Wash. Admin. Code § 495E-110-030

Current through Register Vol. 24-23, December 1, 2024

Section 495E-110-030 - Prohibited student conduct

The college may impose disciplinary sanctions against a student or student group, who commits, attempts to commit, aids, abets, incites, encourages or assists another person to commit, an act(s) of misconduct, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1)Academic dishonesty. Any act of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication.

(a) Cheating includes any attempt to give or obtain unauthorized assistance relating to the completion of an academic assignment.

(b) Plagiarism includes taking and using as one's own, without proper attribution, the ideas, writings, or work of another person in completing an academic assignment. Prohibited conduct may also include the unauthorized submission for credit of academic work that has been submitted for credit in another course.

(c) Fabrication includes falsifying data, information, or citations in completing an academic assignment and also includes providing false or deceptive information to an instructor concerning the completion of an assignment.

(d) Academic consequences for academic dishonesty or abetting in academic dishonesty may be imposed at the discretion of a faculty member up to and including a failing grade for the course. Students should refer to each faculty course syllabus. Further academic consequences may follow consistent with the provisions in any program handbook. Incidents of academic dishonesty may also be referred to the student conduct officer for disciplinary action consistent with this chapter in addition to the academic consequences identified above.

(2)Other dishonesty. Any other acts of dishonesty. Such acts include, but are not limited to:

(a) Forgery, alteration, submission of falsified documents, or misuse of any college document, record, or instrument of identification;

(b) Tampering with an election conducted by or for college students; or

(c) Furnishing false information or failing to furnish correct information, in response to the request or requirement of a college officer or employee.

(3)Obstruction or disruptive conduct. Conduct, not otherwise protected by law, that interferes with, impedes, or otherwise unreasonably hinders:

(a) Instruction, research, administration, disciplinary proceeding, or other college activities, including the obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular movement on college property or at a college activity; or

(b) Any activity that is authorized to occur on college property, whether or not actually conducted or sponsored by the college.

(4)Assault, intimidation, harassment. Unwanted touching, physical abuse, verbal abuse, threat(s), intimidation, harassment, bullying, or other conduct which harms, threatens, or is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person or another person's property. For purposes of this section, "bullying" is defined as repeated or aggressive unwanted behavior, not otherwise protected by law that intentionally humiliates, harms, or intimidates the victim.

(5)Cyber misconduct. Cyberstalking, cyberbullying or online harassment. Use of electronic communications including, but not limited to, electronic mail, instant messaging, electronic bulletin boards, and social media sites, to harass, abuse, bully, or engage in other conduct which harms, threatens, or is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to, unauthorized monitoring of another's email communications directly or through spyware, sending threatening emails, disrupting electronic communications with spam or by sending a computer virus, sending false messages to third parties using another's email identity, nonconsensual recording of sexual activity, and nonconsensual distribution of a recording of sexual activity.

(6)Property violation. Damage to, misappropriation of, unauthorized use or possession of, vandalism, or other nonaccidental damaging or destruction of college property or the property of another person. Property for purposes of this subsection includes computer passwords, access codes, identification cards, personal financial account numbers, other confidential personal information, intellectual property, and college trademarks.

(7)Failure to comply with directive. Failure to comply with the directive of a college officer or employee who is acting in the legitimate performance of their duties, including failure to properly identify oneself to such a person when requested to do so.

(8)Weapons. Possession, holding, wearing, transporting, storage or presence of any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, explosive device, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm is prohibited on the college campus, subject to the following exceptions:

(a) Commissioned law enforcement personnel or legally authorized military personnel while in performance of their duties;

(b) A student with a valid concealed weapons permit may store a pistol in their vehicle parked on campus in accordance with RCW 9.41.050 (2) or (3), provided the vehicle is locked and the weapon is concealed from view; or

(c) The president may grant permission to bring a weapon on campus upon a determination that the weapon is reasonably related to a legitimate pedagogical purpose. Such permission shall be in writing and shall be subject to such terms or conditions incorporated in the written permission.

(d) This policy does not apply to the possession and/or use of disabling chemical sprays when possessed and/or used for self-defense.

(9)Hazing.

