Student Organization Policies and Procedures

Allocated Funds is the amount allocated from the Student Activities account via the SGA. It may be used for, but not limited to: field trips, dinner meetings, guest lecturers/performers, fundraising materials, and other activities.

• Allocated income may NOT be spent on:
  • Individual gifts
  • Activities that are not open to all SO members
  • Equipment, unless approved by the Senior Dean of Students or their designee
  • Donations/expenditures to groups outside of the college for any reason except in the form of payment

Earned Funds is money received by the PSO/RSO through raffles, fundraisers, donations, or advertising. It does not have to be spent in accordance with the Allocated funds policies, but expenditures must be approved by the Senior Dean of Students or their designee in advance.

• Earned Funds may be used for:
  • Gifts or items for individuals (T-shirts, year-end advisor gifts, SO Swag)
  • Donations for non-profits outside of the college
  • Equipment if approved by the Senior Dean of Students or their designee
  • All other legal transactions with approval from the Student Life Office

The following will be enforced throughout the year:

• There will be no private accounts outside of the college for any organization.
• All organization fundraising MUST be approved by the Student Life Office before it occurs by submitting an Event Proposal.
• No organization will be allowed to fundraise via “Go Fund Me”, Facebook, or any other form of virtual fundraising.
• Money earned from all activities must be deposited in the organization’s account at the Student Financial Services Office on the same day as it is received. If funds are to be collected when the Student Financial Services Office is closed (during the evening or on a weekend), prior arrangements must be made through the Student Life Office to secure the funds. The funds (both cash and checks) are the property of the organization and, as such, should under no circumstances be taken home with anyone.
• Upon request of the SGA, the treasurer of an organization shall submit an activities and financial report at the end of the semester to the SGA Treasurer.
• There shall be no personal loans or personal advances made to anyone from Student Activities Funds or organization funds.
• No Student Service professional personnel, full or part-time, shall be paid from Student Activities Fees.
• Student Activities monies shall not be used to pay personal travel including meals and lodging, except when such travel is done in conjunction with Student Activities.
• Any payments to vendors, performers, nonprofit organizations, etc. may not be made without a W-9, and a contract in some instances, being submitted to the college in advance of the services, purchase or fundraising.
• Receipts must contain only charges for items purchased for the student organization. The receipt should not contain items purchased for personal use along with items purchased for the organization. Organizations will NOT be reimbursed without a valid receipt.
• All purchases MUST be made in accordance with Massachusetts state policies including the use of approved vendors. Please contact the Student Life Office prior to making any purchase with SO funds to ensure the vendor of choice is approved.
• Massachusetts Board of Community Colleges' rules in accordance with the General Court and Federal Law prohibit expending of college allocated funds for any political, economic, social or religious purpose external to the college.
• State law requires that three purchase quotes be received before filling a purchase order on any item costing $5,000 or more. Contact the Student Life Office for procedures to follow to meet this requirement.
• No individual organization member shall incur any debt whatsoever in the name of the student organization without first securing the approval of the advisor and the organization membership along with the Student Life Office or the individual will be personally held responsible for the amount of the debt
• Any purchases via Amazon MUST be made using the MWCC college account.
• Any purchases made online MUST be shipped directly to MWCC, no items may be shipped to an individual’s home address.
• Reimbursement for any off-campus trips or activities will not be made unless all required forms and signatures are completed prior to the off-campus activity.
• All reimbursement decisions are at the final decision of the Student Life Office.

When an organization seeks to purchase an item or to contract for a service, the first consideration is the availability of funds. Organizations may not spend or commit to spend monies without first confirming availability. Neither organization members nor advisors may enter into a binding contract on behalf of MWCC. The person with whom you are negotiating a contract should be made aware that you cannot make a binding commitment until the contract has been signed and approved by the President of MWCC or their designee.

