Policies

Here is a list of important policy information. For your convenience we have provided quick links to the following:

ACADEMIC GRIEVANCE CAMPUS CLOSING CAMPUS SAFETY COMPLAINT SYSTEM COVID DISABILITIES HARASSMENT/DISCRIMINATION PRIVACY POLICY STUDENT HANDBOOK VETERAN BENEFITS

 

COVID-19 Policy

 

Campus Safety

In compliance with the Clery Act, the CTS Annual Security Report and campus crime statistics (years 2017-19), are now available.

At Chicago Theological Seminary, your safety is one of our top priorities. Here is information on how to make your on campus experience a safe and comfortable one:

• Emergency Text Alerts: CTS uses a text alert system to notify students of campus closings and other emergencies. Students have the option to opt-in for this service. We highly recommend this service to receive alerts quickly. If you do not opt-in, you will receive emergency notifications via your CTS email. Click here to receive emergency texts.
• Request A Safety Escort: The University of Chicago Police Department provides a Safety Escort Program for members of the University of Chicago community. If you are concerned about your safety as you walk within the UCPD’s patrol area, call 773.702.8181 and request a safety escort. The first available patrol or security officer will be sent to escort you to your destination.
• Safety Alerts: The University of Chicago Police also provide safety alerts including any issues that may have occurred in our surrounding area.  If you wish to receive these alerts you may sign up here.
• Crime and Incident Reporting: Report a crime or a safety and security issue by following these steps:
  1. If it is an emergency, call 911 (for Chicago City Police) or (773)702-8181 (for UofC Police). File the appropriate police reports as necessary. For non-emergencies, call the CTS building issues after-hours number at (872)356-6169.
  2. Fill out an Incident Report, which can be filled out here or found in the Facilities Office (Room 141) or at the front desk. These incidents will then be reported to the University of Chicago Police or the Chicago Police (as appropriate).

 

Campus Closing News

In the event of a campus closure, CTS will post a pop-up throughout the website advising that the campus is closed. CTS also urges all faculty, staff, and students to enroll in Mobile Text Alerts, through which we will send text messages should the school close for any reason.

If you are a student living outside of the Chicago metro area and cannot get to CTS due to weather conditions in your area on a day that CTS remains open, please notify your professor.

 

Disability Accommodations

CTS works hard to be accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Our parking lot has several accessible spaces available and our entrances are all at ground level. Every floor in CTS has accessible restrooms and our larger classrooms have hearing assistance devices available for those who need them. All rooms are wheelchair accessible and our emergency stairwells all have designated meeting places and phones to communicate with emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.

Students who would like to request academic or other accommodations should contact Rachel Payden, Manager of Student Formation & Community Engagement, at [email protected] or 773.896.2411.

Download the Academic Accommodation Policy

 

Veteran Benefits

Chicago Theological Seminary works with veterans, members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and their dependents to assist them in taking full advantage of their educational benefits. However, Chicago Theological Seminary does not participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. For information about accessing your educational benefits as a student at Chicago Theological Seminary, contact the Registrar.

 

Complaint System

At some point, you may have an issue with someone or something at CTS, be it harassment from a student, a disagreement with a faculty member, or a policy you deem to be discriminatory.

We take these issues very seriously. For that reason, we have set up a secure and discreet complaint system. We will work quickly and appropriately to help address your issue, whatever it may be. Use this Academic Complaint form to register a formal internal complaint with CTS. This confidential form will go to the Academic Dean, Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder.

You can also visit the external links, below, should you wish to take your complaint beyond the jurisdiction of the school:

The Association of Theological Schools  |  The Higher Learning Commission  |  Illinois Board of Higher Education

 

Anti-Harassment/Anti-Discrimination Policy

General Policy Statement and Notice of Non-Discrimination and Non-Harassment

Chicago Theological Seminary is committed to fostering the full humanity of all its members. All forms of discrimination and harassment impugn the full humanity of any human being and for this reason are not tolerated in this Seminary. Chicago Theological Seminary does not discriminate, or tolerate discrimination or harassment, against any member of its community on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex/gender, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law in matters of employment or admissions or in any aspect of the educational programs or activities it offers. Click here to download the full policy.

