G. Student Conduct

Section 1: Intro

The student conduct process at Wor-Wic Community College exists to protect the interests of the larger Wor-Wic community and to challenge those whose behavior is in violation of accepted community standards. Students should be aware that the student conduct process is quite different from criminal and civil court proceedings. Due process, as defined within these procedures, assures written notice and a hearing before an objective decision-maker. No student will be found in violation of college policy without information showing that it is more likely than not that a policy violation occurred, and any sanctions will be proportionate to the severity of the violation and to the cumulative conduct history of the student.

Section 2: Jurisdiction

The Code of Student Conduct is available on the college website. Students receive the Code of Student Conduct via the website during the orientation and onboarding process. Students are responsible for reading and abiding by the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct.

The Code of Student Conduct and the student conduct process apply to the conduct of individual students and all Wor-Wic Community College-affiliated student organizations. Wor-Wic considers an individual to be a student when an offer of admission has been extended and thereafter as long as the student has a continuing educational interest at Wor-Wic. The Code of Student Conduct applies to behaviors that take place on the campus and at any college-sponsored event or activity. The Code of Student Conduct may also be applied to behavior conducted online, via email or another electronic medium.

Alleged violations of federal, state and local laws may be investigated and addressed under the Code of Student Conduct. When an offense occurs over which the college has jurisdiction, the college’s conduct process will usually go forward notwithstanding any criminal complaint that may arise from the same incident. Wor-Wic reserves the right to exercise its authority of interim suspension upon notification that a student is facing criminal investigation and/or complaint. Suspension of students on an interim basis occurs when there is reason to believe the continued presence of the student poses a health and safety threat or impedes the normal operation of the college.

There is no time limit on reporting violations of the Code of Student Conduct; however, the longer someone waits to report an offense, the harder it becomes for college officials to investigate and make determinations regarding alleged violations. Though anonymous complaints are permitted, doing so may limit the college’s ability to investigate and respond to a complaint.

Those who are aware of misconduct are encouraged to report it as quickly as possible to Public Safety by calling 410-334-2937 or to the dean of enrollment management and student services at 410-334-2902.

Wor-Wic email is accessible via the myWor-Wic portal on the college website. Wor-Wic email is the college’s primary means of communication with students. Students are responsible for all communication delivered to their Wor-Wic email address.

Section 3: Academic and Behavioral Standards

Wor-Wic considers the behavior described below to be in violation of accepted community standards and in opposition to Wor-Wic’s core values of community, diversity, integrity and excellence. The expectations and rules described below apply to all Wor-Wic students and the college encourages all members of the community, including students, faculty, staff and guests, to report incidents involving the following:

Academic Standards

The completion and submission of a student’s own work during the course of academic study at Wor-Wic is vital to intellectual, personal and professional development. Wor-Wic expects students to conduct themselves with integrity and honesty as they apply themselves academically. As a result, the following behaviors are strictly prohibited:

1. Cheating – the intentional use or attempted use of unauthorized materials, information, or study aids, or unethical collaboration in any academic exercise;
2. Plagiarism – the presentation of seemingly-original work that is derived in whole or in part from another source without proper citation;
3.  Facilitating Academic Dishonesty – intentionally giving assistance to another student committing an academic standards violation; and
4. Other – other forms of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, unauthorized reuse of coursework from one class to another, dishonesty in completion of experiential learning opportunities or any other behaviors that could be reasonably regarded as lacking in academic integrity.

​The sanctions for violations of academic standards are mandatory and are included at the end of this policy.

Behavioral Standards

The behaviors listed below are considered to be in violation of accepted Wor-Wic community standards and are in opposition to the college’s core values. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and behaviors that violate Wor-Wic’s core values but that are not mentioned here may also be subject to sanctions.

