1. Home
  2. Student Services
  3. Student Conduct Guiding Principles Q&A

Student Conduct Guiding Principles Q&A

Student Conduct & Due Process – Guiding Principles Q&A

  1. Question: Can an instructor “suspend” a student or drop a student from a class for disruptive behavior or other student conduct violations? Why or why not? What authority do they have?
    1. Answer: An instructor may order a student removed from class for the day or the removal and the next class meeting. This is otherwise known as Temporary Exclusion.
    2. Citation: AP 5520.
    3. Explanation: Students have due process rights, including right to appeal discipline sanctions administered by VPSS or Designee (i.e. Area Administrator). Timelines for written notices and appeal processes are involved for fair and equitable resolution.
  1. Question: What role do instructors play in preventing student conduct violations?
    1. Answer: “Syllabus Requirement: In addition, the Syllabus should include a statement of student responsibilities and behaviors and a summary of course content and expectations (general course content, course objectives, and prerequisites).”
    2. Citation: Article 9B
    3. Explanation: Clear, Consistently applied, Caring enforcement of class rules that “publicly praise/privately criticize” students will help reduce misconduct and complaints.
    4. Citation: (Wood, J. L. and Harris, F., 2015) – Teaching Men of Color in the Community College
  1. Question: What role do instructors have in addressing & reporting alleged student conduct violations?
    1. Answer: Depending on the severity of the student misconduct, if an instructor has already given verbal warnings per 2.c. above, and the misconduct continues, the instructor should ask the student to leave the educational setting for the remainder of the session, and at their discretion, the following session/class. Immediately after class, faculty member submits “Violations of Standards of Student Conduct” Form A to Vice President of Student Services and Area Administrator/Dean, providing complete details of the behavior and context of the educational setting.
    2. Citation: Student Conduct and AP 5500
    3. Special Note: Any alleged misconduct involving the safety or security of any member of the campus community should be immediately reported to Campus Safety at 510.723.6923.
  1. Question: What roles do Deans have with classroom-based violations of student conduct?
    1. Answer: “All complaints of alleged misconduct made against a student by any person should be submitted to the Vice President of Student Services or designee, with a copy to the area administrator. These complaints must be made in writing, specifying the time, place, and nature of the alleged misconduct. Identifying information for the complainant is also required.”
    2. Citation: AP 5500
  1. Question: What are some guidelines associated with addressing student conduct violations?
    1. Instructors: Keep calm, and ask disruptive student to step outside to request they leave the educational setting/classroom if removing from class. Call Campus Safety if the student refuses to leave the educational setting/class (give bldg. and room number, your name and your phone number if calling from your cell phone).
    2. Deans: Keep all reports and proceedings confidential and send notes to VPSS Office and Area Administrator
    3. Instructors and Deans: Help ensure due process (i.e. Avoid “dropping” for disruptive behavior/misconduct without due process procedures/administrator involvement)
    4. Instructors and Deans: Follow-up on additional information requests to assist administrative proceedings
    5. Citation: Guidelines for Addressing Student Conduct Violations & AP 5520
  1. Question: Can an instructor “flunk” a student for the whole course for cheating on one exam? Why or why not?
    1. Answer: CCCCO Legal Opinion does not support assigning an “F” grade for cheating on one exam, but rather an “F” grade on the exam itself and referral to Student Conduct processes.
  1. Question: What follow-through is needed if a student conduct case is handled by a Dean?
    1. Answer: Taking notes of proceedings; send notes to VPSS Office for Student Discipline File
    2. Answer: Generally speaking, Deans should implement the following levels of discipline sanctions:
      1. Verbal or written warning – Probationary Contract may be used
      2. Temporary Exclusion – temporary removal from class/educational setting or service area
      3. Special Assignment – writing reflection paper on what constitutes plagiarism, how cheating can negatively impact overall learning/academics and career, and/or research on particular material related to conduct violation.
    3. Special Note: Suspensions should generate from the Office of the VPSS
    4. Citation: Student Conduct
  1. Question: What documentation is required for administering student conduct?
    1. For Answer & Citation, review the Student Discipline Form on the Incident Referral Forms webpage.
    2. Name and W# of student(s), Instructor Name, Course name and number, and specific behaviors (not just “characterizations” or “descriptors”) including actual words used or behavior demonstrated is very important in the due process proceedings.