registration may be provided.  Other services available to assist students with their academic success include:  career planning and job placement, financial aid, transfer advisement, tutoring, and individualized instructional assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to self-identify and request disability services.  Students are encouraged to initiate the process as early as possible.  The college will endeavor to comply with all requests.  However, certain accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services such as interpreter services, alternative formats (e.g., books on tape), readers, and relocation of classes to accessible locations may require substantial advance notice to be available in a timely manner.  Therefore, the college requests students or prospective students needing academic adjustments or other services to initiate the process at least two months prior to the first day of classes. 

Selection of Textbooks 

Textbook selection is primarily the responsibility of the faculty. To avoid unnecessary mid-year changes, faculty members use the latest edition available for a minimum of one academic year.  Exceptions to this policy may be requested by written justification to the academic dean.  To avoid proliferation of textbooks, faculty members teaching courses with multiple sections will agree upon required textbooks to be used in all sections.    Faculty members are encouraged to work with the Bookstore Manager in helping to hold down the rising cost of textbooks for students. 

Desk and examination copies may also be requested from the appropriate Division Office.  If, however, the examination copies are not sent as complimentary copies and the book is not adopted for use, the responsibility for returning the books lies with the faculty member.  The college suggests that faculty not resell textbooks to book buyers.

Textbook orders are placed online through the Faculty Enlight website which can be accessed through the College’s Barnes & Noble Bookstore website at www.chesapeake.bncollege.com. 

• Once you have accessed the website, click “Faculty Resources” in the top right corner. 
• Once the book information has been entered, a popup box will appear urging the faculty to send the order for approval prior to submission. 
• Submission deadlines are set by the Bookstore Manager, Jill Davidson. Faculty are notified of the deadline via email.

If you have questions about the ordering process, the manager can be reached at extension 2304, at 410-827-6874, or at bookstore@chesapeake.edu.

The Maryland College Textbook Competition & Affordability Act of 2009 and the Federal Higher Education Opportunities Act (Textbook Provisions) require that publishers provide faculty with specific information about the content by edition, price, ISBN, bundles, and less expensive options for textbooks and supplemental materials.  Faculty are required to acknowledge receiving the information and to acknowledge their awareness of the impact on students of the high cost of textbooks.  The Bookstore has developed an acknowledgement form for you to sign upon placing your book order.

Once you have selected your texts and supplemental materials, Chesapeake must post on its website the title, author, publisher, edition (and whether a previous addition is acceptable), copyright date, publication date, ISBN, anticipated enrollment for the course, and whether supplemental materials are required or suggested.  This information must be posted either three weeks following your selection or when your selection is finalized.  The website must also indicate whether these selections are subject to change and what the potential consequences of purchasing prior to finalization might be.  In order for the College to comply with these requirements, you will need to be sure that the Bookstore has the required information regarding your textbook orders and knows whether or not your selections are final, before the posting of subsequent semesters’ course schedule – typically by mid-October for spring courses, mid-February for summer courses, and mid-March for fall courses.

 Please check the  college website for the most up to date information.