1. Falsification – knowingly furnishing or possessing false, falsified, or forged information, materials, documents, accounts, records, identification or financial instruments;
2. Unauthorized Access and/or Entry – unauthorized access and/or entry, including trespassing and propping doors, to any college property or facility; or unauthorized possession, duplication or use of means of access to any college property (keys, ID card);
3. Collusion – action or inaction with another or others leading to violation/s of the Code of Student Conduct;
4. Taking of Property – intentional and unauthorized taking of college property or the personal property of another, including goods, services and other valuables;
5. Stolen Property – knowingly taking or maintaining possession of stolen property;
6. Disruptive Behavior – disruption of college operations including obstruction of teaching, research, administration, other core college functions and/or other authorized non-college activities which occur on campus;
7. Rioting – causing, inciting or participating in any disturbance that presents a clear and present danger to self or others, causes physical harm to others, or damage and/or destruction of property;
8. Trademark – unauthorized use (including misuse) of college branding and images;
9. Lobbying/Political Activity – unauthorized efforts to affect partisan influence in college activities or functions or otherwise misrepresent the college’s strictly non- partisan, independent status;
10. Damage and Destruction – intentional, reckless and/or unauthorized damage to or destruction of college property or the personal property of another;
11. IT, Computers, and Acceptable Use – violating the college’s policies regarding information security and use of college systems;
12. Gambling – wagering or betting in any manner to receive something of value dependent upon the result of any race, contest or contingency, as defined in the state of Maryland;
13. Weapons – possession, use or distribution of explosives (including fireworks and ammunition), guns (including air, BB, paintball, facsimile weapons and pellet guns) or other weapons or dangerous objects such as arrows, axes, machetes, nun chucks, throwing stars or knives;
14. Smoking/Vaping – smoking, vaping or tobacco use in “no smoking/tobacco use” areas;
15. Fire Safety – violation of local, state, federal or campus fire policies including, but not limited to:
    • Intentionally or recklessly causing a fire which damages college or personal property, or which causes injury;
    • Failure to evacuate a college-controlled building during a fire alarm;
    • Improper use of college fire safety equipment; or
    • Tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on college property.
16. Pets – pets and other animals belonging to students that are not performing an authorized or protected function, such as service animals, are not permitted on campus;
17. Wheeled Devices – skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles and similar wheeled devices are not permitted inside college buildings. Additionally, skateboards and other wheeled items may not be ridden on railings, curbs, benches, or any such fixtures that may be damaged by these activities, and individuals may be liable for damage to college property caused by these activities;
18. Discrimination – any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group’s actual or perceived status (sex, gender, race, color, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion, sexual orientation or other protected status) that is sufficiently severe that it limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from Wor-Wic’s educational program or activities;
19. Harassment – any unwelcome conduct based on actual or perceived status including sex, gender, race, color, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion, sexual orientation or other protected status. Any unwelcome conduct should be reported to the dean of enrollment management and student services, who will act to remedy and resolve reported incidents on behalf of the victim and community;
20. Retaliatory Discrimination or Harassment – any intentional, adverse action taken by a responding individual or allied third party, absent legitimate nondiscriminatory purposes, against a participant in the student conduct process or in a civil rights grievance proceeding;
21. Abuse of Conduct Process - abuse or interference with, or failure to comply in, college processes including conduct and academic integrity hearings including, but not limited to:
    • Falsification, distortion or misrepresentation of information;
    • Failure to provide, destroying or concealing information during an investigation of an alleged policy violation;
    • Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the campus conduct system;
    • Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of a campus conduct body prior to, during, and/or following a campus conduct proceeding;
    • Influencing, or attempting to influence, another person to commit an abuse of the campus conduct system;
22. Harm to Persons – intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm or endangering the health or safety of any person;
23. Threatening Behaviors:
    • Threat - Written or verbal conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of injury to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property;
    • Intimidation - Implied threats or acts that cause a reasonable fear of harm in another;
24. Bullying and Cyberbullying – bullying and cyberbullying (use of social media or other internet communications tools to bully) are repeated and/or severe aggressive behaviors that intimidate or intentionally harm or control another person physically or emotionally and are not covered by free speech protections;
25. Hazing – acts that endanger the physical or mental health of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into a group, club or organization;
26. Intimate Partner/Relationship Violence – violence or abuse by a person in an intimate relationship with another;
27. Stalking – a course of conduct directed at a specific person that is unwelcome and would cause a reasonable person to feel fear;
28. Sexual Misconduct – including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, non- consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse and/or sexual exploitation (see the Wor-Wic Community College Sexual Misconduct Policy and the Wor-Wic Community College Sexual Misconduct Procedures);
29. Public Exposure – includes deliberately and publicly exposing one’s intimate body parts, public urination, defecation and public sexual acts;
30. Alcohol – unauthorized use of alcoholic beverages, including the possession, consumption, sale or purchase of any such beverages;
31. Drugs – use, possession or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances or drug paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law;
32. Failure to Comply – failure to comply with the directives of college officials or law enforcement officers in the normal performance of their duties; and
33. Other Policies – violation of any other published directives, rules or policies.

