Student Code of Conduct Information

Report an Alleged Violation of the Code of Conduct

SECTION ONE – COMMUNITY STANDARDS

I. Introduction

Columbia College Chicago is proud of its creative and diverse community of students, faculty, and staff who create and participate in educational opportunities in the arts, media, and communications. We provide a caring environment; one in which freedom of expression is valued and civility is observed. Students are encouraged to value our community and to accept responsibility for their individual behavior, as well as for the common good.

Our Student Code of Conduct is primarily a positive guide to the creation of a community that encourages the personal and intellectual development of each person and secondly, a list of behaviors that would interfere with the important work of our community. The Student Code of Conduct is intended to be a flexible document, which provides guidance to students concerning their contribution to the College community. As a result, it should not be viewed as a contract.

Each student is expected to be thoroughly familiar with the academic and general requirements and policies of the College, as stated in the Catalog, Student Handbook, Course Schedule, and other official College materials and publications. In addition, it is understood that students assume responsibility for the behavior of their guests on campus. Students are expected to share information regarding College policies with their guests to ensure that their guests' behavior conforms to the College's expectations. Faculty and staff are available to provide assistance and guidance to students concerning College requirements and policies; however, the responsibility for understanding and meeting College requirements rests with the student.

In an emergency situation where there is an Immediate threat to health and safety, any member of the College's faculty or staff is authorized to remove a student and/or a guest from the College. In these situations, it is expected that the individual would exercise reasonable judgment when responding to such an emergency. Campus Security involvement should be elicited as necessary and campus administrators should be immediately informed. In an emergency, the Vice President of Student Affairs, the Dean of Students, and the Provost each has the authority to: a) impose an immediate temporary suspension; or, b) immediately restrict access to designated areas of the campus upon any student who, in their sole judgment, poses a threat to the safety or well-being of any member or guest of the College. A student's violation of an article of the Student Code of Conduct may subject the student to disciplinary action.

While students can ask advisors or others to provide guidance as to the meaning and interpretation of the policies contained in the Student Code of Conduct, only the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, or Provost has the authority to officially interpret the meaning of the Code. Therefore, students with questions about the policies contained in the Student Code of Conduct should direct those questions to the Dean of Students' office.

The College reserves the right to change, suspend, revoke, or amend any or all policies or procedures contained in this Code, at its sole discretion, with or without notice. If any portion of the Code has been changed, revoked, amended, or suspended, then students should no longer rely upon the changed, revoked, amended, or suspended portion.

Please Note: Solely for the purposes of clarity, students referred to in the Student Code of Conduct document are described as "s/he or her/him." The Dean of Students and designee are referred to as "s/he or her/him." No other reference, conclusion, or implication should be derived from this linguistic convention.

II. General Safety and Security

Undergraduate and graduate education is a time of exploration and informed risk-taking in academic, artistic, and social endeavors. The College seeks to achieve an environment in which all its members know they have personal and social safety. This means observing the legal guidelines that govern the behavior of individuals in a social setting; it also means allowing members of the College community the right to differences in opinion, appearance, and personal behavior. To clarify the above principles, the College notes occasions and activities that curtail individual and group freedoms, and the sanctions that may occur if those guidelines are violated.

The Columbia College Chicago Student Code of Conduct prohibits the following:
(This is not an exhaustive list of prohibited conduct, but merely guidelines as to the type and nature of conduct that is prohibited and that any conduct, which the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, or Provost, determines could endanger the safety of members of the College community is prohibited.)

