The rights and responsibilities of students are not fundamentally different from those of other members of the community. District officials administer the academic community under statutory authority in accordance with the directions of the Board. Discipline is administered outside of civil authority or concurrent with civil authority in matters which affect the academic community.
Any student may be subject to disciplinary action, including suspension and/or expulsion, if his/her actions on campus are disruptive or are in violation of College rules and regulations.
In cases involving disciplinary action, the student will have access to established appeals procedures. Decisions regarding the following types of disciplinary action are the responsibility of the Vice President, Student Services, who serves as the College's Disciplinary Officer.
Students charged with misconduct may be subject to the following sanctions:
- Warning: An oral statement to the student that he/she is violating the Student Code of Conduct; that continuation or repetition of the conduct may be cause for further disciplinary action. This action may be taken by any faculty or staff or by the Disciplinary Officer when the case is referred to him/her.
- Reprimand: A written notice by the Disciplinary Officer of violation of the Student Code of Conduct. A reprimand may include the possibility of more severe disciplinary sanctions in the event of future infractions of the Student Code of Conduct.
- Disciplinary Probation: Formal written notice by the Disciplinary Officer of violation of the Student Code of Conduct which includes exclusion from participation in specified activities or locations for a period not to exceed one (1) calendar year. Further violation of the Student Code of Conduct will result in more severe sanctions.
- Restitution: Formal action by the Disciplinary Officer to require the reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation of property. This may take the form of appropriate service or other compensation.
- Removal from Classes/Facility: Exclusion of a student by an instructor or an administrator from a class and/or facility for the day of the offense and/or the next class meeting or day. An instructor removing a student from class shall make written report or meet with the College Disciplinary Officer to discuss the cause for the removal. After-thefact review by the President/designee shall occur if the student alleges in writing that an instructor or administrator has abused his/her administrative discretion.
Any College instructor, for good cause, may remove a student from the classroom the day of the incident and the next regular class meeting
- Before ordering the removal of any student from class, the instructor shall first give or make reasonable efforts to give the student an oral or written notice of the reasons for the proposed removal.
- Immediately following the removal from class, the instructor shall document the removal and notify the Division Dean and/or Disciplinary Officer of the action.
- If the student is a minor, the parents or legal guardian shall be notified in writing by the Disciplinary Officer as soon as possible and the parent will be asked to attend a conference regarding the removal.
- Suspension: Action by the President or designee to exclude the student from all Colleges and District/College programs and activities for a definite period of time. This action shall be posted on the student’s electronic record, but shall not be reflected on the academic transcript.
This does not prohibit, where an interim suspension is required in order to protect lives or property and to insure the maintenance of order, an interim suspension pending a hearing, provided that a reasonable opportunity for a hearing be afforded a suspended person within ten (10) instructional days.
Suspension for more than ten days may have impact on a student’s financial aid eligibility or financial aid award. - Expulsion: Action by the Board of Trustees to terminate student status in the District indefinitely. The Board may expel a student for good cause when other means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct or when the presence of the student causes a continuing danger to the physical safety of the students or others.
Final action by the Board shall be taken by the Board of Trustees at a public meeting. Action to expel a student will be posted on the academic transcript.
