INTERNATIONAL STUDENT HANDBOOK - Macalester College

Minnesota Laws and Macalester Policies
A lot of what follows in this section is
also contained within the Macalester College Student
Handbook that you will also be receiving. To avoid
redundancy, this section has thus been made shorter than in
previous years’ International Student Handbooks.
It is important to know these rules as they apply to you. And remember,
what you decide to do is your decision, but you will ultimately
take the responsibility. Please refer to the Macalester College
Student Handbook for more information; it is meant to
supplement what is contained here.*
*This section deals only with Alcohol/Drug and Sexual Harassment/Violence. There are regulations on other
forms of harassment at Macalester, for which you may refer to the Macalester College Student Handbook.
Drugs and Alcohol
Drugs, except those sold in pharmacies or prescribed by a doctor, are illegal in the United
States. In Minnesota, alcohol may not be consumed by people under 21 years of age.
This does not mean that students at Macalester do not take drugs or do not drink. Some
do, and can get into trouble with the police who may arrest them, with the Immigration
officials who may deport them (if they are international students), or with the school authorities
who may suspend them. Various mentor group activities will discuss the realities
of drug and alcohol use at Macalester. The consequences of breaking rules and regulations
concerning drugs and alcohol, especially for international students, are severe.
For a complete discussion of Macalester’s alcohol policy, see the Macalester College Student
Handbook.
In general, Minnesota State Law does not allow persons under the age of 21 years to purchase
or possess (with intent to consume) any alcoholic beverages, nor does it allow for
alcoholic beverages to be sold, furnished or given to someone under that age of 21. By
law, establishments require legal proof of age, by a Minnesota ID card or another country’s
passport, in order to serve alcoholic beverages. These laws may vary greatly from
your accustomed practices or home country laws. Yet, as an international student, you
should know the laws and their consequences, as you will be held responsible for them.
Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence
Definitions and acceptance of sexual harassment and sexual violence vary greatly across
cultures. Therefore, it is very important for international students to understand the
meanings of these terms, and to understand the consequences of behaviors that are perceived
as sexually harassing or violent.
Sexual harassment and violence are not only violations of individual rights and dignity,
but erode the values that are important to the College community, and thus will not be
tolerated at Macalester. The College attempts to create and maintain a positive living,
working and learning environment in which community members are aware of and respect
the rights of others and in which individuals taken responsibility for their actions.
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