Student Code of Conduct
I. Student Code of Conduct
When students enroll at Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC), they assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the College's mission and function as an educational institution. The Student Code of Conduct has been approved by the governing board of HutchCC and will apply on College property, any College sponsored or sanctioned activities, and any off-campus behavior which reflects on the mission of the College. Each student is expected to be fully acquainted with all published policies, rules, and regulations of the College. Students are also expected to comply with all federal, state, and local laws.
For a student who is found to have committed an offense and who previously has been found in violation of the Hutchinson Community College Code of Conduct, the previous offense will be considered during the disciplinary process.
The standard of evidence used to determine responsibility is a "preponderance" of evidence (i.e. is it more likely than not a violation has occurred). This determination is based on the greater weight of the evidence and does not require a standard beyond a reasonable doubt.
Misconduct or prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to:
1. Alcoholic Beverages
a. Use, possession, sale, delivery, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages.
b. Storage of alcohol in any amount or possession of alcohol containers.
2. Narcotics or Drugs
a, Use, possession, sale, delivery, manufacture, and/or cultivation or distribution whether usable or not of any narcotic, drug, illicit drug, medicine prescribed to someone else, chemical compound, synthetic drug, or other controlled substances.
b. Possession of drug-related paraphernalia.
c. Possession of any item that may not in itself be an illegal drug but presented to be a drug and passed off as a drug.
d. Improper use of products for purposes of altering mood or state of being. This includes the misuse of legal products as inhalants.
3. Flammable Materials/Arson
a. Use or possession of flammable materials, including incendiary devices, and/or other dangerous materials or substances used to ignite, spread, or intensify flames for fire. Attempting to ignite and/or the action of igniting College facilities, and/or personal property either by intent or through reckless behavior which results in damage to College and/or student property.
4. Firearms, Weapons and Explosives
a. Violation of the Possession of Weapons policy (Policy Number 1134) and/or Concealed Carry policy (Policy Number 1552).
5. Theft, Damage, or Unauthorized Use
a. Attempted or actual theft of property or services of the College, other College students, other members of the College community, or campus visitors.
b. Possession of property known to be stolen or belonging to another person without the owner’s permission.
c. Unauthorized use of facility, equipment, lab or resource, including unauthorized use of communication systems.
d. Attempted or actual damage to property owned or leased by the College, by College students, members of the College community, or campus visitors.
e. Attempted or actual unauthorized use of a credit card, debit card, student identification card, cell phone, personal identification number, test number, account information, and/or personal check.
f. Misuse of, or attempted misuse of, or actual damage to, or defacing of property owned or leased by the College, by College students, members of the College community, or campus visitors.
g. Tampering with security camera systems.
h. Tampering with automated door systems
6. Violation of the Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedure (Policy Number 1089)
Statement Regarding Sexual Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct
HutchCC neither tolerates nor condones any form of sexual discrimination - including, but not limited to rape, "date or acquaintance" rape, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or sexual harassment. In accordance with federal and state regulations regarding sexual discrimination, the College has established an official policy and procedure which is both independent from the Student Code of Conduct and application to students, faculty, and staff, to investigate, and adjudicate such prohibited behavior. The Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures (Policy Number 1089) is available in the College Catalog and in the Student Handbook.
7. Actions against Members of the College Community Not Included in the Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedures (Policy Number 1089)
a. Intentional or reckless conduct which endangers the health or safety of self or others.
b. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, and/or coercion.
c. Behavior that disrupts the normal operation of the College, including its students, faculty and or staff.
d. Deliberate constraint or incapacitation of another, without that person’s knowledge or consent.
e. Excessive pressure, threats or any form of conduct, coercive tactics or unwanted mental coercion techniques used to retain or recruit a student for membership in an organization.
f. Passive or covert behavior may also be regarded as quite disruptive. Examples of passive yet disruptive behaviors include students whose poor personal hygiene so seriously offends the sensibilities of roommates/classmates and instructors that the classroom becomes an academic/residential environment that is no longer tenable.
g. Failure to register as a sex offender with the Coordinator of Equity and Compliance in accordance with college policy.
h. Gambling, wagering, gaming, or bookmaking as defined by federal, state, and/or local laws is prohibited on College premises or while using College equipment or other services.
i. Hazing (i.e. any intentional, knowing or reckless act directed against a student by one person acting alone or by more than one person, occurring on or off the premises, that endangers the mental and/or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging or associating with, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, seeking and/or maintaining membership in any organization whose membership consists of students). Consent and/or acquiescence by a student(s) subjected to hazing is not considered a reasonable defense in a disciplinary proceeding.
