Health and Safety Policies

Undergraduates are not permitted to have animals on the Trinity College campus or in any of its buildings except when a specific disability so requires (a service or therapy animal). That prohibition is designed to protect the health, safety, and convenience of all members of the community. Failure to observe that prohibition will result in the levying of disciplinary penalties and possible removal from campus housing.

All entering students are required to submit the completed medical examination form including proof of completed immunization documentation to receive housing and to register for classes.

The State of Connecticut requires by law, all Trinity College students to have completed and show proof of immunization/vaccination, prior to the start of their first semester at Trinity College. The following vaccinations are required:

• Meningococcal (1 dose after age 16, within 5 years of residing on-campus)
• Measles (2 doses)
• Mumps (2 doses)
• Rubella (2 doses)
• Varicella (2 doses) OR Documentation to show protection against varicella (chicken pox) by providing one of the following:
  • evidence of the receipt of two varicella vaccines
  • laboratory evidence of immunity (serology)
  • provider attestation of the date of disease

Additionally, Trinity College requires COVID vaccination, including a World Health Organization approved primary shot or series and booster dose.

The medical director and the clinical lead of the Health Center reserves the right to assess incoming documentation and qualify immunizations/vaccinations as acceptable or request additional immunizations/vaccinations and documentation.

Each traditional undergraduate student must prove they have adequate current health insurance coverage underwritten by a U.S. company before they can register for classes. If coverage from home does not meet the standard or there is no existing coverage, students may purchase the policy Trinity makes available.

In order to assure that all students have coverage, the cost of the policy that Trinity makes available is added to each student’s tuition bill. When information regarding proof of coverage is supplied via an online waiver process each summer, the cost of the policy is removed from the tuition bill.

Student employees who incur an injury in the course of their employment at the College are covered under the College’s worker’s compensation policy. This policy covers all medical expenses for treatment of the injury provided that care is provided by participants in the Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network. This program is  administered by The Hartford, Trinity’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Students who are injured must notify their supervisor as soon as possible and complete a first report of accident or injury and forward it to the Human Resources Department.

The Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network is composed of selected doctors and hospitals (including Hartford and Saint Francis hospitals), as well as other medical providers (such as Hartford Medical Group), that are qualified to treat workplace injuries. If you are injured while working at Trinity, you must tell the provider of service that you are eligible for benefits through the Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network. The providers of service are aware of their participation in the program and any pre-certification procedures they are to follow.

Please note, if you are injured at work you must:

1. Notify your supervisor immediately (or as soon as possible following the incident). In addition, a First Report of Injury report must be filed out and forwarded to Human Resources, also as soon as possible.
2. Use a medical provider who is a member of the Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network. Campus Safety, Human Resources, and the Health Center have a list of participants and telephone numbers. You can also find a participating provider by looking at the Hartford Insurance Group Website at http://www.thehartford.com/worker-compensation, and clicking on the medical network provider lookup link in the right hand column.
3. If you believe you are in a life-threatening situation, proceed to the nearest hospital or emergency room regardless of whether or not the facility is an approved Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network provider. Payment of claims will not be forfeited in such instances.

Student employees must follow these steps to ensure receipt of their workers’ compensation benefits. Anyone who obtains medical care from a provider who is not a participant in the Hartford Medical Insurance Managed Care Network (except as explained above) may not receive payment of medical benefits.

A list of emergency numbers, directories of participating providers, and “Action Steps for Work-Related Injuries” are posted in Human Resources, the Health Center, Facilities, and Campus Safety. If you have specific questions, you should contact the Human Resources Department at (860) 297-2272.

Remember, prevention is the first and best defense against crime.