Consuming alcoholic beverages on campus or at events sponsored under the auspices of the College; the Student Code of Conduct further prohibits students and their guests from the sale, possession, and service of alcoholic beverages on campus or at College-sponsored events without written permission from the Vice President of Student Affairs.
The use and/or possession of controlled substances, narcotics, or any other drug, without an authorized prescription issued by a medical authority; the use, possession, sale or distribution of illegal drugs and controlled substances; the intentional misuse of legally prescribed drugs or medications, and/or the sale or distribution of these drugs to other persons.
Tampering with or disabling fire and safety equipment, systems, or posted instructions on their use, as well as causing false alarms of fire or emergency systems; failing to exit College facilities when an alarm is sounded; failing to comply with other emergency procedures as directed by College officials or those acting in
their stead.
The use and/or possession of firearms, weapons, ammunition, explosive devices, and fireworks; the intentional misuse of chemical or flammable substances normally used in the educational process; the irresponsible use of smoking materials, smoking in any campus buildings, and the use of candles or flammable materials.
Note: Firearms are never permitted on the College campus; an enrolled student who may be otherwise authorized to carry a firearm (such as employment as a police officer) is strictly prohibited from bringing his/her weapon on to College premises, or to any off-campus event sponsored by the College.
Failing to comply with the directive of a College official, or those appointed to act on behalf of the College, including refusing to display or relinquish her/his identification card to College officials and failure to comply with oral or written directives that arise from College judicial proceedings.
A student shall not, through act or omission, assist another student, individual, or group in committing or attempting to commit a violation of this Code of Conduct. Students who have knowledge of another committing or attempting to commit a violation of the Code of Conduct are required to remove themselves from the situation and failure to do so when reasonable under the circumstances may be the basis for a violation of this policy.
The unauthorized possession or duplication of keys or key cards to College property and the distribution of such keys to other persons.

III. Personal Responsibility

The College's faculty, staff, and administrators believe that students should make it their responsibility to participate in activities inside and outside of the classroom that are designed to enrich their learning experience. Students are encouraged to use the College's resources to enhance their academic skills, develop an array of out-of-classroom learning experiences, and view their learning as a priority.

Students are responsible for contributing to and respecting the College's diverse community and learning approaches. Most importantly, a student is responsible for conducting her/himself in a manner that does not infringe upon the rights of others to learn or teach in a collaborative setting.

Integrity, respect, and responsibility are expected from each member of our community, which includes the expectation that students conduct themselves while attending Columbia College Chicago or while attending College-sponsored events in accordance with the policies of the College, and to follow local, state, and federal laws. Respect for others extends to the responsible use of property, including tangible personal property, College property and real
estate, and intellectual property.

The Columbia College Chicago Student Code of Conduct prohibits the following:
(This is not an exhaustive list of prohibited conduct, but merely guidelines as to the type and nature of conduct that is prohibited. Any conduct that the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, or Provost determines could endanger the safety of security of members of the College community, or is harmful to the Columbia environment, is also prohibited.)

Harassment, including sexual harassment, hazing, and any behaviors which intimidate, threaten, coerce, or endanger the safety of others, or which interfere with the safety of any member of the College community or its guests. For a complete copy of the College's Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy please contact the
Human Resources Office or access it online .
Physical assault and/or physical abuse of any member of Columbia College Chicago or its guests.
Disruptive behavior on College property which tends to disrupt the peace or interfere with the educational process for other students; interference or obstruction of classes, lectures, seminars, workshops, critiques, performances, exhibits, or any other college-sponsored activity.
Non-compliance with public health measures as mandated by the city, state, or violation of any College policy, regulation, or rule.
Discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender expression, or age, and behaviors which interfere with the rights of others to experience an educational environment free from such discrimination.
All forms of dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, intentionally furnishing false information to the College, forgery, alteration or unauthorized or fraudulent use of College documents, records and/or instruments of identification.
Inappropriate, illegal, or unauthorized use of College facilities, equipment or services, including telephone, e-mail, and Internet services.
Abuse, vandalism (including all forms of graffiti), or theft of College property, or unauthorized entry to College facilities. Theft of College property includes theft of College services and products, even when those services or products are provided by independent vendors, and include, but are not limited to, telephone service, computer
services, software licensing infringements, and illegal copying of copyrighted materials as defined by current statute, contract, license agreement, or law.
Theft or abuse of personal property of the College's students, employees, or guests.
Careless or irresponsible use of College equipment made available or on loan to students for the pursuit of their educational endeavors or allowing unauthorized persons to use such equipment.
Unauthorized use of the College's name or logo, especially in a manner that implies College endorsement of activities or events that have not been approved by the College, or any attempt to defraud another person through unauthorized representation of yourself as an agent of the College.
Unauthorized selling or soliciting on campus, including any actions that support these activities, such as the unauthorized posting of flyers, posters, or handbills.
Violation of any federal, state, county, or municipal law, ordinance, or regulation; violation of any College policy, regulation, or rule, as outlined in the Student Handbook.

