Message from Dean Lukaskiewicz

Know and understand the local laws of your host country. Not knowing is not an excuse.

If you are arrested, there is very little on-site staff, Trinity College and the U.S. Embassy can do to help you.

You are required to comply with all policies and procedures of your program, including program-specific ground rules and codes of conduct introduced during the orientation portion of the program. Your behavior must be above reproach at all times. You must take into consideration an accurate perception of the values and norms of the host communities, and the well being of fellow group members and program staff, and act accordingly. 

The Office of Study Away and the program have the authority to discontinue your participation on the program if your conduct is determined to be unacceptable. 

Prohibited Conduct: 

1. Violation of safety practices or action or inaction that might cause injury or death to oneself and any other person.

2. Sexual or other harassment of any kind.

3. Sexual or assault of any kind.

4. Creating excessive noise, disturbing the peace, violating individual rights or privacy, or disrupting lawful activities of others.

5. Deliberately or carelessly damaging or stealing property of the program or the host community.

6. Theft or unauthorized use of property from any other person or entity.

7. Unauthorized entry or use of program facilities, including host facilities such as host universities, hotels, or offices of program staff and contacts.

8. Possession or use, including the threat of use, of a weapon or other hazardous materials, such as, but not limited to, a firearm, knife, explosive, or other object that could be considered a weapon while on the program.

9. Violation of host country or US laws, including, but not limited to, those that relate to the use of alcohol and controlled substances on the program. Violation of local laws may result in fines, punishment, imprisonment, or deportation in addition to punitive actions by Trinity College.

10. Failure to comply with the reasonable directions of program employees acting in the performance of their duties.

11. Any conduct which jeopardizes Trinity’s ability to maintain positive relations in host communities or to continue to carry out its programs, including but not limited to culturally inappropriate behavior or defamatory statements regarding host families, organizations, communities, or countries.

12. Any behavior that disrupts the learning environment, limits the participation of fellow students on the program or restricts access in any way to the curriculum, program activities and/or the group.

13. Excessive use or abuse of alcohol.

14. Possession or use of illegal drugs or substances. 

Code of Conduct and Behavior Policies at Trinity College follow you abroad.

• • In keeping with its mission, it is the intent of Trinity College programs abroad to provide an environment that fosters tolerance, a commitment to learning, personal development, and respect for others.While there does exist some latitude for individual choice regarding the personal use of alcohol, this freedom of choice exists within certain guidelines. You are required to obey all applicable laws regarding the possession, use, and distribution of alcohol, comply with Trinity’s alcohol and other drug policies, and take full responsibility for your conduct. This includes respect for individual and collective rights and property.

  • Behavior which threatens to create disorder, public disturbance, damage to oneself or to others, or that otherwise interferes with the proper functioning of the program will not be tolerated. 

  • Trinity College expressly prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, or use of any controlled substance by students. Convincing indication of drug use requires immediate dismissal from from the study away program. 

  • Use of alcohol will be shaped by local laws, cultural norms, individual program regulations, and safety considerations. The on-site director will set guidelines and rules for alcohol consumption, in relation to local cultural norms and program standards. Trinity reserves the right to prohibit alcohol use on any of its programs at any time. Excessive alcohol use and/or alcohol abuse is not permitted and will result in disciplinary action. 

If moderate consumption of alcohol, within the limits of local law, cultural norms, program standards, and safety considerations is permitted, the following guidelines apply:

1. Students must obey local laws and take full responsibility for their conduct.

2. Students must behave in a culturally appropriate manner. Behavior must not violate the rights of roommates, host families, host community members, other students, program staff, program contacts, or others.

3. Inappropriate behavior resulting from alcohol consumption, including but not limited to behavior which is offensive to others; and/or poses unreasonable risk to the student or others; and/or results in damage to property; and/or affects student performance; and/or causes embarrassment or otherwise interferes with the proper functioning of the program, is not permitted and will result in disciplinary action.

The Office of Study Away and the program onsite director have the authority to discontinue your participation on the program if your conduct is determined to be unacceptable.

These rules pertain to all residence at the Trinity College Rome Campus and at all housing provided during program-sponsored trips.