• At all times be alert and aware of your surroundings, including unusual occurrences and persons behaving suspiciously. Trust your instincts whenever you feel uncomfortable or fearful. If you sense danger, get out of the situation immediately.
• Avoid dark, vacant areas. There are Campus Safety emergency call boxes and emergency phones situated throughout campus; if you think you are being followed, head quickly for a call box to alert the Campus Safety Department of your concern. If a call box is not in the immediate area, head quickly toward a lighted area or a group of people. Try to notice and remember as much as possible about the person behaving suspiciously and advise the Campus Safety Department as soon as possible.
• Do not walk or jog alone; walking or jogging with a friend will significantly reduce your chances of being the victim of a crime.
• Never allow an unfamiliar person to accompany you into a locked building to which you have access.
• Never prop open exterior doors.
• Keep your door closed and locked at all times while you are in your room, and even if you are leaving the room for only a few minutes. Keep windows locked when your room is not occupied. Do not let strangers into your room.
• Solicitors are not allowed in College buildings, including residences. For your own protection, do not permit someone who purports to be selling something into your room, and report such persons to Campus Safety immediately.
• Draw your shades after dark, and never dress or undress in front of windows.
• If you expect to remain in campus housing over a holiday period or when most other students are away, you must obtain permission from The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community.
• You should be particularly alert in garages and parking lots. At night, park your car in a well-lit area. Keep it locked, and check the interior before you get in. Always have your keys in your hand.
• Be responsible when using alcohol. Any mind-altering substance will impair your ability to judge the safety of a given situation.

Theft of property, both from buildings and motor vehicles, is the most common crime reported at Trinity. The following precautions will reduce your chances of property loss.

• Keep your door locked at all times, even if you are inside with friends.
• Do not give your ID card to anyone. Doing so may compromise your confidentiality and safety, as well as that of other residents in the building.
• Identify persons before opening the door. Do not allow persons in without first ascertaining their identity and purpose.
• Never prop open exterior doors or otherwise tamper with the lock system. If you find a door that is propped open, close it. Broken locks should be reported immediately to Facilities or Campus Safety. People who are caught propping open exterior doors or bathroom doors in residential buildings will be subject to disciplinary action.
• During classes, keep your backpack or handbag with you. Do not leave belongings in unattended areas even for a moment.
• Always lock your bicycle, even if you are only going to be gone for a moment. Lock it securely, through both wheels and the frame, to an immovable object using a U-Lock.
• Record the make, model, and serial numbers of all bicycles, computers, electronic equipment, and other valuable items.
• In the event that you should become the victim of a crime, report it to Campus Safety immediately. Report and suspicious activity or person to Campus Safety immediately.

Virtually all campus buildings are equipped with fire-detection systems. These systems are activated by smoke detectors, heat detectors, and manual pull-shunts. An audible horn sounds when any of the activating devices is engaged. The larger campus buildings have fire-detection systems that automatically alert both the Campus Safety Department and the Hartford Fire Department when the systems are activated. All occupants should evacuate the building immediately when an alarm sounds. Failure to do so is a violation of College regulations that will be reported to the Dean of Students.

Fire drills will be held at various times. All occupants of the residential communities must cooperate with evacuation efforts when the alarm sounds. Failure to do so will result in corrective action being initiated by the Office of Campus Life or the Office of Student and Community Life.

The following precautions and regulations must be observed, both to avoid accidentally causing a fire and to be aware of the proper response in the event of a suspected or actual fire:

• Know the location of the fire alarm activating device nearest you, as well as the closest exit.
• Do not tamper with fire alarms.
• Do not smoke in your room.
• Keep flammable materials away from all heat sources. Do not use makeshift lampshades or put any material on top of a lampshade.
• Do not overload electrical circuits.
• Electrical appliances should never be left unattended. They should be unplugged when you leave your room or retire for the night. Pull the plug from the socket by the plug itself, not the cord.
• Never attempt to extinguish an electrical fire using water.
• No open flames are allowed in residential spaces.
• Do not clutter corridors and stairways. The law prohibits placing items such as bicycles, chairs, desks, or beds in any exit way such as hallways and stairwells.
• Do not store flammable liquids, gases, or chemicals in any location other than an approved laboratory.