IV. Responsible Use of Computers, Technology, and Information Services

The kinds of vistas that open with the use of electronic technology—computers, data and graphics software, and other technology tools—have great potential for the College community. The ease with which burdensome tasks can be accomplished through software renders lengthy academic and artistic processes easier and faster than they have ever previously been. This ease and speed result from the intellectual property of software developers, and great care must be taken not to infringe upon the rights of those who have created this work. It is a point of honor that no one in the College community will make improper or illegal use of the intellectual property of others. The College exhorts its members to be scrupulous in the matter of using and transferring software. In order to ascertain that the members of the community understand and observe the guidelines that govern the use and transmission of software, the College publishes standards to which students must adhere in order to protect the rights of those whose intellectual property is the software we use.

The College further requires that all forms of communication and behavior that are conducted in an electronic environment conform to the same levels of civility, safety, privacy, and respect. Students are therefore expected to govern their behavior in the electronic landscape with the same care and self-control they exhibit when participating in the life of the College in person.

Violations of the Student Code of Conduct or official College policy that are brought to the administration's attention will be acted on accordingly. The Columbia College Chicago Student Code of Conduct prohibits the following: (This is not an exhaustive list of prohibited conduct, but merely guidelines as to the type and nature of conduct that is prohibited. Any conduct that the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dean of Students, or Provost determines could endanger the safety or security of members of the College community, or is harmful to the College environment, is also prohibited.)

Unauthorized access to College networks, tampering with or restricting access for others, or providing access to unauthorized users; violation of the confidentiality of information stored on the College network, computers, and software.
Disruption of the normal operation of computers, networks, or peripherals. Installation or temporary usage of any program or code that damages computer files, data or hardware, or that limits access to these items, or that replicates itself with the intention of damaging or interfering with the normal operation of or access
to these items.
Harassment (including sexual harassment), intimidation, or threats delivered through the College's computers or networks.
Inappropriate, illegal, or unauthorized use of College servers, networks, computers, peripherals, or other equipment including that which might be considered commercial or resulting in monetary gain for the user.
Unauthorized use, duplication or distribution of copyrighted software, or of intellectual property as defined by the College.
Monopolizing computer resources in violation of established use policies, including excessive mailings, printings, transfer of oversized data files or graphics, or any other use that would occupy computer resources to the exclusion of others.
Failure to follow posted rules that govern student access, behavior, and appropriate use of all computers that are available for student use in classrooms, studios, and open labs.
Tampering with any another person's files, e-mail communications, or software.
Any use of computer resources that violates any federal, state or local law, or that is a violation of any other article of the Student Code of Conduct.

SECTION TWO – REPORTING AND REVIEWING A VIOLATION

I. Process for Reporting and Reviewing a Violation

Any member of the College community may report a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Reports are made in writing to the Office of the Dean of Students. A written report must include the date and approximate time of the violation, where the violation took place, a brief description of the violation or incident, and the names of witnesses, if any. It is preferred that reports be submitted within 48 hours of the alleged violation. The College reserves the right to
refuse to consider a violation report when, in the sole judgment of the Dean of Students, too much time has passed from the date of occurrence to conduct an effective investigation. Individuals who submit a violation report will be informed that information from their report (including their identity) may be shared with the accused student during the initial interview phase or later during a Judicial Board hearing. Information gathered will be kept as confidential
as the process will allow.

