WAC 132I-120-100   College community expectations, and code of conduct.  (1) Civility statement. Members of Highline Community College accept the responsibility to promote a learning and working environment which ensures mutual respect, civility, honesty, and fairness. Members are expected to uphold the college's values and ethics necessary to maintain a positive campus climate, which includes health, safety and welfare of the campus community. To be active participants in the process of education, community members will strive to adhere to the following expectations:

     (a) To be positive contributors to the college, the city of Des Moines, and the surrounding community.

     (b) To conduct themselves with civility and be held accountable as members of the HCC community.

     (c) To be honest and take responsibility for treating others with respect and dignity.

     (d) To be open to the concepts of leadership, diversity, and wellness.

     (e) To be open-minded and prepared to learn.

     (2) Educational expectations. Students who choose to attend Highline Community College also choose to participate actively in the adult learning process offered by the college. As a process, learning is not a product or commodity, which is bought and sold, but rather, it is a relationship between instructors who are willing to teach, staff who are willing to support, and students who are willing to learn. Therefore, the responsibility for learning is shared equally between students, staff, and faculty.

     (3) Student responsibilities. The college is responsible for providing its students with an educational environment rich in the high quality resources needed by students to attain their individual educational goals. In return, students are responsible for making themselves aware of the full breadth of the resources available, for the timely choosing and appropriate use of these resources, and for the specific behavioral tasks necessary for attaining the desired learning outcomes. Student responsibilities include but are not limited to the following: To actively participate in the learning process by adhering to the college's policies, practices, and procedures; attending all class sessions; utilizing campus resources; participating actively in the advising process; seeking timely assistance in meeting educational goals; and assuming responsibility for the selection of courses to achieve those goals.

     (4) Code of conduct. As members of the college community, students are expected to obey all college rules and regulations and are prohibited from engaging in any unlawful conduct. Any student who, either as a principal actor, aid, abettor, or accomplice as defined in RCW 9A.08.020, as now law or hereafter amended, violates any local, state or federal law, interferes with the personal rights or privileges of others or the educational process of the college, or violates the code of conduct which includes, but is not limited to, the categories listed below, shall be subject to disciplinary action as provided in this chapter (see WAC 132I-120-410).

     (a) Personal offenses.

     (i) Assault, reckless endangerment, intimidation, or interference upon another person in the manner set forth in RCW 9A.36.010 through 9A.36.050, or 28B.10.570 through28B.10.572 , as now law or hereafter amended.

     (ii) Disorderly, disruptive, or abusive behavior which interferes with the rights of others or obstructs or disrupts teaching, learning, research, or administrative functions.

     (iii) Inattentiveness, inability, or failure to follow the reasonable instructions of any college employee acting within their professional responsibility, thereby infringing upon the rights and privileges of others.

     (iv) Refusal to comply with any lawful order to leave the college campus or any portion thereof by college personnel when necessary for the college to achieve its purpose of providing educational programs and services.

     (v) Unauthorized assembly, obstruction, or disruption which materially and substantially interferes with vehicular or pedestrian traffic, classes, hearings, meetings, the educational and administrative functions of the college, or the rights and privileges of others.

     (vi) Filing of a formal complaint falsely accusing another member of the college community with violating a provision of this chapter.

     (vii) Falsely reporting an emergency, such as by setting off or otherwise tampering with any emergency safety equipment, alarm, or other device established for the safety of individuals and/or college facilities.

     (viii) Submitting information known to be false, misinterpreted, or fraudulent to college officials or on college records.

     (ix) Engaging in unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where such behavior offends the recipient or a third party, causes discomfort or humiliation, or creates an intimidating, offensive, or hostile work or learning environment.

     (x) Stalking behavior in which a student repeatedly engages in a course of conduct directed at another person and makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, or the safety of his or her family; where the threat is reasonably determined by the college to seriously alarm, torment, or terrorize the person; and where the threat is additionally determined by the college to serve no legitimate purpose.

     (xi) Destruction or alteration of any evidence that could be used during an investigation or college proceeding.

     (xii) Any malicious act or behavior which causes harm to any person's physical or mental well-being. Harassment includes intentionally and repeatedly following or contacting another person in a manner that alarms, annoys, intimidates, harasses, or causes substantial emotional distress.

