Intellectual Property and Copyrighted Materials

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Southern Regional Technical College is dedicated to fostering an environment that permits the development of intellectual property that improves the productivity of the College and enhances the teaching/learning environment. In order for the College to utilize to the best and fullest extent all works produced for it, and all works provided for its use, employees and students producing or providing work for the College represents and warrants that such works:

• Do not violate any law;
• Do not violate or infringe any intellectual property right (including but not limited to copyright, trademark, patent, or right of publicity) of any person or firm; and
• Do not libel, defame, or invade the privacy of any person or firm. For the purpose of this document, “intellectual property” includes materials which may be copyrighted, patented, and/or trademarked.

Intellectual property includes, but is not limited to, any copyrightable subject matter or materials, patentable inventions, online courses, computer software or materials, or works of art that might be normally developed on a proprietary basis. Intellectual property also includes the common meaning, definition, and description of intellectual property as established by the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). In addition, intellectual property may also include intellectual and creative works that can be copyrighted or patented, such as literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, computer software, multimedia presentations, and inventions.

Ownership

• The ownership of intellectual property will be determined according to the conditions described below.
• When produced as a result of an employee’s job duty or a student’s course/program requirement, with substantial use of College resources, facilities, or funds, or when release time is provided by the College specifically for the purpose of development, ownership of intellectual property shall reside with Southern Regional Technical College.
• Ownership of intellectual property shall reside with the originator provided that there is no significant use of College/State resources.
• Ownership of materials developed by a student outside the scope of course/program requirements without substantial use of College resources remains with the student creator.
• Neither the College nor a faculty or staff member may publish, copyright, sell, or otherwise infringe on the legal ownership of a student’s intellectual property without the expressed, written permission of the student.
• Destruction or damaging of intellectual property created for the College (as outlined in section A. above) is considered to be theft or vandalism and will be dealt with as such.
• Any employee or student of Southern Regional Technical College must obtain the express approval of the President prior to the development of intellectual property in whole or in part on College time or with the substantial use of College resources which will not be exclusively owned by the College. (TCSG State Board Policy 3.2.2p: Patentable or Copyrightable Materials)

Revenue

• The Commissioner shall establish procedures for the distribution of any revenue/compensation generated from the ownership of intellectual property. Applications for copyright, trademark or patent of intellectual property or revenue sharing proposals shall be coordinated with TCSG’s Office of Legal Services.
• Revenue derived from the development of college-owned intellectual property is distributed to college revenue funds as determined by the Vice President for Administrative Services.
• In the event that intellectual property is licensed to the originator, the full rights for the copyright, patent, or trademark, and any resulting royalties or profits, shall remain with the originator.
• All cases, in which questions arise as to equities, rights, division of revenues, or any other intellectual property-related matter, shall be referred to the Academic Affairs Committee for consideration, interpretation of policy, and decision. Appeal of a committee decision shall be to the Vice President for Administrative Services, then to the President, and finally to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Appeals within the College must be made in writing within thirty days of written notice of a final decision. Appeals to the TCSG shall be made in accordance with State Board policy.

Copyrighted Material

In recognizing the importance of the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), the following copyright guidelines will be enforced at Southern Regional Technical College.

• Purchasing personnel will make every effort to obtain free duplication rights from the copyright holder. In the event that free duplication is not allowed, the purchasing of duplication rights will be explored.
• Any use or reproduction of copyrighted materials will be done either with the written permission of the copyright holder or within the bounds of “Fair Use” guidelines provided in the Copyright Act. Verbal permission will not be accepted.
• Copying or using copyrighted material not specifically permitted or exempted by the copyright right law will not be allowed.
• Liability for willful infringement will be placed upon the person making copies or using the material.
• Appropriate warning notices will be placed on or near all print, video, or computer equipment capable of making or modifying copies.
• Copyright manuals detailing permissible and restricted activities will be housed in the library for reference.
• A copyright consultant will be appointed to investigate/answer copyright questions and/or concerns of employees and students.
• Retention of appropriate copyright records will be maintained.
• Audiovisual duplicating equipment will be housed in the library, and written copyright permission must be provided before items will be duplicated.

The State Board will not provide legal support in such a case where the person has been made aware of the copyright law and the individual still has pursued utilizing materials in such a manner as to result in infringement.

REPEATING A COURSE

To meet academic requirements, a student may be required to repeat a course. With faculty advisor approval, students may repeat a course to improve their background in a subject area, raise their GPA for graduation, better position themselves for competitive program selection, or ensure transferability of courses completed. Students should check with Financial Aid when repeating a course in which they have previously been successful. A student who unsuccessfully (receives a grade of “D”, “F”, or “W”) attempts a course two times may not be allowed to repeat the course without prior approval from the designated Dean for Academic Affairs.