The Dean of Students or her/his designee may dismiss the report if s/he deems the violation to be without merit. If the violation is dismissed, the Dean of Students will inform the person filing the report that the matter has been dismissed. If a complaint is made when classes are not in session, the Dean of Students' Office will communicate such dismissal of the report in-writing within two weeks.

If the Dean of Students' designee determines that the report merits investigation, s/he will first contact the accused student to arrange a time to meet in person. This meeting will be conducted in the Office of the Dean of Students' designee. At this meeting, the designee will explain the violation to the student and give her/him an opportunity to respond to the charges. If the student admits the charges, the designee will consult with the Dean of Students to recommend appropriate sanctions (if any). The designee will communicate the sanctions in writing to the student within seven working days of the meeting.

If the student denies the charges, the designee may interview the complainant and witnesses (if any), and then determine the resolution of the case. The designee may elect to resolve the case her/himself and impose sanctions (if any) in consultation with the Dean of Students, or the designee may, in consultation with the Dean of Students, choose to send the matter to the Judicial Board for resolution. If the designee elects to resolve the matter, s/he will communicate her/his decision and sanctions (if any) to the student within ten working days.

If the designee decides to send the complaint to the Judicial Board, her/his office will communicate this decision to the accused student and to the complainant in writing within five working days. In this communication, the accused student will be informed of her/his rights and responsibilities during the judicial hearing (see Students' Rights and Responsibilities for Judicial Hearings), how the hearing will proceed, and the date on which s/he is to appear before the Judicial Board. Accused students will receive notice of a Judicial Board hearing at least two weeks in advance of the date of the hearing. A student who is unable to attend the scheduled hearing may request a change in the date of the hearing by submitting a written request to the Dean of Students' Office describing the reason s/he is unable to attend. The Dean of Students' Office must receive this request no less than three working days before the hearing. The Dean of Students will grant a date change if s/he believes it is warranted; however, only one request for a date change will be considered or granted.

If the student fails to appear before the Judicial Board on the scheduled day and time, the hearing may proceed without her/him. In the student's absence, the Board may render its decision based on the initial violation report and the available witnesses (if any). When more than one complaint is filed against a student, the Board may elect to consolidate the complaints into one hearing, or it may decide to hear each complaint separately.

II. Judicial Board

The Judicial Board includes faculty, staff, and students of the College in the following numbers:
One (1) Chairperson elected from the Chairpersons' Council; one (1) faculty member elected from the Columbia College Faculty Organization (CCFO); one (1) staff member appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs; and two (2) students, one elected from the Student Government Association and one elected from the Residence Hall Association. (When the accused is a graduate student, the Judicial Board student representative will also be a graduate student from the Student Government Association.) The Judicial Board also includes three alternate members. One alternate is always a Columbia College Chicago student, elected as an alternate by the Student Government Association. The other two alternates are selected through the Dean of Students' Office by lottery from a pool of alternate members elected by the CCFO and the Chairpersons' Council. Alternate members attend each meeting of the Judicial Board but may not participate in discussion or voting unless called upon to serve in a member's absence. The Dean of Students attends all Judicial Board meetings as an observer and to ensure that College procedures are followed. Service on the Judicial Board shall be for one year.

However, if the end of a member's term of service would occur during the time the Judicial Board is actively hearing a complaint, that member's term will continue until the Board has reached its final resolution of that complaint. Every member of the Judicial Board is obligated to excuse himself from service if s/he believes s/he is not qualified to evaluate a particular complaint, if s/he believes s/he could not render an objective opinion, or if s/he is aware of a
potential conflict of interest.

Columbia College Chicago reserves the right to suspend the Judicial Board process at its sole discretion if the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, or Provost determines that this process is not appropriate for the given incident. For instance, there may be times when students should not use this process, e.g. in suspected crimes of violence or incidents of this nature. The College also reserves the right to suspend this procedure and immediately impose sanctions in its sole discretion for any conduct it deems to be serious enough to warrant the suspension of the judicial process.

