Trinity Student Code of Responsible Conduct

First Issued 2002
Updated and Reissued September 2006

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Trinity expects all of its students to comport themselves as responsible adults acting honestly and with integrity through the Honor System. As a guide to community norms, Trinity has established this general code of student conduct to define the broad parameters of behaviors and actions that are prohibited and will incur penalties up to and including dismissal from the university. The list below is not all-inclusive, and Trinity reserves the right to expand, change or otherwise alter this list at any time.

Under the Honor System, all members of the Trinity Community share a responsibility to uphold all policies. Trinity administrators are responsible to investigate accusations of misconduct, to observe fundamental due process procedures, and to impose sanctions in certain kinds of cases. In the College of Arts and Sciences, the Academic Dean and the Dean of Student Services oversee academic and non-academic disciplinary matters in consultation with the Judicial Association according to the procedures set forth in this and other policy statements. In the School of Professional Studies and School of Education , the respective Academic Deans are generally responsible for disciplinary matters and due process procedures. In all cases, Trinity reserves the right to take immediate and direct disciplinary action to protect persons and property.

The primary purpose of this code of conduct is to protect the well-being of the community and to advance its educational mission. The following sections describe behavior and actions, which are prohibited and will result in disciplinary action. This list is NOT comprehensive and Trinity reserves the right to discipline inappropriate conduct of any sort at any time.

All students in all schools are bound by this Code of Responsible Conduct. Students in the School of Education who are preparing for careers as teachers, counselors and administrators should know that the external accreditation and professional rules that are part of the governance of the School of Education require the faculty to make a determination about whether a student has the appropriate disposition for teaching and administration. A violation of this Code of Responsible Conduct may also result in dismissal from the School of Education under the disposition rules. Similarly, students in the Nursing Program and other professional preparation programs may have additional Code of Conduct requirements under policies and rules issued by accreditors and professional licensing organizations.

Trinity reserves the right to remove immediately from the campus any student who engages in any threatening conduct toward any person, who carries a weapon or who otherwise exhibits conduct that poses a danger to other persons. Trinity will call the police if necessary. Students who are expelled for violations of this policy will incur grades of "F" in their current courses and will not receive any refunds for tuition and fees paid.

1. Academic Dishonesty

The Policy Statement on Academic Honesty is included in the Student Handbook and is posted on the website, and is incorporated by reference into this Code of Conduct. Students must know that any instances of cheating, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will incur specific penalties up to and including expulsion.

2. Harassment and Intimidation

Trinity's Harassment Policy is included in the Handbook and is posted on the website, and is incorporated by reference into this Code of Conduct. Trinity will not tolerate abusive or harassing behavior, verbal or physical, which demeans, intimidates, threatens, coerces, or injures another person or persons. Actions, which are intended to interfere with a person in the conduct of his or her customary or usual affairs, are prohibited. Such actions include but are not limited to the sending of threatening letters, posting threatening letters explicitly or by inference directed to the person, use of threatening language directed at another, vandalism or misappropriation of a person's property, or vandalism of a person's residential room. Hazing is a form of harassment specifically prohibited in any form for any reason.

Offenses under this section may result in immediate suspension or expulsion.

3. Fighting

Fighting in any form is strictly prohibited. Students who engage in fighting on or off campus will incur serious penalties up to and including expulsion. This prohibition on fighting includes verbal as well as physical assault. Students are warned that all parties involved in any fights will be disciplined regardless of who started the fight. Discipline may include dismissal from residence, suspension from school, and dismissal from Trinity.

4. Weapons, Explosives and Dangerous Materials

No person may bring weapons of any kind onto Trinity's campus, except in the routine discharge of law enforcement duties. No person may possess explosives or other dangerous materials except in supervised circumstances for legitimate professional purposes, e.g., for chemistry labs or for construction needs. Any student who necessarily comes into contact with chemicals or similar dangerous materials has a serious obligation to treat those materials with care and to refrain from taking any of the materials out of the supervised lab area. Removing chemicals from a laboratory or other designated area will result in serious penalties up to and including expulsion.

Violations of this section may result in immediate disciplinary action up to and including immediate removal from campus and dismissal from Trinity, and Trinity will call the police in any case in which a student is in possession of a weapon of any kind.