All expenditures MUST be submitted using an Expense Request Form, please allow up to 3-weeks for processing of all Expense Request Forms. Ensure that you have reviewed all information for the type of expenditure you are making along with Student Organization Funds Policies & Guidelines. All Expense Request Forms MUST include a copy of the SO Meeting Minutes noting the vote to expend funds along with any other required documentation required for the type of expenditure.

Please ensure that all SO rosters are up to date before submitting an Expense Request Form, this will help expedite the signature process.

Prior authorization from the Student Life Office must be obtained prior to making purchases.

Requests for use of college property (rooms, space in and outside the building, common areas for displays, etc.) must be submitted to Facilities Management, preferably 15 days in advance of the intended date(s) of use. Space should not be requested until after an Event Proposal has been submitted and approved.

Space is reserved on a first come basis so the sooner your request is in, the more likely the space will be available. Submit a request by completing the “Facility Reservation Form”. Persons and organizations requesting and obtaining approval shall be responsible for compliance with all applicable laws and regulations including those requiring additional permits and licenses, and payment of applicable taxes.

Once space has been reserved if any room set-up (additional tables/chair, room configuration, etc.) is required the SO advisor must submit a SchoolDude to facilities to request the set-up and/or breakdown. This MUST be done in advance of the event to provide facilities time to complete the set-up. Please plan accordingly for weekends, holidays, potential weather related delays, etc. Typically facilities will complete a room set-up the day before an event, last minute/day of requests may not be completed.

Requests for media (A/V, microphones, speakers, etc.) must be made by the organization advisor via email to Media Services at: media@mwcc.mass.edu. Please be sure to include specific details and dates/times that services are required. As with Room Set-up requests, this MUST be done in advance of the event to provide Media Services time to complete the set-up. Please plan accordingly for weekends, holidays, potential weather related delays, etc. Typically Media Services will complete a media set-up the day before or morning of an event, last minute/day of requests may not be completed.

When requesting Media Services, please only request what is absolutely required. Live stream, Hyflex, and recording of events requires a Media Services staff member to be present for the event which may cause undue hardship on the department if they are needed elsewhere.

The organization advisor must be in attendance throughout the entire on-campus activity. In the instance of a fundraiser or tabling activity that occurs throughout the day and it is not feasible for the advisor to be present for the entirety of the event, the advisor must be on-campus and conduct periodic check-ins with the organization throughout the day. The advisor should realize that they are in charge of the activities for the organization and must be fully aware of all organization actions.

While ultimate responsibility for decision-making rests with the advisor, they should make every effort to consult with appropriate college personnel and student leaders if a situation of major importance should develop.

Depending on the nature of the activity, Campus Police may need to be employed. The number required will be determined by the Chief of Campus Police & Public Safety and the Senior Dean of Students or their designee. Campus Police will be paid by the sponsoring group at time and a half for the number of hours worked. A minimum of 4 hours is required under contract.

When usage is for meetings by persons and/or groups sponsored by MWCC and are conducted during hours when the college is in session, there should be no charges. When events are conducted during hours when the college is not in session, or when support services are required above and beyond those normally provided, the college may charge a rental fee including any charges for added Campus Police, Facilities, or Media Services personnel. These costs will be the responsibility of the sponsoring organization.

There are four 3'x3' tables in the Student Center along the cafeteria hallway that may be reserved through the Student Life Office for fundraisers, distribution of literature, recruiting, etc. Organizations may reserve one or more tables but should be reserved as soon as possible at the beginning of each semester as they tend to fill up quickly. The Student Life Office reserves the right to limit how often an organization may reserve table space to allow equal access to all organizations. Two different organizations will not be allowed to reserve space on the same day for the same type of fundraiser (e.g., two groups holding a bake sale on the same day).

Organizations are responsible for providing all necessary supplies for their reserved table space such as table covers, decorations, hand-outs, etc. Students, their representatives, and supplies should be situated to ensure adequate passageway through the hallway and Student Center. Table space requests should be included in your completed Event Proposal Form, a Facilities Reservation Form is NOT needed for Student Center table space.