8. Fire Safety, False Alarms, or Terroristic Threats
a. Intentional sounding of a false fire alarm, falsely reporting an emergency or terroristic threat in any form, issuing a bomb threat, constructing mock explosive devices, destruction or activation of fire sprinklers, filing false police reports, improperly possessing, tampering with, or destroying fire equipment or emergency signs on College premises.
b. Failure to evacuate the building immediately upon the sound of an alarm or to follow specific evacuation and safety procedures. Exceeding designated fire code capacity of a room/facility.
c. Exceeding designated fire code capacity of a room/facility.
d. Misusing or tampering with fire safety equipment (e.g. alarm pull stations, smoke detectors, or fire extinguishers), or removal of doors, door closures, exit signs, or emergency exits.
e. Initiating, communicating, or circulating a false report of a present, past, or future bombing, fire, offense, or other emergency that would cause action by an agency services agency.
f. Placing a person in fear of imminent, serious bodily injury.
g. Preventing or interrupting the occupation of a building, room, vehicle, or other mode of transportation.
h. Posting any statement on social media that could be considered a threat against the college community or an individual.
9. Financial Irresponsibility
a. Failure to meet financial obligations owed to the College, or components owned or operated by the College, including, but not limited to, the writing of checks from accounts with insufficient funds.
10. Financial Transactions with the College
a. A student who owes a debt or has an outstanding financial obligation to the College may be denied admission or readmission to the College, and have their official transcript, grades, diplomas, and degrees to which they otherwise would be entitled, withheld until the debt or obligation is paid or met.
b. A student with a past due unpaid balance is considered to have a delinquent status. Delinquent accounts may be turned over to a collection agency, potentially affecting students’ personal credit ratings. Students with delinquent accounts are responsible for any charges associated with the collection of such delinquent accounts.
11. Unauthorized Entry, Possession, or Use
a. Unauthorized entry into or use of College premises or equipment.
b. Unauthorized possession, use, duplication, production, or manufacture of any key or unlocking device, College Identification Card, or access code for use in College premises or equipment.
c. Unauthorized use of the College name, logos, registered marks, and/or symbols of the College.
d. Unauthorized use of the College’s name to advertise or promote events or activities in a manner that suggests sponsorship and/or recognition by the College.
e. Accessing campus roofs or window ledges.
f. Removing or damaging window screens in the Residence Halls.
12. Violation of College Parking Services
a. Violation of the Traffic Regulations policy (Policy Number 1200).
b. Obstruction of the free flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic on College premises or at College-sponsored or College-supervised functions.
13. Failure to Comply
a. Failure to comply with the reasonable directives or requests of a College official acting in the performance of their duties.
b. Failure to present student identification on request or identify oneself to any College official acting in the performance of their duties.
c. Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of an institutional official (e.g., resident assistants and security personnel) acting in the performance of their duties (includes loitering upon College property after being warned to leave by a person in charge).
d. Violation of College regulations and policies, including residential life policies, housing contracts, or motor vehicle regulations.
e. Obstruction of an investigation being conducted by the College administration/security/police and/or other law enforcement officers while conducting official business on Campus by a student/visitor.
14. Violation of the Anti-Tobacco/Smoking Policy (Policy Number 1063).
15. Providing False Information or Misuse of Records
a. Knowingly furnishing false information to the College, or to a College official in the performance of their duties, either verbally or through forgery or alteration.
b. Failure to provide requested information to the College or to a College official in the performance or their duties
c. Misuse, alteration, forgery, or misrepresentation of any College Document, form, records, or instrument of identification.
d. Possession or use of any form or false identification.
e. Failure to report felonies on an application for admission or housing application, if requested.
16. Ball Playing, Skateboards, Rollerblades, Scooters, Bicycles, or Similar Devices
a. Ball playing, the use of skateboards, rollerblades, hover boards, scooters, bicycles, or other similar devices in College buildings or on College premises in such a manner as to constitute a safety hazard or cause damage to College or personal property.
17. Violation of Federal, State, and/or Local Law
a. Misconduct which constitutes a violation of any provisions of federal, state, and/or local laws.
18. Violation of Published College Policies, Rules, or Regulations
a. Violation of any published College policies, rules, or regulations that govern student or student organization behavior.
b. Violating a published College policy governing residence life or breaching a Housing and Residential Life contract.
