Policy 4.04

Part 1. Purpose: Student Conduct Policy

Minneapolis College believes that every student is accountable for their individual behavior especially as it imposes on the freedom, rights, and safety of another individual or to the extent that it impacts upon the atmosphere and environment conducive to the educational mission of the college community.

Minneapolis College students are expected to abide by local, state, and federal laws, as well as College policies and rules.

This policy establishes the College’s Student Code of Conduct standards, which are expectations for student behavior and actions. These standards are a framework for balancing students’ responsibilities and rights within the broader learning community at the College. The Student Code of Conduct exists to guide the behavior of all Minneapolis College students.

This policy and its supporting procedure are aligned with Minnesota State Board Policy 3.6 Student Conduct and Procedure 3.6.1 Student Conduct.

Allegations of violations of the Student Code of Conduct are investigated following due processes established in College Procedure 4.04.01. Students found responsible for violations are subject to disciplinary action, which in more serious cases may include suspension or expulsion from the College. When appropriate, Restorative Justice practices may be used as an alternative to traditional or posted sanctions.

The Student Code of Conduct is available on the College website and is posted at appropriate locations on the College's main campus and additional locations.

Part 2. Definitions

The following definitions apply to Policy 4.04 Student Code of Conduct and Procedure 4.04.01 Student Code of Conduct Procedures:

College Conduct Committee: A committee made up of a minimum of three (3) college community members selected by the Vice President of Student Affairs who participate in the formal hearing appeals process. The College Conduct Committee reviews all documentary and witness evidence related to the allegation of student misconduct during a hearing and makes a sanction recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Expulsion: As defined by Minnesota State System Procedure 3.6.1 Student Conduct.

Hazing: As defined by Minnesota State System Procedure 3.6.1 Student Conduct.

Preponderance of Evidence: A standard of responsibility that it is more likely than not that the code has been violated.

Student: The term “student” includes all persons who:

1. Are enrolled in one or more courses, either credit or non-credit, through the College, including any type of course, but not limited to traditional, Continuing and Customized Training (CECT), Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), TRIO, etc.; OR
2. Withdraw, transfer, or graduate, after an alleged violation of the student conduct code, but before an outcome is rendered; OR
3. Are not currently enrolled, but have been enrolled in at least one course in the proceeding calendar year or are registered for at least one course in the upcoming term (traditional or non-traditional terms); OR
4. Have been notified of their acceptance for admission or have initiated the process of applying within the last calendar year or have applied for admission to the college within the last calendar year.

Nothing in this definition limits the College’s right to address conduct issues involving graduates where the issue could impact their entitlement to a degree, diploma, certificate, or other award, as well as other issues at the College’s discretion.

Summary suspension: A suspension imposed without an informal meeting or formal hearing to ensure the safety and well-being of members of the college or university community.

Support Person: Any individual can serve as a support person that does not present a conflict of interest for the investigation. Support persons can include, family members, friends, college employees, and attorneys.

Suspension: As defined by Minnesota State System Procedure 3.6.1 Student Conduct.

Tennessen Notice: Sometimes referred to as a "Tennessen warning notice," a "privacy notice," a "notice of the collection of private/confidential data," or something similar. A notice given by the government (in this instance Minneapolis College/Minnesota State) when collecting private or confidential information from them. The purpose of the notice is to enable people to make informed decisions about whether to give information about themselves to the government. See State of Minnesota Statutes, Section 13.04, subdivision 2 for a full definition.

Part 3. Jurisdiction

The College has the right to take necessary and appropriate action to support and protect the safety and well-being of the college community. Should a violation of civil or criminal law involve college interests, the College has the right to proceed with disciplinary action without regard to civil or criminal proceedings.

These regulations apply:

• At the College’s main campus and its additional locations, and
• At all college-sponsored activities or activities sponsored by college clubs or organizations that occur on- or off-campus, including if the off-campus action involves a continuation or extension of a situation initiated on campus, except where specifically limited.

Students or organizations may be subject to college discipline for any of the misconduct described below which occurs any time on college premises or at college-approved or sponsored functions.

Part 4. Off-Campus Conduct

Per Minnesota State Policy 3.06 Student Conduct, the College may hold students accountable for violations of behavioral standards committed off-campus when:

• Hazing is involved; or
• The violation is committed while participating in a college-sanctioned or sponsored activity; or
• The victim of the violation is a member of the college community; or
• The violation constitutes a felony under state or federal law; or
• The violation adversely affects the educational research, or service functions of the College.

