Objective
Student misconduct and discipline is governed in the College Regulations and Code of Ethics, Student Handbook, Office of Student Affairs. Actions that have been defined in the Student Handbook affecting classroom management will pre-empt such actions being handled within the Office of Academic Affairs.
The instructor is the primary personnel governing actions in the classroom. Both the instructor and student will follow the same process in resolving academic conflicts originating from classroom to the Academic Judicial Committee.
Academic Honesty
The College expects all students to be honest in their efforts to obtain an education. Any student found to be dishonest in acquiring, using or reporting information, or violating established academic codes of conduct, in any other manner, will be subject to penalty for the requirement in question.
Cheating, plagiarism, or any other act of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. In case where evidence is sufficient to establish that a student cheated or was otherwise dishonest in completing a test, paper, report, etc., the penalty will range from repeating the assignment to expulsion from the College.
Procedures
- The instructor discusses with the student any evidence of dishonesty with tests, assignments, or other requirements and the resulting consequences. Based on documented sound evidence, the instructor may require the student to repeat the assignments, complete an alternate assignment or record a reduced grade of “F” for the assignment; based on circumstantial evidence, the instructor may talk with the student about the importance of honesty in the academic environment.
- The student is expected to accept established consequences for acts of dishonesty and refrain from committing any further acts. In the face of circumstantial evidence, it is expected that the student will show the instructor respect in discussing the matter.
- If the student disagrees with an instructor’s charge of academic dishonesty and the subsequently imposed penalty, the student must make a written appeal to the division chair for relief.
- The chair, in consultation with appropriate individuals, secures documentation of dishonesty, determines if the charge is valid and/or the penalty is reasonable. The chair submits a written response to the student within 5 days.
- If the student disagrees with the chair’s decision, the student will submit a written appeal to the within 5 days of notice.
- The Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs provides the final written response within 5 days. If the decision is not favorable to the student, the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs may forward the final response to the student or defer to the Academic Judicial Committee.
- If the student disagrees with the decision coming from the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs or Academic Judicial Committee, the student may submit a written appeal to the President. The decision of the President will be final.
- Students who commit repeated acts of dishonesty may be referred to Office of Student Affairs with a recommendation for suspension from the College
NOTE: At each stage of the appeal process, the process should be initiated within 5 days (not to include weekends and holiday breaks) from notice of the previous appeal from either the student or instructor and handled in a professional manner.
Academic Appeal
Students enrolled at the College may register a concern or complaint about any academic regulation without any adverse actions. Concerns and complaints may include, but not limited to:
- instructional program
- delivery of the program
- grade received
- test results
- academic advisement
- student-instructor conflict
- other matter related to academic affairs
Concerns and complaints will be received and followed as outlined in the Procedures outlined above (i.e., the first level of the complaint, the Division Chair, the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and/or Academic Judicial Committee and President of the College).
Disruptive Behavior (classroom concerns)
Professional deportment is expected in the classroom at all times. Issues unresolved in the classroom that rise to an improper dismissal of the student may require:
(a) request made by the instructor for which the student adheres;
(b) request made by the instructor for which the student does not adhere;
(if assistance from College Security is requested, the instructor should document, in writing, the nature of the issue with the Division Chair the same day (but not later than 24 hours). The Division Chair, based on the unresolved issue, and on a case-by-case basis, determines the next step on the part of the Instructor, with notification to the student. A formal procedural process, if necessary, may be initiated;
(c) if the action of the student deems to threaten other students in the class, the Instructor may dismiss the class. The Division Chair should be informed immediately.
If the action poses a personal threat to other students in the class, the instructor should dismiss the class and call Campus Security immediately. The Division Chair should be informed and the Chair will determine the next procedural step on the part of the instructor, with notification to the student (i.e., a student posing personal threats must report to the Counseling Center and if the matter is not resolved, the students should be sent to the Dean of Student Affairs).
Concerns and complaints will be received and followed as outlined in the Procedures outlined above.
NOTE:
Academic complaints dating back more than a calendar year generally will not be investigated.
Students, at the expiration of disciplinary decisions, may be recommended to participate in campus-based seminars, workshops or counseling.
Where the academic conflict is between a student and Division Chair, the Chair will notify the Academic Dean to allow another chair to replace their position in the process.
Out-of-State Students taking distance education courses should follow the College's student complaint policy as well as the SARA complaint process, which is posted on the SARA website: https://nc-sara.org/student-complaints.
