Student Conduct: policy and Procedure

The Student-College Contract: Principles of Student Conduct

As a Catholic and Jesuit College, Saint Peter’s stands for the human dignity and worth of every person, and is dedicated to pursuing truth, discovering and transmitting knowledge, promoting a life of faith and developing leadership expressed in service to others. Our educational mission reflects a commitment to intellectual rigor, social justice, and an active engagement of contemporary issues. We believe, therefore, in values that foster the human respect needed for people to live, work, study and recreate together as a community. Living these values requires each of us to make an effort towards building a campus community that will be known for love of truth, active care and concern for the common good and selfless sacrifice towards others.

The Division of Student Affairs implements the College’s mission by sponsoring programs, services and activities that encourage students to develop academically, spiritually, socially, physically, and personally. In partnership with students, faculty and staff, the offices that comprise the Division of Student Affairs help to create an educational climate consistent with principles rooted in its Jesuit, Catholic tradition.

Saint Peter’s College takes seriously its academic mission of fostering the creative intellectual potential of each of its students. In order to maintain an atmosphere that nurtures this potential, Saint Peter’s College has established rules of conduct consistent with this goal and with the College’s philosophy as a Catholic institution. By accepting admission to the College, students are expected to abide by the general conditions for community living and the Code of Conduct that are listed on the pages that follow.

Working together as a community, students, faculty, and staff help foster a campus atmosphere that furthers the mission of the College. Students are expected to enhance the College Community Standards. This expectation calls for behavior that demonstrates the five principles of student conduct: respect for oneself, respect for others, respect for property, respect for authority, and honesty.

Respect...

for Oneself
The College values all of its students and is deeply concerned with their total development. Therefore, it is appropriate for the College to set expectations for personal integrity with the aim of encouraging students to appreciate their own talents, take themselves and their academic pursuits seriously, and enhance the quality, of their lives. When an instance of disrespect for self is known, the College will routinely respond to a student engaging in self-destructive behaviors, behaviors that might impede an individual’s ability to enjoy the privileges of education and to fulfill her/his obligations as an educated leader. Students engaging in such behaviors are also encouraged to seek help from various members of the College community.

for Others
One value of learning lies in understanding what knowledge can contribute to the community. It is expected that students will be open to learning, including learning about and respecting persons and cultures different from their own. Members of the campus community must act out of Christian charity and mutual respect to establish an atmosphere of trust, without which there is no community. Therefore, Saint Peter’s expects its members to treat one another with sensitivity, consideration, understanding, tolerance, and an active concern for the welfare of others. The College is particularly concerned that its members show respect for others regardless of race, creed, gender, disability, or nationality, and avoid all forms of harassing or offensive behaviors.

for Property
The mission we share depends upon the responsible use of all property, including such tangible goods, as building, library materials, equipment and green spaces. Respect for property also involves helping to foster a well-maintained environment: a sense of security, tranquility and accomplishment. This principle requires students to respect both personal and institutional property, both inside and outside the Saint Peter’s College community.

for Authority
Authority derives its legitimacy from its commitment to act on behalf of the common good. At Saint Peter’s, that authority especially resides in the officers of the College, its faculty, administrators and staff, each of whom has been charged with responsi-bilities essential to the orderly operation of the College. These individuals serve as leaders and models by example, demonstrating the College’s expectations for all its members. In this respect they help to define the atmosphere which supports and fosters our common mission. Additionally, these individuals provide structure to preserve the well being and freedom of community members and an orderly environment in which all can develop, The successful exercise of authority depends in part on the respect it enjoys from the community it serves.

Honesty

Saint Peter’s educational mission reflects a commitment to the development of the whole person. The College expects students to live by the policies of the Saint Peter’s community and to follow local, state and federal laws. While at Saint Peter’s, students are expected to demonstrate the personal characteristics of honesty and integrity in all aspects of their campus life, both inside and outside the classroom.

Unacceptable Student Behavior

We recognize that certain behaviors are incompatible with the above principles. Such behaviors are unacceptable in the Saint Peter’s College community and are subject to disciplinary action by the College. These behaviors include:

1. Disrespect for Oneself
2. Disrespect for Others
3. Disrespect for Property
4. Disrespect for Authority
5. Dishonesty

The student conduct standards, or Code of Conduct, apply to behavior on College property, at all College-sponsored activities held on or off-campus, and to students’ off-campus behavior which may negatively impact the institution. Policies and regulations apply to both the individual student and any student organization. Violations of local, state, or federal laws, or College policies and regulations which are subject to disciplinary action can be found in greater detail in the Student Handbook, The Net. The Net is published annually by the Dean of Students’ office.

Plagiarism is a most serious form of dishonesty. It may be defined as stealing or purchasing the ideas and writings of another and using them as one’s own. The most common form of plagiarism is the incorporation of whole sentences and paragraphs from published material into papers submitted as one’s own work or purchasing term papers and/or related materials and submitting them as one’s own work. The forms of plagiarism are many and varied, and it is not the intent of this policy statement, therefore, to give a complete catalog. Plagiarism is rarely the result of confusion or misunderstanding. If one conscientiously acknowledges the sources of one’s ideas and citations, plagiarism is effectively avoided. In cases of doubt, students should consult their instructors.

The College, as a matter of policy, does not condone or tolerate plagiarism. Students who submit plagiarized work are liable to receive a failing grade for the assignment and/or the course. In more serious cases, the student who plagiarizes is liable to be suspended or dismissed from the College by the appropriate academic dean.

Cheating is another extremely serious form of dishonesty, and is not tolerated by the college. It may be defined as the giving or accepting of unauthorized assistance with any assignment (including but not restricted to examinations and papers). The most common examples would be copying an answer on an examination (or knowingly allowing one’s answer to be copied, except when collaboration is authorized by the instructor), bringing unauthorized aids to an examination room for one’s own or someone else’s benefit, and providing test questions in advance (or receiving them from anyone other than the instructor in the course).

The College does not tolerate computer piracy. The accessing or editing of another student’s or instructor’s program or data without the explicit permission of the author and the instructor, or the interception, alteration, or destruction of a program, printout, or the documentation for a program of another student or instructor, either for one’s own use or to detract from its usability by the author and the instructor, come under the College’s general condemnation of theft, vandalism, and plagiarism. Such illegal actions carry the currently published sanctions as found in The Net. Each student is issued an account for his/her personal use. Sharing of accounts is strictly prohibited. Additionally, attempts to break into the accounts of other students or instructors are subject to the penalties described above, which an include suspension or dismissal by the appropriate academic dean.

Student access to the global computer networks is subject to the “Acceptable Use” policy statements of those networks. Sending messages, mail, or files not in accordance with those policies will subject the student to total loss of College computer access. Students should familiarize themselves with these policies, available on-line, before utilizing the computer networks.

Grievance Procedures

Saint Peter’s College has codified and established procedures for resolving student grievances that are not resolvable through normal departmental and/or divisional channels. For example, grievances related to claims of discrimination are usually referred to the Grievance Board. These procedures are too lengthy to be enumerated here. Students who wish to avail themselves to the grievance procedures may pick up a copy from the Student Affairs Office, Suite 129, Dinneen Hall.