Contents:
Handbook
Homepage,
Equal Opportunity, Statement on Sexual Orientation
Students
at
Vanderbilt University:
A Statement of Principles
Services for Students
University Policies and Regulations
Chapter
4:
Services for Students
Academic
Advisers
/ Athletics / Black Cultural
Center / Bookstore
/ Campus Recreation
/ Career Center / University
Chaplain and Affiliated Ministries / Child Care Center
/ Copy
Services / Counseling
/ Dining / Disabilities,
Students with / Emergencies / English
for Internationals / Escort Service / Financial
Aid / Health Insurance / Housing
/ Information Technolgy Services
/ International Student and Scholar
Services / Learning Center / Learning
Resource Center / Library
/ Lost and Found / Mail
Services / Opportunity Development Center / Parents
and Family Office / Traffic & PARKING /
Placement Services / Police
Department, University / Psychological
and Counsenlig Center / Recreational
Activities / Religious Services and Activities
/ Sarratt Student Center
/ Security / Student
Activities / Student Financial Aid / Student
Health Center and Other Medical Services / Testing
Service (GRE / GMAT / LSAT / MAT / MCAT) / Volunteer
Activities / Womenís
Center
Advisers are informed members
of the faculty who are available to counsel students about academic affairs.
An advisee may "drop in" or make an appointment during normal
office hours. The deans of schools also provide academic consultation
and counseling through services provided by their offices or by other
offices to which they may refer a student.
Vanderbilt University competes
at the highest level of the NCAA (Division IA) within the Southeastern
Conference. Vanderbilt offers opportunities for students to compete in
intercollegiate baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball,
women’s cross country, men’s cross country, football, women’s
golf, men’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, women’s
tennis, women’s indoor track and field, women’s outdoor track
and field, women’s soccer, and men’s soccer.
During the 2000/2001 academic year, 382 students participated in intercollegiate
athletics. Athletic financial support is contingent upon ability and ranges
from no athletically related aid to partial or full grant-in-aid. As reported
in the 2000 NCAA Graduation Rates Report, 79% of Vanderbilt’s
student-athletes graduate. The University graduation rate for all students
is also 82%. Further information regarding the Department of Athletics
can be found at the Athletic department
Web site. (See also Campus
Recreation.)
Bishop Joseph Johnson
Black Cultural Center
The Bishop Joseph Johnson Black Cultural Center provides African and African
American cultural programming for the University community and promotes
the retention of African-descended students. Dedicated in 1984, the Center
is named after the first African American student admitted to Vanderbilt
(in 1953).
The Center represents the University’s efforts in promoting diversity
and fostering understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritages
and values in our world. In this respect, the Center also serves as a
clearinghouse for information relative to African and African American
culture and life. Symposia, lectures, music, academic materials, and publications
on the universal black experience provide a broad spectrum of activities
for the University and the general public.
The Center is a system of support to African-descended students, but is
open to all students for a variety of cultural and educational experiences
throughout the year.
UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN AND AFFILIATED MINISTRIES
The University Chaplain
and other ministers and professional staff affiliated with the University
provide for worship, counseling, study, social action, and fellowship
for individual constituencies and join in cooperative programs that minister
to the University. See also “Religious
Practices” in Chapter 5: University Policies and Regulations,
and “Soliciting for Religious
Activities” in the “Publicity, Promotion and Advertising”
section of Chapter 3: Community Life. For additional information,
visit the University
Chaplain and Affiliated Ministries Web site.
The Vanderbilt Child Care
Center operates as a service to University staff, faculty, and students.
Tuition is determined by the age of the child. The Center offers both
full- and part-time care. Scholarships are also available. Further information
is available from the Vanderbilt Child Care Center, Box 83 Peabody Station,
Nashville, TN 37203.
DINING
Vanderbilt Dining offers a
variety of retail options conveniently located across the campus. Six
convenience stores, a mini food court in Carmichael Towers, and the main
dining facility at Rand Hall are all operated by Vanderbilt Dining. Rand
Hall is also the location for the Mainstreet Diner dinner plan.
All first-year students are required to participate in the Mainstreet
Diner dinner plan. First-year students living in campus housing will be
charged automatically for the Mainstreet Diner dinner plan. All other
students may purchase the dinner plan by checking the selection on their
housing applications or by purchasing the plan at the Vanderbilt Card
Office in Sarratt Student Center. Non-first-year students who purchase
the dinner plan in the fall semester will automatically be charged for
the spring semester unless they notify the Vanderbilt Card office that
they want to discontinue participation in the plan.
The dinner plan provides Monday-Friday dinner, Saturday brunch and an
all-day buffet on Sunday . All other meals and snacks can be purchased
on campus using the Vanderbilt Card, cash, or check.