Part 5. Responsibilities of Community Members

The different members of the college community have differing responsibilities related to the College’s Student Code of Conduct. These responsibilities are described here.

Students: Students are responsible for understanding and adhering to the student code of conduct. If involved in a conduct investigation, students are required to cooperate fully, attend meetings or hearings as required, and provide relevant information.

College Employees: Employees are expected to report any violations of the code of conduct or academic integrity and provide relevant information during investigations. Employees are expected to cooperate with an investigation and provide pertinent information to the Student Conduct Officer upon request, and if necessary, appear at a hearing.

Student Conduct Officer: Conduct officers are responsible for:

• Conducting thorough, impartial, and prompt investigations into alleged conduct violations and making adjudication decisions based on the evidence.
• Ensuring that the conduct process affords all parties involved due process rights, including a fair and equitable hearing and the right to appeal.
• Determining appropriate sanctions if a student is found responsible for a conduct violation, considering the severity and nature of the violation.

Conduct Committee: If a student elects to have their formal conduct hearing before a Conduct Committee, committee members are responsible for hearing the evidence and making adjudication recommendations to the Student Affairs Administrator.

Student Affairs Administrator:  The Conduct Committee will make a recommendation to the Student Affairs Administrator, that individual will consider the recommendation and will decide to uphold the recommended sanction, exonerate the student, or impose a different sanction.

Part 6. Student Code of Conduct Standards, “The Student Code of Conduct”

Minneapolis College encourages students to be respectful, considerate, and responsible learners who contribute to the learning community at the College. All Minneapolis College students are expected to have familiarity with, and abide by, college rules and regulations governing personal conduct, such as this policy. Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit any of the following acts of misconduct in circumstances falling under the jurisdiction of this code may be subject to the disciplinary sanctions:

1. Dishonesty, including, but not limited to academic dishonesty (such as cheating and plagiarism), or knowingly furnishing false information to the College.

• Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
  • The use of, by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment, or
  • Unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaging in selling or otherwise providing term papers or other academic materials.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) technology (such as generative AI) may not be used by students to generate content for assigned term papers, in whole or in part, or other coursework unless approved by the instructor.
• Knowingly passing insufficient funds or fraudulent payment of any financial obligation to the College.
• Fraudulent activity, such as fraudulently using or accessing college, state, or federal funds or resources.

2. Forgery, alteration, misrepresentation, or misuse of college documents, records or identification, or of records submitted to the College.
3. Unauthorized use, changing, or deleting of any information or data contained in the Minnesota State student record computers.
4. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other college activities on or off campus, including, but not limited to,
   • Instruction,
   • Community service functions, or
   • Other authorized activities on or off college locations.
5. Failure to comply with directions of college employees acting in the performance of their duties or with fire, police, or other emergency service personnel. Failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so, after they have identified themselves.
6. Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person at the College’s main campus and its additional locations, or at college-controlled, sponsored, or supervised functions. Intentionally, recklessly, or negligently causing physical harm to any person on the College’s main campus and its additional locations, or at college-sponsored activities. This includes engaging in any form of fighting or any hostile conduct or behavior that might incite violence.
7. Harassment or discrimination of any member of the college community. This includes, but is not limited to,

• Placing any person under mental duress,
• Causing any person to be in fear of physical danger,
• Intimidation,
• Violence or threat of violence,
• Bullying, or
• Personal vilification. 
  When such actions are based on a protected class, such as race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or sexual orientation, they will be investigated and processed under any other relevant college and Minnesota State system policies. (Refer also to Minnesota State Board of Trustees Policy 1B.1 Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education, Policy 1B.3 Sexual Violence Policy, and Minnesota State System Procedure 1B. 3.1 Response to Sexual Violence and Title IX Sexual Harassment.)

