SGBM information for off-campus study
financial support

Sexual and gender-based misconduct (SGBM) is a reality for students regardless of where they are studying. It is an issue we are fully committed to responding to both on and off campus. It is critical for students involved in sexual and gender-based misconduct incidents to have immediate access to support and medical resources (i.e. kits, counseling, etc.). Students on campus have access to a variety of resources for first response and subsequent care. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that this will be the case for students abroad. With that in mind, the Office of Off-Campus Study & Exchanges (OCSE) has implemented a loan system that allows students to borrow funds from OCSE; the loan amount then will be charged to the student’s account for future payment.

• Loan agreement forms
  
  •  Word version
  
  •  PDF version
  
  

Policy

• Students who are involved in an incident of SGBM while abroad will have access to a maximum of $500 in the form of a loan from OCSE. Funds provided in foreign currency will be calculated using the currency converter at www.oanda.com on the date the loan is disbursed. Students taking advantage of this loan program must sign a promissory note authorizing OCSE to charge the amount of the loan to the student’s Skidmore account. The student’s account will show only "Miscellaneous Charge" and will not indicate the purpose of the loan.
  
  
• The amount of the loan will be added to the student’s semester bill with the expectation that it will be paid in full by the dates all charges are due. Unpaid loan fees will affect the student’s ability to register for subsequent semesters.
  
  
• The loan funds can be used for:
  • medical expenses (Note: Most medical expenses are reimbursable by the student’s health plan. The loan is meant to cover up-front costs to ensure immediate care.)
  • counseling fees (Note: Counseling fees may be reimbursable by the student’s health plan. The loan is meant to cover initial consultations as needed.) and
  • transportation to/from immediate-care facility (i.e. taxi to hospital, police station, rape crisis center)
    
    
• The loan funds cannot be used for:
  • legal fees for either party or
  • extended care that is covered by medical insurance
    
    
• Loan requests will be directed to the director of OCSE. The student will not need to provide details of the incident in order to request the loan. The student need only indicate the request is for an "SGBM loan." The director of OCSE will inform the Title IX deputy coordinator about the loan request. The Title IX deputy coordinator will then follow up with the student as needed.
  
  
• OCSE will collect the promissory note from the student and process the funds to ensure the student has access abroad.
  
  
• OCSE will report approved loans to the bursar and the Office of Financial Aid.