The Dean of Student Development or designee is responsible for the administration of disciplinary procedures at the College. Alleged violations of College policy are accepted for consideration only when the apparent infractions are observed on College property or other locations where the College provides services. Infractions of federal, state, or local laws occurring off-campus shall be the concern of the civil authorities except when such actions (1) directly affect the health, safety, or security of the College community; (2) affect the College’s pursuit of its educational purposes; or (3) occur as a direct result of a College connected disruption. Reports of alleged student violations of published College regulations may be submitted by an individual to the Dean of Student Development within five business days of the infraction.
When disruptive or unruly behavior occurs in a classroom or laboratory, the instructor may immediately require the student who is responsible for the disruption to leave the classroom. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the next scheduled class meeting. It is the instructor’s responsibility to meet with the student as soon as possible after the request for the meeting and to meet before the next scheduled class meeting. The meeting may occur over the phone, or any other electronic medium, if both the student and the instructor agree.
After discussing the problem with the student, the instructor must either permit the student to return to class or forward formal written disciplinary charges against the student to the Dean of Student Development. When unruly or disruptive behavior occurs in the College library, computer labs, or learning resource areas, library and learning resource personnel may require the student to immediately leave the area. The student must arrange a meeting with the Dean of Student Development to discuss permission to have her or his privilege to use the library and learning resource equipment and rooms restored.
Once charges have been forwarded to the Dean of Student Development and pending the dean’s review of the allegation, the student is permitted to continue to attend classes. However, if the Dean of Student Development believes that the student’s presence in class may infringe on the rights of others or pose a threat to the welfare of other students and the instructor, the dean can prohibit the student from returning to class until the allegations have been adjudicated. The Dean of Student Development is responsible for interpreting alleged misconduct with regard to published regulations and for identifying specific charges that will be brought against the student(s) involved. The Dean of Student Development should respond or bring charges within 5 business days from receipt of a report of a violation. After receipt of a charge letter from the Dean of Student Development, which states the alleged policy violation, the student will meet with the dean to discuss the alleged violation(s). At this point, the dean will either find the student responsible for the alleged violation of policy or find them not responsible for the alleged violation. If the student is found responsible, the dean will assign administrative sanctions for the violations of policy. The student may choose to either accept the finding of responsibility and the related sanctions or choose to appeal to a faculty hearing panel. The Dean of Student Development will inform the Vice President of Instruction in writing of the need to convene a faculty hearing panel for a formal hearing of the alleged student conduct violation.
The dean will inform the faculty hearing panel of the specific charge against the student and obtain any necessary information. The dean will send the same notification to the student via mail, requesting a meeting to discuss the case with the student, including the nature and source of the charges and the student’s rights and responsibilities. During this discussion, the student may question the credibility of his or her accusers or other witnesses by submitting questions through the chair of the hearing panel.
The student will be given an opportunity to review any and all materials presented as evidence against him/her. The Dean of Student Development may also seek guidance from the Threat Assessment Team (TAT). Following this review, the dean will either impose a disciplinary sanction or vacate the charges based on the recommendations from both the Student Conduct Sub-Committee and TAT. This decision will be forwarded to the student in writing within five business days of the initial meeting between the Dean of Student Development and the student. All records of the infraction and materials pertaining to and resulting from the inquiry (and any subsequent appeal) will be forwarded to the Office of the Dean of Student Development. This information will remain in the dean’s office.
Appeals to the Vice President of Instruction
A student may appeal the decision of the faculty hearing panel to the Vice President of Instruction in writing within five business days of the receipt of the decision. The Vice President of Instruction will review the decision and provide the student with a written notification of his/her findings within 10 business days of the receipt of the appeal.
Faculty Hearing Panel
The membership of the faculty hearing panel is appointed by the President of the College and consists of three members of the faculty and staff with fair representation from all areas of instruction.
Disciplinary Actions
Disciplinary actions available to the Student Conduct Sub-Committee include:
- Removal of the charges against the student.
- Admonition: An oral or written statement to a student that he/she is violating or has violated College rules and may be subject to more severe disciplinary action.
- Disciplinary Probation: A student may be prohibited from participating in College extracurricular activities, using specified College facilities, or otherwise restricted in his or her movements while at the institution for a period of time not to exceed one year. A student who violates the provisions of his or her probation will be immediately dismissed from the institution.
- Restitution: Reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation of property. This may take the form of appropriate service or other compensation.
- Attendance and successful completion of a special student development tutorial addressing ethics and appropriate student behavior. (Failure to attend and successfully complete this tutorial will result in the assignment of another disciplinary action.)
- Disciplinary suspension: Exclusion from attending the College as a student for a definite period of time not to exceed one academic year.
- Disciplinary dismissal from the College: Termination of student status for an indefinite period. The conditions of the readmission, if any, will be stated in the order of dismissal.
A student, pending a hearing by the hearing panel, may be suspended by the College President (or in the President’s absence, the College Vice President of Instruction or the Dean of Student Development) and barred from the College if his/her presence is deemed a danger to others or is likely to be disruptive to the normal educational activities of the College. The President, Vice President, or Dean also may seek guidance and input from the Threat Assessment Team . Nothing in these procedures should be construed to prevent the President from taking such official steps as he/ she may deem necessary, except that final action shall be in accordance with the above procedures. Before a student may be suspended, he or she will be informed of the reasons for the suspension and will be provided an informal opportunity to make an oral response, except in exigent circumstances, in which case the student will be given said opportunity as soon as possible as determined by the President.
Disciplinary Records
All records of disciplinary action will remain confidential, will remain separate from the student’s academic record, will be maintained in the Office of the Dean of Student Development, and will not be available to unauthorized persons on campus or to any person off campus without the express written permission of the student involved. Exceptions will be made only under the conditions specified in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, and under a court order or subpoena.
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