Ticket sales will be limited to the capacity of the location. The advisor, police officers, and students sponsoring the activity will strictly enforce this limitation. Tickets should be sold in advance when possible. Attendance will be limited to students checking in using the MWCC app QR Code and their guests. NOTE: One guest per student unless advance exceptions have been made through the Student Life Office.

According to the SGA Constitution, whenever programs are presented to the public and admission is charged, said programs shall be offered to the student body, faculty, and administration at a cost of 25% less than the cost to the general public.

All SOs should be hosting events on campus and advertising them to the college community. The primary/required method for advertising is via InvolveMOUNT. Once an event has been approved and details have been finalized an Event Submission must be completed. The event will then appear on both InvolveMOUNT and within the iConnect MWCC app. Please see "Navigating InvolveMOUNT" for directions on creating an Event Submission.

Posters may also be designed, printed, and posted on campus. It is recommended that you utilize Canva.com to easily design, share, and download posters. All posters MUST be approved by the Student Life Office if being used internally and also be the MWCC Marketing department if being distributed externally.

Printing may be done via the MWCC Print Shop by completing a Printing Request Form. Please refer to the Marketing page for complete details on what is available and to find request forms.

Users must secure approval from the Facilities Supervisor for the use of decorations, exhibits, etc. These must be removed from the premises no later than midnight of the last day of use or sooner if determined necessary. NOTE: Balloons of any type are NOT allowed inside the campus at any time. 

PROVISIONS FOR CLEAN UP ARE ESSENTIAL! The student organization should generally clean up at the close of the program. This would include picking up trash (inside and outside of the building) and putting it in a trash barrel. When deemed necessary by Facilities Management, the sponsoring organization will hire college custodians to complete the clean-up following the event. The rate for this will be time and a half and must comply with all contractual requirements.

Any use of food or beverage MUST be arranged with the MWCC Green Street Café, they have right of first refusal, outside food may not be used without their approval. Please contact the Green Street Café when placing an order to ensure that they will be able to accommodate your needs. A Food Order Form must be completed electronically and then forwarded via email to the organization treasurer and advisor for signature and finally forwarded to the Student Life Office for approval. After approval from the Student Life Office and the SGA Treasurer the form will be sent to the Green Street Cafe.  Allow plenty of advance notice for food orders, typically 2-weeks. NOTE: The Green Street Café will not fulfill catering orders without approval from the Student Life Office and a completed Food Order Form.

The consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages/marijuana at on-campus or off-campus activities sponsored by an MWCC student organization is prohibited. All state laws and college policies regarding alcohol/marijuana consumption/possession must be adhered to. Student violators are subject to dismissal.

Items for bake sales must be homemade from scratch or from a box mix. Store bought items may not be resold unless they are modified in some way (cookies dipped in chocolate, donuts decorated, etc.) All items for sale should be individually packaged in baggies/containers/foil to reduce contamination.

For all fundraisers, organizations must provide their own supplies (such as napkins, paper plates, forks, plastic bags, table covers, decorations, etc.) DO NOT take supplies from the cafeteria. A sign with the name of the organization conducting the fundraiser and where proceeds will go (organization or non-profit) must be posted at the table. A cash box is available in the Student Life Office as well as a small amount of start-up cash if needed.

All funds collected MUST be deposited in the RSO's account with Student Financial Services immediately following the fundraiser.

RSOs wishing to sell merchandise such as pottery, art, t-shirts, tumblers, etc. may do so. RSOs are encouraged to create unique items for sale that will help them raise funds for their organization or as a fundraiser for a non-profit.

For all fundraisers, organizations must provide their own supplies (such as table covers, decorations, etc.)  A sign with the name of the organization conducting the fundraiser and where proceeds will go (organization or non-profit) must be posted at the table. A cash box is available in the Student Life Office as well as a small amount of start-up cash if needed.

All funds collected MUST be deposited in the RSO's account with Student Financial Services immediately following the fundraiser.

Raffles require the RSO to pay 5% tax on all proceeds as well as compliance with state law.

