Program Rules & Regulations
The following rules and regulations apply to all participants. Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary action and potentially dismissal from the program. Participants (or their parents, guardians, or other sponsors or supporters) who are dismissed from COSMOS are not entitled to refunds of any kind from the Program.
Participants are expected to attend all cluster academic activities, as well as social and recreational activities. Participants are expected to be punctual and to participate in a respectful manner. If, for any reason, the participant is unable to attend or arrive on time for a course, workshop, or activity, the participant must contact a staff member (in most cases, their assigned cluster TI). Recurring tardiness or absenteeism will lead to notification of the parent/guardian and may lead to dismissal from the Program.
The Program is an exploratory academic program for mature, self-motivated high school students looking to gain a pre-college experience. Participants are required to attend all courses and workshops and are strongly encouraged to engage in social activities. The ability of participants to follow Program and University rules, Federal, State, and local laws, and act independently in a supportive college setting is required.
Although participants will have contact information for the COSMOS staff at all times while participating in the Program, staff and/or faculty supervision is provided during the following scheduled activities: courses, faculty meetings, labs, seminars, workshops, and social activities. During free time and social and recreational activities, participants may choose to engage in small, or large group activities of their choosing.
Participants must respect the rights and safety of others in the community and must not engage in any form of harassment, hazing, intimidation, or bullying. This includes any behavior through any medium (e.g., phone calls, video calls, WebEx, texting, chat rooms, social media platforms, video games, etc.) intended to offend or intimidate another person, including participants, staff, or faculty.
Participation in any form of harassment, hazing, bullying, or intimidation is grounds for immediate dismissal from the COSMOS Program. Prohibited conduct includes sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexually explicit messages (emails, texts, etc.), threats of violence, and cyberbullying. Parents/guardians and participants may familiarize themselves with UCD COSMOS’s Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence, by which Program participants and staff abide.
Participants must abide by all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, UC Davis policies, codes, and procedures, as well as all Program rules and regulations. Any participant who endangers their own health or safety or the health or safety of another participant, staff member, or faculty member will be subject to disciplinary action.
Consumption, possession, or being in the presence of alcohol or illegal drugs/substances is grounds for immediate dismissal from the COSMOS Program, as is possession or use of drugs/vape paraphernalia, firearms, knives, and other weapons.
In the event of an emergency, appropriate COSMOS program personnel will make necessary efforts to contact the parents/guardians of Program participants. If contact cannot be made with parents/guardians, Program staff will attempt to contact the listed emergency contacts.
In the extreme case that staff cannot contact parents/guardians and/or listed emergency contacts, University/Program staff will make decisions based on the emergency.
The use of COSMOS-owned computer resources and technology for purposes other than academic research and instruction is prohibited. The University has security systems in place to help monitor and track threats in the university environment, but participants likely do not have many of the same protections available in their homes or while traveling. Below are behavioral expectations that will protect participants, the Program, and the University.
Participants should use a screen lock when stepping away from their workspace/computer. COSMOS participants should never share their unique ID and password with anyone. Phishing attempts are on the rise, so participants should be wary of interactions they did not initiate and urgent requests for assistance they receive from anyone not associated with the COSMSO Program. Participants should only use secure Wi-fi networks. Only use published Wi-Fi networks when traveling or in public. Participants should not leave university equipment (including software) unattended in public spaces.
COSMOS Program participants are the only people who should be participating in their scheduled session and may not have guests or visitors of any kind. This means that non-program participants (i.e., family members and friends) should not have access to program materials and program activities/workshops.
Failure to abide by the COSMOS Program and Residence Hall rules and regulations (below), laws, policies, codes, procedures, or failure to respect the authority of Program staff members in their enforcement, may result in sanctions including, but not limited to:
- Parental/Guardian Contact
- Limitations on Program events/activities
- Verbal and/or written warnings
- Restitution for property damage
- Dismissal from the Program
- If dismissal is deemed necessary, the participant will be sent home at the expense of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). No refunds will be issued
Note: Any question of interpretation regarding policies shall be referred to the Directors of the COSMOS program for final determination. Program Rules and Regulations are subject to change.