Code of Student Conduct

Rationale
The Student Code of Conduct’s primary purpose is the basis for the student judicial process that protects the rights of all students and protects the campus community. Consistent with this purpose, reasonable efforts will be made to foster personal and social development of those students who are held accountable for violations of this code, student policy, and academic procedures.
Definitions
1. The term “faculty member” means any person hired by the college to conduct classroom activities.
2. The term “institution” and “college” means Northeastern, Sterling, Colorado.
3. The term “college official” includes any person employed by the college performing assigned administrative or professional responsibility. The term “impartial decision maker” refers to the individual/committee designated by the college president to hear student disciplinary appeals.
4. The term “student” means a person taking or auditing courses in a college course, on or off campus, full or part-time.
5. The term “member of the college community” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, college official, or any other person employed by the college.
6. The term “organization” means a number of persons who have complied with college requirements for registration or are chartered student clubs with Associated Student Government.
7. The term “group” means a number of persons who are associated with each other and who have not complied with college requirements for registration as an organization.
8. The term “chief judicial officer” means the authorized college official assigned to administer the Student Code and the imposition and monitoring of sanctions, this usually is the Vice President of Student Services.
9. The term “judicial body” or “hearing board” means any person or persons authorized by the chief judicial officer (Vice President of Student Services) to determine whether a student has violated the Student Code and to recommend imposition of educational sanctions.
10. The term “day” refers to a calendar day unless otherwise noted in any communication. The term “workday” is sometimes used to set parameters for appeals and resolution of cases. These are actual days that the institution is open for business.
11. The term “policy” is defined as the written regulations of the college as found in the Student Code, the Student Handbook, the Residence Life Handbook, and the College Catalog.
12. The term “sanctions” refers to the assigned consequences of a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. These consequences range from educational performance activities to suspension from college.
13. The term “notice” refers to the written communication from a college official to an enrolled student regarding academic or educational decisions of the college. A notice is considered served when given by personal delivery or by certified mail to the last known address filed with the college. If notice is mailed the student is given three (3) additional days to respond.
14. The term “cheating” includes, but is not limited to:
  1. Use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations;
  2. Dependence upon the aid or sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments;
  3. The acquisition (without permission) of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the college faculty or staff.
15. The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
16. The term “aggravated violation” means a violation which resulted or foreseeably could have resulted in significant damage to persons or property or which otherwise posed a threat to the stability and continuance of normal college sponsored activities.
17. The term “distribution” means sale or exchange for personal profit.
18. The term “reckless conduct” means action or conduct by any member of the college community which creates a clear risk of harm to persons or property or would disrupt the lawful activities of others, including studying, teaching, or any other college work or college sponsored activity.
19. The term “college premises” means buildings or grounds owned, leased, operated, controlled, or supervised by the college.
20. The term “weapon” means any object or substance designed to inflict a wound, cause injury, or incapacitate including, but not limited to, all firearms, pellet guns, switchblade knives, knives with blades five or more inches in length, and chemicals such as “Mace” or tear gas. Common objects not designed or intended as a weapon, but used in a harmful and threatening manner can be considered a weapon, i.e. baseball bat.
21. The term “college sponsored activity” means any activity on or off campus which is initiated, aided, financed, authorized, or sponsored by the college.
22. The term “abusive speech or writing” means speech or other means of communication that:
  1. Is intended to insult or stigmatize an individual or a small number of individuals based upon their sex, race, color, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, or national/ethnic origin.
  2. Is addressed directly to the individual(s) whom it insults or stigmatizes.
  3. Makes use of insulting or fighting words or symbols. Fighting words are those, which by their very utterance, inflict injury or tend to incite immediate breach of the peace and are commonly understood to convey direct or visceral hatred or contempt for persons on the basis of sex, race, color, handicap, religion, sexual orientation, or national/ethnic origin.
23. The term “student harassment” means an unwelcome verbal or physical or discriminatory act specifically directed toward an individual student with the intent to cause emotional or physical distress or to influence, control, or intimidate that student.