Students attending the Trinity College Rome Study Away Program are responsible for upholding the standards social conduct set forth below, which promote an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.  Students who fail to uphold these standards are subject to disciplinary action and may be asked to find accommodations elsewhere. Severe or recurring misconduct may result in expulsion from the program.

1. NO ALCOHOL AT ANY ROME CAMPUS RESIDENCE OR THE HOTELS THAT HOST US DURING OUR SCHOOL TRIPS. Anyone caught bringing alcoholic beverages to the Rome Campus residences or the hotels where we lodge students during our school trips will be reported to the Program Director and the alcohol will be confiscated.

2. USE, POSSESSION, PURCHASING OF ILLEGAL DRUGS (including marijuana and other drugs), WHETHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP, WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM THE PROGRAM.

3. NO UNREGISTERED VISITORS/GUESTS IN THE ROME CAMPUS RESIDENCES OR THE HOTELS THAT HOST US DURING OUR SCHOOL TRIPS.  STUDENTS MUST MEET FRIENDS OFF THE PREMISES.  It is illegal – Italian anti-terrorist law –  to host unregistered guests on the premises so this is a serious matter.

4. NO LOUD TALKING/NOISE AT OR IN THE VICINITY OF THE ROME CAMPUS RESIDENCES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE NIGHT HOURS (11:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.). 

5. NO DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR TOWARDS STAFF OR ADMINISTRATION UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

When Trinity determines that a student has violated college and program ethics, the student will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the program.

A student may be placed on academic probation, and will be notified of such in writing if they:

• Are continuously absent at program activities

• Repeatedly fall asleep in class or are repeatedly late

• Are repeatedly rude and/or show a lack of consideration to the academic director, other students, program lecturers or other program related personnel, homestay families, host nationals, or others.

• Repeatedly engage in behavior which is, in the opinion of the academic director and/or program related personnel, culturally insensitive and/or inappropriate

• Engage in behavior which endangers the academic director, other students, themselves, and/ or host nationals, including, but not limited to, a repeated refusal to act to address physical, behavioral, or mental health problems

• Commit a further transgression of a norm about which a warning was previously issued

• Have received a letter of warning from the academic director indicating that the student is failing to work up to the standards or within the spirit of the program

• Have received an incomplete and have not satisfactorily outlined a course of action to meet any outstanding course requirements

• Have failed 33% or more of course requirements. A student who is placed on academic probation is required to discuss their academic status with the academic director and make a plan for regaining satisfactory status.

• Although it is Trinity’s goal to help all students participating in its own programs to complete their programs successfully, there may be times when expulsion from the program is necessary. This will be the case when students are determined to be unsafe to themselves and to others, when students’ behaviors disrupt program goals, when relationships with the local community and program providers are compromised, and/or when laws are broken.

• In cases of dismissal, the on-site director makes a recommendation to the Trinity College Office of Study Away and the dean of Students office who will ultimately make the final decision and the reasons for dismissal will be confirmed in writing.

• Students who are expelled from a Trinity program forfeit academic credit for that semester, may not return to campus that semester and are not eligible for refund of fees paid. They will also be responsible for any unpaid fees and program expenses incurred to date and may be subject to censure in accordance with Trinity College policies.

• Visiting students are subject to their home school’s policies in addition to Trinity’s.

• Trinity College reserves the right to contact parents/guardians in the event of significant alcohol abuse, unsafe behavior, or any behavior that potentially compromises a student’s ability to participate in our program.

• In the event that a student is asked to leave the program, return to your home country will be at your own expense. Any and all responsibility on the part of the program will cease. Students who are expelled, or who depart early from the program, will be withdrawn from all courses and receive no credit.

• Trinity College does not permit students to voluntarily withdraw from an individual course. If a student is considering withdrawing from the program, the student must contact his or her home institution prior to withdrawing to discuss possible implications for credit transfer or the student’s standing at that institution.

• If a student wishes to withdraw from the program, the student must notify the on-site director who will ask the student to sign a withdrawal form. Upon notification or last date of association with the program, whichever is later, the student will be considered withdrawn from the entire program. Once withdrawn, the student will not be permitted any further association with the program and will forgo any of the benefits that the program provides, including insurance coverage and visa sponsorship.

• Students agree that when they withdraw voluntarily or are dismissed from a program, they will leave the program site and discontinue contact with the program. Students will be responsible for making and paying for their own travel arrangements from the program site.