1. After receiving approval of the event via the Event Proposal form complete an Event Submission
   on InvolveMOUNT.
2. Submit a flyer for approval
   a. The flyer MUST include the following:
   • Organization Name
   • Date(s) raffle tickets will be sold
   • Price of tickets (Individual ticket price not to exceed $2 per ticket)
   • Date and time when the drawing will take place
   • Who the raffle proceeds will benefit (organization, non-profit organization, etc.)
   • Prizes to be awarded (if known at time of submission)
   • The following language MUST be on all raffle flyers: Raffle is conducted by MWCC Student Services in conjunction with Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation, Inc., a not for profit 501(c) (3). IRS# 23-7136083
3. If gift cards/certificates will be awarded they must be purchased in advance via the College Business Office by submitting an Expense Request Form. RSOs may NOT purchase gift cards themselves and request reimbursement.
4. Money and alcoholic beverages shall not be used as prizes.
5. Retain all original receipts and submit to the Student Life Office with a completed Expense Request Form for reimbursement (NOTE: Sales tax is not reimbursable).
6. A 5% state tax on the gross proceeds is required and the sponsoring organization is responsible for paying this tax. For this reason RSOs need to ensure that they will be able to raise at least $100 in ticket sales.
7. If tickets are being sold off campus, the ticket should include drawing date, prizes, price, and the name of organization sponsoring the raffle, as well as, the name of the organization that the proceeds will be donated to (if applicable).
8. Schedule organization members to work the raffle table on the date of the raffle.
9. Prior to the day of the raffle, Raffle Pick-up Slips (one for each prize) must be completed by the organization.
10. On the day(s) of the raffle:
    • Arrive early to set-up the table, signage, decorations, prizes, etc.
    • A cash box, start-up cash, standard, 2-piece raffle tickets, and raffle jars may be obtained through the Student Life Office the day of the raffle.
    • If tickets are being sold for different prices ($1 for 1, $5 for 7) be sure to track how many are sold at what price using the Raffle Ticket Log Sheet.
    • It is recommended that when students change shifts for table coverage, both parties count the money in the cash box at the time of shift change and document the total.
    • At any point during the raffle, the organization wishes to put some of the proceeds in the Student Life safe so as not to have too much cash in the cash box they may do so by contacting the Student Life Office.
    • Do not leave the cash box and/or prizes unattended, always be sure that someone is available to cover the table.
    • If the raffle will last more than one day the prizes may be stored in the Student Life Office or storage room as long as prior arrangements are made to ensure space is available.
    • At the end of each day (multi-day raffles) all proceeds MUST be counted and turned in to the Student Life Office to be stored in the safe. Under no circumstances may organization funds be taken home with organization members.
    • When the raffle is scheduled to end and winners drawn, please adhere to the following:
      • A Student Life representative MUST be present (If no one from Student Life is available then an organization advisor must be present)
      • The drawing must take place in a public location (usually wherever the raffle tickets were being sold) at the date and time advertised on the flyers.
      • Raffle Pick-up Slips must be filled in with the name of the winner and the winning ticket stapled to the slip immediately after drawing the ticket.
      • All prize winners MUST claim prizes from the Student Life Office.
      • When the raffle concludes, all money must be brought to the Student Life Office along with the completed Raffle Form so that the state tax money may be taken from the proceeds. DO NOT deposit raffle proceeds into the organization account until after the tax money has been taken out.

Organizations may sponsor an outside vendor to come on campus and sell their wares with a portion of the sales going to the organization sponsoring the vendor.

The vendor will need to submit a Vendor Application and include a list of the type of items they will be selling. The application must be approved by the Senior Dean of Students or their designee before permission can be granted for the vendor to sell on campus.

The vendor and organization must complete a Letter of Agreement for Vendors form. By signing the form, the vendor agrees to pay the organization a base fee per day or a percentage of gross sales (whichever is greater). The figure and percentage is negotiable. It is recommended that you request at least $30 per day or 10% of sales (whichever is greater). Remember that this is a negotiation process and you should strike a bargain that is mutually beneficial. Upon vendor’s arrival on campus, an organization member must meet them and assist them in getting situated at their assigned location. The sponsoring organization should also check in with the vendor from time to time throughout the day to see if any assistance is needed. When the vendor is scheduled to leave, the organization must have a member present to collect the agreed upon funds and to assist with any pack-up or loading.

