Academic Violations
Santa Fe Community College students have a duty to be honest in their academic endeavors and to maintain academic integrity. If there is a violation related to an academic issue, the faculty member teaching the course may give the student a verbal warning. The faculty member will meet with the student, explain the nature of the unsatisfactory performance or behavioral issue and indicate future expectations of the student. The student will have the opportunity in the meeting to discuss the issues raised with the faculty member and clarify expectations.
Non-Academic Violations
Students are expected to behave responsibly and respectfully while on campus and when interacting with other students and College staff and faculty members. If a student violates the Student Code of Conduct or any other College policy that applies to students and the issue is not related to an academic issue, the faculty or staff member with the concern regarding the violation should report it to the Student Affairs Officer.
Corrective Action-Verbal Warning
The objective of Corrective Action is to address performance or behavior concerns and is not designed to be punitive in nature. Corrective Action includes verbal warnings and written warnings. A verbal warning is intended to help the student to be successful academically and to correct any inappropriate behavior. If a student has behavioral issues that are minor in nature but in need of correction, and the issue is related to academic misconduct, the appropriate faculty member will issue a verbal warning to them. If the issue is not related to an academic matter, the Student Affairs Officer will meet with the student and may issue a verbal or written warning to the student. The Student Affairs Officer will meet with the student, explain the nature of the violation or behavioral issue and indicate future expectations of the student. The student will have the opportunity in the meeting to discuss the issues raised with the faculty member and others, or the Student Affairs Officer, as appropriate, to clarify expectations. The faculty member or the Student Affairs Officer, as appropriate, will document the fact that a verbal or written warning was given to the student. This note will include the date, issues discussed, recommendations made and the response by the student. The student will initial the note to indicate understanding. The note should be retained by the Student Affairs Officer for one year. This written note will not be placed in the student’s academic file under these circumstances.
Corrective Action-Written Warning
If a verbal warning has been given to a student and the student did not correct their behavior or in cases where a faculty member or other College employee believes, after consultation with the Student Affairs Officer, that more significant Corrective Action is appropriate, a written warning and additional sanction may be issued. If the issue is related to Academic Misconduct, the faculty member will meet with the student regarding their conduct and will, in consultation with the Student Affairs Officer, issue a written warning to the student. If the issue is related to Non-Academic Misconduct, the Student Affairs Officer will meet with the student regarding their conduct and will issue a written warning or appropriate sanction to the student.
In either case, the warning will include the following:
- a summary of the issues related to the academic issue involved or any violations of the Student Code of Conduct or other College policy;
- a clear statement of what is expected of the student in the future;
- a warning that Disciplinary Action may be taken if the issue is not resolved by the student; and
- a statement that the student is encouraged to discuss the issues raised by the written warning and request assistance in dealing with these issues.
The student and Student Affairs Officer should sign the written warning to acknowledge receipt of it and the student shall be provided with a copy. The student may attach a written statement to the written warning. If the student refuses to sign the written warning, the Student Affairs Officer shall note the refusal and the date in the student signature line. The warning and the student’s response, if any, shall be sent to the Registrar to be retained in the student’s academic file for two years after which time the student may request its removal.
Disciplinary Action
Disciplinary Action is used for serious violations of the Student Code of Conduct and other College policies that apply to students. If a faculty member or other College employee believes that Disciplinary Action is appropriate, the faculty member or other employee shall meet with the Student Affairs Officer to discuss the situation. The Student Affairs Officer may then implement appropriate Disciplinary Action.
Removal from Class or Campus – Emergency Basis
A faculty member may remove a student from the classroom if he or she believes that the student’s presence in the classroom poses an immediate risk to the health or safety to anyone in the College community or to the security of the College, or if the student’s behavior is so disruptive that the class cannot continue with the student present. The faculty member must immediately notify Campus Safety and Security and the Student Affairs Officer. The Student Affairs Officer shall review the removal and may implement additional discipline pursuant to the Implementation Procedures – Disciplinary Action, below. Even if no further disciplinary action is taken against the student, he or she may request a Disciplinary Review as described in Step Three and Step Four of the Implementation Procedures, below.