III. Witnesses

Students who are called to appear before the Judicial Board have the right to have witnesses speak on their behalf. The Board reserves the right to limit the number of witnesses who will appear and to limit the amount of time they may speak. Accused students are responsible for contacting their own witnesses to appear before the Judicial Board.

Accused students must provide the names of witnesses who will appear on their behalf to the Dean of Students at least two (2) days in advance of the hearing. The student must provide a brief description of the prospective witnesses' testimonies.

The Board reserves the right to call witnesses who are not on the lists of either the accused student or the complainant if, in its sole judgment, such testimony holds the potential to further clarify essential testimony already rendered. If a witness is unable to attend the hearing, s/he may submit her/his testimony in writing to the Dean of Students no fewer than five days before the hearing. At that time, the Dean of Students or her/his designee may interview the witness and record her/his answers for the Board's consideration. The Judicial Board, at its discretion, may elect to accept written testimony or to exclude it. The judicial process is designed to further strengthen the sense of shared community at the College by quickly and fairly addressing those behaviors that might interfere with the educational process or creative enterprises. Because the judicial process provides these benefits to all students, students who are called upon to appear before the Judicial Board as witnesses are strongly encouraged to do so. Nevertheless, students at Columbia College Chicago are under no obligation to appear as witnesses if they
choose not to participate.

SECTION THREE – JUDICIAL HEARING

I. Conducting the Judicial Hearing

At the first meeting of the Judicial Board, each member of the Board is introduced to the accused student. The Board will review the accused student's rights in the hearing process, and it will describe how the hearing will proceed. The Board will formally describe the violation and ascertain that the student understands the nature of the violation. The Board will review with the accused student the range of sanctions that may result from the hearing.

A written record of the Board's hearing will be made by the Dean of Students or her/his designee that includes only the following: the names of all participants, Board members, accused student, complainant, witness(es); the date(s) of the hearing, a description of the violation, and the Board's resolution and sanction (if any). Video or audio recording of Board hearings is not permitted. The College will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Any member of the Board may ask questions of the accused student, the complainant, and the witnesses. Students, witnesses, and complainants may communicate only to the Board Chairperson or to the Board member who is leading a particular inquiry. Students, witnesses, and complainants may not communicate with each other during the hearing and may not speak unless a member of the Board questions them. The Board may limit the amount of time each person may speak, and it may limit the number of witnesses the accused student and the complainant may present. A witness is present at hearings only during the time s/he is interviewed and during the time the accused student responds to her/his testimony. Both the accused student and the complainant are present for the duration of the interview process.

The individual who filed the complaint is called first to describe the violation. The accused student is then asked to respond to the description, including an admission or denial of the charges. The Judicial Board members may then question both the complainant and the accused student. Board members may question the student and the complainant in any order and may question each more than once.

Next, the Judicial Board will call witnesses (if any). The Board determines the order in which witnesses are called. The accused student may respond to each witness's testimony. The Board may ask further questions of the accused student, the complainant, and the witnesses (if any). The Board may consider or reject the written testimony of witnesses who cannot be present at the hearing. (See Witnesses.) The Judicial Board is not obligated to delay its hearing if all witnesses are not present.

Both the complainant and the accused student may but are not obligated to make closingstatements after the witnesses have been interviewed.

When the Board has concluded the interview process and has heard closing statements (if any), it may begin its deliberation. Board deliberations are conducted as closed meetings; only members of the Judicial Board and its alternates may be present. The Dean of Students does not attend Board deliberations. A simple majority vote by Board members determines the resolution and sanctions. At the conclusion of its deliberations, the Board will inform the Dean of Students in writing of its resolution and sanction, if any, so that s/he may communicate the decision to the accused student and to the complainant in a timely manner.

Students who fail to complete the terms and conditions of any sanction(s) issued by the Judicial Board, the Dean of Students, or her/his designee, may have additional sanction(s) imposed, or they may have to reappear before the Judicial Board.