All checks and cash collected from the vendor by an organization treasurer (or their designee) must be deposited into the organization’s account at the Student Financial Services Office on the same day as it is collected.

Sponsoring organizations must actively advertise the date/time that the vendor will be on campus to help improve their sales. While we don’t guarantee any amount of sales to the vendors, it is only fair to them that the sponsoring organization help to promote them in advance.

The trip or activity must be sponsored by an approved Student Organization and the advisor must travel with the group and be present for the entire event. The only exception to the advisor traveling with the group is when everyone is traveling in private vehicles and meeting at the event location. In this case, the advisor must meet the organization members at the event location at the very start of the event and be present for the entire duration of the event.

The trip or activity must be approved as follows:

• Organizations should plan in advance for such activities.
• A Student Activities Trip Request form, must be completed electronically at least three weeks prior to the scheduled event.
• The activity will not be considered approved until all of the required signatures are obtained.
• Final approval will be made by the Senior Dean of Students or their designee.
• For all off-campus trips, advisors must complete a College Travel Form marked for “Approval Only” and have their supervisor sign it. Any travel out of state requires a signature from the college president. This completed form MUST be submitted to the Student Life Office.
• Once the trip has been approved, all attendees not including the advisor, must complete an Acknowledgement of Risk and Consent Form.
• This form will be created and a link sent to the SO advisor after the off-campus trip has been approved. The link will then need to be sent to every student attending the trip for completion. Any student/guest under age 18 will be required to submit contact info for a parent/guardian that will need to complete a separate form and give consent.
  NOTE: The SO advisor will be responsible for ensuring that all forms are properly completed and that they have available to them at the off-campus activity the emergency contact information for all attendees. The day before the scheduled event a spread sheet with the necessary information will be sent to the advisor. This list, along with trip information, will be sent by the Student Life Office to Campus Police. If the list changes for any reason on the day of the trip, the advisor MUST send an update to campus-police@mwcc.mass.edu

College vehicles are available upon request for usage for organization activities. Student organizations may reserve a vehicle on a first come first serve basis through the Campus Police and Safety Department. College vehicles may only be driven by a Mount Wachusett Community College employee with a valid driver’s license (e.g. organization advisor). There will be no charge for use of the college vehicle. To reserve a college vehicle, contact the Campus Police Department Staff Assistant at 978-630-9142. Upon verbal confirmation, the college employee who will be driving the vehicle must complete a State Vehicle Request Form and return it to the Campus Police Department. No smoking is allowed in college vehicles.

On the day of the trip, a list containing the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and emergency contact information of all trip attendees indicating who are passengers riding in a college vehicle or rented vehicle must be submitted to Campus Police and to the Student Life Office immediately before departure. This may be a hard copy or an electronic copy.

For additional transportation, organizations may consider vehicle rental at the expense of the RSO. Rental arrangements must be made through the Student Life Office, Room 151.

Students and advisors wishing to leave a vehicle during non-business hours or during inclement weather MUST park in Lot “D” and leave their keys with Campus Police. All unauthorized vehicles left on the Gardner campus after hours in violation of trespass laws, or during an emergency closing are subject to tow at the owner’s expense.

If an organization trip is scheduled and the college is closed due to inclement weather (including weekends) the trip MUST be cancelled. If the school would not normally be open such as on a holiday and the weather is questionable, the advisor should err on the side of caution and cancel the trip.

Overnight Trips – Guests are not allowed.
Day Trips – Each trip will be considered on an individual basis and the Director of Student Life will make the final decision to approve or deny guests.

