Southwestern Student Handbook
STUDENT CONDUCT CODE
Students’ Rights and Responsibilities

Introduction
Southwestern Oregon Community College is committed to the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well-being of society. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals. As members of the academic community, students should be encouraged to develop the capacity for critical judgment and to engage in sustained and independent search for truth.

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The freedom to learn depends upon appropriate opportunities and conditions in the classroom, on the campus, and in the larger community. Students should exercise their freedom with responsibility.

The responsibility to secure and to respect general conditions conducive to the freedom to learn is shared by all members of the academic community. The College has the duty to develop policies and procedures, which provide and safeguard this freedom. The purpose of this statement is to enumerate the essential provisions of student

1. Freedom of Access
   1. It is an administrative policy that no one because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, parental status, veteran status, handicap, age, or sexual preference shall be excluded from participation, denied benefits, or be subjected to discrimination or harassment in any activity of the College community.
   2. It is an administrative policy that the College provides equal educational opportunities. Equal educational opportunity includes: admission, recruitment, extracurricular programs and activities, facilities, access to course offerings, counseling and testing, financial assistance, employment, health and insurance services, and athletics.
   3. Southwestern Oregon Community College is also committed to equal opportunities for those with physical or mental disabilities in compliance with federal regulations. Responsibility for equal educational opportunity throughout the College rests with the President.
      
      This policy is consistent with the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the 1972 Higher Education Amendments; and ORS 339.030 and ORS 659.400 – 659.435.
   4. It is an administrative policy when it is in the best interests of the College, enrollment in specific programs or courses may be limited. Specific criteria for admission into programs or course with enrollment limitations shall be approved by the president.
   5. It is an administrative policy that the admission criteria for programs or course with limited enrollment will ensure that:
      1. An effort shall be made to select students who appear to have the greatest potential for service to their community in their chosen career;
      2. All potential students shall have an equal opportunity for admission consideration regardless of age, handicap, parental status, national origin, race, color, political affiliation, marital status, religion, or sex;
      3. Preference shall be given to in-district students.
2. In the Classroom
   The faculty in the classroom and in conference will encourage free discussion, inquiry, and expression. Student performance will be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. It should be made clear that the faculty is in charge of the classroom, course content, discussions, activities and academic standards. The faculty may ask a student to leave the classroom at any time.
   1. Protection of Freedom of Expression
      Students are free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled.
   2. Academic Requirements
      Students have the right to be informed about academic requirements of courses and programs. The College has the responsibility to ensure that those requirements are clear and consistent with academic standards.
   3. Protection Against Improper Academic Evaluation
      Students are protected through orderly procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation. At the same time, they are responsible for maintaining standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled.
   4. Protection Against Improper Disclosure
      Information about student views, beliefs, and political associations, which faculty acquire in the course of their work as instructors, advisors, counselors, and librarians, is considered confidential. Protection against improper disclosure is a serious professional obligation. Judgements of ability and character may be provided under appropriate circumstances, normally with the knowledge or consent of the student.
3. Student Records
   Institutions should have a carefully considered policy as to the information, which should be part of the student’s permanent educational record and as to the conditions of its disclosure. To minimize the risk of improper disclosure, academic and disciplinary records should be separate, and the conditions of access to each should be set forth in an explicit policy statement. Transcripts of academic records should contain only information about academic status. Information from disciplinary or counseling files should not be available to unauthorized persons on campus, or to any person off campus without the express consent of the student involved except under legal compulsion or in cases where the safety of persons or property is involved. No records should be kept which reflect the political activities or beliefs of students. Provisions should also be made for periodic routine destruction of concurrent disciplinary confidential information about students, which they acquire in the course of their work.

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