Howard Community College

POLICIES 65 knowledge, integrity, and decency of others. In turn, the best communities help individuals mold habits and values that will enable them to achieve the highest personal satisfaction, including the satisfaction associated with helping to make a better world. The college community is committed to fostering a campus environment that is conducive to academic inquiry, a productive campus life, and thoughtful study and discourse. A community exists on the basis of shared values and principles. At Howard Community College, members of the community are expected to uphold and abide by certain standards of conduct that form the basis of the Student Code of Conduct. Each member of the college community bears responsibility for their conduct. When members of the community engage in violations of the rules below, campus conduct proceedings are used to assert and uphold the Student Code of Conduct. The objectives of the conduct process at Howard Community College are: 1. To protect members of the campus community from harm resulting from the indiscretions of the few members of the community who are unable, or unwilling, to respect the rights of others; 2. To create an environment that enhances the opportunity for learning; 3. To protect the rights of members of the college community; and 4. To assure students due process when they have been accused of violating college rules and/or regulations. PROCEDURAL PROTECTIONS Students accused of disciplinary violations are entitled to the following procedural protections: • To be informed of the specific complaints against them. • To be allowed to request an informal resolution of the complaint. • To be allowed reasonable time to prepare a response. • To hear and respond to all evidence upon which a charge is based. • To call and question relevant witnesses. • To be assured of privacy, in accordance with the terms of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. • To be allowed to request that any person conducting a disciplinary conference, or serving as a discipline committee member or chair, be disqualified on the grounds of personal bias. • To be provided with a copy of these rights prior to any conference or discipline hearing. • To be considered not responsible until proven responsible by a preponderance of the evidence. AUTHORITY FOR STUDENT DISCIPLINE Ultimate authority for student discipline is vested in the Board of Trustees of Howard Community College. Discipline authority has been delegated to college administrators, faculty members, and committees, as set forth in this code, or other appropriate policies, rules or regulations adopted by the board. INHERENT AUTHORITY The college reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the campus community. Such action may include taking disciplinary action against those students whose behavior off

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