(a) Hazing is any act committed as part of:

(i) A person's recruitment, initiation, pledging, admission into, or affiliation with a student group; or

(ii) Any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such a student group;

(iii) That causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious psychological or emotional harm, to any student.

(b) Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to:

(i) Causing, directing, coercing, or forcing a person to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the person to risk of such harm;

(ii) Humiliation by ritual act;

(iii) Striking another person with an object or body part;

(iv) Causing someone to experience excessive fatigue, or physical and/or psychological shock; or

(v) Causing someone to engage in degrading or humiliating games or activities that create a risk of serious psychological, emotional, and/or physical harm.

(c) "Hazing" does not include customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions.

(d) Consent is not a valid defense against hazing.

(10)Alcohol, drug, and tobacco violations.

(a)Alcohol. The use, possession, delivery, or sale, or being observably under the influence of any alcoholic beverage, except as permitted by law and applicable college policies.

(b)Marijuana. The use, possession, delivery, or sale of marijuana or the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana intended for human consumption, regardless of form, or being observably under the influence of marijuana or the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana. While state law permits the recreational use of marijuana, federal law prohibits such use on college premises or in connection with college activities.

(c)Drugs. The use, possession, delivery, sale, or being observably under the influence of any legend drug including, anabolic steroids, androgens, or human growth hormones as defined in chapter 69.41 RCW, or any other controlled substance under chapter 69.50 RCW, except as prescribed for a student's use by a licensed practitioner.

(d)Tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products. The use of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products in any building owned, leased, or operated by the college or in any location where such use is prohibited, including 25 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes of any building owned, leased, or operated by the college. The use of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products on the college campus is restricted to designated smoking areas. "Related products" include, but are not limited to, cigarettes, pipes, bidi, clove cigarettes, water-pipes, hookahs, chewing tobacco, vaporizers, and snuff. There are designated smoking areas on campus.

(11)Lewd conduct. Conduct which is lewd or obscene that is not otherwise protected under the law.

(12)Discriminatory conduct. Discriminatory conduct which harms or adversely affects any member of the college community because of their race; color; national origin; sensory, mental or physical disability; use of a service animal; gender, including pregnancy; marital status; age; religion; creed; sexual orientation; gender identity; veteran's status; or any other legally protected classification.

(13)Sexual misconduct. The term "sexual misconduct" includes sexual harassment, sexual intimidation, and sexual violence. Sexual harassment prohibited by Title IX is defined in the supplemental procedures to this code. (Supplemental Title IX student conduct procedures.)

(a)Sexual harassment. The term "sexual harassment" means unwelcome sexual or gender-based conduct, including, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, quid pro quo harassment, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual or a gendered nature that is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive as to:

(i) Deny or limit the ability of a student to participate in or benefit from the college's educational program;

(ii) Alter the terms or conditions of employment for a college employee(s); and/or

(iii) Creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for other campus community members.

(b)Sexual intimidation. The term "sexual intimidation" incorporates the definition of "sexual harassment" and means threatening or emotionally distressing conduct based on sex including, but not limited to, nonconsensual recording of sexual activity or the distribution of such recording.

(c)Sexual violence. "Sexual violence" is a type of sexual discrimination and harassment. Nonconsensual sexual intercourse, nonconsensual sexual contact, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are all types of sexual violence.

(i) Nonconsensual sexual intercourse. Any actual or attempted sexual intercourse (anal, oral, or vaginal), however slight, with any object or body part, by a person upon another person, that is without consent and/or by force. Sexual intercourse includes anal or vaginal penetration by a penis, tongue, finger, or object, or oral copulation by mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact.

(ii) Nonconsensual sexual contact. Any actual or attempted sexual touching, however slight, with any body part or object, by a person upon another person that is without consent and/or by force. Sexual touching includes any bodily contact with the breasts, groin, mouth, or other bodily orifice of another individual, or any other bodily contact in a sexual manner.

(iii) Incest. Sexual intercourse or sexual contact with a person known to be related to them, either legitimately or illegitimately, as an ancestor, descendant, brother, or sister of either wholly or half related. Descendant includes stepchildren, and adopted children under the age of 18.

(iv) Statutory rape. Consensual intercourse between a person who is 18 years of age or older, and a person who is under the age of 16.