For more information, visit the Vanderbilt
Dining Web site.
The Identification Card
The Vanderbilt Card serves as the student ID card. Students can use it
to access debit spending accounts, enter the Dinner Plan, and gain admission
to campus buildings such as residence halls, academic buildings, and the
Student Recreation Center.
Entering students will be issued Vanderbilt Cards at the Vanderbilt University
Card Office. Returning students who have lost their Vanderbilt Cards may
obtain replacements during regular office hours upon payment of a $15
fee.
• Cardholders must report a lost card as soon as possible either
to the Vanderbilt University Card Office during business hours or at any
attended retail location that accepts the Vanderbilt Card as a method
of payment, so that debit spending account and access privileges can be
frozen. Lost cards may also be reported to the Department of Police and
Security at 322-2745.
• The Vanderbilt Card is nontransferable and restricted to use by
the person whose picture and signature are on the card. Cardholders may
not lend their cards to anyone or ask anyone to purchase items for them
with their cards. Violation of this policy may result in confiscation
of the card and in disciplinary action. Vanderbilt Card account information
will be released only to the cardholder or to a third party designated
by the cardholder.
See also "Identification
Card" in Chapter 5: University Policies and Regulations.
Billing and Refunds
All billing on the student’s account is handled through the Accounting
Office. Prorated refunds may be made in some cases of prolonged illness
or withdrawal from the University, upon the recommendation of the student’s
dean.
For additional information, visit the Vanderbilt
Card Office Web site.
The Learning Center offers
academic support services to all undergraduates free of charge. Academic
counselors are available by appointment for advice on general study skills,
guidance in organizing and writing papers, and help in specific disciplines
including foreign languages and mathematics.
Two United States Post Office
substations are located on the campus:
• Station B—ZIP code 37235—in Rand Hall, and
• Station 17—ZIP code 37232—in Medical Center North (serving
the Medical Center).
Post office boxes are also located at Hill Student Center, ZIP code 37203;
however, this location is a mail distribution center only and does not
offer the full services of a Post Office substation.
All resident undergraduate students living in University-owned facilities
are eligible for post office boxes at Station B or Hill Student Center,
free of charge.
Nonresident and postbaccalaureate students are charged a box rental fee.
The box rental fee is nonrefundable and will be charged to the student
account at the beginning of the school year.
Students typically retain their campus post office boxes for the duration
of their studies at Vanderbilt. However, students who leave the University
for any reason other than to participate in study abroad programs or for
medical reasons may not receive their mail through campus mail boxes and
should submit a change of address card to the appropriate Post Office
manager. Students may be assigned new mail boxes upon their return to
the University.
Students, registered campus organizations, and departments may use the
campus mail service without paying postage. Items to be distributed through
the campus mail or placed in campus post office boxes must have four straight
sides and be no smaller than a post card (3-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches) and no
larger than a 9 x 12 envelope. Each item must be properly addressed and
must include a return address.
Authorization for the limited distribution of unaddressed mail may be
granted for the activities of governmental and other organizations that
have a broad public purpose, provided the exception is not simply for
the purpose of advertising an event or party. Authorization may be obtained
for such things as public opinion polls and orientation activities. Groups
seeking such authorization should apply five days in advance to the supervisor
of the Station B Post Office.
Candidates for student offices will not be granted authorization to distribute
un-addressed mail.
Foodstuffs may not be delivered through campus mail unless adequately
packaged in an envelope or box.
Mailings of more than twenty-five pieces must be arranged by box number
in numerical order.
All campus mailings of 250 pieces or more should be in Station B one week
before the expected delivery to ensure timely receipt.
Greeting cards for all holidays must be in Station B well in advance of
the holiday to ensure timely delivery.
For Station B:
U.S. mail, UPS, and Federal Express and other courier deliveries should
be addressed as follows, replacing XXXX with your box number.
Jane Doe
Vanderbilt University
VU Station B #35XXXX [your box number]
2301 Vanderbilt Place
Nashville, TN 37235-XXXX [your box number]
For Hill Student Center:
U.S. mail, UPS, and Federal Express and other courier deliveries should
be addressed as follows:
James Doe
Vanderbilt University
Peabody Box [your box number]
230 Appleton Place
Nashville, TN 37203-5701
OPPORTUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER
The Opportunity Development
Center (ODC) serves as a resource in the following capacities:
• to assist in keeping the administration informed of the University’s
obligations under state and federal equal opportunity laws;
• to coordinate and monitor the University’s compliance with
regard to equal opportunity laws;
• to serve as a source of information for faculty, staff, and students
who may have questions or complaints pertaining to equal opportunity in
employment practices, University sponsored programs and activities, and
educational opportunities;
• and to coordinate services for persons with disabilities.