5. Endangering Personal Safety

Actions that threaten or endanger in any way the personal safety of others are subject to disciplinary action as well as possible arrest. Such actions include interfering with Public Safety Officers while they are acting in the performance of their duties on the University premises, intentionally ignoring citations issued by Public Safety, failure to comply with evacuation procedures, tampering with fire protection equipment, the inappropriate use of open flame devices or combustible materials. Discipline may include suspension and dismissal from Trinity.

6. Damage to Property

Willful or grossly negligent damage or destruction of the property of others, or of the university, including but not limited to the deliberate defacement of library materials, buildings, sidewalks, walls, trees, or landscaping is prohibited. Leaving the scene of an accident on Trinity's campus is part of this section. Any acts of theft and/or the unauthorized sale of property belonging to the University, a member of the University community or guest of the University are prohibited. Disciplinary actions may include suspension or expulsion, and Trinity may also call the police.

7. Fraud, Theft and Financial Responsibility

Theft, forgery, and the alteration, or use of University documents or instruments of identification with the intent to defraud, are grounds for disciplinary action.

Writing bad checks, stealing items from the bookstore, taking food from the cafeteria without paying for it, taking books from the library without checking them out properly, and similar acts intended to defraud Trinity, its vendors or other students will result in immediate and severe penalties.

Trinity students are also responsible to abide by the Policy on Student Financial Responsibilities, which is in the Handbook and website, and incorporated by reference into this section. Any fraudulent behavior that attempts to circumvent this policy --- for example, lying on financial aid forms, failing to honor checks written to cover Trinity bills, failing to respond to directions to make payment arrangements --- will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, and possible prosecution if fraud is involved.

Similarly, as further defined in Trinity's Technology and Telecommunications Policy, any improper use of Trinity's telephones or technological systems for fraudulent or harassment purposes, or for commercial gain, may be grounds for serious disciplinary action.

In addition to taking disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, Trinity may refer cases of fraud and theft to law enforcement authorities for investigation and prosecution.

7. Alcohol and Drug Policy

Students who are under the age of 21 may not drink alcoholic beverages anywhere, including on Trinity's campus. Underage students who drink or possess alcohol will incur severe penalties.

Students over the age of 21 must exhibit responsible conduct with regard to alcoholic beverages. Any student who demonstrates an inability to treat alcohol responsibly will lose residential privileges and may incur penalties.

Trinity does not serve alcohol at student functions, and no student organization may serve alcohol at any party or meeting on campus.

Trinity abides by all laws concerning alcohol and drugs, and any violation of the law will also be construed as a violation of Trinity policy, and penalties will ensue at Trinity in addition to any penalties the person may incur through the legal system. Trinity reserves the right to call the police and refer any case regarding violations of alcohol or drug laws to law enforcement authorities, and students should know that Trinity will call the police immediately in any case involving the illegal use, sale or possession of drugs or alcohol, or related materials.

This policy also applies to student guests, and the student may be held liable for the actions of her guests while on Trinity's campus. Hence, a student guest who brings drugs or alcohol into a Trinity residence hall, party or other place on campus will also endanger the student's standing at Trinity.

The Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, along with the Drug Free Workplace Act, require that agencies receiving any form of financial assistance under any federal program after October 1, 1990 certify that they have adopted and implemented a program to prevent the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees. Trinity has established the following policy.

The use, transfer, possession and/or sale of illegal drugs are against federal law and the laws of the District of Columbia. It is the administrative policy of Trinity that any student found to be in possession of illegal drugs, whether for personal use or for resale, will be subject to immediate dismissal and possible arrest. The possession for use, sale, distribution, or barter of any controlled substance, other than for whom the controlled substance was intended is prohibited. Similarly, any student's guest or other campus visitor guilty of acts involving illegal or illicit drugs will be subject to arrest and prosecution under District of Columbia laws.

8. Smoking

Smoking is BANNED from the vicinity of Main Hall, the Chapel, Alumnae Hall, the Science Building , the Library and the Trinity Center. People in those buildings who feel the need to smoke will have to do so on the sidewalk on Michigan Avenue. Smokers who reside in Cuvilly and Kerby may utilize the parking lots of those buildings to smoke. Violations of this policy will incur serious disciplinary penalties.