If you discover or suspect a fire:

1. Do not try to extinguish the fire yourself. Sound the alarm in the building, and then leave the building immediately.
2. Call the Hartford Fire Department (9-911), then the Campus Safety Department (x2222). Give the location of the fire, your name, and your location.
3. If you live near a person whose mobility, sight, or hearing is impaired, give that person whatever assistance is needed to leave the building. If there is immediate danger and you are unable to assist people who are impaired, alert the responding firefighters and Campus Safety officers of the person’s location and circumstances as soon as they arrive.

As stated in the residential contract, any student caught pulling a shunt for any reason other than a legitimate concern for safety will be subject to discipline by The Bantam Network Residential Learning Community. The student may be held responsible for the cost of the Hartford Fire Department’s response. If no responsible party is identified, these charges will be divided among residents of that building. In addition, the responding fire chief has the authority to impose criminal sanctions for the malicious activation of a fire alarm.

• Vehicles parked on and near campus are sometimes susceptible to acts of vandalism and theft.
• Always lock car doors and remove the keys from the ignition. Ensure that all windows are secured when leaving the vehicle.
• Do not leave articles inside your vehicle in plain view. Lock them in the trunk or take them with you. Personal electronic devices should never be left visible in a vehicle.
• Park your car in a well-lighted area.
• Periodically check on your vehicle and move it to another location if it has been stationary for more than a few days.
• In case of vandalism or theft, report the incident to Campus Safety (x2222) and the Hartford Police Department (860-757-4000).

Students are encouraged to use the shuttle service provided by Campus Safety for traveling from one point to another on campus and within certain off-campus boundaries during evening hours.

The following are guidelines for using the shuttle service:

• The Campus Safety on-campus shuttle bus operates from 6:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. Sunday thru Wednesday, and from 8:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m., Thursday thru Saturday. This bus is wheelchair accessible. Shuttle bus stops are posted throughout campus.
• The Campus Safety off-campus shuttle vehicle operates seven days per week, between the hours of 5:00pm and 11:30pm, and is limited to a 10-block radius of the campus.
• After scheduled service ends, walking escorts remain available through Campus Safety.
• When calling for an escort after scheduled service ends, identify yourself and the location where you wish to be met for a walking escort to your destination. Meet the responding officer at the designated time and location.
• Campus Safety may also provide nonemergency transportation to and from Hartford Hospital and other medical offices in the immediate vicinity of the campus. This service is for medical conditions that are not life threatening and do not require special handling. All emergency transportation must be provided by ambulance.
• Smoking and the possession of open containers of alcohol are not permitted in any Campus Safety vehicle, or the shuttle buss.
• For shuttle service call 860-297-3366

Trinity College alerts the campus community about any Clery Act-reportable crime that is reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies, occurs within the campus area (the federally defined “Clery geography”), and is considered to represent a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community.

The Director of Campus Safety, in consultation with the Dean of Campus Life/Vice President of Student Affairs, the Communications Office, and/or the Office of Student and Community Life will determine on a case-by-case basis whether the incident represents a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community. If the incident constitutes this threat, the Campus Safety Department will post a campus-wide alert via e-mail.

The substance of the Timely Warning is carefully determined. When issuing a Timely Warning, the names of the victims are withheld to maintain confidentiality. If information is known, and if the inclusion of such information would not compromise law enforcement efforts, Timely Warnings include a description of the crime, its location, and injuries, if any, to victim(s). Timely Warnings are published to inform the College community of pertinent facts of an incident and to provide reminders of services available, such as campus shuttle services, walking escorts, emergency call boxes, and other recommendations to prevent similar crimes.