The following federal and state laws impose special obligations on the
University:
• The Equal Pay Act of 1963
• Titles VI and VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
• Executive Order 11246, as amended
• The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• The Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974
• The Age Discrimination Act of 1975
• Tennessee Fair Employment Practices Law
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Of these laws, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,
and the Americans with Disabilities Act protect students from discrimination
in educational and recreational programs and activities sponsored by the
University. Discrimination is prohibited by Title VI on the basis of race,
color, national or ethnic origin and by Title IX on the basis of sex,
which includes sexual harassment. Students with disabilities are protected
by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities
Act. The ODC is the office responsible for coordinating services for students
with disabilities. (See also the “Vanderbilt
Campus Disability Access” section in Chapter 5: University
Policies and Regulations.)
Students who feel they have been subjected to discriminatory treatment
may call the Opportunity Development Center staff for additional information
(including information on the student grievance procedure). For more information,
visit the ODC Web site.
Motor vehicles operated on
campus by Vanderbilt University faculty, staff, and students must be registered
annually with the Office of Traffic and Parking.
For information about parking regulations, visit the Office
of Traffic and Parking Web site.
For information about bicycles on campus, see the "Bicycles
on Campus" section of Chapter 8: University Policies and Regulations.
Golf Carts. Golf carts are prohibited on campus, except
when used by those departments (Alumni Events, e.g.) that must use such
carts in the undertaking of their responsibilities during special events.
Rare exceptions may be made by the Dean of Housing and Residential Education
in consultation with the Director of the Student Health Center and the
Opportunity Development Center for students whose mobility impairment
cannot be accommodated by any other device. Golf carts approved for use
on campus must be registered annually with the Office of Traffic and Parking.
Golf carts may not be operated on Metro streets and must yield to pedestrians
on sidewalks.
Public Transportation. City buses, operated by the Metropolitan Transit
Authority (MTA), serve the major arteries to the west and south of the
campus (West End Avenue and Twenty-first Avenue South). All inbound bus
routes converge in downtown Nashville, where connections may be made to
outlying areas, shopping centers, and the Metropolitan Airport. For MTA
route, fare, and schedule information, telephone 242-4433 or check the
MTA schedule board on the ground floor of Rand Hall.
Emergency Number: 421-1911
The Vanderbilt Police Department emergency hotline, 1-1911, can be dialed
from any campus phone. Call the hotline if you need an ambulance, see
a fire or explosion, witness a crime in progress, or have any other need
for immediate police assistance.
Emergency Phones
More than 100 emergency telephones are located throughout the University
campus and Medical Center parking areas. Most emergency phones look like
pay phones without dial faces and are clearly labeled “Emergency."
Some of the phones are enclosed in red metal boxes with a light on top,
and some of the phones will activate a blue strobe light when the receiver
is picked up. When someone picks up the receiver or presses the emergency
button on any of these phones in an emergency situation, the phone automatically
dials the Police Department dispatcher. Touch-tone speakerphones equipped
with a red “Emergency" button are located at the main entrances
to all residence halls. Pushing one of these Emergency buttons will connect
the caller directly with the Police Department communications center.
An open line on any Emergency phone will activate a priority response
from an officer. An officer will be sent to check on the user of the phone,
even if nothing is communicated to the dispatcher. Cooperation is essential
to help us maintain the integrity of the emergency phone system. These
phones should be used only for actual or perceived emergency situations.
Phone locations are based on recommendations from the University community.
Suggestions are welcome.
The Parking Map (available from the Office of Traffic and Parking)
and the map in the Vanderbilt Directory both show the locations
of emergency phones.
Escort
Service
Escort Dispatcher: 421-8888
The escort service, available during hours of darkness, can be reached
by calling the escort dispatcher at 421-8888. Male and female students,
employees, and visitors crossing campus singly or in pairs are encouraged
to use the walking escort service offered by the University Police Department.
Walking escorts are provided from point to point on campus during the
hours of darkness; however, if you travel in a group of three or more,
your safety factor increases significantly, thus eliminating the need
for a security escort. Because the demand for escorts escalates late at
night, a waiting period should be expected at that time.
Occasionally, vehicular escorts are provided for exceptional cases, such
as transporting persons with disabilities or helping individuals reach
medical facilities. Vehicular transportation is not intended as a taxi
service; it is a service for those in need. Inclement weather is not a
sufficient reason for vehicular escort.
In addition to the above, during the academic year, VUPD also oversees
the operation of SafeTrips.
The SafeTrips program is the result of a collaborative effort on the part
of VUPD, The Division of Student Life, SGA, and Interhall. The SafeTrips
program offers a van service that operates from dusk through 2:00 a.m.
and makes stops at designated locations. This service is augmented by
student workers who provide walking escorts during the same time period.