9. Excessive Noise, Disruption or Obstruction of University Activities

Excessive noise is not allowed. Study areas and those areas designated as quiet study areas (including the residence halls and Library) must maintain quiet. Any behavior that disrupts or obstructs teaching, research, administration, learning, disciplinary or other official proceedings, and/or any other normal university activity is prohibited.

10. Classroom Conduct

Trinity expects all students to arrive at class on time, to remain in the classroom for the entire period of the class, and to follow the legitimate instructions of the teacher. Faculty members may establish additional ground rules for the behavior of students during class, including limitations on eating during class, and penalties for missing class sessions.

Faculty establish the grading rules and work product expectations for courses in their syllabi. Students are responsible to fulfill the expectations stated in course syllabi in a timely manner.

Cell phones may not be used in class. Other electronic devices (e.g., laptops, PDAs) may only be used with the permission of the instructor.

Students who speak to faculty members or other students during class periods in ways that are disrespectful and disruptive will be dismissed from the course without reimbursement, and in such cases the students may incur an "F" grade as well as additional penalties.

Students participating in online courses must also exhibit appropriate conduct in all aspects of the course, including respectful communications, academic honesty, and timeliness of participation and fulfillment of assignments.

Students may not bring children to class. See the Policy on Children on Campus.

11. Residence Life Policies

Resident students are expected to follow all rules and regulations governing Residence life listed in this Handbook and in the Housing Agreement.

12. Compliance with Other Policies

This code of conduct also incorporates by reference all other policies of the University that govern student conduct and responsibilities, including the Financial Responsibility Policy, the Harassment Policy, the Technology and Telecommunications Policy, and similar statements. Students who violate Trinity's policies may incur penalties up to and including dismissal.

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Disciplinary Proceedings

Trinity's fundamental belief in the Honor System as a way of life expects all students to live by the principles of Honor, to refrain from lying, cheating or stealing, and to help all others to uphold Honor.

1. Reporting Violations: Self-Reporting, Reporting by Others

One of the most important principles under girding the Honor System is the idea that a student who commits an act of dishonesty, or who violates the code of conduct, including university policies, will recognize that transgression and voluntarily report her violation to the Judicial Association in CAS, or to her respective Dean in SPS or EDU.

When a student is unable or unwilling to admit her violation, others in the community may and should confront her with regard to her conduct and urge her to report her action.

If, after appropriate encouragement, the student refuses to acknowledge or report her violation, then the witness to the conduct should speak with the Dean of Student Services or JA President in CAS, or the respective Academic Deans in SPS or EDU.

2. Responsibilities of Faculty and Staff

Faculty and members of the administrative staff must also confront and report behaviors that violate the Honor System or various rules and policies. All professional employees of Trinity have an obligation to see that the student either reports her own violation in a timely way, or that the incident is reported to the appropriate administrators (Dean of Students or Academic Deans) for further disposition.

No member of the faculty or administration is authorized to address a student disciplinary matter in a way that subverts Trinity's policies, or without prior consultation and approval of the appropriate dean. All employees of the University MUST immediately report student conduct that violates the law (e.g., drug infractions) or that places the student or others in danger of physical or psychological harm (e.g., if an academic advisor becomes aware that a student has received a threat, the advisor must report that incident to the appropriate dean). NO faculty member or staff member may agree to hold as confidential information that indicates a student may be a danger to herself or others, or that indicates the student is engaging in illegal activity on Trinity's campus.

3. Due Process: The Right to Notice and a Hearing

Any student accused of an Honor violation or any misconduct at Trinity has the right to know the specific nature of the accusation. The student has the right to provide an explanation of her conduct. This right to know the charge and to have an opportunity to tell the student's side of the story constitutes due process.

Due process does not require Trinity to conduct disciplinary proceedings like trials. While Trinity strives to ensure that all investigations and proceedings are conducted with respect for fundamental fairness, accused students do not have a right to have legal counsel present at disciplinary hearings, and legal rules of civil procedure and evidence do not apply in Trinity's internal hearings and processes. A student who refuses to respond to an accusation, who fails to show up at meetings or hearings about her case, or who otherwise fails to follow directions about the disposition of her case will be judged guilty of the violation and may be subject to additional penalties.

