College Policies

Support & Rights of Students with Accessibility Needs

Russell Sage College is committed to promoting self advocacy for students with disabilities and facilitates a positive and adaptive learning environment for such students. Students seeking accommodations are required to present documentation of their disability from an appropriate and qualified licensed health care provider. In accordance with Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, support services and reasonable accommodations are provided when requested by a student who qualifies for them. It is extremely important upon admission into the college that you contact the Director of Accessibility Services. 

Questions or concerns regarding reasonable accommodation of individuals with accessibility needs should be directed to Sage Section 504 Compliance Officer, Cait York, Director of Accessibility Services, Library 3rd Floor, 518-292-8624 (Albany), 518-244-6874 (Troy). 

*Russell Colleges’ Accessibility Services Policy is subject to change, and, therefore, maintained on the Sage website. The policy is available for review by clicking the following link: https://catalog.sage.edu/services-for-students-with-accessibility-needs

Student Address and/or Name Change

Students changing their addresses and/or names by marriage or other legal means, or who would like to add a chosen name to their records should contact the Registrar’s Office in Cowee Hall (Troy) or Administration Building (Albany) or for more information go to the Registrar’s webpage at https://www.sage.edu/academics/academic-resources/registrar/change-name-gender/

 Student Identification Number

Russell Sage College assigns a unique seven-digit student identification number to each student. This number can be found on your class schedule, statement of student account, Financial Aid award letter and ID Card. It is important to know your ID number and to keep it confidential. To ensure the privacy of your academic, financial and personal information, the College will not release any information unless the student identification number is referenced.

Student ID Cards

All Sage students and employees must obtain an identification card. They are required to access a variety of college services and resources and they enable the college to identify persons on campus. They are available in the College Services Offices on both the Troy and Albany Campuses.

Students must now submit their own photos for use on their Sage Student IDs. Instructions for submitting personal photos for ID cards can be found at https://www.sage.edu/about/public- safety/id-cards/.

Students should carry their ID cards at all times while on campus, and must display it to any College official upon demand. Replacement cards for those lost or damaged are available for a fee of $15.

Student Hiatus & Withdrawal from the College

Students wishing to request a temporary hiatus (for up to one year) or permanent withdrawal from the College must:

●     Contact the Dean of Students on their home campus to set-up an appointment if you are an undergraduate student or Contact your Academic Dean’s office if you are a graduate student.

●     Meet with the Dean (or their designee) to complete an exit interview and the required paperwork. This may be completed in person or by phone/online.

● Understand that withdrawal from the College does not release students from financial obligations incurred during the period of attendance.

Administrative Withdrawal

Any student who does not appear on the list of registered students three weeks into any semester will be administratively withdrawn from the College, if they are not on an approved hiatus. Students who are withdrawn are required to go through the re- admittance process. This does not release the student from their financial obligations.

Student Financial Obligations

The College requires that students be financially responsible and not be delinquent in their financial obligations to the College. Students who fail to meet their financial obligations shall not be issued transcripts, allowed to register or receive a diploma until such obligations are met.

Guests on Campus

The College welcomes guests on campus who are furthering the educational purpose of the school or who wish to further their own educational goals. Any guest or other person on RSC premises may be ejected from the premises if they appear to be engaged in misconduct or pose a threat to the safety or wellbeing of others, or are disrupting the normal operations of RSC.

Residents may have no more than 2 guests per resident in their room, to the extent that it does not negatively affect the shared living environment created by the residence hall atmosphere. A guest is any person who intends to visit or sleep in a residence hall room and is not a resident of that room. Rooms may not be used by any person(s) without a resident of the room present.

Overnight guests may stay only a maximum of 5 nights in a one month period. An overnight guest may stay no more than 2 consecutive nights during one visit. The Resident Assistant must be notified of an overnight guest 24 hours prior to the guest’s arrival. In addition, the permission of the room’s other occupant(s) must be obtained by the hosting student for an overnight guest.

No non-Sage guests are permitted the week preceding an exam period, during exams or during any College recess. Failure to leave upon request may result in legal action.

