Library Loaner Program - Student Services Policy - 80570

Germanna Community College provides a student laptop loaner program to assist students in meeting their educational goals. This program operates at no cost to the student if loaner terms are adhered to and equipment is returned without damage. Since the resources associated with administering this program are significant, the continuation of this program is dependent upon available resources. Successful administration of the program involves the following:

• Library Services
• Technical Services
• Student Services
• Germanna Police
• Business Office

2.1 Program Basics

2.1.1 Student Eligibility: Students eligible for participation in the program must be enrolled in at least six credit or non-credit hours for the term and must have a valid current Germanna student ID card.

2.1.2 Loan Terms: Loans are made on a per-term basis. The loan term ends 5 business days after final exam date of the current semester published in Germanna’s Academic Calendar. All equipment must be returned at the end of the semester. For students who withdraw during a term, the due date is 5 business days after the last date of attendance.

2.1.3 Equipment: Equipment included in the loaner program includes laptops, related power cords, and carrying cases. Laptops have standard functionality and will be configured with virus protection and other security tools. Requests for nonstandard functionality should be made to Library staff, who will direct the request to Technical Services. Other equipment such as Wacom tablets, iPads, etc. will follow this policy.

2.2 Student Roles and Responsibilities

Students will sign a checkout form acknowledging the following:

• All equipment checked out is the property of the Commonwealth of Virginia and must be returned in good working condition.
• Loan periods are for the current semester as long as enrollment is maintained. The due date is 5 business days after the final exam date or 5 business days after withdrawal.
  Students must maintain enrollment in a minimum of 6 credit or non-credit hours to checkout a laptop. If the student withdraws from a course and falls below the 6 credit hour minimum, the laptop must be checked back in to the library.
• Students are liable for the replacement cost of equipment damaged or not returned. Students are subject to the Virginia Debt Collection Act and past-due guidelines published by the Department of Accounts (DOA) for overdue items.
• Students are subject to disciplinary procedures noted in the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Germanna Community College Student Handbook if they fail to return the property.
• Students agree to the terms and conditions of Responsible Computing in the Germanna Community College Student Handbook.
• Students are required to return loaned equipment for security patching, updating, or other reasons when requested by Technical Services. Loaned equipment is subject to being remotely disabled if not returned within one week.
• Students are responsible for filing a police report with their local jurisdiction if the equipment in their possession is lost or stolen. A copy of the police report or case number must be submitted to the Library Services or College Police. With a police report, Germanna will evaluate whether to waive the recovery of the replacement costs. Without a police report, Germanna will seek recovery of the replacement costs from the student.

2.3 Library Services Roles and Responsibilities

2.3.1 Library Services are the primary administrators of the Laptop Loaner Program, specifically in managing student check-out and check-in procedures.

2.3.2 Library Services will check student eligibility status in the Integrated Library System (ILS) and administer the check-out and check-in procedures according to documented procedures (the ILS is populated from SIS, providing eligibility status)

2.3.3 Library Services will manage the Germanna Libraries Equipment Loan Form in conjunction with the Business Office

• All form modifications will be coordinated with the Business Office annually
• The form will be updated annually to reflect the current replacement cost which is provided by the Business Office

2.3.4 Library Services will begin recovery procedures for unreturned items and make appropriate notifications to Student Services, Germanna Police, Technical Services, and Business Office.

2.4 Technical Services Roles and Responsibilities

2.4.1 Technical Services will budget for, procure, and manage the inventory of laptops available for the program

2.4.2 Technical Services will ensure laptops have appropriate software and functionality before the equipment is placed in the program. Laptops will be configured with virus protection and other security functionality

2.4.3 Technical Services will perform all repairs and maintenance on laptops, including software updates and security patches

2.4.4. Technical Services is authorized to recall any laptop from the library or from a student for patching or other required updates

2.4.5 Technical Services will secure the laptop remotely using mobile device management (MDM) technology when Library Services reports an item as 30 days overdue or a student fails to return for patching or updating. A laptop may be secured earlier if determined necessary

2.4.6 Technical Services is responsible for maintaining property control records

2.5 Student Services Roles and Responsibilities

2.5.1 When notified by Library Services that a laptop has not been returned, Student Services will intervene directly with students and attempt to find a resolution

• Once the student has been referred to the Business Office for collection, Student Services may make one final attempt at recovery
• Once the Business Office has turned the case over to an outside collection agency, informal intervention is not a viable course of action

2.5.2 Student Services, will consider disciplinary actions against a student in accordance with the Student Handbook when due diligence efforts to recover items have failed

2.5.3 Student Services has the responsibility to determine whether recovery costs may be waived in the event a student files a police report for a lost or stolen laptop

2.6 Germanna Police Roles and Responsibilities

2.6.1 Germanna Police will open a fraud case file to assist in the recovery of unreturned items according to their standard operating procedures and state law(s)/policies governing unreturned, missing, lost or stolen college (state) property.

2.6.2 In the case of a student’s claim that the laptop was lost or stolen, Germanna Police will confirm that a formal police report was filed in the appropriate jurisdiction and provide confirmation to Student Services and Library Services

2.7 Business Office Roles and Responsibilities

2.7.1 The Business Office will determine the replacement cost for items in the loaner program. This determination will be made each May/June, prior to the beginning of the academic year. The Business Office will provide Library Services with these costs and the Germanna Libraries Equipment Loan Form will be updated to reflect the current replacement cost to the student.

