Page 144 - South Mountain Community College 2020-2021 Student Planner

an emergency suspension, the college official responsible for administration of the Student Conduct Code may direct that the student immediately leave the college premises and may further direct the student not to return until contacted by that official. An accused student shall be in violation of this policy regardless of whether the person who is the object of the threat observes or receives it, as long as a reasonable person would interpret the communication, conduct or gesture as a serious expression of intent to harm.
4. Administrative Hold
The Student Conduct Administrator may place a temporary ad- ministrative hold preventing an accused student’s registration, financial aid award, transcript release, or graduation if it is necessary to secure the student’s cooperation in the investigation or compliance with a direction. This hold is not a sanction but a necessary step to resolve the complaint promptly.
5. Academic Consequences
Violations of the student conduct code can have academic consequences if the violation also constitutes failure to meet standards of performance or professionalism set by the instructor or the program, or if it constitutes cheating, plagiarism, falsification of data, or other forms of academic dishonesty. The instructor may award a failing grade for the assignment or the course in such cases, and the program faculty may decide that the student is ineligible to continue in the program. Academic consequences are determined by the faculty and academic administration, and are not dependent on the decisions of the student conduct board, the appeals board, or the student conduct administrator.
6. Appeals Regarding Student Code of Conduct
A. A decision reached by the Student Conduct Board judicial body or a sanction imposed by the Student Conduct Administrator may be appealed by accused students or complainants to an Appellate Board within five (5) days of receipt of the decision. Such appeals shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the Student Conduct Administrator.
B. Except as required to explain on the basis of new infor- mation, an appeal shall be limited to the review of the verbatim record of the Student Conduct Board hearing and supporting documents for one or more of the following purposes:
i. To determine whether the Student Conduct Board hearing was conducted fairly in light of the charges and information presented, and in conformity with prescribed procedures giving the complainant a reasonable opportunity to prepare and present information that the Student Conduct Code was violated, and giving the accused student a reasonable opportunity to prepare and to present a response to those allegations. Deviations from designated procedures will not be a basis for sustaining an appeal unless significant prejudice results.
ii. To determine whether the decision reached regarding the accused student was based on substantial information, that is, whether there were facts in the case that, if believed by the fact finder, were sufficient to establish that a violation of the Student Conduct Code occurred.
iii. To determine whether the sanction(s) imposed was appropriate to the
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