COC to consider emotional support animals policy

With an increased presence of emotional support and comfort animals on campus, the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees is expected to review a modification to a board policy about service animals on campus.

The Board of Trustees, which oversees College of the Canyons, is expected to review the modified board policy during its meeting today.

In its updated policy, the board defines the category of emotional support or comfort animals and explains the level of accommodation they provide.

“An emotional support animal, also known as a comfort animal, is an animal that provides comfort or support for a person with a disability, but does not have any individualized training to perform work tasks,” the revised board policy read.

These animals are not provided accommodations in public places and are not protected like service animals are.

Before bringing emotional support or comfort animals on campus, students must request permission from the college administration or campus safety staff.

In addition, owners must keep their animals on a leash at all times and at be no more than 12 inches from their handler’s legs or the side of a chair.

Handlers must keep their animals under control and not allow their animals to sniff people, cafeteria tables, work surfaces or others’ personal belongings, according to the modified policy.

Animals will be required to not display any noises or behaviors that are disruptive to others, must avoid personal grooming in public setting, cannot block aisles or passageways and must be trained to not be attracted to food.

The modified policy also states that handlers should not initiate contact with someone without mutual permission, and that animal waste must be picked up and disposed of in outside containers.

Board of Trustees members are also expected to review budget transfers and a monthly financial report for May 2017.

For budget transfers, the district’s Unrestricted General Fund increased by $69,754, Restricted Fund increased by $821,400, Measure E Fund increased by $53,574,569 and the K-12 Arts Education Outreach Fund increased by $1,530.

According to the monthly financial report, the Unrestricted General Fund balance was $10,064,113, which was 10.013 percent of projected General Fund expenditures.

Estimated increases and decreases to the budgeted ending fund balance totaled $2,358,328, which was expected to increase the June 30 ending fund balance to $12,432,441, or 12.528 percent of total estimated expenditures.