Student Standards of Conduct

The mission of Pikes Peak Community College is to provide high-quality educational opportunities accessible to all.  Therefore, it is expected that all students will act with civility, respect, and appropriate behavior in support of a positive and safe learning environment for the entire College community.  Violations of this expected conduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

Violation of Others’ Rights

• Engaging in any disruptive behavior which negatively affects or impedes the instructor’s ability to teach or the students’ ability to learn (regardless of the mode of educational delivery or class setting); or disrupts the general operations of the college, to include teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other authorized activities. 
• Using rude, degrading or abusive language (written or spoken) to any person, or harassing any person with gesture or language, including cursing.
• Engaging in behavior which may constitute sexual harassment.  Any possible violations will be referred to the Pikes Peak Community College Executive Director of Human Resource Services for investigation of all credible allegations of sexual harassment in accordance with the official complaint investigation procedure.
• Disorderly conduct, breach of the peace, lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct, gambling, aiding or inciting another to breach the peace, or infringement upon the rights of others either on college-owned property or at college-sponsored or supervised functions.
• Knowingly falsifying with malicious intent, publishing or distributing, in any form, material that tends to impeach the honesty, integrity, virtue or reputation of another person; or knowingly pursuing malicious, frivolous or fraudulent charges against a student, instructor, or staff member without cause.
• Violating the Student Standards of Conduct when representing the College as a member of a student organization participating in College-sponsored travel and development opportunities off-campus.  The student organization and its officers may be held collectively or individually responsible when such violation of the Student Standards of Conduct has received the tacit or overt consent or encouragement of the organization members, leaders, or officers.
• Aiding or encouraging others in committing or inciting others to commit any act of misconduct which violates the Pikes Peak Community College Student Standards of Conduct.
• Conviction of any crime or the performance of any act on or off the campus which, in the opinion of the college, gives rise to a reasonable belief that the continued presence of the student on campus will endanger the health, safety and welfare of that student, any other student or employee of the college; will substantially disrupt the legitimate functions and activities of the college; or will infringe on the rights of others.
  Violation of honesty and academic integrity:
• Dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the college in the classroom, laboratory, or any college testing situation.
• Forgery, alteration, or misuse of college documents, records, identification, educational materials, or college property.  
  
  Violation of Safety and Property

• The threat to, or physical abuse of any person on college-owned or controlled property or at college-sponsored or supervised functions; this includes any conduct which endangers one’s own or another person’s welfare or safety.  
• Board Policy states that no person may have on his or her person any unauthorized firearm, ammunition, explosive device, or illegal weapon on campus or any facility used by a college. Persons authorized to carry firearms and other equipment defined in the policy are:
  • those persons conducting and participating in an approved program of instruction in the college’s curriculum which requires access to such equipment as an integral part of the instructional program;
  • peace officers; and
  • those persons granted permission at the discretion of the college president for specific purposes from time to time.
  It shall not be an offense if the weapon is unloaded and remains inside a motor vehicle while upon the real estate of any public or private college, university, or seminary.
  There is no concealed carry permit exception.
• Theft of or damage to property on the college premises or at authorized college functions.
• Unauthorized entry to or use of college facilities, materials, or equipment.
• Use of, being under the influence of, possession of, or distribution of alcohol or illegal or dangerous drugs on campus or at a college-sponsored function, except as expressly permitted by law and college regulations.
• Leaving children or pets unattended in campus buildings or on campus grounds (including in parked vehicles).
  Violation of College policies and administrative functions:
• Failure to comply with the verbal or written directions of college employees acting in the performance of their duties.
• Unacceptable uses of any college-owned computing equipment and/or network, including, but not limited to knowingly spreading computer viruses; sending harassing, intimidating and/or threatening messages; re-posting personal communications without the author's consent; copying protected material in violation of copyright law; using the network for financial gain, commercial activity, or illegal activity; accessing the network using another individual's account; downloading, loading or executing software without appropriate authorization; or attempting to compromise the network integrity in any other way.
• Interfering with the judicial/grievance procedures or outcomes, including falsification or misrepresentation of information; failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the disciplinary officer; or retaliation in any form against any person involved in a judicial/grievance action.
• Violation of college rules regarding the operation and parking of motorized vehicles on college property.
  At Pikes Peak Community College, interpretation of the disciplinary and grievance procedures is the responsibility of the Dean of Students, 719.502.2367.