(v) Domestic violence. Physical violence, bodily injury, assault, the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, sexual assault, or stalking committed by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the state of Washington, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person's acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the state of Washington, RCW 26.50.010.

(vi) Dating violence, physical violence, bodily injury, assault, the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, sexual assault, or stalking committed by a person:

(A) Who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and

(B) Where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors:

(I) The length of the relationship;

(II) The type of relationship; and

(III) The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

(vii) Stalking. Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to:

(A) Fear for their safety or the safety of others; or

(B) Suffer substantial emotional distress.

(d) For purposes of this chapter, "consent" means knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or action, to engage in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Each party has the responsibility to make certain that the other has consented before engaging in the activity. For consent to be valid, there must be at the time of the act of sexual intercourse or sexual contact actual words or conduct indicating freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact.

A person cannot consent if he or she is unable to understand what is happening or is disoriented, helpless, asleep or unconscious for any reason, including due to alcohol or other drugs. An individual who engages in sexual activity when the individual knows, or should know, that the other person is physically or mentally incapacitated has engaged in nonconsensual conduct.

Intoxication is not a defense against allegations that an individual has engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct.

(14)Harassment. Unwelcome and offensive conduct, including verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct, that is directed at a person because of such person's protected status and that is sufficiently serious as to deny or limit, and that does deny or limit, the ability of a student to participate in or benefit from the college's educational program, that changes the terms or conditions of employment for a college employee, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for other campus community members. Protected status includes a person's race; color; national origin; sensory, mental or physical disability; use of a service animal; gender, including pregnancy; marital status; age; religion; creed; sexual orientation; gender identity; veteran's status; or any other legally protected classification. See "Sexual misconduct" for the definition of "sexual harassment." Harassing conduct may include, but is not limited to, physical conduct, verbal, written, social media and electronic communications.

(15)Retaliation. Harming, threatening, intimidating, coercing, or taking adverse action of any kind against a person because such person reported an alleged violation of this code or college policy, provided information about an alleged violation, or participated as a witness or in any other capacity in a college investigation or disciplinary proceeding.

(16)Misuse of electronic resources. Theft or other misuse of computer time or other electronic information resources of the college. Such misuse includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Unauthorized use of such resources or opening of a file, message, or other item;

(b) Unauthorized duplication, transfer, or distribution of a computer program, file, message, or other item;

(c) Unauthorized use or distribution of someone else's password or other identification;

(d) Use of such time or resources to interfere with someone else's work;

(e) Use of such time or resources to send, display, or print an obscene or abusive message, text, or image;

(f) Use of such time or resources to interfere with normal operation of the college's computing system or other electronic information resources;

(g) Use of such time or resources in violation of applicable copyright or other law;

(h) Adding to or otherwise altering the infrastructure of the college's electronic information resources without authorization; or

(i) Failure to comply with the college's electronic use policy.

(17)Unauthorized access. Unauthorized possession, duplication, or other use of a key, keycard, or other restricted means of access to college property, or unauthorized entry onto or into college property.

(18)Safety violations. Nonaccidental conduct that interferes with or otherwise compromises any college policy, equipment, or procedure relating to the safety and security of the campus community, including tampering with fire safety equipment and triggering false alarms or other emergency response systems.

(19)Violation of other laws or policies. Violation of any federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation or other college rules or policies, including college traffic and parking rules.

(20)Ethical violation. The breach of any generally recognized and published code of ethics or standards of professional practice that governs the conduct of a particular profession for which the student is taking a course or is pursuing as an educational goal or major.

In addition to initiating discipline proceedings for violation of the student conduct code, the college may refer any violations of federal, state, or local laws to civil and criminal authorities for disposition. The college reserves the right to pursue student disciplinary proceedings regardless of whether the underlying conduct is subject to civil or criminal prosecution.

Wash. Admin. Code § 495E-110-030

Adopted by WSR 15-11-013, Filed 5/8/2015, effective 6/8/2015

Amended by WSR 21-10-038, Filed 4/28/2021, effective 5/29/2021

Amended by WSR 23-22-005, Filed 10/18/2023, effective 10/19/2023