Code of Conduct

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OREGON COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

PURPOSE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT

Oregon Coast Community College (OCCC) is committed to the success of its students and is dedicated to student learning, retention, safety, and the development of responsible personal and social conduct.

Each member of the OCCC community must adhere to a code of responsible behavior so that all members of the college community have an equal opportunity to learn. This document communicates the expectations that the College has of students and is intended to educate and guide students to understand their responsibilities. This Code is aligned with the College’s Non-Discrimination Statement and shall not be administered in a discriminatory manner. Every effort will be made to balance the needs and rights of the individual with the welfare and rights of others and the college community as a whole.

This Code applies to all OCCC students, recognized student organizations, and groups of students. In addition, students who are enrolled in specific educational programs with additional standards of behavior are also expected to follow those related academic and conduct standards.

Values Guiding the Code. Each student at Oregon Coast Community College assumes an obligation to act in a manner compatible with preserving the rights of everyone to learn in our educational community. The following values are the foundation informing the rules and expectations established for students by the College to preserve an educational environment supportive of learning by all.

The following values guide the creation of policies and the administration of this Code:

  1. Maintain honesty and integrity in all work, communication and interactions;
  2. Take personal responsibility for learning material, listen and participate appropriately in class activities designed for student learning by the instructor, advocate for personal needs, and know the rules and regulations governing the OCCC community;
  3. Support the teaching, learning and working environment by interacting with reasonable respect and civility within all classrooms, student spaces, staff workspaces, and engagement areas, and by following communicated guidelines. In general use areas, support the values of free expression by maintaining conduct within permitted community standards outlined in the Freedom of Expression policy.
  4. Honor the lawful direction and expectations of the College, faculty and staff, including but not limited to those posted in special labs, classrooms, parking lots, common areas, and online. Follow program rules of special admit or specific degree programs, as published. Follow city, state, and federal laws. Rules include Board and Administrative Policies and the Technology Acceptable Use policy governing computers, wireless internet, and social media.
  5. Safely use College equipment and facilities properly for their intended use, including returning loaned equipment/materials timely; and maintain safe practices, including providing information and identification when requested by a college employee.

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT DEFINITIONS

  1. Adjudicate: a method of resolving alleged student dishonesty/dishonesty which employs a fact-finding, impartial adjudicator to render a binding decision in the matter.
  2. Administrative Hearing: a meeting held by a Student Conduct Officer to (a) investigate or (b) gather more information about a possible Code violation. The opportunity for the parties involved to explain their version of events.
  3. Administrative Suspension: the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (VPASA) or designee may administratively suspend and/or separate a student from the College pending the scheduling of a conduct meeting on alleged individual or student organizational violations when immediate action is deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the Oregon Coast Community College community, property, or to protect the normal operation of the College
  4. Appellate Officer: the VPASA or designee has the authority to consider an appeal of a Student Conduct Officer’s decision.
  5. Artificial Intelligence: the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and mimic human actions. AI encompasses a broad range of techniques, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, and more.
  6. Code: Refers to this Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct Code.
  7. College: Oregon Coast Community College; OCCC; or any physical or virtual space being used by Oregon Coast Community College.
  8. College Official: any person employed, contracted, or assigned by the College, including, on some occasions, students performing assigned administrative or professional responsibilities.
  9. College Premises: includes all physical space (buildings, facilities, and other property, including adjacent streets and sidewalks) and the virtual environment in the possession of, owned, used, or controlled by the College.
  10. Educational Record: any record directly related to a student and maintained by the College or by a party acting for the College, as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This includes academic records and disciplinary records.
  11. Faculty Member: any person hired by the College to conduct classroom or teaching activities or who is otherwise considered by the College to be a member of its faculty or instructional staff.
  12. Member of the College Community: any person who is a student of, employee of, or who is contracted to perform services of any kind for the College.
  13. Policy: the written rule or regulations of the College as found in, but not limited to, the Code, as well as contracts, academic catalogs, professional standards, and any other documents that are deemed by the College to express College policy.
  14. Preponderance of Evidence: a decision whether the accused party more likely than not

engaged in an alleged violation of this Code.