The Trinity College emergency plan guides College officials in responding to emergency situations. The College Incident Commander will decide, in consultation with College administrators, the level of emergency and the appropriate response measures. Upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or staff occurring on campus, authorized College officials will notify the campus community, without delay via TrinALERT, the emergency notification system, unless the notification will compromise efforts to contain the emergency.

TrinALERT notifications can be simultaneously broadcast in multiple formats including:
• Voice messages to cell, office, and home phones
• Text messages to mobile devices capable of receiving text messages
• E-mails to all Trinity addresses and an alternate provided by individuals
• Announcements on Web sites trincoll.edu and Trinity Today

Plan activation begins at the discretion of the College Incident Commander upon receipt of information of an emergency event or threat of an emergency. Based on confirmation from Campus Safety and information obtained from local first responders and/or the national weather service, the College Incident Commander will declare the level of emergency and activate the emergency management plan to the extent necessary to control the situation.

All students and staff members are responsible for providing and maintaining their up-to-date personal contact information via the ‘urgent communication’ fields within TC Online (PeopleSoft) so that they can be included in emergency broadcasts via TrinALERT. Full-scale tests of TrinALERT are conducted and publicized annually. The full-scale test will allow us to identify and resolve any potential issues as well as familiarize the community with the system.

Trinity College maintains several parking areas available to students, faculty, and staff. Despite this, parking spots remain at a premium. Therefore, the following regulations have been put into effect to manage the appropriate and authorized use of these parking areas. This is accomplished through ticket enforcement, and in occasional instances, towing of unauthorized vehicles. It is therefore important for all students, faculty, and staff to read and understand the parking regulations detailed below. These regulations are subject to change upon notification of the campus community.

First-year students are not permitted to bring cars to campus.

All other students residing on campus, including summer students, must register their vehicles(including motorcycles and scooters) and obtain a parking permit through Campus Safety each academic year. The fee for sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduate students is $220 for the academic year, and will be billed to the student’s account. Graduate, special, and nonresident students must also register their vehicle. Their registration fee is $110.

Students who anticipate studying abroad for one semester may have their fees prorated (reduced by $110 per academic year) if notification and adequate proof is provided to Campus Safety.

Any student (including those living in College apartments or non-campus housing) using any College parking facilities must also have a parking permit. Faculty and staff must also obtain a parking permit from Campus Safety.

Registration of vehicles is essential so that the Campus Safety Department can assist in cases of theft, fire, vandalism, and motor vehicle accidents, and in the control of traffic on campus. All registration fees are applied to the construction, posting, security, maintenance, and improvement of campus parking areas and roads.

The failure to register a vehicle when required to do so may result in a parking ticket carrying a $220 fee for each cited violation.

Students, faculty, and staff can obtain a parking permit at the Campus Safety office located at 76 Vernon Street. Applicants must present documentation detailing the year, make, model, and plate number of the vehicle along with their College ID. Upon registration, an agreement must also be signed acknowledging general parking regulations applicable to students, faculty, or staff. Permits must be displayed on the lower right of the front windshield. Motorcycles and scooters should display the permit sticker on the rear fender.

Temporary permits for visitors are also available at the Campus Safety office.

Students enrolled in other institutions in the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, at Wesleyan University, or Central Connecticut State University, whose vehicles are duly registered at those institutions, may park in designated student parking areas at Trinity College and are bound by the regulations applying to Trinity students.

Trinity students taking courses at colleges in the consortium and whose vehicles bear valid Trinity stickers may park in student areas at those institutions provided they abide by the regulations of each institution. Responsibility for knowing the regulations at other consortium institutions rests with the student.

Applicable to all students, faculty, administration, staff, and visitors.