Section 4: Overview of the Conduct Process

This overview gives a general idea of how Wor-Wic’s campus conduct proceedings work, but it should be noted that not all situations are of the same severity or complexity. Thus, these procedures are flexible, and may not be exactly the same in every situation. Also, it should be noted that in cases of sexual misconduct, harassment or discrimination, different policies and procedures apply. The campus conduct process is activated by completing the Student Conduct Committee Incident Report, or by informing the dean of enrollment management and student services, of a potential violation of the Code of Student Conduct.

Once notice is received, regardless of the source, the college may proceed with preliminary investigation and/or may schedule an initial meeting with the responding student to explain the conduct process and gather information.

Preliminary Investigation/Meeting

The college conducts a preliminary investigation or meeting to delve into the nature of the notice received, the evidence available and the identities of parties involved. This investigation will happen no later than 10 business days from the date notice is received. The preliminary investigation or meeting may lead to:

• Determination that there is insufficient evidence or no violation; or
• A more comprehensive investigation when more information is needed; or
• A formal allegation of a violation of the Code of Student Conduct involving the responding student.

When preliminary meetings are held with a responding student or students, possible outcomes include:

• A decision not to continue an investigation due to insufficient evidence, and the case is closed; or
• A decision on the allegation that is uncontested (an “informal resolution”); or
• A decision to proceed with additional investigation; or
• A decision to proceed with “formal resolution” via committee due to a contested allegation.

If a decision on the allegation is made and the finding is that the responding student is not responsible for violating the Code of Student Conduct, the process will end. If the college finds that the responding student is in violation, and the responding student does not submit a written notice of appeal of the college’s finding within five business days, the college considers this an “uncontested allegation.” The dean of enrollment management and student services or other administrator conducting the preliminary meeting will then determine any sanctions for the misconduct and notify the student in writing. The responding student may appeal sanctions by submitting a request for appeal, in writing, within five business days of the decision of the dean of enrollment management and student services.

If the student accepts the findings but rejects sanctions, the college will conduct a sanction-only review of the case and may conduct an additional hearing with the responding student. In a sanctions-only review, the vice president for enrollment management and student services or a designated administrator will review the case and the determination of the dean of enrollment management and student services to ensure that sanctions were appropriate and proportionate to the violations.

In cases in which the dean of enrollment management and student services or the investigating administrator find that it is more likely than not that the responding student is in violation of the Code of Student Conduct, and the responding student rejects that finding, the responding student may submit a written appeal request within five days. Such cases are considered “contested allegations.” Appeal requests are evaluated by the vice president for enrollment management and student services.