8. Physical, sexual abuse or battery upon a student or college employee, upon college locations, or while under the authority of college employees, or at a college-sponsored event; or continued abuse of a student or college employee, assault or battery upon a student or college employee, or any threat of force or violence directed toward a student or college employee. (Refer also to Minnesota State Board of Trustees Policy 1B.1 Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education, Policy 1B.3 Sexual Violence Policy, and Minnesota State System Procedure 1B. 3.1 Response to Sexual Violence and Title IX Sexual Harassment.)
9. Hazing, as defined in Part. 2 of this policy. This includes, but is not limited to, verbal abuse; humiliation or degrading acts; and forced consumption of alcohol, food, liquid, drugs, or other substances.
10. Unauthorized borrowing of or use of college property, theft or attempted theft, or damage to, property of the College or property of a member of the college community or property of a visitor to the College’s main campus or its additional locations.
11. Unauthorized entry to, or use of, college supplies, keys/fobs, telephones, computers or computer systems, equipment and/or facilities, or the use of any of the above for any illegal act or any act prohibited by this code of conduct.
12. Theft or destruction of computer hardware or software. Misuse of computers includes, but is not limited to:

• Unauthorized entry into a file, to use, read, or change the contents, or for any other purpose,
• Unauthorized transfer of a file,
• Unauthorized use of another individual’s identification and password,
• Use of computing facilities to interfere with the work of another student or college employee,
• Use of computing facilities to send obscene or abusive messages, and
• Use of computing facilities to interfere with the normal operation of the College’s computing system.

13. Damage to public or private property on the College’s main campus or its additional locations including, but not limited to graffiti, defacing signs, or damaging college property wherever it is located (even when it is not at a college location).
14. The incurring of financial obligations on behalf of the College without proper authorization.
15. Violation of college regulations concerning student organizations, such as the misuse of college facilities or resources for non-college-sanctioned activities or purposes.
16. The time, place, and manner of public expression in violation of local, state, and federal laws as well as Minnesota State policies and college policies and standards.
17. Unauthorized use, sale, possession, or presence on the College’s main campus or its additional locations or at college-sponsored events of alcoholic beverages, marijuana/cannabis products, or controlled substances and/or drug paraphernalia. Also, the state of being under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances (including marijuana/cannabis) on the College’s main campus and its additional locations, or at college-sponsored events. (See College Policy 4.06 Drug and Alcohol-Free Campus and Worksite Policy for additional information, which can be found on the policy page of the College’s website.)
18. Disorderly, disruptive, indecent, or obscene conduct or expression, or breach of peace, on college-owned or controlled property or at college-sponsored or supervised functions. Obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on the College’s main campus or its additional locations, or at college-sponsored or supervised functions.
19. Continued willful and disruptive behavior, open and persistent defiance of authority, or persistent abuse of college employees.
20. Possession or use of unauthorized firearms or other dangerous weapons on the College’s main campus or its additional locations. "Weapon" is broadly defined to include, but is not limited to, all firearms (including BB guns), 3-D printed weapons/firearms, dangerous knives, explosives, explosive fuels, dangerous chemicals, and fireworks.
21. Violation of college regulations regarding the use of tobacco products on the College’s main campus and its additional locations. (See College Policies 4.06 Drug and Alcohol-Free Campus and Worksite Policy and 7.02 Smoke Free Campus for additional information, These are on the policy page of the College’s website.)
22. Gambling on the College’s main campus and its additional locations.
23. Unauthorized solicitation or selling of goods or services on the College’s main campus and its additional locations or at college-sponsored activities (on or off of college locations).
24. Actions that interfere with, obstruct, or prevent the regular and essential operations of the College or infringe upon the rights of others to freely participate in its courses, programs, or services.

Part 7. Investigation and Due Process Procedures

College Procedure 4.04.01 Student Code of Conduct Procedures has been established to implement this policy It contains, among other information, details regarding the processes related to alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct.

Owner(s) Title: Vice President of Student Affairs

Date of Adoption: 4/4/2007

Date of Implementation (if different from adoption date): N/A

Date Last Reviewed: 5/28/2024 (Comprehensive Review)

History Subject of Revisions: 5/28/2024 (Comprehensive Review, major revisions and restructuring with supporting procedure’s content that included moving the actual code of conduct standards into the policy instead of the procedure, updating verbiage, addition of responsibilities section and definitions section, updated purpose section incorporating content from supporting procedure, restructuring of content to assist with clarity), 6/10/2013

Regulatory Authority (e.g. Minnesota State policy, federal or state law): Minnesota State Policy 3.1 Student Rights & Responsibilities, Minnesota State Policy 3.6 Student Conduct; Minnesota State Procedure 3.6.1 Student Conduct, Minnesota State Policy 1B.1 Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination in Employment and Education; Minnesota State Policy 1B.3; Minnesota State Policy 1C.2 Fraudulent or Other Dishonest Acts; State of Minnesota Statute, Chapter 14