• All vehicles used on campus by students, visitors, faculty, administrators, staff, and employees of College-affiliated organizations must be registered Campus Safety of Trinity College and must display a College decal.
• Trinity College assumes no responsibility for vehicles parked or operated on College property; the risk remains fully with the operator and/or the owner of the motor vehicle.
• On occasion, blocks of parking will be reserved for special events, during which No Parking rules are in effect.
• Vehicles found abandoned, improperly parked, or not registered with Campus Safety may be towed at the owner’s expense.
• The individual in whose name a vehicle is registered is responsible for the on-campus parking of that vehicle even though it may be operated by another person.
• All personnel and students must obey the traffic control signs displayed on campus for the safety of pedestrians and to facilitate the movement of traffic.
• All personnel and students must secure temporary parking permits for overnight or long-term visitors.
• Students are responsible for ensuring that their registered guests abide by all College parking and vehicle regulations.

Applicable to all students, faculty, administration, staff, and visitors.

• Parking is prohibited on campus roads or driveways.
• Parking or driving on sidewalks, lawns, and cultivated areas is prohibited.
• Parking is forbidden at all times in delivery areas, loading platforms, service roads, and in front of any doorway or fire exit.
• Parking in such a manner that you are blocking other vehicles is prohibited.
• Motor vehicles must never be brought into any dormitory or any other College building.
• Unauthorized parking in designated handicapped zones or fire zones or blocking parked vehicles is prohibited—vehicles parked in such fashion are subject to tow without warning at the owner’s expense.
• Parking in areas not designated or marked as parking lanes is prohibited.
• Parking in violation of posted restrictions is prohibited.
• Parking in the Gates Quad Circle at Mather Hall is prohibited.

The following regulations are in effect year-round, whether the College is in session or not:

• All students who bring a car to campus must have a parking decal.
• Students with a valid parking decal may park in the following parking areas in accordance with posted restrictions:
  • 76 Vernon Street (west side)
  • 168 New Britain Avenue
  • Broad and Allen Place Lot (1283 Broad Street)
  • Broad and Vernon Street Lot
  • Clemens
  • Crescent Street Lot
  • North Crescent Street Lot
  • Ferris (Broad Street side)
  • High Rise Lot (north side of building)
  • North Campus Lot (east of building)
  • Ogilby
  • Stowe
  • Koeppel Community Sports Center (175 New Britain Avenue)
  • Trinfo Café (1300 Broad Street)
  • Vernon Place

Student parking is not permitted in the following areas:

• The roadway in front of the Life Sciences Building.
• Ferris roadway
• Gates Quad Circle
• Seabury Lot
• 133 Vernon Street Lot (President’s house)
• Admissions parking lots
• Vernon Street (south side)

Student parking is subject to the following time restrictions:

Students may not park in the following areas between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily (except Saturday and Sunday):

• Austin Arts Center
• Chemistry
• Library
• Life Science
• Hallden and McCook
• Hansen Hall
• Jarvis
• Summit Lots A-E
• Trinity Commons
• 114 Crescent Street
• 86-88 Vernon Street
• 104-106 Vernon Street
• 1300 Broad Street (Trinfo Café)

• ALL VEHICLES FOUND ILLEGALLY PARKED ON CAMPUS WILL BE TOWED.
• Signs are posted with information related to parking restrictions at each lot.
• Students who wish to park on the city streets do so at their own risk and are subject to the parking laws and ordinances of the City of Hartford. Campus Safety suggests that students use the campus parking facilities whenever possible.
• Student vehicles parked in an area set aside for faculty, staff, or visitors will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.
• Vehicles parked in designated handicapped zones and fire zones, or blocking parked vehicles, are subject to tow without warning and at the owner’s expense.
• Vehicles accumulating more than five parking tickets per academic year will lose on-campus parking privileges.
• Parking regulations are enforced continuously, 12 months a year.
• Violations will be billed to the registered owner of the car.
• Unregistered vehicles are subject to towing at owner’s expense.

The Campus Safety staff has the authority to impose fines for various parking violations and regulations. Below is a list of offenses and fines. Penalties apply to all students and employees of the College.