Student Disciplinary Procedure

Students are expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct and policies and procedures of the college. If a student is charged with violating the College code, he/she is entitled to have these procedures followed in the consideration of the charge.

Definitions

• Code of Conduct: A document developed and published by each college, which defines prescribed conduct of students. 
• Impartial Decision Maker: The individual/committee designated by the college president to hear student disciplinary appeals.
• Chief Student Services Officer: The individual designated by the College President to administer student affairs and be responsible for administering the College’s Student Conduct Code and this procedure.
• Notice: Notices which are required to be given by this procedure shall be considered served upon the student when given by personal delivery or mailed by certified mail to the address the student has filed
  with the College’s admissions and records office. If notice is mailed, student shall be given three (3) additional days to respond.
• Sanctions: One or more of the following may be given when there is a finding that a student has violated the College’s Code of Conduct.
  a. Warning: A Notice served upon the student advising him/her that he/she is violating or has violated College regulations.
  b. Probation: After a finding of violation of the Code of Conduct, restriction of student’s privileges for a designated period of time and includes the probability of more severe disciplinary sanctions
  if the student is found to be violating any college regulations during the probationary period.
  c. Other disciplinary sanctions: fines; restitution; denial of privileges; assignment to perform services for the benefit of the college or community; or other sanction that doesn’t result in the student
  being denied the right of attending classes.
  d. College suspension or expulsion: An involuntary separation of the student from the College for misconduct apart from academic performance for a specified period of time not to exceed one/two academic terms. Suspension differs from expulsion in that after the stated time period the student is eligible for re-admission. Expulsion is a separation for more than two academic semesters; student is not eligible for re-admission unless at the end of the separation, he/she can prove that the behavior that resulted in the expulsion has been resolved. Students may be suspended from a class, residence hall, use of a College facility or an activity in the sole determination by an authorized College employee that the conduct is in violation of the Code subject only to an appeal to the Chief Student Services Officer to ensure the action was taken pursuant to college polices. Students may be suspended from one class period by the responsible faculty member, longer suspensions can be done only in accordance with college procedures.
  e. Summary Suspension: An immediate action taken by the Chief Student Services Officer to ensure the safety and well-being of members of the college community or preservation of college property; to ensure the student’s own physical or emotional safety and well-being; or if the student poses a definite threat of disruption or interference with the normal operations of the college. In such event, the hearing before the Impartial Decision Maker (if requested by the student), shall occur as soon as possible following the
  suspension. 
• Day: Refers to calendar day unless otherwise noted below. 

Procedures

Decision

Chief Student Services Officer or his/her designee shall receive all allegations of student misconduct, investigate the complaints and make a Decision. He/she may decide that the charges can be disposed of administratively by mutual consent of the parties involved on a basis acceptable to him/her. If an administrative resolution is not achieved, the Chief Student Services Officer or designee shall issue a Decision which determines whether the alleged conduct occurred; whether the conduct violated the Code of Conduct or College policies or procedures; and impose a sanction(s) if appropriate. The student shall receive written Notice of the Decision and be advised of his/her right to appeal the Decision by filing a written appeal with the Chief Student Services Officer within seven (7) days of service of the Decision. In
the case of suspension or expulsion, the sanction shall be imposed no earlier than six days after service of the Notice unless it is a summary suspension or the sanction is agreed to by the student. If an appeal is requested, suspension and/or expulsion shall not be imposed until the appeal procedures below have been completed.

