Refund Policies
Students who are accepted into the program and confirm their participation with the nonrefundable deposit and withdraw prior to departure are responsible for paying unrecoverable expenses such as the cost of books or housing, if they exceed the deposit amount. Full tuition will be reimbursed.

A partial refund of tuition will be made if students withdraw from the program after arriving at the program site. Within the first three weeks of the program, 50 percent of tuition will be refunded; from four to eight weeks, 25 percent; after eight weeks, no tuition will be refunded. Room fees will not be refunded. Board reimbursements are pro-rated to the nearest week. Refunds are calculated from the date a written statement of withdrawal is received by the program director.

Behavioral Expectations and Policies
Because of the community nature of the Washington Journalism Center, students and staff are expected to follow biblical principles concerning Christian conduct, including a willingness to subordinate one's own prerogatives for the benefit of the community and an earnest endeavor to avoid all expressions of racial and sexual discrimination. 

All students are asked to sign and commit themselves to the following statement prior to their acceptance into the program. 

I HEREBY RECOGNIZE that I will be participating in a Christ-centered community in the nations capital city, requiring an exemplary lifestyle in living and learning, and respect for members of this community and the surrounding local culture.  While in the program, I will endeavor to conduct myself in accordance with a Christ-centered life; cultivating actions it commends such as love, compassion, truthfulness, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  I will likewise refrain from dishonesty, plagiarism, drunkenness, sexual immorality, promiscuity, theft, violence, disruptive behavior, racism, sexual harassment and illicit or non-medical use of drugs, narcotics & other substances.  I will also honor any additional standards required by my home institution.

FURTHERMORE, in respect for the values of others in this community, I will abstain from the use of alcohol and tobacco.

I UNDERSTAND that violation of any of these standards is grounds for disciplinary action, including immediate dismissal from the program.

Upon receipt of a complaint about, or notice of such a violation or conduct, the director will provide the student with notice of the complaint or alleged violation and give the student an opportunity to be heard.  The director will also attempt to communicate, consult and coordinate with the senior student life official at the student's home institution.  Then the director will make a decision with respect to the appropriate disciplinary response and will inform the student and the senior student life official at the home campus of the decision.  The director's decision will be final unless the student chooses to make a verbal appeal to the Council executive vice president in charge of student programs.  

Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment Policy
It is the policy of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (“CCCU”) Student Programs to prohibit sexual harassment and all other forms of unlawful harassment of its employees and students in any form. In maintaining this policy the CCCU seeks to assert basic Christian precepts, to affirm ethical standards predominantly accepted in the work place and academy, and uphold existing laws. Any practice or behavior that constitutes sexual harassment is absolutely prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Definition of sexual harassment:
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's success on a program, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for program decisions affecting an individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive          environment.

Examples of behavior that may constitute sexual harassment include (but are not limited to) the following:

• subtle pressure for sexual activity 
• unnecessary brushes, touches, poking another person’s body, or other inappropriate touching 
• offensive sexual graffiti 
• disparaging remarks about one's gender 
• physical aggression such as pinching, patting, assault, impeding, or blocking movement 
• sexual innuendos 
• verbal sexual abuse, including abuse disguised as humor 
• obscene gestures 
• sexist remarks about a person's clothing, body, or sexual activities
• leering, staring at another person’s anatomy 
• making or threatening reprisals after a negative response to sexual advances

Sexual harassment is primarily a desire for a locus of control over the victim, intended to intimidate, coerce, embarrass, or degrade another person. Usually the aggressor has implied power over the victim such as a supervisor of an employee, faculty to student, or student to student. However, the roles could be reversed such that a student could attempt sexual harassment of faculty or staff. The result of this harassment is exploitation of power. In any form, such behavior undermines the atmosphere of trust and collegiality which CCCU Student Programs seeks to foster and is unacceptable.  Students participating on culture-crossing programs should be informed that in some instances the local methods of communication differ from what they are accustomed to and may be uncomfortable for them. Some cultures touch as a manner of conversing or to get a point across; other cultures stare to make eye contact and be friendly. However, if after acknowledging cultural differences, students continue to feel uncomfortable they should discuss their situations with program staff. 

While harassers may think that their words/actions are meaningless, the victim may be emotionally distraught or even internalize the events into physical symptoms. Emotive responses may include anger, embarrassment, fear, feeling intimidated, powerless, and degradation. Physical responses may include physical illnesses, withdrawing from social situations, drug and alcohol use to ease/lessen emotions and tension, and also distrust of previously trusted individuals.

Other Unlawful Harassment
Harassment on other grounds is prohibited, including based on race, color, religious creed, sex, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, Vietnam-Era or disabled veteran status, military service, or any other basis protected by federal or state law (all as defined and protected by applicable law). Harassment includes jokes, verbal abuse and epithets, degrading comments, the display of offensive objects and pictures, and other conduct that the individual might reasonably find to be offensive.

Prompt Reporting and Investigation
An extended period of time between an alleged occurrence and an inquiry into the circumstances of that incident may make fact-finding extremely difficult or impossible. Therefore, any person who believes that he/she has been the object of sexual harassment should report the incident to the Program Director as soon as possible.  If the complaint involves the Director, students or staff should report to the CCCU Vice President for Student Programs.

Concerns and reports of harassment should be made without fear of reprisal or retaliation.  Any individual who engages in retaliatory actions will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination from employment or the program.

All allegations of harassment will be quickly and discreetly investigated.  If CCCU determines that the harassment complaint is credible and substantiated, it will take appropriate disciplinary action against the harasser(s), up to and including termination from employment or the program.

Confidentiality
CCCU will strive to protect, to the greatest extent possible, the confidentiality of persons reporting or accused of harassment. All persons involved in the investigation are expected to protect the confidentiality of the process and not to disseminate information about the complaint or the investigation that would cause harm to others. Complainants and respondents, especially, have an obligation to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the other person and must not disseminate information about the complaint or the investigation with the intent of harming the other person.

Policy for On-Line Communication
The proliferation of online communication tools such as myspace.com, facebook.com, and blogs continues to transform the ways in which we communicate and develop community. The CCCU acknowledges these media as appropriate ways to share information when used correctly. However, while there are many positives, there are also some concerns and cautions students should note.. Our desire is to provide guidance for students to uphold CCCU/Student Programs community standards while engaging in these forms of communication. 

Please understand that information you post may be subject to legal action, affect current or future employment, or be subject to identity theft. It can also open up opportunities for stalking and other inappropriate behaviors.

All content posted must adhere to the lifestyle agreement and standards set forth in the Student Programs Policy manual and your home institution’s Student Handbook. Since students have editing control over pages, our expectation is that you will review and remove questionable content.

The CCCU considers all students responsible for comments posted on their own blogs, site, wall, etc., as well as what you may post on pages of other BestSemester students. If there is inappropriate material posted on your sites by other people, the CCCU expects you to remove these items.

It is not the intent of the CCCU or programs staff to monitor what students place on these sites, and CCCU/Student Programs assumes no responsibility for any content students publish on such sites or for any consequences related thereto. However, we will respond to issues that are brought to our attention that may indicate violation of the CCCU/Student Programs lifestyle agreement and standards. If inappropriate information, content, or pictures are found on your myspace.com, facebook.com, blogs, or other such sites, you may be held accountable with appropriate consequences. As with all policies, the CCCU encourages students to hold one another accountable.