• No parking/restricted area, $25
• No parking on road/access area, $25
• Blocking parked vehicles (towing violation), $50
• Driving M/V in pedestrian area, $50
• Violation of fire laws, $100
• Parking in handicapped zone, $100
• Reckless driving, $100
• Failure to register/change registration, $220
• Parking on lawn/cultivated area, $100

Students with outstanding fines at the end of any semester will not be permitted to register for courses for the following semester until fines are paid. Seniors must pay their fines prior to graduation. A student may not receive a degree or an honorable dismissal and may be denied grade reports and transcript service until the student’s fines are paid. All fine payments are to be made at the Student Accounts Office.

Any person who has received a parking citation who questions the validity of said citation may appeal its issuance to the Director of Campus Safety within ten business days of the violation date. The appeal must be made in writing and forwarded to the Director of Campus Safety. Appeal forms are available at the Campus Safety Department.

Appeals that are denied may be brought before a designated appeals board.

Any transfer of ownership such as a purchase, sale, or exchange of a vehicle that bears a Trinity registration decal must be reported to the Campus Safety Department.

If the registration decal is damaged or fails to adhere properly, it may be exchanged for another permit by applying at the Campus Safety Department.

A change in the designation of a vehicle (e.g., student vehicle becomes a staff vehicle, special student vehicle becomes a regular student vehicle) must be updated with Campus  Safety within 48 hours of the change. The fine for failure to change vehicle registration is $220.

Occasionally a dire need arises for having a car on campus by those otherwise prohibited from having one. These are generally on a short-term basis only. Therefore, a few  registrations will be reserved to accommodate special cases (e.g., a serious medical problem). Petitions for registration under these circumstances can be delivered to Campus Safety at any time during the academic year. The Campus Safety Director will review, advise, grant exceptions, and issue a temporary registration.

Students’ needs for cars on campus have lessened in recent years with the availability of free public bus service (through the Bantam Bus Pass system) and shuttle systems to transport to social and shopping outlets. Students have helped us design these services to meet their needs and we will continue to monitor both need and satisfaction with the service and make adjustments accordingly.

The Bantam Bus Program is a collaboration between Trinity College and CT Transit, the public transportation provider for Greater Hartford. Funded by the Trinity Student Government Association and the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement, the Bantam Bus Pass is a semester-long pass (issued each semester) giving students the freedom to ride CT Transit local service buses as they wish, without any out-of-pocket costs.

One of the goals of this partnership is to make higher education institutions active partners in promoting the use of public transportation in Greater Hartford to reduce reliance on cars. The benefits of such a program are numerous, including a reduced need for parking and enhanced air quality. Moreover, this program furthers the College’s efforts to be a more active and engaged member of its community of Hartford. How we choose to move around in a community is as important as the other things we do. By using CT Transit as one of the primary ways to transport ourselves throughout Hartford, we further promote a change in our perception of Hartford from that of an unknown entity to that of a community that is familiar and embraced as such.

The Trinity College campus is served by three bus routes that connect to downtown Hartford, Westfarms Mall in West Hartford, and the New Britain town center. In downtown Hartford, connections to other CT Transit buses provide access to a variety of retail and employment centers, entertainment venues, Union Station (bus and train station), CTfastrak (bus rapid transit line between Hartford and New Britain), and Bradley International Airport. During the eighteen years of the Bantam Bus Pass Program, Trinity students have logged over 325,000 rides in CT Transit system through the Bantam Bus Pass.

Free CT Transit timetables and system maps are available outside Mather Dining Hall. Students may also contact the CT Transit Customer Service Center at (860) 525-9189 or e-mail them at [email protected], or visit their Web site at http://www.cttransit.com. To report a lost or stolen pass, or for any other questions regarding CT Transit or the administration of the Bantam Bus Pass Program, please contact the Trinity Bantam Bus Pass program coordinator, Joe Barber, director of the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement, Mather Hall, Lower Level, at(860)297-4256 or [email protected].