4. Due Process and Immediate Threats to Persons or Property

Trinity reserves the right to remove immediately from the campus any student who engages in any threatening conduct toward any person, who carries a weapon or who otherwise exhibits conduct that poses a danger to other persons or property. Trinity will call the police as necessary. Students who are expelled for violations of this policy will incur grades of "F" in their current courses and will not receive any refunds for tuition and fees paid.

Students who are disciplined under this section may appeal the action in writing to the President and due process recourse will occur in written communication only. Students dismissed under this section may not return to campus at any time.

5. Types of Disciplinary Proceedings and Jurisdiction

Trinity employs different types of disciplinary proceedings depending upon the nature of the violation, and different decision-making bodies or individuals may have jurisdiction depending upon the offense and the classification of the accused student.

a) Jurisdiction

1. The Dean of Student Services, overseeing the CAS Judicial Association, is generally responsible for all disciplinary proceedings involving CAS students, and she works in consultation with the CAS Academic Dean on all academic cases.
    
2. The Academic Deans of SPS and EDU are generally responsible for disciplinary cases in those schools, and they may consult with the Dean of Student Services in constructing investigative and hearing processes, or determining appropriate disciplinary actions.
    
3. The Policy on Academic Honesty sets for the process for charges of academic dishonesty.
    
4. Where individual policy statements provide for separate disciplinary processes (e.g., Harassment, Technology Policy) those policy statements prevail.
    
5. The President of Trinity, on her own initiative or acting on the recommendation of a vice president or dean, may direct alternative disciplinary processes for any student case as circumstances warrant, and may also take immediate direct disciplinary action as necessary to protect others within the Trinity community.
    
6. Trinity may also call in external law enforcement authorities for any cases involving violations of the law; external legal proceedings and penalties may be in addition to internal proceedings and penalties at Trinity. (For example, a student who fraudulently uses Trinity's telephones may be arrested and prosecuted in addition to incurring disciplinary action at Trinity.)

b) Types of Proceedings

1. Honor Code Violations involving CAS student incidents of non-academic dishonesty, infringement on the rights and reputation of others, and actions harmful to the health of the community, are usually handled by the Dean of Students and the Judicial Association.
    
2. Academic Dishonesty requires a separate proceeding as set forth in the policy statement.
    
3. Code of Conduct Violations are managed through the responsible executive administrators depending upon the nature of the violation and its gravity;
    
4. Residence Hall Violations of a minor nature are usually handled by the residence life staff in cooperation with the Dean of Students, who may choose to refer cases to the Judicial Association for more formal adjudication. Minor infractions typically include violations of the guest visitation policy, too much noise after quiet hours, and failing to follow the legitimate directions of the residence hall staff. More serious violations and repeat violations are referred to the Judicial Association and the Dean of Students.

6. General Procedural Guidelines for Handling Disciplinary Cases

In all circumstances, involving all of the above types of proceedings and jurisdictions, the persons responsible for supervising the investigations, hearings and imposition of penalties should follow these general procedures:

a) Privacy and Confidentiality are fundamental values in the disciplinary system, and only those individuals who need to know about an accusation should be involved with the case. Discussion of any student case beyond the ‘need to know' zone can result in disciplinary action or personnel action against the persons who violate confidentiality.

b) Records of disciplinary cases are very sensitive and should be maintained confidentially by the Dean responsible for the case. While some written information is essential during the processing of a case, persons involved with the case should keep most writing to a minimum, and all notes and correspondence should be forwarded to the Dean's Office for the case file with all other copies destroyed at the conclusion of the case. Special care should be exercised with email, in particular; if possible, persons involved with a case should avoid communicating any personal information about students or the case via email.

c) When a student comes forward voluntarily to report her violation, an extended proceeding is not necessary. Instead, the responsible Dean (and, in CAS, the Dean of Students in consultation with the JA President) should determine the appropriate sanction, and then invite the student to a meeting to discuss the infraction and the sanction. The dean should keep a brief file memo on the disposition of the case.