Parking

All students, staff and faculty who will be parking on either campus must obtain a parking permit. They are available at the College Services Office on both the Troy or Albany campuses. Note that individuals must first register their vehicle online prior to obtaining a parking permit. You must have your vehicle identification number (VIN) available to register. This can be found on your vehicle’s registration card. Information about the parking permit process is available at: https://www.sage.edu/about/offices-centers/public-safety/parking-at-sage/

A permit does not guarantee a parking spot, but rather allows the holder to park in an available spot, consistent with the parking regulations for each campus. A permit is valid until August 31 of the year noted on the permit. Temporary Parking Permits are also available for extenuating circumstances, as are Handicapped Permits which allow parking in spaces designated as Handicapped Parking.

Those applying for a parking permit should be prepared to produce a valid Sage ID card and a valid registration for the vehicle they wish to park.

Parking Enforcement

Parking enforcement is intended to free parking spaces for those students and employees who abide by Russell Sage College parking regulations. Vehicle operators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the parking regulations on each campus.

Cars parked in violation of Sage’s parking regulations are subject to fines, towing, and revocation of parking permits. Vehicles blocking traffic, parked in fire lanes, in front of fire hydrants or in handicapped spaces are subject to immediate towing. Fines are assessed to student accounts.

Failure to pay parking fines may result in referral to a collection agency. Parking in any Russell Sage College lot is at the owner’s risk. The College is not responsible for damage to or theft from vehicles parked in its lots.

Ticket Appeal Process

If you wish to appeal a parking ticket you should follow the process outlined here:
https://www.sage.edu/about/offices-centers/public-safety/parking-at-sage/

Emergency Procedures

If a student discovers a situation which may require emergency action, they should immediately call Public Safety at (518) 244-3177. When prompted, the student should report the location and nature of the emergency, their name and a contact number should Public Safety have to contact them again.

If a student is advised of a campus emergency via the campus alert system, the student should follow the instructions provided by the alert. Most common instructions include:

Building evacuation, which means to quickly leave the confines of the building and move to a safe area away from the building.

Campus evacuation, which means to leave the campus immediately. Special instructions will be provided for resident students.

Shelter in Place, which means to use the building you are currently occupying to provide protection from whatever emergency threatens.

 In the event of a fire alarm, students should leave the building immediately via stairwells. If possible, secure doors and windows prior to leaving. Evacuees should gather in a predetermined location, away from emergency responders, after leaving the building.

Weather-Related Emergencies

Weather conditions and other situations occasionally require the delay or cancellation of classes, or the closing of the College. It is important that all members of the Sage community receive this information as quickly as possible, particularly commuter students. Please keep this information easily accessible for guidance on how to access announcements regarding cancellations, delays, or closings at Sage.

How to Get the News

●     For the most timely and accurate information about delays, cancellations and closings, or emergency information Sage utilizes SendWordNow, the Colleges’ emergency mass notification system. All students are automatically signed up to receive instant notices of delay, cancellation, closing, timely alerts, or emergency instructions via their Sage email accounts. To register additional email addresses or to sign up for text alerts for up to five phone numbers, students should enroll online at sage.sendwordnow.com using their SageNet username and password.

● Listen to the following TV and radio stations, which will be notified if the start of the day has been delayed, if classes have been cancelled, or if the Colleges are closed:

TV: Channels 6, 9, 10, and 13

Radio: WGY (810 AM), WFLY (92.3 FM), WYJB (95.5 FM), WRVE (99.5 FM)

●     Important announcements will also be posted on Sage’s portal at: passport.sage.edu.

What the News Means for You

Following are possible actions that Sage could take in case of inclement weather or other emergency, in order of increasing severity:

1.                  Classes Delayed - An announcement that the start of classes has been delayed means that staff and administrators are expected to report at the delayed opening hour indicated. Classes scheduled to begin prior to the delayed opening hour will not be held. Students and faculty are expected to meet for classes held at or after the hour of campus opening.

2.                  Classes Cancelled - An announcement that classes have been cancelled means that students and faculty do not attend classes, but administrative offices are open and staff and administrators are expected to report to work at the usual time. The cancellation of day classes does not automatically mean that evening (starting at 6:00PM or later) or weekend classes and events or activities are also cancelled. When this is the case, every effort will be made to post a separate message before 3 p.m.; however, the rapid change in a situation may require a later cancellation time. Check TV and radio stations or your Sage email periodically for updates.

