Classroom Regulations
Please note that some courses and departments have specific regulations regarding uniforms, equipment usage, and materials. Examples include courses related to culinary arts, photography, and fine arts. Regulations are provided by each department through course syllabi.
APICIUS
Students must remember that cooking classes will include various tasks which all students must carry out. Students are also required to participate in a polite and responsible way, abiding by the following:
Cooking classes will include all different types of recipes and students are expected to actively participate in all lessons regardless of personal likes or dislikes. Depending on seasonal availability, some ingredients and/or recipes might be subject to change.
Apicius is not a restaurant: by law, meals cannot be served, even though small tastings are allowed. Therefore, students should not expect to eat a meal at the end of each class. The portions prepared in class are designed to teach various techniques and recipes, and to be tasted under the supervision of the chef in order to critique the student’s work and maximize the comprehension of the day’s lesson.
Food is not to be taken out of the kitchen/lab under any circumstance. In accordance with Italian health codes, it is strictly forbidden to take any leftover food out of the school, including any fully cooked food products and baked goods. Therefore, DO NOT take any food out of the kitchen at the end of class.
Students are not allowed to bring friends into kitchens for tasting after class nor enter in other classrooms to taste leftovers.
Refrigerators are not to be used by students to store personal food during class time. Any personal use of the kitchens by students is strictly forbidden.
All kitchens are off limits while class is not in session. Students are not allowed to enter the kitchens more than 15 minutes before their scheduled class begins, in order for the Apicius staff to properly clean and prepare for the lesson.
It is strictly forbidden to sit on kitchen stations.
Keep the station neat and orderly.
Wash all kitchen utensils and working stations. Students are responsible for kitchen utensils. The cost of any missing utensil will be shared by all students.
DO NOT leave the kitchen/lab when waiting for food to be ready.
Cell phones are not allowed in kitchens/labs and computers or tablets are off limits during class time.
Bags, backpacks, and jackets are to be left outside of the kitchens, in lockers or on the coat racks. Please, do not leave bags or jackets anywhere else.
In Italy a large share of electricity is imported, so utilities can be very expensive and the amount of energy available is limited. Most apartments have a maximum amount of kilowatts that can be used at one time, and too many electric appliances working simultaneously can result in a circuit failure. Should this happen, please refer to your apartment brochure on the Student Portal for the location of circuit breakers. Power can be restored by unplugging one of the devices and then flipping up the switch in the circuit breaker. Often there is a second circuit breaker inside the apartment that may need to be flipped up as well before electricity is restored.
As a general rule, please remember to:
- Turn off all lights when you leave the apartment or a room for a long time. Make sure to also turn off the heat/air conditioning when you leave in the morning and when leaving for the weekend.
- Always close and lock all the windows when you leave the apartment. Close shutters/ drapes during the hottest part of the day to keep rooms cool in the summer and to keep in heat in the winter.
- Keep showers short (max 15 min) as a common courtesy to your roommates, or you may use up all the hot water.
- Each student enrolled in a Professional Culinary Arts Career Program will be provided with two chef’s jackets, a chef’s hat, two aprons, a dishrag, and a culinary kit at the beginning of the program.
- Each student enrolled in a Baking & Pastry Career Program will be provided with two chefs jackets, a chef’s hat, two aprons, and a pastry kit. Each student is required to acquire chef pants and safety kitchen shoes (according to European safety laws) and come to class dressed in an appropriate manner.
- Students can purchase additional Chef Jackets only at the authorized dealer: these jackets must be the exact same ones as those provided by the school (model, color, and presence of logos).
- No student will be allowed in class without the authorized outfit.
- In accordance with most countries’ health codes, all students must:
- Wear a white chef’s jacket. The jacket must always be clean and pressed. Students will not be allowed to attend class with only an apron or a dirty, unsanitary jacket. The school will not provide a substitute jacket.
- Wear a white chef’s hat and have all hair tied back in an appropriate manner. The school will not provide a substitute hat and students will not be allowed to attend class with inappropriate head-wear.
- Wear appropriate black pants to class. Students
- will not be allowed to attend class in shorts or skirts.
- Wear appropriate footwear to class. Students will not be allowed in class wearing sandals or inappropriate shoes. It is recommended that students purchase a pair of safety kitchen shoes.
- Have all hair tied back in an appropriate manner.