Guidelines:

• Maximum of one guest per student
• Guests are not allowed to travel in college vehicles
• The advisor will have full responsibility of all guests and will be consulted in the decision making process
• Guests must abide by all college policies and the Student Code of Conduct
• Guests must be 14 years old or over (exceptions may be made in some instances)

The consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages/marijuana at on-campus or off-campus activities sponsored by an MWCC student organization is prohibited. All state laws and college policies regarding alcohol/marijuana consumption/possession must be adhered to. Student violators are subject to dismissal.

The management of the specific location should be consulted concerning any special arrangements that should be made. Private residences will not be approved as appropriate off-campus sites. At the discretion of the Senior Dean of Students or their designee, security may be required at off-campus facilities. If the establishment does not have its own security and security is required, local police should be hired. The number of tickets sold will conform to the legal capacity of the facility.

The organization advisor must be in attendance throughout the activity. The advisor should realize that they are in charge of the activities for this organization. While ultimate responsibility for decision-making rests with the advisor, they should make every effort to consult with appropriate college personnel and student leaders if a situation of major importance develops.

The sponsoring organization will provide a student committee to supervise the activity. Its purpose will be to ensure that people are assigned to cover various duties such as, collecting tickets at the door, making provisions for clean-up, and checking proper identification. At the close of the program, the committee and management of the facility should determine if there have been any damages.

All bills and receipts for expenses incurred are to be submitted to the Student Life Office along with a completed Expense Request Form immediately following the event. Any unexpended funds from a cash advance must be deposited back into the organization’s account at the Student Accounts Office soon after the event and a receipt returned to the Student Life Office. All proceeds are to be deposited with the Student Accounts Office immediately following the event. Failure to turn in receipts, unexpended funds, and proceeds could result in a hold being placed on the individual’s MWCC records.

Important Note: No individual organization member shall incur any debt whatsoever in the name of the Student Association without first securing the approval of the advisor and the Senior Dean of Students (or their designee) or the individual will be personally held responsible for the amount of the debt.

All students are encouraged to record service hours that are sponsored by MWCC on their GivePulse account (RSO, Brewer Center, MWCC Student Life, etc.) and will be approved by the appropriate advisor. Only hours verified by the organization advisor will be noted on a student’s co-curricular transcript.

• You are welcome to log personal service hours done outside of MWCC programming on GivePulse for your own records, however, they will not count towards your service hours for graduation and must NOT be shared with MWCC groups.
• Students should log hours through GivePulse every time they complete any hours (not in bulk at the end of the semester).
• Every semester there will be a deadline to log hours, and students will be unable to log hours past the deadline. Students will be notified of the deadline through the Student Life Office via email, as well as through GivePulse.
• Students should only log the actual hours they complete; DO NOT log hours in advance of completing them.

• Your service hours will be notated on your co-curricular transcript, which you can put on your resume for future employment, transferring to a four-year institution, or scholarships.
• You may qualify for the Service Recognition Program which provides students with service awards/pins to wear at graduation, and recognition at the Service Learning and Volunteerism Celebration.
• Your service hours aid the Brewer Center in securing future funding and grants.

• Direct community service activities (i.e.. tutoring, building homes, visiting elderly)
• Indirect service activities (i.e.. fundraisers, community organizing, Relay for Life)
• Days of service (i.e. Day of Caring, Alternative Spring Break Trips)
• Student organization meetings if you are in a leadership capacity.
• Volunteer time spent on organization activities that specifically are supporting a non-profit (i.e. shopping/baking for bake sale, collecting donations, selling raffle tickets, tabling a bake sale)
• Travel time to and from community service sites
• Time spent on administrative activities for leadership positions only (typing meeting minutes,
  completing Expense Request Forms, drafting emails to members, etc.)

• Travel time to and from a location where you would have normally travelled to anyway (MWCC)
• Time spent on organization trips or events for enjoyment (i.e. organization lunches, field trips, hikes, etc.)
• Time scheduled for volunteer service, but not actually completed (i.e. scheduled for 3 volunteer hours, but only needed for 2)
• Attendance at Student Organization meetings if you are NOT serving in a leadership capacity

Students should refer to the GivePulse information which can be found on the Brewer Center webpage for details on how to register and log service hours. If additional assistance is needed please contact the Brewer Center in Room 152, community@mwcc.mass.edu, 978-630-9435.