3.                  College Closed - An announcement that the College is closed means that classes have been cancelled, and all public events and activities will not be held. Students, faculty, staff, and administrators should not report to class or work. However, essential personnel (public safety, maintenance, housekeeping and residence hall staff) are expected to report for their usual shift and residence dining services will be provided (but potentially on adjusted schedule).

Note: The College will only be closed in extreme circumstances. These may require closing after classes have begun for the day. Students, faculty, staff and administrators will be notified of the closing time via the campus alert system and their Sage email accounts.

Safety First

All members of the Sage community are encouraged to exercise their own judgment regarding their ability to safely get to and from the Sage campuses. Sage strives to operate as a business and remain open and accessible as consistently as possible, but does not wish anyone to put themselves at risk needlessly. Staff and administrators may use a personal or vacation day when they determine conditions are unsafe for them to report to work

Parking and Snow Removal

Sage has plans in place for the systematic and efficient removal of snow from both campuses. They may be viewed in the Public Safety folder on Sage’s portal. In the event of a snowfall that requires plowing, it is your responsibility to check for headlines on Sage’s portal or announced via email or text that will inform you of changes to parking regulations that will facilitate snow removal. Cars may be towed at the owner’s expense if necessary to clear campus lots of snow. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in getting the campus cleaned up and operable again as quickly as possible. 

The cities of Albany and Troy have snow emergency plans. Please consult them before parking a vehicle on a city street.

Event Scheduling Policy

Students associated with a Sage chartered club or organization may seek to plan and schedule events on campus related to their organization. It is essential that when you schedule meetings, events, programs, fundraisers, parties, speakers, etc., that you start at the Office of Student Life. Students will be guided through the event planning process by the director or assistant director of student activities who can provide a resource guide. Once your event or activity is approved by the Office of Student Life, you may be referred to the Office of Conferences and Facilities Scheduling. Before any plans are finalized, your date and location must be cleared by this office. This applies to student-planned events in conference rooms, classrooms, outdoor areas, and other programming spaces, or any off campus events/trips.

A Facility Use Requisition (FUR) form is needed to finalize your planning for events on the Troy/Albany campus. Please call the Office of Conferences and Facilities Scheduling in Troy (518-244-2020) or Albany (518-292-1943) to check the availability of spaces PRIOR to submitting a FUR form. After clearing a space and completing the form, you must get all necessary signatures before the space will be reserved.

If you plan a party or event in a public area, an event form is required.

There will be times that security will be required for your event. The cost of this is the responsibility of the sponsoring group or organization.

Publicity for your event is your responsibility. Posters put up for events are your responsibility to take down.

Event Expectations:

●     Sage events include all academic, administrative, faculty, staff, athletic and student events that are directly related to the mission and life of the campus community. Space for College events is available free of charge, however, setup charges may apply if only a 3 hour turnaround time for the next event or off-hours IT, maintenance or security support is required.

●      Event space should be requested/reserved at least 5 business days prior for small event setups and 10 business days for big event setups with provided diagrams from the requester. The Conferences Office reserves the right to revoke the request or add an additional last minute fee to be processed if proper notice is not provided.

●      The Conferences Office reserves the right to deny last minute requests not written on the FUR form during the event or the organization/club will be charged an additional last minute fee to be processed.

●      The Conferences Office reserves the right to move any event if they feel it is not an adequate space anymore for the event planned or the VP/President’s office needs the space.

●       FUR Forms can only be submitted within one year from the date of request.

●      Activities may not be scheduled if they interfere with major Sage events, particularly where attendance by the President, Board members, Provost or Deans is expected.

●      All dates should be cleared through the Student Life Office and Conferences and Events office first, before they are published.

●      Events must be able to be supported by the campus (facilities/IT/security/others), taking into account other events that may be scheduled at that time. Request for an event may be denied if multiple events are already scheduled on a particular date.