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Dismissal and Reinstatement

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A student may be dismissed from his/her program or from Southern Regional Technical College for academic deficiency. If a student is dismissed for academic deficiency, no due process hearing shall be required.

1. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA to be in satisfactory academic standing.
2. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be placed on academic probation for the next academic term.
3. The semester GPA must be 2.0 or above at the end of the probationary term to maintain satisfactory status.

Failure to maintain satisfactory status during a probationary term will result in dismissal. A student dismissed due to academic deficiency may reapply for admission after waiting one (1) full term.

Reinstatement

1. Students must reapply through the Admissions Office in Student Affairs.
2. Upon readmission, the student must earn a GPA of 2.0 or above each term to maintain satisfactory standing or will be dismissed.
3. Any student dismissed from a program within the School of Health Sciences for the second time due to academic deficiency cannot reapply to that program for a period of three years. Any student dismissed from a program in any School other than the School of Health Sciences for the second time due to academic deficiency cannot reapply to that program for a period of one year.
4. Students who enroll in a second or subsequent program will have their quality points and credits earned in one program transferred to the new program for all certificate, diploma, or degree credit classes.
5. Overall GPA must be 2.0 or better before graduation can occur.
6. Graduation grade point average is calculated on all courses attempted at SRTC. When a course is taken more than once, the final grade will be used in calculating the grade point average for graduation.

Wellness

We are pleased to provide you with an introduction to the concept of wellness. Wellness as a life-style seeks to enrich and promote activities that enhance complete well-being and thus increase the power students have available to accomplish educational and life goals. Living a life of relative equilibrium requires physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. The contents of this Wellness Guide are designed to serve as your introduction to wellness. We hope you will find this guide useful and worth keeping for future reference. SRTC sponsors special events throughout the year that provide information to the student body relating to personal wellness. The events are free and open to all students.

Life Skills

Stress/Time Management
Stress is a general description for our physical and emotional responses to changes or demands in our lives. The changes do not have to be negative to be stressful. Starting a new job can be just as stressful as being fired. Some of the changes we experience are “bombs,” major stresses like the death of a good friend. However, minor stresses are currently thought to have a larger cumulative effect on us than do the “bombs.”

Under stress, your heart beats faster, you breathe faster, your blood pressure goes up, and other metabolic changes occur. Psychologically you may feel rushed, nervous, or irritable; have difficulty concentrating; feel fatigued; and feel time pressured. Stress can also produce various physical symptoms like headaches and muscle tension, sleeplessness, and appetite changes.

Each of us has a unique stress profile. What is stressful for you may not be so for someone else. The same can be said for stress relievers; what works for you may not work for someone else. However, we can make certain generalizations. Good basic nutrition, coupled with regular exercise, regular rest, and regular involvement in an activity that you enjoy, help build up resistance to stress. It also appears that having one or more close friends with whom you can and do confide is important.
Finally, instruction in time management, stress management and relaxation techniques may be appropriate depending on your individual situation. If you feel stressed out, check out some of the relevant sections in this guide.

Fitness
We have learned a great deal lately about the value of physical fitness. The strength, stamina, suppleness, and positive attitude that result from regular exercise play key roles in helping us achieve satisfaction in work and school, relationships, recreation and health. Conversely, lack of exercise has been associated with obesity, back problems, fatigue and perhaps most important, a weakened cardiovascular system which may be more susceptible to heart disease.

There are many benefits to regular exercise.

1. You’ll feel better physically. Your heart will be stronger, heart and lungs will work more efficiently, and you will have more energy.
2. You’ll feel better emotionally. People who exercise regularly report a positive sense of well-being. Exercise is a stress reducer, and there is evidence exercise helps relieve depression and insomnia.
3. You’ll look better. Muscle tone will increase and a percentage of body fat will decrease. In addition to burning calories, exercise aids in decreasing your appetite.

A good fitness program should address three important areas: endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. Remember, an exercise program is only beneficial if you stick with it. Be sure to choose exercises you enjoy. Once you have developed a well-rounded program, start slowly, work up gradually, and enjoy feeling great.

Preventive Health Care

Nutrition
Proper diet is the ultimate source of good health. Throughout life, it is nutrition gained through eating that builds the body up and gives it strength to repair itself. Once the diet is consumed, the body is very good at picking and choosing just the right nutrients for the different areas and systems to insure proper functioning. If the diet lacks some essential ingredients, the body has no way to get it.