In furtherance of Chicago Theological Seminary’s commitment to the principles of equality and equal opportunity for students, staff, and faculty, we have established a policy and associated procedures in order to provide a means to address complaints of discrimination or harassment based on the protected categories (described therein). The policy has been written with the express goal of protecting the rights and concerns of both complainant and respondent. The Seminary will make every effort to assure and protect these rights, and shall undertake no action that threatens or compromises them. The complete policy, detailing prohibited acts (discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment), defining “consensual relationships,” and setting forth procedures for addressing discrimination and harassment (including reporting, inquiry, potential resolutions and appeals) is published in the Student Handbook and updated annually.

CTS appoints a Title IX Coordinator and Title IX Deputy Coordinator who are responsible for implementing and monitoring Title IX compliance on behalf of the Seminary. In addition, CTS has developed an Anti-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Task Force comprised of faculty, staff, and students to adjudicate formal charges (by appointment to the Investigation Team) and to develop an educational program for the community around these issues in conjunction with the Title IX Coordinators.

Current members of the Anti-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Task Force are listed below:

• Michele Carr (Title IX Coordinator), Controller
• José Morales Torres, Assistant Professor of Latinx Studies and Religion
• Jason Frey, Dean of Students and VP for Student Services
• Karen Walker, VP of Finance and Administration
• Rachel Mikva, Herman E. Schaalman Professor of Jewish Studies
• Scott Haldeman, Associate Professor of Worship
• Tina Shelton, Registrar

 

Academic Grievance Policy

The following process is modeled on and incorporates some material from, Grievance Procedures developed by Luther Seminary.

These procedures for academic grievance are intended to ensure fair treatment of students in regard to educational or related concerns. A starting assumption for the use of these procedures is that faculty members have ultimate responsibility for the evaluation of student progress and the assigning of grades in their courses. A student’s unhappiness with a grade normally does not rise to the level of academic grievance, though disagreements about grades may be involved in an academic grievance under exceptional circumstances.

Complaints regarding discrimination or harassment are handled under the Seminary’s Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Harassment policies. Complaints about the fitness of a faculty member are handled under Faculty Discipline procedures.

First Level:
In a matter where there is disagreement between a student and a member of the faculty, or between a member of the faculty and other members of the Seminary community, the parties involved with one another should first speak with one another, clarifying the nature of the problem, the issues involved, and possible responses or solutions to the conflict, with the goal of coming to a mutually agreed upon resolution of the matter among themselves without additional participation from other members of the community.

Second Level:
If a conflict is of a nature or intensity that the procedure outlined in the First Level is not adequate or appropriate, any of the parties involved may request that the Academic Dean join them in a conversation where the following process will be followed:

1. The persons involved in the conflict will attempt to state the nature of the conflict and describe their understanding of what is at stake in the disagreement. Each party will also describe their involvement thus far in the situation.
2. The persons involved will then have the opportunity to suggest ways in which they believe the conflict might be resolved.
3. With the third-party involvement of the Academic Dean, the persons involved will work in a collaborative effort to explore and then choose a satisfactory response and resolution to the conflict. Such collaboration may involve a single meeting or several meetings.
4. If the Academic Dean is one of the subjects of a conflict, the President will fill the role of Academic Dean described above.
5. The Academic Dean may make a written recommendation to the parties at the conclusion of this process.

Third Level:
In a dispute where a resolution satisfactory to both parties is not achieved at the first or second level within 30 days, the Academic Dean will meet again with both parties as well as a senior faculty member (holding the rank of Full Professor), with each party involved in the conflict having the opportunity to describe:

1. The nature of the problem as s/he perceives it;
2. the intellectual, theological, communal, personal, or emotional issues involved; and
3. the significance of the issues and what is at stake for each person involved.

Either the student or the faculty member may choose to bring to this meeting a supportive student or faculty colleague. In cases where the Academic Dean is one of the subjects of a conflict, the President will fill the role of Academic Dean described above.

At such time, in a spirit of collaboration, each person in this group will suggest various responses and resolutions to this conflict. Where such collaboration is not possible because of the dimensions or intensity of the conflict, the Academic Dean and the senior faculty member will determine what measures will be taken in an effort to resolve the dispute. At this stage, possible remedies range from further mediation (informal or formal) to referrals to the policy on Student Non-Academic Discipline (described in the Student Handbook) or the policy on Faculty Discipline Procedures for Appointed Faculty.

 

Privacy Policy

The GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation affecting citizens of the European Union only. At CTS, we believe strongly in protecting the data of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors; and as such are working on becoming compliant with this regulation. Read our full Privacy Policy here.

 

Student Handbook

Additional policies can be found in the Student Handbook.