Event Regulations

Student organizations who wish to organize an event must receive the prior approval of the Student Activities Office. The Director of Student Activities will review the event guidelines and assist students in planning the activity within these guidelines. Students should contact the Student Activities Office at least three (3) weeks in advance, as necessary College officials signatures and additional permits must be obtained in advance of the events. Note that if payment from the College and vendor procurement is required, a minimum six-week lead time may be necessary.

Poster Policy

Any recognized student group may hang posters on campus. (These posters must include the name of the sponsoring organization.)

On the Albany and Troy campuses, any group not affiliated with the College must bring its posters to the Student Life Office to be stamped. (This stamp indicates approval.) The office will only approve five (5) posters from off-campus groups or organizations.

Poster Placement:

●      Any student or group who hangs a poster assumes the responsibility to remove it after the event has taken place.

●      Posters must be placed in designated areas and on bulletin boards only. In order to preserve our attractive campuses and to avoid hazards created by blocking glass, posters cannot be hung on glass, any doors, (interior or exterior) or any painted surfaces.

●      Federal regulations require all colleges and universities that receive federal or state funds to refrain from taking a position on candidates for political office. Russell Sage College must comply with these regulations. By permitting sponsored posters, the College takes no position with respect to candidates aspiring to political office.

●      Non-compliance with the above regulations will result in removal of the posters in question.

Photos, Video, and Other Recordings Policy

Russell Sage College reserves the right to use photograph(s), video(s), and sound bite(s) taken of or obtained from students and other people on campus or at college-sponsored events for the purposes of promoting, publicizing, recruiting, or managing marketing involving the college. Such uses could be in the form of print or electronic media, which includes but is not limited to the sage.edu website, college publications (printed admission packages, brochures, magazines, catalogs, video productions, television or radio broadcasts, newspapers, newsletters, marketing emails, digital advertising, social media, etc.), and fundraising publications for college clubs or organizations.

Upon arrival on the Russell Sage campuses in Albany and Troy, people give their implied consent to the college to use these materials in any lawful purpose as detailed above. Photographs and video footage may be obtained from both informal and formal settings. All negatives, positives, prints, digital image files, and raw footage are the property of Russell Sage College.

Russell Sage College will make our content creators (photographers, videographers, etc.) easily identifiable to the public through an identification badge.

Special circumstances

It is the policy of the Office of Marketing and Communications to approach photo/video shoots in private settings, such as a class, in an opt-out manner. If the subject matter or setting is deemed sensitive, we will make ourselves known in advance and allow for ample time to opt-out. Photos/videos obtained solely for advertisements and not also for general editorial purposes require the completion of a digital or print image release form.

If you have concerns, or your likeness is being used in a manner you have questions about, please contact us at communications@sage.edu or reach out directly to the associate vice president for marketing and communications.

Minors 

Photographs of minor visitors to campus, such as elementary students, summer campers, and those planning on attending non-Sage sponsored events held on campus should not include identifying information, including name or hometown. Written parental permission is required before using photography that includes identifying information, such as name or hometown. For students attending programs on campus with their school, a photo permission signed for the school is sufficient.

  Selling and Soliciting

Classes, clubs and campus organizations recognized by Russell Sage College are permitted to sell merchandise/services on campus to raise funds for the group. These clubs, classes and campus organizations must schedule their fundraising event with the Student Activities Office in Troy or Albany. Unless authorized by the Student Activities Office, outside vendors and students are prohibited from soliciting or selling merchandise/services to students on the Sage campuses. Off-campus solicitation of businesses, alumni, or friends of the College must be approved in advance by the dean of students office. Please note: door-to-door solicitation by students, faculty, staff or outside personnel is not permitted in the residence halls.

Residence Policy

At Russell Sage College, all full-time first-year students (as defined by credit hour), live in campus residence halls unless you live with parents, guardian(s) or a spouse.

Exceptions to this policy (based on age, finances or family circumstances) are considered on an individual basis and must be approved by the Director of Residence Life, or their designee.

Russell Sage College offers intentionally designed residential programs on both the Albany and Troy campuses, accessible to all undergraduate students. First-year students are housed on the campus where their academic program is located to more easily access their classes, study sessions, library, and lab facilities. Special consideration regarding housing placement may also be given to students with academic-adjacent needs regarding housing assignments (HEOP, student-athletes, internships, etc.)