     (b) Property offenses.

     (i) Actual or attempted theft or robbery (RCW 9A.56.010 through 9A.56.060 and 9A.56.100) of property or services belonging to the college or college community member including but not limited to knowingly possessing stolen property.

     (ii) Malicious mischief that causes damage to or destruction of any college facility or other public, private, or personal property.

     (iii) Unauthorized use of college equipment and supplies for personal gain.

     (iv) Unauthorized use of a motorized vehicle, skateboard, bicycle, or other personal vehicle on campus pedestrian walkways.

     (v) Unauthorized entry, access, or presence upon the property of the college or into a college facility or portion thereof which has been reserved, restricted, or placed off limits or unauthorized possession or use of key, access code, or password to any college facility or system.

     (vi) Misuses of information technology. The following is prohibited: Failure to comply with laws, license agreements, and contracts governing network, software and hardware; abuse of communal resources; use of computing resources for illegal or unauthorized commercial purposes or personal gain. It is the obligation of college students to be aware of their responsibilities as outlined in the Computing Resources Appropriate Use Policy: http://flightline.highline.edu/ic/policies/aup.php. Failure to comply may result in loss of access to college computing resources, as well as administrative, civil or criminal action under Washington state or federal law.

     (c) Status offenses.

     (i) Forgery, falsification, or alteration of official documents, records, or correspondence.

     (ii) Refusal to provide positive identification (e.g., student or state identification card; valid driver's license) when requested by any identified college official.

     (d) Offenses pertaining to drugs/alcohol/smoking.

     (i) Smoking outside of the designated smoking areas.

     (ii) Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on college property or at a college-sponsored event is prohibited unless attendees are over the age of twenty-one and an alcohol permit has been obtained.

     (iii) Controlled substances. Using, possessing, delivering, selling or being under the influence of legend drugs, including anabolic steroids, androgens, or human growth hormones, as defined by RCW 69.41.010 and 69.41.300 or any other controlled substance as defined in RCW 69.50.101 as now law or hereafter amended, except upon valid prescription or order of a practitioner is subject to additional sanctions, including disqualification from participation in college-sponsored athletic events. For the purpose of this regulation, "sale" shall include the statutory meaning defined in RCW 69.04.005 as now law or hereafter amended.

     (e) Regulations governing firearms and weapons.

     (i) It shall be the policy of the college that carrying, exhibiting, displaying, or drawing any weapon, as defined in RCW 9.41.250 as now law or later amended, is prohibited. Such weapons may include but are not limited to, dagger, sword, knife (with larger than a three-inch blade), or any cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapons, including fake weapons capable of producing bodily harm, emotional distress, and/or property damage.

     (ii) Explosives, incendiary devices, or any weapons facsimiles are prohibited on college property or in college facilities.

     (iii) The above regulations shall not apply to equipment or material that is owned, used, or maintained by the college, nor will they apply to law enforcement officers or authorized contractors performing work for the college.

     (f) Other misconduct: Any other conduct or action in which the college can demonstrate a clear and distinct threat to college property, the educational process, or any other legitimate function of the college or the health or safety of any member of the college community.

     (5) Academic honesty.

     (a) Students attending Highline Community College are expected to participate as responsible members of the college community, which includes assuming full responsibility for maintaining honesty and integrity in all work submitted for credit and in any other work assigned by faculty.

     (b) Violations of academic honesty include, but are not limited to:

     (i) Plagiarism: The unauthorized use or close imitation of the words, ideas, data, images, or product of another and the representation of them as one's own original work.

     (ii) Cheating: Use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids; an act of deceit by which a student attempts to misrepresent academic skills or knowledge; unauthorized or attempted unauthorized copying or collaboration.

     (iii) Fabrication: Intentional misrepresentation or invention of any information, such as falsifying research, inventing or exaggerating data, or listing incorrect or fictitious references.

     (iv) Collusion: Assisting another to commit an act of academic dishonesty, such as paying or bribing someone to acquire a test or assignment, or increase the score on a test or assignment; taking a test or doing an assignment for someone else; allowing someone to do these things for one's own benefit.

     (v) Academic misconduct: Intentionally violating college policies, such as altering grades, misrepresenting one's identity, failing to report known incidents of academic dishonesty, or participating in obtaining or distributing any part of a test or any information about a test.