Call SafeTrips at 421-8888.
Lost and Found
Recovered property may be turned in at any time to the Police Department
. Inquiries about lost items may be made by calling the Police Department
Lost and Found property clerk at 343-5371, Monday through Friday, from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the Universty
Police Department Web site.
The Office of Student Financial
Aid counsels students and parents concerning need-based financial assistance
(institutional, state, and federal) available to Vanderbilt students.
Upon completion by students of all required financial aid application
materials, this office provides information regarding a student’s
eligibility and finalizes assistance for the student.
Grants, scholarships, student loans, parent loans, and student employment
are available for eligible students and/or parents. For more information,
visit the Office of Student
Financial Aid Web site
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER AND OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES
The services provided at the
Student Health Center are designed to meet the routine primary health
care needs of all degree-seeking students. Except in emergencies, students
should call for appointments to minimize waiting time and avoid missing
classes.
Medication and supplies ordered by Student Health physicians and practitioners
can usually be provided on the premises to students at or near cost. The
Health Center encourages use of the Vanderbilt Card, cash, or check for
purchase of medication and supplies. Some routine laboratory tests are
provided without charge, but a charge is made for diagnostic tests or
treatment provided elsewhere, including any location in the Vanderbilt
Medical Center or Vanderbilt Clinics. If a student is referred to a specialist,
charges incurred are the responsibility of the student.
Charges are also made for any visits to the VUMC Emergency Department,
including those made during hours when the Student Health Center is closed.
Emergency Room charges may not be covered by insurance unless an accident
or emergency illness is involved.
Care provided at the Student Health Center is confidential to the extent
permitted by law.
Unless Vanderbilt University Medical Center personnel are asked by the
treated student not to do so, residential staff in the Office of Housing
and Residential Education may be notified when a Vanderbilt University
student is admitted or treated in the Vanderbilt University Hospital or
Emergency Room. This practice allows the Office to provide support and
assistance to students and their families.
Students who voluntarily or involuntarily withdraw from the University
for medical or mental/emotional health reasons must be cleared by the
Director of the Student Health Center before being permitted to re-enroll.
All degree-seeking students
registered for 4 or more hours at Vanderbilt are required to have accident/illness
insurance coverage acceptable to the University. The University has endorsed
a student health insurance plan offered by the Koster Insurance Agency.
Information about the plan is available at the Student Health Center or
by calling the insurance assistant at 343-4688. A student registered for
four or more credit hours is automatically enrolled in this insurance
plan and will be billed unless he or she signs a waiver card.
The annual premium is in addition to tuition. Coverage extends from a
set date in August through the same August date of the following year
whether the student remains in school or is away from the University.
However, there is no pro rata refund included in this coverage.
This plan provides hospital, surgical, and major medical benefits. A brochure
explaining the limits, exclusions, and benefits of the plan is available
at registration, in the Office of Student Accounts, or at the Student
Health Center.
Students are responsible for submitting the appropriate claim form to
the insurance carrier for each accident or illness. These forms are available
at the Student Health Center.
Waiver of Insurance Plan
A student who does not wish to subscribe to the insurance plan offered
through the University must notify the University of accident/illness
coverage acceptable to the University under another policy. Waiver of
the student insurance plan does not affect eligibility for services at
the Student Health Center.
Undergraduate Students. New students must complete and return waiver
cards. Returning students who wish to change their current insurance information
must also complete waiver cards. The insurance charge will not be waived
if the cancellation is not received by the Office of Student Accounts
by August 21 for the fall semester, and January 2 for the spring semester.
The waiver card will remain in effect each academic year unless the Office
of Student Accounts is notified of any changes at registration.
Graduate/Professional Students. New and returning students must
complete waiver cards each academic year. The insurance charge will not
be waived if the cancellation is not received by the Office of Student
Accounts before August 21 for the fall semester, and January 2 for the
spring semester.
Family Coverage
An additional premium is charged for family insurance coverage. An eligible
student who wishes to provide coverage for his or her spouse, University-certified
domestic partner, and/or children may secure an application form from
the Student Health Center at the time of registration. Forms should be
sent to Koster Insurance Agency 1515 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169.
International Student Coverage
International students and their dependents residing in the United States
are required to purchase the international student health insurance plan
approved by the University and offered through the Koster Insurance Agency.
Exceptions are made if the University deems coverage adequate from another
source. Information and applications are provided through the International
Student and Scholar Services.
For more information, visit the Student
Health Center Web site.
Copyright © 2001 Vanderbilt University. Last modified 24 August 2001. For more information, please email f.clark.williams@vanderbilt.edu.