Through the residence program, Russell Sage offers a quality living/learning environment designed to maximize student socialization, encourage a strong sense of community and college identification, and assimilate different student cultures, lifestyles, and values. The privilege of living on campus is extended to students who are enrolled in a full-time academic schedule and are in good academic standing. Additionally, all residential students must carry a board plan while they are living on campus.

Technology- Acceptable Use Policy

The primary purpose of Sage’s computing resources and other information technologies is to enhance and support the educational mission of Russell Sage College. These resources include workstations and multi-user computer systems, as well as wireless local area networks and connections to other computer networks.

All students, faculty, and staff are responsible for using Sage’s computing resources in a safe, effective, ethical, and lawful manner.

Note: Logging onto or otherwise connecting to the campus network implies acceptance of this policy.

The intent of this statement is to give an overview of acceptable and unacceptable uses of computing resources without exhaustively enumerating all such uses and misuses. This statement is intended as an addition to existing policies concerning academic honesty and the use of facilities. The predominant goal of this policy is to promote honesty, respect for individuals, and respect for both physical and intellectual property. All expectations regarding academic honesty and professional ethics extend to assignments completed in electronic form.

While Sage makes every effort to maintain the security of its systems, no guarantee of privacy can be made for electronically stored information or email. Users of institutional computing resources also should be aware that Sage reserves the right to inspect information stored on its systems when there is reasonable cause to suggest a violation of the institution’s policies.

Standards of ethics and behavior while using computing resources should follow such standards as outlined in Russell Sage College handbooks and policy documents. Disciplinary procedures for violations will follow standard institutional procedures and may result in curtailment of network privileges.

The items below constitute examples of acceptable and unacceptable use:

Acceptable Use

●       Use consistent with the mission of Sage.

●       Use for purposes of, or in support of, education and research.

●       Use related to administrative and other support activities.

●       Personal communications as long as these do not interfere with the mission of the institution, infringe on the time of staff or students, or overload system or network resources.

Unacceptable Use

Legal and Regulatory Acceptable Use Restrictions:

●       Use of computers or networks that violate federal, state, or local laws or statutes.

●       Providing, assisting in, or gaining unauthorized or inappropriate access to the Sage’s computing resources.

●       Use of the Sage’s computers or networks for unauthorized or inappropriate access to systems, software, or data at other sites.

●       Use of Sage’s systems or networks to copy, store, display, or distribute copyrighted material in any medium, or to prepare derivative works of such material, without the express permission of the copyright owner, except as otherwise allowed under copyright law. 

Institutional Acceptable Use Restrictions:

●   Use of the college's name and logos in ways that suggest or imply the endorsement of other organizations, their products, or services without appropriate approval.

●       Use of Sage’s computers or networks for commercial use or profit-making enterprises except as specifically agreed to with the institution.

●       Distribution of obscene, abusive, or threatening messages via electronic media, such as email or instant messaging. 

 Account Use and Information Access Restrictions:

●         Sharing your Sage account or password with anyone.

●        Unauthorized access to or disclosure of personal information, or institutional classified information.

●        Unauthorized access, or attempting to gain unauthorized access, to other users' accounts, private files, e-mail, or other personal electronic resources.

●        Unauthorized access, or attempting to gain unauthorized access, to institutional servers or systems, or external services provided for institutional use.

Network Use Restrictions:

 Installing on the network unauthorized network devices and network services

●      wireless access points

●      internet address resolution servers

●      hubs

●      routers

●      switches

●       Use of port scanning or other reconnaissance hardware/software is strictly prohibited.

●       Distribution of chain letters or broadcasting to lists of individuals in a manner that might cause congestion of the network.

●       Installation of software on Russell Sage College owned computers that is not either in the public domain or for which legal licensing has not been acquired by the individual user or the institution via Sage.

●       Activities that interfere with the ability of others to use computing resources or other network-connected services effectively.

●       Activities that result in unauthorized access to or the loss of another’s work.

●       Connecting one’s personal computer to the network without taking reasonable precautions against viruses.

●       Updating all software including browsers.

●       Using an updated/supported Operating System (OS).

●       Having installed and updated Anti-Virus software.