Formal Committee Hearing

In the case of a “contested allegation,” a formal notice of the complaint and any sanctions will be issued to the responding student, and a hearing will be scheduled before the student conduct committee within 10 business days of acceptance of the appeal request. Following the committee’s review, the committee will deliberate and issue a finding, except in Title IX or other discrimination cases. The committee’s finding serves as a formal recommendation to the dean of enrollment management and student services, who will review and finalize it. The decision can be appealed to the vice president of enrollment management and student services. The decision of the vice president of enrollment management and student services is final.

Admission to the committee hearing of persons other than the parties involved will be at the discretion of the dean of enrollment management and student services. All committee hearings are closed to the public. Parties involved in the complaint have the right to be present at the hearing, but do not have the right to be present during committee deliberation. The hearing will be recorded, but deliberations are not.

Except in cases of grave or unforeseen circumstances, if the responding student fails to give the requisite minimum three business day notice of an anticipated absence from a scheduled hearing, or if the responding student fails to appear, the hearing will proceed as scheduled. It is the responding student’s responsibility to participate fully in the student conduct process when a complaint has been lodged. Failure to respond to an investigation, inquiry, request for meeting or any other official communication delivered as part of the conduct process may be considered a violation of the Code of Student Conduct in itself. Wor-Wic Community College frequently communicates important information to students via students’ college email addresses; it is the responsibility of students to regularly check their college email accounts.

Interim Action

Under the Code of Student Conduct, the dean of enrollment management and student services or vice president for enrollment management and student services may impose restrictions and/or separate a student from the community pending the scheduling of a campus hearing on alleged violation(s) of the Code of Student Conduct when a student represents a threat of serious harm to others, is facing allegations of serious criminal activity, to preserve the integrity of an investigation, to preserve Wor-Wic Community College property and/or to prevent disruption of, or interference with, the normal operations of the college. Interim actions can include separation from the institution or restrictions on participation in the community for no more than 10 business days pending the scheduling of a campus hearing on alleged violation(s) of the Code of Student Conduct. During an interim suspension, a student is prohibited from accessing the college campus and any facilities or events, both in person and virtual.

Sanctions

Following the “informal resolution” of a student conduct complaint via preliminary investigation/meeting or “formal resolution” of a student conduct complaint, the dean of enrollment management and student services will make a final decision regarding sanctions. Sanctions are meant to be proportionate to the violation and designed to promote the health of the Wor-Wic community. With this in mind, it is important to note that the following list of possible sanctions at Wor-Wic Community College is not exhaustive and is meant to be adaptable to the circumstances of individual cases. At the conclusion of formal or informal resolution processes, the dean of enrollment management and student services will send notification to the responding student of any sanctions and expectations regarding their satisfactory completion/abidance within five business days. One or more of the following sanctions may be imposed upon any student for any single violation of the Code of Student Conduct:

1. Warning: An official written notice that the student has violated Wor-Wic Community College policies and/or behavioral standards and that more severe sanctions will result should the student be involved in further violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
2. Restitution: Compensation for damage caused to the college or any person’s property. This can include situations in which a student fails to return a reserved space to its original condition.
3. Fines: Reasonable monetary penalties may be imposed for nuisance violations and will follow a uniform schedule.
4. College/Community Service Requirements: For a student or organization to complete some form of verified or supervised college or community service.
5. Confiscation of Prohibited Property: Items whose presence is in violation of college policy will be confiscated and will become the property of the college. Prohibited items may be returned to the owner at the discretion of the dean of enrollment management and student services.
6. Behavioral Requirement: This includes required activities including, but not limited to, seeking counseling or substance abuse screening, writing a letter of apology, etc. 
7. Educational Program: Requirement to attend, present and/or participate in a program related to the violation. It may also be a requirement to sponsor or assist with a program for others on campus to aid them in learning about a specific topic or issue related to the violation for which the student or organization was found responsible.
8. Access Restrictions: Restrictions may be imposed on student access to facilities, services, programs or events held on campus or virtually.
9. College Probation: The student is put on official notice that, should further violations of college policies occur during a specified probationary period, the student may face suspension or expulsion. Regular probationary check-in meetings may also be mandated.
10. Suspension: Separation from the college for a specified minimum period of time, after which the student is eligible to return. Eligibility may be contingent upon satisfaction of specific conditions noted at the time of suspension. The student is required to vacate the campus immediately and may not be present at any college properties, functions, events and activities without the express approval of the dean of enrollment management and student services. This sanction may be enforced with formal trespass action.
11. Expulsion: Permanent separation from Wor-Wic Community College. The student is banned from college property and the student’s presence at any Wor-Wic sponsored activity or event is prohibited. This action may be enforced with a trespass action as necessary.
12. Other Sanctions: Additional or alternate sanctions may be created and designed as deemed appropriate to the offense with the approval of the dean of enrollment management and student services or designee.