  1. Reporting Party: an individual or group who brings forward an allegation of a Code violation. The College may be the “Reporting Party.”
  2. Responding Party or Accused: any student or group charged with an alleged violation in this Code.
  3. Student: any person who has applied and registered for any form of admission to the College or registered for a credit or non-credit course taught in any delivery mode (i.e. CWE, face-to-face, hybrid, online, virtual, etc.). Any person who has withdrawn or who is not enrolled in any courses, but who has a continuing relationship with the College, may be considered a “student” for the purposes of this Code.
  4. Student Conduct Officer: also called “conduct officer;” an official authorized by the VPASA to conduct an Administrative Hearing. This official is also authorized to impose sanctions under this Code when it has been determined that a violation has occurred.
  5. Student Organization: any student or group of students formally recognized by the College as a Student Organization, or any group with student membership that uses College spaces, funds managed or administered by the College, or College materials.
  6. Support Person: any person that attends an Administrative Hearing or proceeding under this Code with a student, including, but not limited to, a parent, a friend, a Success Coach or Faculty Advisor, another College staff person, or an attorney.

AUTHORITY

  1. The Board of Education delegates to the College President the authority to oversee the administration of student conduct standards.
  2. Administration of the Student Code of Conduct is the responsibility of the VPASA or designee(s), who shall develop procedures to carry out the Code.
  3. Student Conduct Officers (VPASA, or designee) shall serve as the principal investigators and administrators for alleged violations of the Code and shall interpret and implement procedures to carry out the Code. Decisions made by a Student Conduct Officer shall be final, pending the appeal process set forth in this Code.
  4. The VPASA is responsible for reviewing the Student Code of Conduct policy and Student Rights and Responsibilities Statement on a regular basis which at a minimum is in accordance with the scheduled review of administrative policies. All revisions to these policies must be approved by the VPASA, the President’s Executive Team, and the College President.

JURISDICTION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STUDENTS

  1. The Code shall apply to student conduct on College premises; at or in connection with College-related or sponsored events and activities, regardless of location, including but not limited to international or domestic travel, activities funded by the Associated Student Government, trainings, online learning, supervised academic/work experiences, or any other College-sanctioned social or club activities; and off-campus during non-College-related or sponsored events and activities, when the College, in its sole discretion, determines that the alleged off-campus dishonesty adversely affects the College community or the pursuit of the College’s objectives.
  2. The Code shall apply to student conduct at all hours during each term, between terms, and during periods in which a student is not enrolled but has a continuing relationship with the College, from the time a student applies for admission to the College through the student’s receipt of a degree, completion of a program, or withdrawal from the College. Proceedings under the Code may continue if a student withdraws while a disciplinary matter is pending, whether or not the student has a continuing relationship with the College.
  3. All persons, including persons who are not students, must comply with all applicable College policies and procedures when attending or participating in any activity connected with the College.
  4. At the discretion of the Student Conduct Officer(s), allegations of a violation by students or student groups may be adjudicated prior to, concurrent with, or following any civil or criminal proceedings.
  5. Students are responsible for all communication delivered to their Oregon Coast Community College email. OCCC email is OCCC’s official method of communication with students. The College is not responsible for email messages that are not received by the student. The College considers communication and notification to be completed when it is sent to a student’s OCCC email account. If students do not review or act on emails received, College processes will move forward. Such processes could result in the placement of registration holds, conducting hearings without student participation, and the issuance of decisions and sanctions regarding alleged student behavior.
  6. Alleged violations of federal, state, and local laws may be investigated and addressed under the Code. When an alleged offense occurs over which the College has jurisdiction, the student conduct process may go forward regardless of any criminal complaint that may or may not arise from the same incident, or the status of any criminal or civil proceeding. The College reserves the right to exercise its authority to impose administrative suspension upon notification that a student and/or student organization is subject to a criminal investigation and/or complaint.

If a student is in violation of federal, state, or local laws on campus or at College-sponsored activities, the College may contact local law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution. The College may request law enforcement to assist or to take over a misconduct investigation or matter at any time. The College reserves the right to decide when law enforcement action has been sufficient to correct failure to meet College expectations and when the College needs to impose additional consequences to achieve that goal.

Acknowledgement: OCCC appreciates permission from Blue Mountain Community College and Linn-Benton Community College to borrow existing language from their approved Student Rights and Code of Conduct documents.