To insure a proper diet, nutritionists say to eat a variety of foods. The building blocks which provide the body’s needs are: water, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Most guides on this subject suggest you eat foods from these four groups daily:

1. Milk Group—milk (2 glasses daily), cheese, or other milk-source foods;
2. Meat Group—fish, meat, poultry (2 servings daily); dried beans, nuts and peanut butter are alternatives;
3. Vegetable & Fruit Group—dark garden vegetables or deep yellow fruits (for vitamin A), citrus fruit and tomatoes (for vitamin C) (4 servings daily); and
4. Bread & Cereal Group—enriched or whole grain (4 servings daily).

These 4 groups are the foundation for a balanced diet. The number of servings of food recommended from each group is based on the amounts of leader nutrients individuals need and the amounts that are in the foods. In addition to balancing among the basic four food groups, it is well to avoid too much sugar, salt (sodium), fat, saturated fats, and cholesterol while increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) and fiber.

Good eating habits will also help individuals prevent tooth decay. Decay causing bacteria thrive on sugar, so try to stay away from sticky sweet foods that linger in your mouth and promote tooth decay.

Weight Reduction

Present estimates are that 40 to 80 million Americans fall into the overweight category. Twenty million Americans are “clinically obese”—one person in ten. Hundreds of fad diets hit the market each year, and each diet is advertised as the latest sure-cure for obesity. However, experience shows that short term restrictive diets produce short-lived successes. No wonder Americans go on an average of 1.4 diets per person per year!

Society has been too successful at developing work-saving devices that require less and less expenditure of human energy. Eating has become a socially preferred and culturally conditioned activity. How can individuals balance energy needs and healthy eating habits? By making good dietary choices.

Develop sound nutritional habits. That means eating foods from all four food groups (see Nutrition) and eating reasonable portions. Junk foods like soft drinks, candy, chips, pies, cakes, and cookies are loaded with sugar, fats and calories. They are best avoided. Eating well-balanced meals, including breakfast, will prevent the munchies and get you off to a good start.

Increase your energy expenditure through daily exercise and recreation. This burns calories and also helps maintain muscle tone. Take the stairs, or ride your bike instead of driving. Weather in the area makes it easy for individuals to be active outdoors all year. Start these changes slowly and work up, making it a regular part of a daily routine.

Do you eat when you are bored or when you study, even if you are not hungry? Do you eat too fast or too much before you know it? Try to be aware of your eating behavior, and try to be responsive to your body’s needs.

Get involved in changing eating habits either through joining a weight reduction program or by beginning to manage weight concerns individually.

Drug Use and Abuse

Many people use and abuse drugs and do not realize it. Some people do not think that foods and drinks contain drugs. Here is some information on different drugs individuals may encounter. If you determine you have a drug dependency problem or just want more information, please contact a counselor located in the Admissions Office.

Alcohol: Although alcohol is legal, it is a potentially lethal drug and can be addictive. See section on Alcohol.

Aspirin: This is one of the most commonly abused drugs. However, it is also one of the most useful medicines. It has three functions:

1. analgesia (pain relieving);
2. anti-inflammatory (reduces redness and swelling); and
3. antipyretic (reduces fever).

With the exception of those few people who are allergic to it, two aspirins every six hours are safe for nearly everyone. Aspirin is useful for most headaches, fevers, minor injuries, and illnesses. Aspirin should be avoided if you have the flu or chicken pox. Aspirin may contribute to Reye’s Syndrome during these illnesses.

Caffeine: The users of cola drinks, coffee, tea, and chocolate don’t think they are taking drugs, but all these beverages contain caffeine, a drug, which is sometimes prescribed medically. Those who overuse drinks containing caffeine use drugs in the truest sense, and some are addicted.

Marijuana: Marijuana is a dangerous and illegal drug. It damages the lungs in the same way as cigarette smoke, causes chest pain because of increased heart rate, reduces short-term memory, and affects the reproductive system of males and females. Its chronic use is associated with “a motivational syndrome,”—loss of motivation and interest in school, work, and friends. Marijuana also interferes with coordination, reactions, and judgment. Marijuana is psychologically addictive.

Narcotics: This class of drugs includes opium, morphine, codeine, and heroin. These drugs are addictive. They are used medically to alleviate pain; but even in this case, must be used cautiously because of the tendency to produce addiction.

Psychedelic Drugs: The major psychedelics are Mescaline, Psilocybin, and LSD. These drugs increase pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature. They also cause chills, nausea, irregular breathing, confusion, and hallucinations. Frequent users can have flashbacks without taking additional drugs. There is also evidence that LSD can cause permanent genetic damage. Psychedelic drugs are very unpredictable. One “trip” may be disastrous. There is a great danger of bodily injury to self and others.