d) When a third party comes forward to accuse a student of a serious violation of the Honor System or Code of Conduct, a more formal procedure is necessary. In most cases, the third party should state the complaint in writing according to forms provided by the Dean's Office. Normally, the identity of the third party should be stated and may be revealed to the accused student; in rare cases, the dean may choose to keep the accuser's identity confidential.

e) Once an accusation is made, the student who is accused should be notified of the complaint. The Dean should notify the student orally, following-up with a brief written notice of the complaint, along with a written statement of the accused's opportunity to respond to the complaint and the time frame for that response.

f) The accused should provide a written response to the complaint within the timeframe specified. If the accused admits to the offense, then the case may move immediately to the penalties phase.

g) The Dean may conduct any additional investigation that she deems necessary to learn all of the facts of the case.

h) The Dean (and if appropriate in CAS, the Judicial Association) should then conduct a hearing at which the accuser and accused should state their respective cases, and any relevant witnesses may also be asked to speak. (For CAS, the JA President normally presides at the hearing, with the guidance of the Dean, and other members of the Judicial Association participate. The Dean and JA President may choose to have all parties in the same room at once, or, if necessary, the parties may be asked to come in separately.) The purpose of the hearing is to explain and amplify the written statements and to try to clarify facts in dispute. The hearing is not an opportunity for recrimination, scolding or verbal harassment of the accused by any other party, and the persons presiding over the hearing are responsible to ensure the dignified and fair conduct of the proceedings. Neither the accused nor the accuser should address each other during this meeting; all comments should be made to the chair.

i) After the hearing, the Dean (and in consultation with the Judicial Association President for CAS) should decide on the disposition of the case and any penalties. The results should be communicated to the accused both orally and in writing.

j) Neither the accuser nor any other student is entitled to know the specific outcome of the case. However, Trinity may take whatever actions are necessary to protect individual students from harm as a result of any disciplinary case.

k) The Dean supervises the penalty assessed in the case, and the Dean should make a notation to the file when the penalty is successfully fulfilled.

7. Process for Accusations of Academic Dishonesty

The Policy on Academic Honesty provides explicit details concerning forms of academic dishonesty, the process used in cases, and the penalties.

8. Penalties

The range of permissible sanctions for disciplinary action includes, but is not limited to, the following: (Note: the Academic Honesty Policy includes specific penalties.)

a) Warning. Notice, written or oral, that the continuation or repetition of certain conduct in violation may be the cause for more severe disciplinary action.

b) Censure. A written reprimand, which may include warning of more severe disciplinary sanction in the event of determination of a subsequent violation within a stated period of time.

c) Fine. A fine may be levied for certain violations.

d) Restitution. Reimbursement for defacement, damage to or misappropriation of property, whether that of the university or of any member of the university community.

e) Community Service. A student may be required to assist the university in some aspect of community service as deemed by the Judicial Association.

f) Eviction. A student may be moved from one Residence Hall to another or may be evicted from the Residence Hall.

g) Disciplinary Probation. Exclusion from participation in co-curricular University activities for a period not to exceed one year. Violation of the condition of the probation or of any other rules or regulations while the student is on probation may result in suspension or expulsion.

h) Academic Disciplinary Probation. Revocation for a specified amount of time of the student's privilege to have un-proctored exams.

i) Suspension for a Definite Time. Written recommendation of exclusion from class and other privileges and/or activities, with possible forfeiture of academic credit, for a definite period of time, beginning immediately.

j) Indefinite Suspension. Written recommendation of termination of student status, subject only to formal readmission, with no right to petition for readmission before the expiration of one calendar year from the date of suspension.

k) Expulsion. Written recommendation of termination of student status for an indefinite period of time. The conditions for readmission, if any, shall be stated in the order of expulsion.

9. Appeals

A student who is found guilty and incurs a penalty for a violation of the Honor Code or Code of Conduct may appeal the decision in writing to the Dean of Students (for CAS) or respective Academic Dean in non-academic cases, and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for all academic cases. Their decisions are final in all cases except those incurring suspension or dismissal.

A student who is suspended or dismissed may appeal her case to the President of the University after a final determination by the Dean or Vice President for Academic Affairs. The President may decide whether the student must begin to serve her penalty during the consideration of the appeal.

The President's decision is final.

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