2.7.2 The Business Office will approve all forms used in the program to ensure they provide adequate legal documentation for the debt collection process

2.7.3 When recovery efforts by Library Services and Germanna Police have failed, the Business Office will pursue collection using the standard Business Office account collection process.

3.1 Check-out / Check-in Procedures

3.1.1 Library Staff will maintain documented Check-Out / Check-In procedures

3.1.2 Check-Out

• Library Staff, after confirming enrollment, will complete the Germanna Libraries Equipment Loan Form (Attachment 1).
  • The check-out form will be signed and dated by the Library Staff and the student
  • A copy will be provided to the student and the original will be maintained on file
• Library Staff will enter the equipment checkout in the ILS

3.2.2 Check-In

• Upon check-in, Library Staff will perform an inspection and note the condition on the Loan Form
• Both the Library Staff and the student will sign and date the loan form to document the return
  • A copy will be provided to the student and the original will be maintained on file
  • If applicable, the service indicator hold will be removed from the student account.
• Library Staff will enter the equipment check-in in the ILS
• Library Staff will send to Technical Services to determine if the laptop can be returned to the loaner program

3.2 Due Diligence Communications Procedures

3.2.1 Reminder Communications. Library Staff will send reminder emails to students 60 days and 30 days prior to the due date and again on the due date

3.2.2 Initial Recovery Communications

• 5 Days Overdue – Library Staff will notify the student with a phone call and email. Library Access Services Manager will also notify Student Services
• 10 Days Overdue – Library Staff will notify the student with a phone call and email
• 20 Days Overdue – Library Staff will notify the student with a certified letter

3.2.3 At 30 days overdue, Library Staff will:

• Refer the case to Germanna Police for fraud investigation
• Place an SIS service indicator (LIB) on the student’s account
• Notify the Business Office
• Notify Technical Services in order to secure the laptop remotely and update the property control records to show the device as missing, lost, or stolen
• Notify Student Services laptop that the laptop has not been returned

3.3 Recovery Procedures

3.3.1 After Germanna Police closes a case, unable to recover the laptop, Germanna Police will notify the Library Staff that all reasonable leads are exhausted.

3.3.2 Library Staff will make the following notifications:

• Notify Student Services that all reasonable efforts to recover the laptop have failed and the case is now subject to the collections process
  • Student Services may attempt a final communication with the student
  • Student Services will consider disciplinary actions in accordance with the Student Handbook
• Notify the Business Office via email that the student has not responded to due diligence efforts and is subject to the Business Office collection procedures, providing the Business Office with a copy of the signed Germanna Libraries Equipment Loan Form in order to substantiate the collections process
• Notify Technical Services via email that the student has not responded to our due diligence efforts and the laptop is now considered missing, lost, or stolen

3.3.3 The Business Office will:

• Place charges on the student account for the replacement cost
• Place a hold on the student account in SIS
• Pursue collection using the standard Business Office account collection process.
• If not collected after 60 days, the Business Office will turn over the case to a contracted collection agency and also to the Virginia Department of Taxation’s debt set off program

3.4 Lost or Stolen Procedures

3.4.1 Should a student report a laptop stolen, the student must file a police report in the jurisdiction where the theft was discovered and submit the police report or case number to the Library or directly to Germanna Police.

3.4.2 Germanna Police will:

• Attempt to contact the reporting jurisdiction to validate the report
• Notify Library Services and Student Services of the theft and provide confirmation that a police report was filed.

3.4.3 Library Services will:

• Document the theft on the Germanna Libraries Equipment Loan form and in the ILS
• Notify Technical Services that the equipment has been documented as stolen
• Notify Student Services of the theft

3.4.4 Student Services will make a determination whether to waive the recovery cost or hold the student responsible for the replacement cost.

• If Student Services waives the recovery cost, Student Services will notify Library Services who will document the case as closed
• If Student Services does not waive the recovery cost, Student Services will refer the case to Library Staff to initiate recovery procedures

3.4.5 Should a student report a laptop stolen after the Business Office has begun recovery procedures, Library Services will coordinate with the Business Office and Student Services after Police confirmation

• If the debt has not yet been turned over to the collection agency and the Virginia debt set off program, the recovery cost may be waived and the recovery procedures ended
• If the debt has already been turned over to the collection agency and the Virginia debt set off program, the recovery cost cannot be waived and the recovery procedures will continue due to the untimely notice from the student

3.5 Property Control Procedures

Only Technical Services is authorized to retire laptops from the program (surplus or disposal). The property control records will be updated as follows:

• When Library Services reports an item as 30 days overdue, Technical Services will secure the laptop remotely using mobile device management (MDM) technology and update the property control records to document the device as missing, lost, or stolen
• After Germanna Police closes a fraud investigation, unable to recover the laptop, Technical Services will dispose of the device in the property control records
• When Technical Services is notified by Library Services that the laptop has been documented as stolen, Technical Services will dispose of the device in the property control records
• If a laptop, subsequently documented as missing, lost, or stolen is later found, the laptop must be returned to Technical Services due to security and software licensing issues and documented in the property control as found property

5.1 CAPP Section 20500 Accounts Receivable
5.2 VCCS Policy Manual Section 4.3.4
 

6.1 Director of Finance
 

Cabinet: 8/23/2023
Faculty Senate: 8/25/2023
Department Chairs: 5/05/2023
Leadership Council:
     First Reading – Date: 4/27/2023
     Approval Date: 9/28/2023