- Wash hands before class and keep fingernails short.
- Bring their own clean dishrags to class in order to keep their station neat and orderly.
- Bring their set of knives to each cooking class, unless otherwise specified by the chef. The school will not provide knives to students who neglect to bring their knife kit to class. It is recommended that students purchase a case to transport knives to and from school.
- Apicius promotes a responsible use of kitchen paper towels
STUDIO ART CLASSES
Students enrolled in Studio Arts courses can make your clothes dirty, so students are required to abide by the following rules. Students are required to come to class dressed in an appropriate manner. Studio classes can dirty clothes, students are encouraged to dress accordingly.
Students must be aware that some tools (saws, hammers, cutters, drills) and materials (glues, glazes, sprays, etc.) may be hazardous. Students must obtain the instructor’s approval before utilizing these materials. Once instructed on proper use of such materials, students must always be careful and responsible for their use. Equipment cannot be used or operated by students who have not been trained to do so. Clay, plaster, and cement must always be kept outside of the sinks. Plumbing in the facilities must be well-monitored. If the sinks back up for example, students must notify the instructor/lab assistant immediately. Solvents and oil must not be thrown into the sink. These materials pollute the environment and need to be properly disposed of. Heavy items must be taken to appropriate garbage bins outside of the school facilities. Paper, glass, plastic, and metals must be disposed of in appropriate bins. All studio utensils and work stations are to be properly cleaned after each use. Brushes must be cleaned after each use and placed in their proper storage areas. The loss of any personal items is the students’ responsibility. Students must respect the work of other classes and individuals at all times. Students are responsible for any damage occurring to produced works, as well as for studio tools and the cost of any missing items. Students may be asked to pay a deposit to borrow equipment and materials. Cell phones are not allowed in class. Computers are off limits during class time unless they are necessary for a lecture or project. Hands-on coursework requires clean, washed hands, and short fingernails are recommended. Students are invited to use the studios when other classes are in session only when authorized by the instructor. Students are allowed to paint and draw in the gallery space, but they will be responsible for any possible damage to the space and works of art. Students are not allowed to move, take, or damage any part of an ongoing exhibition. Any damages must be reported immediately to the instructor and/or lab assistant.
Students must wear an apron or a loose fitting shirt and appropriate footwear to attend classes; closed-toe shoes are required at all time in the ceramic studio. The school will not provide aprons. It is recommended that students purchase their own aprons or bring an old loose fitting shirt. Stations must be kept neat, orderly, and clean during studio and lab hours. Clay cannot be kept unwrapped or left in pieces on the floor. Water and clay bits are a slippery combination, any spilt water must be dried immediately. Precautions, such as sweeping carefully, should be kept during clay use as it creates unnecessary dust that can be hazardous. It is highly recommended and suggested to clean areas with a damp sponge or cloth, which is a safe and convenient way to clean. Plaster and cement are to be kept away from the clay supply. Such substances cause the clay to explode during the firing process. Glaze area and use requires a cleanly space management. Brushes must be kept clean after each use. Work cannot be left unattended when not in production. Unknown clays or glazes cannot be mixed together and most importantly, any materials added to clay projects must be approved by the instructor. Students intending to use enamels or experimental glaze techniques must be trained under the supervision of an instructor. Masks must be worn when working with techniques such as spray painting or sanding materials. Students are required to have a general awareness of kilns and ceramic production. Kilns represent important machinery and all students working with them must use the necessary caution before and after firing.
MEDIA LABS
Media Lab computers are only for coursework. Personal email and social media may be viewed at the Internet point. Students are not permitted to download programs onto the computers. No food or drinks are allowed inside the classrooms.
Only authorized and instructor-approved students may use the photo studio. No food or drinks are allowed inside the classroom. Students must checkout and return all equipment at the front desk.
Only authorized and instructor-approved students may use the darkroom. No food or drinks are allowed inside the classroom. Students must check-out and return all equipment at the front desk.
Only students who are taking DIVA classes and have printing assignments may use the printers. Students may start to use the printers once they have been approved by their class instructor or TA. Students may utilize beginning, intermediate, and advanced printers according to their approved levels. Cartridges will be changed only by DIVA staff. Only class assignments are allowed to be printed.
PLEASE NOTE: additional requirements by DIVA for Studio equipment can be found in course syllabi.