II. Appeals

A student may appeal the decision of the Judicial Board or the Dean of Students' designee only when one or more of the following is true: new evidence that has bearing on the complaint has become available and which was unavailable at the time the decision was made; the Judicial Board made errors in its interpretation or application of college policies which resulted in an unjust result; and/or the sanctions imposed by the Board are excessive in relation to the offense.

A student must file a written appeal directly to the Vice President of Student Affairs within 30 days of the Board's original decision. The Vice President of Student Affairs will consider the appeal and render her/his decision in a timely manner. The Vice President of Student Affairs may: choose to dismiss the appeal as being without merit; amend, revise, or reduce the original sanctions; call for a rehearing of the complaint; overturn the Board's decision by dismissing the original complaint; or let the Board's original decision stand. The decision of the Vice President of Student Affairs is considered final.

III. Anti-Retaliation Statement

The College does not tolerate retaliatory behavior of any kind. While it may be understandable that students may express frustration or disappointment when the Judicial Board does not find in their favor, it is important to understand that any behavior that is deemed by the Dean of Students to be retaliatory in nature could result in the imposition of sanctions. Therefore, all members of the College community who participate in judicial hearings have the right to assume that the College will treat any retaliatory behavior as a serious disciplinary issue.

SECTION FOUR – STUDENTS’ RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

I. Students’ Rights and Responsibilities

The following rights and responsibilities apply to every student who is alleged to have violated a provision of the Code of Conduct:

The right to a full description of the alleged violation;
The right to ask questions, prior to the hearing date, of the Dean of Students or her/his designee regarding the disciplinary process and the possible sanctions that could result from the Judicial Board;
The right to know the names of the Judicial Board members;
The responsibility to avoid discussing this matter with any member of the Board in advance of the hearing;
The right to know two weeks in advance the date and time of the scheduled hearing;
The right to request a change in the date and/or time of the hearing if s/he is unable to attend the appointed time (Note: a student must submit this request in writing to the Dean of Students no fewer than three working days before the scheduled hearing; the Dean of Students will decide if the request is warranted; only one change in date and/or time will be granted);
The right to have an advisor present at the Judicial Board hearing. An advisor may be any current member of the Columbia College community, such as a faculty member or staff advisor. A fellow student may also be an advisor if that student is not also accused or is not currently involved in a judicial hearing or is not her/himself a witness to the judicial hearing in which s/he is serving as an advisor. Advisors serve in a support capacity; advisors do not speak at the hearing nor do they ‘represent’ accused students at the hearing; advisors do not serve as legal counsel; legal counsel is not permitted at hearings;
The right to request a separate hearing when the incident in question involves more than one accused student;
The right to present witnesses to the Board in support of his position;
The responsibility to submit names of witnesses to the Board at least two working days in advance of the judicial hearing;
The responsibility to contact witnesses to request their appearance at the judicial hearing;
The responsibility to appear before the Board at the scheduled day and time;
The right to present a closing statement after all witnesses and the complainant
have been interviewed;
The right to be present for testimony of all witnesses and complainants;
The right to know the name(s) of the complainant(s);
The right to receive notification of the Judicial Board's decision within five working days of the Board's resolution;
A student may appeal the decision of the Judicial Board or the Dean of Students' designee only when one or more of the following is true: new evidence that has bearing on the complaint has become available and which was unavailable at the time the decision was made; the Judicial Board made errors in its interpretation or application of College policies which resulted in an unjust result; and/or the sanctions imposed by the Board are excessive in relation to the offense. Appeals must be made in writing to the Dean of Students within 30 days of the Board's
original decision (see Appeals);
The right to have hearings and documentation kept confidential. Access to disciplinary information is closed; however, the Dean of Students reserves the right to provide information only to those individuals who, in her/his sole judgment, have an interest in the outcome of a judicial proceeding. The release of any disciplinary information will comply with all federal, state, and local laws.