Appeal

• In the event of an appeal, the Chief Student Services Officer shall give written Notice to the student and the Impartial Decision Maker which describes the conduct to be inquired into; the Code of Conduct and/or College policies or procedures which were allegedly violated; the date, time and place of the alleged violation; the sanction that is threatened and the date, time and place of the hearing before the Impartial Decision Maker. The Notice shall be given at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing unless a shorter time is agreed to by the parties. 
• Conduct of Hearings. The Impartial Decision Maker shall determine its own hearing procedures, keeping in mind the following guidelines:
  a. Student shall have the right to be heard by the Impartial Decision Maker; in the event that the student is under the age of eighteen or incapacitated, he/she may have an advisor present to assist him/her in presenting his/her case.
  b. Students do not have the right to be represented by an attorney during these proceedings except in the case where civil or criminal actions concerning the student are pending and in that case, the attorney’s role shall be advisory only. The student is responsible for presenting his/her own case and, therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any hearing except as provided in #1 above.
  c. Student shall have the right to identify documents, witnesses and other material he/she would like the Impartial Decision Maker to review before making a final decision.
  d. Hearings shall be conducted in private unless all parties agree otherwise.
  e. A record of the hearing should be maintained by the Impartial Decision Maker.
• Determination by Impartial Decision Maker. The Decision Maker shall make its findings and determinations in closed meeting out of the presence of the Chief Student Services Officer and the student charged. Separate findings are to be made as to the conduct of the student and on the sanction(s), if any, to be imposed. No discipline shall be imposed on the student unless the Impartial Decision Maker is persuaded by a preponderance of the evidence that the student committed the alleged conduct and that it constituted a violation of the Code of Conduct and/or college regulations; that the student should be sanctioned (including modifying the sanction imposed below) and that the discipline is reasonable given the violation. The student and the Chief Student Services Officer shall be given written Notice of the decision. The decision shall be issued within five calendar days of the close of the hearing and it shall become final unless a petition for review is filed.
• Petition for Review. The Chief Student Services Officer or the student may petition the president to review the Impartial Decision Maker’s decision by filing a written petition within five (5) days after notification of the decision. If a review is requested, the other party will be given three (3) days to respond to the petition, and his/her response materials will be given to the president to review before a decision on the petition is made.
• President’s Decision. The president shall review the record of the case and the petition and may affirm or reverse the decision of the Impartial Decision Maker. The record shall consist of the Impartial Decision Maker’s written documents and the recording of the hearing and any written materials submitted in support of the Petition for Review. The president shall notify the Chief Student Services Officer and the student in writing of his/her decision within fourteen (14) days of service of the Petition for Review. The president’s decision is final. 
  
  Miscellaneous
  a. College disciplinary proceeding may be instituted against a student charged with violation of a law if the violation occurred at the College or College-sanctioned activities or was of such a nature as to impact upon the College which is also a violation of the College’s Student Code of Conduct. Proceedings under this Procedure may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following civil or criminal proceedings off-campus.
  b. Time limits for scheduling of hearings may be extended at the discretion of the Impartial Decision Maker.
  c. The procedural rights afforded to students above may be waived by the student.

Student Complaints/Grievances

Reference: Board Policy 4-31; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II and Age Discrimination 1975.

Basis: This Student Grievance Procedure is intended to allow students an opportunity to present an issue which they feel warrants action, including the right to secure educational benefits and services without regard to sex, race, national origin or ancestry, creed, color, disability, or age, and have the issue considered in a prompt and equitable fashion.

Definitions: Grievant: Enrolled student, a client, or volunteer who is providing a service to benefit the College under the supervision and control of a college employee. A client or volunteer may only grieve a decision which bans him or her from the campus.

Grievance: A grievable offense is any alleged action which violates or inequitably applies written college policies or procedures. The grievant must be personally affected by such violation or inequitable action. A grievance must be brought to the formal stage within 20 calendar days of the date the student knew or reasonably should have known about the action.

Chief Student Services Officer: The college employee designated by the college president to administer student grievances. Grievances alleging discrimination issues may be referred to the employee responsible for ensuring equal opportunity and access.

Remedy: The relief that the Grievant is requesting.

Respondent(s): Another student, volunteer, client, faculty member and/or administrator identified by the Grievant as causing or contributing to the grievance.

Non-grievable matters: The following matters are not grievable under this procedure except as noted: matters over which the college is without authority to act; grades and other academic decisions unless there is an allegation that the decision was motivated by illegal discrimination; and disciplinary actions taken pursuant to BP 4-30.

Procedures

Informal

Grievant is encouraged to resolve the issue with the Respondent or his/her supervisor. In the case of grievances based upon one’s race, color, creed, national origin or ancestry, disability, age or gender, the Grievant may first contact the college employee responsible for affirmative action to seek informal resolution of the issues. If the complaint alleges facts which might constitute a violation of SP 3-120a concerning sexual harassment, the administrator shall investigate and process the complaint under that procedure. While the Grievant is encouraged to resolve the issues through the informal process, he/she may at any time elect to go to the formal stage by following the process outlined below.