19. Abuse of the Discipline System
a. Failure of a student to comply with or respond to a notification to appear, during any stage of an investigation or disciplinary proceeding. Failure to appear will not prevent the designated disciplinary officer from proceeding with an investigation of disciplinary action.
b. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information in disciplinary proceedings.
c. Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a disciplinary proceeding.
d. Filing an allegation known to be without merit or cause.
e. Discouraging or attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in or use of the disciplinary system.
f. Influencing or attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a disciplinary body prior to and/or during the disciplinary proceeding.
g. Harm, threat of harm, or intimidation, either verbally, physically, or written, of a member of a disciplinary body prior to, during, and/or after disciplinary proceedings.
h. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the discipline system.
i. Aiding, abetting, conspiring, or being an accessory to any act prohibited by this code is to be considered the same as a violation.
j. Retaliation against any person or group who files grievances or provides evidence, testimony, or allegations in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
k. Failure to comply with the sanctions, conditions, and/or restrictions imposed under the Student Code of Conduct by a designated disciplinary officer or College official.
l. Failure to maintain a current legal mailing address in the DragonZone or giving a false or fictitious address to an institutional representative.
20. Guests
a, Students may be responsible for the behavior or guests, including any violations of the Student Code of Conduct (e.g., guests bring alcohol onto campus).
b. Persons visiting who have been evicted and/or advised of criminal trespass from the residence halls/campus for any reason following eviction/trespassing.
21. Possession of a Pet on Campus
a. Other than a service/emotional support animal, pets are not allowed in campus housing without prior approval from the Director of Residence Life.
b. Other than service animals, pets are not allowed in campus buildings without prior approval from the Vice President of Student Services.
22. Entry without Permission
a. Entering any private room, locked building, or common area without following security procedures or obtaining appropriate permission is prohibited.
23. Complicity
a, Attempting, aiding, abetting, conspiring, hiring, or being an accessory to any act prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct shall be considered to the same extent as completed violations.
24. Disorderly Conduct/Breach of Peace
a. Engaging in conduct on College premises or at College-sanctioned events, which a reasonable person would believe to be violent, abusive, indecent, obscene, profane, unreasonably loud, or disorderly, and which has a tendency to disturb the peace.
b. Engaging in conduct on College premises or at College-sanctioned events which a reasonable person would believe to be maliciously disturbing, threatening, or insolent, and which has the tendency to cause a disturbance of the peace.
c. Engaging in conduct that aids and abets another in a disturbance of the peace to the College or to a College-sanctioned event.
25. Ethical or Professional code violation
a. Violation of licensure board rules and regulations, state and federal laws, and/or other applicable regulatory or privileges issues: as defined by the student’s program or professional association or licensure board, as may be applicable to the student(s), or applicable laws and regulations.
26. Photographing, Recording, or Spying
a. Secretly viewing, with or without a device, another person without that person’s consent in any location where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, or in a manner that violates a reasonable expectation of privacy. This does not apply to lawful security or surveillance filming or recording that is authorized by law enforcement or the College.
27. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
a. The use of any unmanned aerial vehicle (i.e. drones) is prohibited on campus. Students seeking exemptions for the use of such devices in teaching or research may apply to the Vice President of Student Services.
II. Campus Disorder or Unrest
The following policies will be followed in case of campus disorders or student unrest or in the event any building or portion thereof is seized or occupied unlawfully.
The College President (or in the President's absence, the President's designee) will be notified immediately of any such activity. No other action shall be taken on behalf of the College until such notification has been made. Only the President (or in the President's absence, the President's designee) is authorized to call for assistance from law enforcement officials.
No conference will be held between any College official and the parties involved in such activities so long as any violence is taking place on the campus or while any building or portion thereof is being occupied by such parties, or while such parties bar other persons from such building, or portion thereof, thereby preventing the orderly conduct of school activities.
The College reserves the right to pursue civil, criminal, and college disciplinary remedies against any person involved in such activity.
III. Emergency Suspension (Danger to Self or Others)
The College President or the President's designee may immediately suspend a student in the event that it is reasonably determined that a student's continued presence on campus poses a significant danger to either the student or to others or if there is reasonable cause to believe that such an interim suspension is required to protect lives or property and to ensure the maintenance of order.
IV. Additional Campus Disciplinary Action
If a crime is committed on campus (including but not limited to murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, or motor vehicle theft), the occurrence shall be reported to the proper authorities by calling 911 and should also be reported to Campus Safety (620-665-3379). Campus staff will consult with police agencies and any other applicable College official investigating the case, when appropriate, and will assist the victim as necessary in accordance with College policy and federal and state laws and regulations.
V. Disclosure of Disciplinary Information
- Upon written request, the College will disclose to the alleged victim of a violent act or a sexual assault, the result of any disciplinary hearing conducted by the College. In the event that the alleged victim is deceased, the College will disclose the results of any hearing conducted to the student's next of kin upon written request.
- In the event that a disciplinary investigation or action yields information upon which the College reasonably concludes that a crime may be committed or that an individual represents a danger to the individual or to others, the College may disclose information to appropriate parties without the student’s consent.