SECTION FIVE – DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

I. Disciplinary Sanctions

Sanctions available to the Dean of Students, her/his designee, and to the members of the Judicial Board are designed to provide the College with a wide range of options in response to student violations of the Student Code of Conduct. When possible and appropriate, the College's first response will be to provide students with opportunities to redirect their behavior, to learn from past errors, to expand their learning horizons, and/or to make prompt restitution, so that they may quickly re-engage in the life of the College community. When infractions of the Student Code of Conduct are multiple, repeated, or serious in nature, the College may impose sanctions that are more restrictive or punitive in nature or may elect to suspend or expel students. The College reserves the right to impose any sanction that it feels is an appropriate response to the infraction whether the sanction is listed in the Code or not. Sanctions can include, but are not limited to, any one or any combination of the following:

Apology: Students may be asked to apologize to any aggrieved member of the College community. In some cases, the Board may require that an apology be made public.

Community Service: Community service includes a specified number of hours the student is required to donate in activities or work on campus. Community service may require the student to contribute her/his services, her/his time, or her/his work at a college-sponsored event that relates to the original infraction, or it may be of a general nature. Community service sanctions include a date by which the hours must be completed.

Expulsion: A student who is expelled is immediately and permanently separated from the College. A student who is expelled may not attend classes, use college facilities, or participate in college-sponsored events or activities that take place on or off the College campus. An expulsion from the College is recorded in the student's permanent record and prevents the student's readmission to the College.

Educational Program or Assignment: Students may be required to participate in additional learning activities such as attending on campus seminars or lectures, writing reports or research papers, presenting original work that relates to the infraction, or any combination of the above. Educational programs or assignments include a date by which activities must be completed.

Disciplinary Probation: Disciplinary probation is imposed for a defined period of time and is usually reserved for instances when the student has multiple, or repeated violations, or has committed a more serious violation of the Student Code of Conduct. During the probationary period, any additional violation of the Student Code of Conduct could result in the student being suspended or expelled from the College. A probationary period can be any length of time, and for serious violations, can include the entire time a student remains enrolled at the College.

Restitution: Restitution is a monetary fee charged to the student when the student has caused damage to the property of the College or to the property of a member of the College community and will include a date by which payment must be made.

Access Restriction: Access to particular buildings, facilities, campus areas or specified activities may be restricted. Restricted access is imposed for a specified period of time and may, in some cases, be imposed for the entire time a student is enrolled at the College.

Suspension: A suspension is an imposed period of time during which the student may not attend classes, use college facilities, or participate in college-sponsored events or activities that take place on or off the College campus. To return to the College, a suspended student must meet with the Dean of Students or her/his designee to demonstrate that all conditions outlined in her/his sanction letter have been met. Suspended students are not released from their financial obligations to the College; however, the normal withdrawal schedule that governs tuition refunds will apply.

Informal Reprimand: An informal (verbal) reprimand informs the student that her/his behavior is in violation of the Student Code of Conduct and that any repeated instances of the violation will result in further disciplinary action.

Warning: A warning includes a written reprimand and notice that any additional violation will result in additional disciplinary action.

SECTION SIX – STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

I. Responsibilities of Student Organizations

Membership in a student organization may assist in the development and promotion of leadership skills within the campus community. Participation in a student organization may also enhance students' professional development and enrich the educational experience.

It is the responsibility of the members of a student organization to adhere to the College's policies, procedures, and conduct guidelines as outlined in the Student Handbook. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action against the organization. Officers and advisors of student organizations are responsible for assuring compliance with rules and policies and for representation when disciplinary proceedings are initiated.

The College reserves the right to impose any sanction that it feels is an appropriate response to the infraction whether the sanction is listed in the Code or not.

A student organization may be held responsible for a member's behavior when:

The member is acting on behalf of the organization, with or without official approval;
and/or
An event is held, officially or unofficially, in the name of the organization.

Disciplinary action against a student organization can include but are not limited to any one or
combination of the following sanctions:

The student organization may be disbanded;
The student organization may be placed on probation for a specified period of time;
The student organization may lose its funding for a specified period of time;
The student organization may be restricted from holding events on campus;
The student organization may lose access to campus facilities for meetings.