In order to be in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, the following measures are required for all student activities and programs. Any questions related to the ADA should be referred to the MWCC Coordinator of Disability Services.

All events need to be accessible to students with documented disabilities.

• When an American Sign Language interpreter or accessible transportation is needed, reasonable
  notification of at least two weeks before the event is necessary.
• All signs and posters must have a statement indicating that appropriate accommodations for disabilities will be made, upon request, for students with disabilities. The following statement should appear on all publicity materials:
  • If you have a documented disability and may require accommodations in order to participate fully in the program, please contact the Student Life Office to discuss your specific needs. In some cases, a two week notice may be necessary.
• When transportation is being provided from the college to an event for any MWCC students and there is a student with disabilities who requires accessible transportation, the organization or organization must coordinate the planning of these needs through the Student Life Office. The individual student with the disability will not bear the burden of the transportation cost when the college is providing transportation to an event. It is the responsibility of all students to provide their own transportation from their home to the college or the destination of departure for the trip. A request to make arrangements should be made as soon as possible to the Student Life Office, Room 151. A two-week minimum notice is required.

Student organizations often choose to show movies at various events; copyright law prevents them from livestreaming a movie from a streaming service or showing their personal copy without paying additional copyright fees. The cost to show a movie in any public place is significantly higher than student organizations often expect.

If your organization is considering showing a movie, even if it is unadvertised and for your group only, be sure to budget for the copyright fees; plan on spending $300-$800 depending upon the release date and popularity of the film. For more information, please contact the Student Life Office or for specific details go to: http://colleges.swankmp.com/faq

It is a violation of Mount Wachusett Community College and the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts for student groups to engage in hazing (see Section 17, 18 and 19 below). Each RSO member must agree to having received the Anti Hazing Policy upon creating of their InvolveMOUNT account.

An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Hazing was enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court in 1985. Chapter 269 of the General Laws was amended by adding the following three sections:

Section 17: Organizing or participating; hazing defined
Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing, as defined herein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The term "hazing" as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. Such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, consent shall not be available as a defense to any
prosecution under this action.

Section 18. Failure to Report Hazing
Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

Section 19. Copy of sections 17-19; Issuance to students and student groups, teams and organizations; report
Each institution of secondary education and each public and private institution of post-secondary education shall issue to every student group, student team or student organization which is part of such institution or is recognized by the institution or permitted by the institution to use its name or facilities or is known by the institution to exist as an unaffiliated student group, student team or student organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen; provided, however, that an institution's compliance with this section's requirement that an institution issue copies of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations
shall not constitute evidence of the institution's recognition or endorsement of said unaffiliated student groups, teams or organizations.

Each such group, team or organization shall distribute a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen to each of its members, plebes, pledges or applicants for membership. It shall be the duty of each such group, team or organization, acting through its designated officer, to deliver annually, to the institution an attested acknowledgment stating that such group, team or organization has received a copy of this section and said sections seventeen and eighteen, that each of its members, plebes, pledges, or applicants has received a copy of sections seventeen and eighteen, and that such group, team or organization understands and agrees to comply with the provisions of this
section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post-secondary education shall, at least annually, before or at the start of enrollment, deliver to each person who enrolls as a full-time student in such institution a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

Each institution of secondary education and each public or private institution of post-secondary education shall file, at least annually, a report with the board of higher education and in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education, certifying that such institution has complied with its responsibility to inform student groups, teams or organizations and to notify each full-time student enrolled by it of the provisions of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen and also certifying that said institution has adopted a disciplinary policy with regard to the organizers and participants of hazing, and that such policy has been set forth with appropriate emphasis in the student handbook or similar means of communicating the institution’s policies to its students. The board of higher education and, in the case of secondary institutions, the board of education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails to make such report.