If a College employee believes a student’s presence on campus poses an immediate risk to the health or safety to anyone in the College community or to the security of the College, they should immediately notify Campus Safety and Security and the Student Affairs Officer. Campus Safety and Security may require the student to leave campus and will coordinate next steps with the Student Affairs Officer.
Emergency removal from the campus may not exceed 10 days, during which time the student must be given notice to meet with the Student Affairs Officer pursuant to Steps One and Two of the Implementation Procedures described below. An emergency removal from campus may only extend beyond 10 days if the President determines that an extension is necessary to protect the health, safety or security of the College community. In such circumstances, unless waived by the student, the Student Affairs Officer shall develop a timetable for the Disciplinary Action Review (Steps Three and Four below) that ensures that the student shall complete the process within 30 days of their meeting with the Student Affairs Officer.
Grade Adjustment or Failure of Assignment or Course
If a student violates the Student of Code of Conduct and the issue is related to Academic Misconduct, in consultation with the faculty member, the student may be subject to:
- a requirement to do additional work or to retake an exam;
- adjustment of the student’s grade on a particular assignment or exam;
- receipt of only partial marks for an assignment or exam; or
- withdrawal of a grade or be assigned an “F” for the assignment, exam or course.
Non-Academic Probation
Non-Academic probation is a special condition for continued enrollment at the College. It is different from academic probation which relates to grades and continued enrollment at the College. Non-Academic probation is appropriate for serious violations of College policy or when a student has received a written warning but has not corrected their behavior. Non-Academic probation will continue for at least one academic semester and shall be reviewed at the end of each semester by the Student Affairs Officer and any appropriate faculty members or other College employees. The terms and conditions of the academic probation should be documented and must include:
- A summary of the issues related to the violation of a College policy prompting the Non-Academic Probation;
- A clear statement of what is expected of the student in the future, and the steps required to successfully complete the Non-Academic Probation;
- A warning that further disciplinary action up to and including expulsion may be taken if the issue is not resolved by the student; and
- A statement that the student is encouraged to discuss the issues raised by the Student Affairs Officer and any appropriate faculty members and to request assistance in dealing with the issues raised in the written summary.
During the term of the Non-Academic Probation, the Student Affairs Officer or faculty member may require periodic meetings with the student to discuss any concerns and to assess progress of the student.
Suspension
If there has been a serious breach of the Student Code of Conduct or other policy that applies to students, the College may suspend the student upon advice of the Student Affairs Officer. Suspension may be used in situations where there has been Academic Misconduct or Non-Academic Misconduct. A suspension is appropriate when a student has failed to correct behavior after being issued a warning or when there has been a serious violation of policy. A suspension may be from one day to one academic year depending on the severity of the situation. A suspension of one to nine days is a “Short-term Suspension.” A suspension of 10 days or more is a “Long-term Suspension.”
Revocation of Degree or Certificate
If a student violates the Student of Code of Conduct and the issue is related to Academic Misconduct, the College has the right to revoke the student’s degree, certificate or other academic credential if the misconduct is not discovered until after the degree, certificate or other academic credential is awarded. This action is appropriate when a student committed a serious violation of Academic Misconduct that directly relates to degree or other credential that was awarded. In such cases, the former student receives the process outlined below as Implementation Procedures as if he or she were a student.
Expulsion
Serious breaches of the Student Code of Conduct or other College policy may result in expulsion. It is the most severe penalty for Academic Misconduct and Non-Academic Misconduct. A student who has been expelled from the College will not be eligible to be reenrolled at the College for a period of at least three years. The expulsion will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
Implementing Procedures – Disciplinary Action
Step One: Notice
A student who faces Disciplinary Action will receive a written notice of the intended Disciplinary Action from the Student Affairs Officer. The Notice of Intended Disciplinary Action will include:
- A detailed statement describing the reasons for the Disciplinary Action;
- A description of the proposed Disciplinary Action; and
- A statement describing the student’s right to meet with the Student Affairs Officer pursuant to Step Two of these procedures.
Step Two: Meeting with Student Affairs Officer
A student who faces Disciplinary Action may request a meeting with the Student Affairs Officer within five days of receipt of the Notice of Intended Disciplinary Action. Such meeting shall be scheduled within five days of the request. During the meeting, the Student Affairs Officer shall explain the evidence against the student and allow the student to respond to the charges. Either during the meeting, or within five days of the meeting, the Student Affairs Officer shall notify the student whether the proposed discipline shall be implemented, modified or not implemented.