Notification

Wor-Wic Community College reserves the right to notify the parents/guardians of dependent students regarding any conduct situation, particularly alcohol and other drug violations. The college may also notify parents/guardians of non-dependent students who are under the age of 21 of alcohol and/or other drug violations. Parental notification may also be utilized discretionarily by administrators when permitted by FERPA or consent of the student.

In cases where the college determines through the student conduct process that a student violated a policy that would constitute a “crime of violence” or nonforcible sex offense, the college may report the crime to a law enforcement agency and may also release the information publicly and/or to third parties. FERPA defines “crimes of violence” to include:

1. Arson
2. Assault offenses (includes stalking)
3. Burglary
4. Criminal homicide—manslaughter by negligence
5. Criminal homicide—murder and nonnegligent manslaughter 
6. Destruction/damage/vandalism of property
7. Kidnapping/abduction
8. Robbery
9. Forcible sex offenses
10. Non-forcible sex offenses
11. Motor vehicle thefts

The student may also report the crime to law enforcement agencies. Please refer to our policy for crime reporting procedures in the policy and procedures manual.

Failure to Complete Student Conduct Sanctions

All students, as members of the Wor-Wic community, are expected to comply with conduct sanctions within the timeframe specified by the dean of enrollment management and student services. Failure to follow through on conduct sanctions by the date specified, whether by refusal, neglect or any other reason, may result in additional sanctions and/or suspension from the college, all of which may become part of the student’s educational record. A suspension will only be lifted when compliance with conduct sanctions is satisfactorily achieved.

Records

All conduct records are maintained by the college for five years from the time of their creation except those that result in separation (suspension or expulsion) and those that fall under Title IX, which are maintained indefinitely.

Section 5: Mandatory Sanctions for Violations of Academic Standards

Students convicted of violations of academic standards receive the following sanctions described below:

First Offense: The charge is discussed between the instructor and the student. Sanctions include:

• At a student/instructor conference, the student signs an “Academic Dishonesty Form” and the form is submitted to the dean of enrollment management and student services for the database collection of names;
• The student does not receive any credit for the assignment; and
• The violation is recorded in the student’s record 

Second Offense: The charge is heard by the student conduct committee, and if the student is guilty the sanctions are assigned as follows:

• The student receives an “F” for the course and is not permitted to deregister or withdraw   from the course

Third Offense: The charge is heard by the student conduct committee, and if the student is guilty the sanctions are assigned as follows:  

• The student receives an “F” for the course and is not permitted to deregister or withdraw from the course
• The student is suspended beginning with the next fall or spring term following the   conviction and the suspension lasts for one fall or spring term, even if graduation is   delayed

Fourth Offense: The charge is heard by the student conduct committee, and if the student is guilty the sanctions are assigned as follows:

• The student receives an immediate “F” in all courses and is not permitted to deregister or withdraw from the courses; and
• The student is immediately placed on permanent suspension.

The Wor-Wic Community College Code of Student Conduct is adapted from the NCHERM Group Model Developmental Code of Student Conduct and is used here with permission. Last updated: 2021.