     (c) Penalties for academic dishonesty.

     (d) If a student is found guilty of academic dishonesty, any one or a combination of the following sanctions may be imposed by the faculty member:

     (i) Verbal or written warning.

     (ii) A grade of 0% (0.0) or otherwise lowered grade for the assignment, project, or test.

     (e) The following sanction may be imposed by the faculty member only after a formal hearing is conducted by the chief student affairs officer, and the chief student affairs officer approves the sanction:

     A grade of 0% (0.0) or otherwise lowered grade for the course, overriding a student's withdrawal from the course.

     (f) The chief student affairs officer may also issue the following disciplinary sanctions, in accordance with the Highline student rights and responsibilities code (WAC 132I-120-410(11)):

     (i) Disciplinary admonition and warning.

     (ii) Disciplinary probation with or without the loss of privileges for a definite period of time. The violation of the terms of the disciplinary probation or the breaking of any college rule during the probation period may be grounds for suspension or expulsion from the college.

     (iii) Suspension from Highline Community College for a definite period of time.

     (iv) Dismissal from Highline Community College.

     (g) Academic dishonesty complaint and hearing procedures.

     (i) The faculty member observing or investigating the apparent act of academic dishonesty shall document the incident by writing down the time, date, place, and a description of the act and/or any other pertinent information.

     (ii) The faculty member may collect evidence to corroborate the allegation.

     (iii) The faculty member shall provide the student an opportunity to explain the incident.

     (iv) The faculty member shall explain to the student the procedures and penalties for academic dishonesty and shall give the student a copy of the Highline Community College academic honesty policy.

     (v) The faculty member may resolve the matter informally by determining an appropriate sanction, which may include a verbal or written warning, or a grade of 0% (0.0) or otherwise lowered grade on an assignment, project, or test, or no further action.

     (vi) The faculty member shall submit a copy of the Academic Dishonesty Report form to the office of the chief student affairs officer. The report shall be kept on file and may be presented as evidence for more stringent sanctions, should the student commit subsequent violation(s) of the academic honesty policy.

     (vii) If the faculty member wishes to initiate more stringent sanctions in addition to lowering or failing an assignment and/or verbal or written warning (e.g., assign a failing grade for the course), the student must be entitled to a formal hearing with the chief student affairs officer. Following a formal hearing, sanctions imposed by the chief student affairs officer may range from no further action (no failing grade for the course) to dismissal from the college (WAC 132I-120-410(11)). The chief student affairs officer may not overturn the sanctions imposed by the faculty member ((d)(i) and (ii) of this subsection).

     (viii) The faculty member shall submit a copy of the Academic Dishonesty Report form and any additional evidence to the chief student affairs officer within ten days of the alleged act of academic dishonesty, which initiates the formal hearing process.

     (ix) Within ten days of receiving an Academic Dishonesty Report form, the chief student affairs officer or designee shall notify the student in writing of the date, time and location of the hearing. At the hearing, the student shall meet with the chief student affairs officer or designee to hear the charges and present his/her side of the case. If the student chooses not to attend or fails to appear, the hearing will be conducted in the student's absence.

     (x) The chief student affairs officer or designee will consider any evidence submitted within seven days of the hearing, and interview persons as warranted. The chief student affairs officer or designee determines if the action recommended by the faculty member is appropriate.

     (xi) Within ten days of the hearing, the chief student affairs officer or designee shall send written notification of the results to the student and faculty member. The decision of the chief student affairs officer or designee is final. (With permission, contents of this policy were adapted from "Academic Integrity Policy," Portland Community College, Portland, Oregon.)

     (6) Violation of any of the above regulations may also constitute violation of criminal laws or ordinances of various cities, municipalities, counties, the state of Washington, or the United States and may subject a violator to criminal sanctions in addition to any sanctions imposed by the college.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.140(13). 08-01-088, § 132I-120-100, filed 12/17/07, effective 1/17/08. Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW et seq., RCW 28B.50.100 and 28B.50.140. 92-15-115, § 132I-120-100, filed 7/21/92, effective 8/21/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.140. 88-07-120 (Order 022), § 132I-120-100, filed 3/23/88.]