Disciplinary Action Review
If Disciplinary Action is implemented, the student may request a review of the Disciplinary Action. Long-term suspension or expulsion shall not be imposed until the disciplinary review has taken place; all other Disciplinary Action may be implemented prior to disciplinary review. The student has five days from the meeting with the Student Affairs Officer to file a request for a disciplinary review. Review under this policy involves two steps:
- A hearing before the College Hearing Panel; and
- A final decision by the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
Step Three: College Hearing Council
The College Hearing Panel is composed of three individuals drawn from a larger pool, the College Hearing Council, which is nominated by College governance groups and chosen by the President from all levels within the College. They are appointed at the start of each academic year.
The Office of Human Resources shall select three individuals from the list of the members of the College Hearing Council and so notify the parties within five days of receipt of the student’s request for disciplinary review. Either the student or the Student Affairs Officer may object to a panel member selected on the basis of a conflict of interest, such as a current relationship, which might lead to the appearance of bias on the part of the person. Such objection shall be submitted to the Office of Human Resources in writing within five days of the College Hearing Panel member’s selection. The Office of Human Resources shall evaluate the possible conflict of interest, make a decision whether the selected member shall serve, and so notify the parties. The Office of Human Resources, in consultation with the members of the College Hearing Panel, shall schedule the hearing within 15 days of the College Hearing Panel’s selection. The Office of Human Resources will send a written notice to the student and Student Affairs Officer of the time and place of the hearing. The notice may also include any procedural information provided by the College Hearing Panel. The student and the Student Affairs Officer may submit a written statement to the College Hearing Panel at least three days prior to the hearing, with a copy to the other party.
In the case of a long-term suspension, expulsion or revocation of degree, the parties shall submit their witness lists and any documents that they intend to introduce as evidence at least three days prior to the hearing, with a copy to the other party. The parties will represent themselves at the hearing.
In the case of a long-term suspension, expulsion or revocation of degree, the parties may be accompanied by a representative of their choice, who may provide advice to the student or Student Affairs Officer, but not participate in the hearing.
For all other discipline hearings, attorneys or other representatives (except for translators) are not authorized to attend. The student may request that a counselor attend the hearing with them to assist the student if necessary. In the case of a long-term suspension, expulsion or revocation of degree, the Student Affairs Officer shall present the evidence against the student and the student will be provided an opportunity to respond to the evidence, including to cross-examine witnesses, and to present his or her own witnesses and documents. The Student Affairs Officer may cross-examine the student’s witnesses. The College Hearing Panel may ask questions of the parties and witnesses.
In the case of discipline other than a long-term suspension, expulsion or revocation of degree, the student and Student Affairs Officer will be given the opportunity to make an opening statement to summarize their concern, present their side of the story and to state the remedy being sought, and the College Hearing Panel may ask questions of the parties. Time limits may be set by the College Hearing Panel. At the conclusion of the hearing, the College Hearing Panel will prepare a brief report to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, summarizing the facts apparent to it and including general recommendations. The report shall be presented to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs within 10 days of the hearing.
Step Four: Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs’ Decision Final
The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, in their sole discretion, may accept, modify or reject, in whole or in part, the recommendations of the College Hearing Panel. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs may consult with the President prior to making a decision. The Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs will issue a final decision in writing to the parties, which shall be final and binding upon the parties.
Retaliation Prohibited
The College strictly prohibits retaliation against any student or employee for participating in the corrective action or disciplinary process, including in the disciplinary review process. Anyone who is found to have either directly or indirectly retaliated against another individual engaged in this process may be subject to discipline under the appropriate policy.
Records
The Office of Human Resources will maintain a record of the College Hearing Panel report and the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs’ final decision, and will manage the records in a manner consistent with the confidentiality requirements of the College. The Registrar will note any Disciplinary Action in the student’s file.
Statement of Accountability/Responsibility
The Student Affairs Officer, in conjunction with the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, is responsible for ensuring adherence to these procedures as applicable to policy and for any corrective action or disciplinary process initiated.
Contact: Bobbie Mascarenas, Student Affairs Officer
505-428-1014, bobbie.mascarenas@sfcc.edu
Updated: 3/1/2017
