Student Roles and Responsibilities



BASIC ATTITUDE AND APPROACH

By enrolling in a study abroad program through the Center for Experiential Learning, students also promise to take a constructive attitude and approach. This attitude is marked by basic interest in and respect for the host culture and its values, a willingness to behave as guests in the home of their hosts, a desire to be well-accepted, and an understanding of the need to be both skillful and sensitive in communication. The approach will be free from contempt or criticism and marked by courtesy, good manners, active exploration, and inquiry. With such an attitude and approach, students may make their full quota of preliminary blunders and mistakes and still win the approval and acceptance of the natives. Lacking such an attitude, students might soon make themselves and those around them irritated and miserable.

LOCAL RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

Anywhere you go abroad, there will be a network of local rules, procedures, customs and expectations too elaborate to explain and too obvious to belabor. An important part of the time abroad is to learn these rules as early as possible, usually through alert observation and curiosity. If students disobey the local rules, they must be prepared to pay the normal consequences. The program director will try to help, but students must recognize that their American citizenship confers no immunity or special privilege.

Perhaps the most immediate rules, which will affect each student, are those of the homes and the university. These should be learned quickly and obeyed without challenge. University officials are autonomous and enforce their own rules with expulsion if necessary.

Although you are participating in a Loras College program, Loras College cannot alter or suspend the cultural context of your host country, even in a crisis situation. Loras College will work to resolve problems, and in rare cases, to evacuate a student if it seems in the best interest of a student to do so.

NATIONAL LAWS AND POLICIES

The obligation to comply with local rules and expectations is equally applicable to national laws. These are not unlike the laws governing the United States, so the law-abiding student need have no fear. However, law enforcement and court procedure differ sharply, and students should be aware that offenses largely ignored in the United States are often not ignored abroad.

For example, drugs are governed by harsh penalties and strict enforcement. American students are particularly vulnerable, since they are already stereotyped as plausible culprits. Thus they are the first accused, the first to be searched, and the ones most likely to be implicated. Those who sell drugs to Americans are often informers. Recourse for an American is difficult to impossible. Stay away from drugs. If the program director learns that a student is using drugs, her responsibility for the reputation of the program and the safety of the student requires her to send the student home, possibly without warning.

In addition, politics is a serious game often played by university students. National authorities usually take an aggressive and aggrieved position against their own students and are totally turned off by foreign nationals meddling in political activities. It is advisable not to get involved.

Even as a victim or witness to crime, it is important to consult with program staff and/or legal counsel first. Accusers abroad may be subject to law suits, and may also be detained in their host country until legal proceedings are complete.

LORAS COLLEGE DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY

(See the Loras College Student Handbook for Loras’ Policy on Alcohol and Other Drug Use and Abuse)

Every faculty member, employee and student has a right to work, learn, and live in an environment free from the effects of abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Loras College recognizes that the decision to use alcoholic beverages is a personal choice; however, this choice must be made in accordance with local, state and federal laws and ordinances concerning alcohol use.

The legal age for possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages is typically lower in countries outside of the United States. For example, the drinking age is 16 in Spain and Botswana, and 18 in Ireland and South Africa. Students choosing to consume alcoholic beverages while abroad will be expected to do so in a responsible and legal manner. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to public drunkenness (punishable by law), tardiness or absence from class and required excursions/activities, sexual assault, and other undesirable behaviors including adversely affecting your host families or housemates. Students whose ability to participate and perform appropriately in all aspects of the program is impaired as a result of excessive alcohol consumption are subject to disciplinary action by the on-site director which may include expulsion from the program without warning.

Visitors to countries abroad are particularly vulnerable when it concerns violations - intentional or unintentional - of local rules and regulations concerning alcohol and, in particular, drugs. The process of law and punishment is far more arbitrary than within the United States and more often than not may lead to prolonged imprisonment under substandard conditions. Consequently, it is of utmost importance for the welfare of the individual, as well as other program participants, that students studying abroad exercise extreme caution and prudence in these matters.

The use, purchase, or sale of illegal drugs (hallucinogens, narcotics, stimulants, or depressants) is a critical issue. Any student who uses, buys, or sells illegal drugs will be expelled from the program and immediately returned to the United States at her/his own expense. One violation will be cause for removal from the program. Students dismissed from the program will lose academic credit. When a student is dismissed from the program, s/he will be responsible for all legal costs, fines, and return travel expenses. No refunds will be given.

Loras College can assume no responsibility for any student apprehended on a drug charge. The U.S. Consular Officer cannot demand your immediate release nor get you out of jail or out of the country; cannot represent you at trial or give legal counsel; and cannot pay legal fees and/or fines with U.S. government funds. The U.S. government is also singularly uninterested in assisting U.S. citizens accused of drug-related criminal activity.

RESPECT FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS

Each student is expected to respect the rights, opinions and integrity of others. This common sense expectation is worth mentioning only because of the unusual importance of group morale. Within a different culture, Americans are often more dependent on one another for encouragement and support. Criticism, slander and malicious gossip can be devastating.

Sexual Harassment 

Students are subject to Loras’ “Sexual conduct Code” found in the Student Right’s and Responsibilities Guide. Violations of the standards of conduct established by that policy are prohibited.

Sexual harassment shall include any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal (for example, sexually explicit derogatory statements or sexually discriminatory remarks) or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (a) submission to such contact is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of instruction, employment or participation in other College activity; or (b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for evaluation in making academic or personnel decisions affecting an individual; or (c) such conduct by an individual occupying a position of power, influence or authority over another has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with that other individual’s performance or creating and intimidating, hostile or offensive College environment; or (d) such conduct, occurring in the classroom, the workplace or other College setting, is offensive, causes the recipient discomfort or humiliation and/or interferes with the recipient’s education or job performance.

Any person who feels that s/he has been subjected to or thinks s/he knows of someone else who has experienced sexual harassment should contact the Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Officer at Loras and the on-site program director.

OBSERVATION OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Loras College is always concerned about the safety and welfare of its students. Students participating in one of the Center for Experiential Learning programs must be alert to all normal safety concerns, as well as those unique to the culture in which they will be studying and living. The program director will discuss student safety in the host country, as well as wise, safe practices in general. The college recognizes that crime and other unwanted safety threats can best be deterred by the alert, attentive behavior of the student.

LIABILITY

All arrangements for accommodations, transportation, transfers and sightseeing are made by Loras College or the host university as agents for the passengers and upon the express condition that the college shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or other irregularity which may be occasioned by reason or default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passengers or carrying out the arrangements of the tour.

No carrier shall have or incur any responsibility or liability to any person taking the tour, except its liability as common carrier. The liability of the carriers for baggage or other property accompanying passengers is limited to their liability as common carriers. Baggage and accident insurance is recommended.

The Loras College Center for Experiential Learning shall not be liable or responsible in any way in connection with any transportation or other services for any loss, injury or damage to, or in respect of any person or property arising during this tour. The college reserves the right to change any arrangement in schedules, travel, housing, etc., as herein set forth, as necessitated by circumstances beyond its control, offering substitutes of equal value, or to cancel the operation of any scheduled tour.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Though it is not required, we strongly encourage students who may have special needs or problems to make the director aware of these early on. Any preexisting conditions may be complicated by the initial stress of living abroad, and your experience can be greatly diminished if you do not address them.

Whether this condition might be a physical or mental health issue, the director is equipped to assist you with the utmost discretion and confidentiality. Counseling, treatment and tutoring services can be found abroad with the director’s aid.

“Perhaps the greatest power of educational exchange is the power to convert nations into peoples and to translate ideologies into human aspirations.” – J.W. Fulbright