Formal

1. Grievant timely files a written statement of the actions complained of and describes the remedy he/she is seeking with the Chief Student Services Officer. A matter could also be referred to this process by the College president or his/her designee. Once a written grievance is filed or referred, the Chief Student Services Officer or designee will determine whether or not the situation states a grievable offense. The matter will be closed if the situation is determined not grievable, and the Grievant will be notified of the reasons.
2. If the matter is determined to be grievable, Chief Student Services Officer or designee (which may be an individual or a committee) shall hear the Grievance. A hearing will be held which will give the Grievant, Respondent, and others invited to appear, and given the opportunity to explain what they know about the issues surrounding the grievance. Considering the oral and written statements and documents, the Chief Student Services Officer or Designee shall issue a decision within ten (10) calendar days of close of the hearing. The Decision shall be served upon the Grievant and the Respondent personally or by certified mail to the addresses on file in the Admissions office. The Decision shall reject the grievance or grant the grievance and make recommendation(s) to resolve the issue(s). The Chief Student Services Officer or designee’s decision is final unless a Petition for Review is filed with the president by either party within five (5) calendar days of service of the Decision.
3. Upon receipt of a Petition for Review, the college president will review the record and issue a written decision within ten calendar days of receipt of the Petition for Review. The president’s decision is final.
4. The Chief Student Services Officer or Designee may extend the scheduling timelines described above for good cause.
5. If the grievance is against the Chief Student Services Officer, the Chief Academic Officer or other person designated by the president shall perform the duties of the Chief Student Services Officer. 

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of honesty in the classroom, shop, or laboratory. Failure to do so is grounds for disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion from Pikes Peak Community College.

Classroom Attendance Procedure
 

Individuals not enrolled in a class are not permitted to sit in the classroom while the class is in session. Faculty members are required to take attendance and anyone not on the class list will be asked to leave the classroom. The only exception to this procedure is for specially trained interpreters necessary for disabled students.

Conduct in College Buildings

By Colorado Executive Order, smoking is not permitted in any college facility.

Restricted Attendance

Faculty may suspend students from one class period if their conduct is obstructive, disruptive, or unacceptable in an instructional setting. Students may return to class after the faculty member has identified the conditions to allow continued attendance. If students return and these conditions are violated, the appropriate dean will review the circumstances and provide information to the Dean of Students. This information shall state the appropriate administrative action, which
may include continued attendance or permanent dismissal from the class as outlined in the Student Disciplinary Procedure.

Drugs and Alcohol 

In compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989 (Public Law 101-226), students shall not engage in the unauthorized or unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, use/abuse of alcohol and/or illicit drugs on college property or as part of any college activity.

Sexual Harassment

Pikes Peak Community College is firmly committed to maintaining a work and learning environment where students, faculty, and staff are treated with dignity and respect. Sexual harassment and acts of discrimination are illegal, often demeaning for the individual student or employee, and can disrupt the College’s positive learning and working environment. As such, all members of the College community have a responsibility to be aware of what behaviors constitute sexual
harassment, to be responsible for their own actions, and to help create an environment free of sexual harassment.

AIDS Policy

Current knowledge indicates that individuals with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), AIDS Related Complex (ARC), or a positive test for antibody to the Human T-Lymphotrophic Virus Type III (HTLV-III/HIV) do not pose a health risk to others in a nonlaboratory academic setting. According to current medical data, the virus is not transmitted by casual contact. Based on this knowledge, individuals sharing common work or study areas, libraries, classrooms,
recreational facilities, cafeterias, and theaters do not present a problem or public health threat to the College community. Laboratories and/or programs dealing with body fluids will teach and practice universal precautionary procedures.

Firearms on Campus

State Board Policy states that no person may have on his or her person any unauthorized firearm, ammunition, explosive device, or illegal weapon on campus or any facility used by a college. Persons authorized to carry firearms and other equipment defined in the policy are:
• those persons conducting and participating in an approved program of instruction in the college’s curriculum which requires access to such equipment as in integral part of the instructional program;
• peace officers; and
• those persons granted permission at the discretion of the college president for specific purposes from time to time.

Smoking in College Buildings

Consistent with State of Colorado statute, smoking is NOT PERMITTED in any PPCC building or facility. Smoking is allowed in designated areas of the courtyard between t