Sedatives: Barbiturates like Phenobarbital are the main drugs in the sedative class. As with virtually all classes of drugs, these have definite medical value. However, they are physically addictive. Sudden withdrawal from Phenobarbital can cause severe problems including convulsions, just as sudden withdrawal from alcohol can produce delirium tremens (DT’s) and convulsions in an alcoholic.

Stimulants: The amphetamines (bennies, dexies, speed), methamphetamines (ice, crystal), and cocaine (coke, blow, flake, snow, crack, rock) fall into this class of drug. These drugs are harmful. They raise blood pressure and respirations. Sudden death due to cardiac arrhythmias or stroke can occur at anytime, even with the first use. Users of stimulants build up tolerance so that more and more of the drug is needed to get the same effect. These drugs can be psychologically and physically addictive.

Tobacco: Tobacco is addictive due to its content of nicotine. Nicotine decreases blood flow to vital organs which contributes to disease of these organs. Seven known carcinogens, over 1,000 chemicals, and many toxic gases enter your bloodstream each time you light up. Smoking is the number-one voluntary health risk. Tobacco use increases your risk of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, upper respiratory and lung infections, and coronary artery and cardiovascular disease. It is a leading risk factor for cancer of the larynx, lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and bladder. It has recently been shown to increase women’s risk of cancer of the cervix. A new form of tobacco abuse—smoke-less tobacco—is just as dangerous and addicting as smoking. The greatest risk is oral cancer, but it also causes dental problems—tooth decay, bad breath, discolored teeth, and gum disease.

Alcohol
Drinking is so much a part of American culture that we take it for granted. We drink at home, at parties, in bars, in restaurants, and at football games. We drink to relax, to break the ice, to celebrate, to show off, and to forget. We often forget that we have a choice—to drink or not to drink. The choice is ours alone, and we alone are responsible for the decision.

When deciding what role alcohol should play in your life, you should consider not drinking at all. Join the 50 million adults who have chosen not to drink.

Alcohol is potent—it affects the brain powerfully and quickly. Alcohol kills. It is a major factor in motor vehicle accidents, drowning, and violent crime. Alcohol destroys. It ruins careers, breaks up families, and leads to personal tragedy.

Long-term excessive abuse of alcohol increases the risks of heart disease, liver disease, cancer, brain damage, mental disorders, loss of sexual functions, and blood disorders. Alcohol abuse during pregnancy can cause birth defects and other fetal abnormalities.

A small minority of us are problem drinkers. Check the list below to see if you fall into this category.

1. Family, social, job or financial difficulties due to drinking.
2. Loss of ability to control drinking.
3. “Blackouts,” or forgetting what happened while drinking.
4. Distressing reactions if drinking is stopped.
5. A need to drink increasingly more to get the desired effect.
6. Changes in behavior or personality when drinking.
7. Getting drunk frequently—more than four times a year.
8. Injuring oneself or someone else while intoxicated.
9. Breaking the law while intoxicated.
10. Starting the day with a drink.

If you know someone who is not a responsible drinker or who seems to have a drinking problem, don’t be afraid to talk to him or her about it. Show some concern and offer some support while avoiding preaching or criticizing. Discuss the issue when neither of you is drinking. Be prepared to offer alternatives as to what kinds of professional help are available. Our counselors can help by referring individuals with drinking problems to the appropriate agency or support group. Drug and/or alcohol counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation programs are available at:

Archbold Center for Change
401 Albany Road
Thomasville, GA 31792
(229) 228-8100

Lakeside Addiction Recovery Center
340 Tifton Eldorado Road
Tifton, GA
(229) 386-3537

Turning Point Hospital
3015 Veterans Parkway, South
Moultrie, GA
(229) 985-4815

If other assistance is necessary, contact a counselor in Student Affairs or call (229) 225-5060. Other important numbers you may need are:

Alcohol Hotline
1-800-ALCOHOL (252-6465)

Behavioral Health Crisis Center
www.dbhdd.georgia.gov/region-4
Colquitt County: (229) 391-2306
Thomas County: (229) 225-5059
Tifton County: (229) 891-7160

Brother Charlie’s Rescue Center
326 Beech St.
Tifton, GA 31794
(229) 382-0577

Georgia Relay for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(850) 255-0056
www.GeorgiaRelay.org
(800) 284-9980

Mental Health Center – Mitchell County
339 Pride Street
Pelham, Georgia 31779-1508
(229) 294-6509

Mental Health Center – Grady County
130 1st St. N.E.
Cairo, Georgia 31728
(229) 377-5700

Kenneth Fuller, MD
Angela Fuller, MS
116 Hansell Street
Thomasville, GA 31792
(229) 226-7060

Abhinav Saxena, M.D.
Affinity Clinic
Tift Regional Medical Center
2225 Hwy 41 N.
Tifton, GA 31794
(229) 391-4100