Policies & Procedures

Name: Student Code of Conduct
Policy Number: 8007
Approved Date: 07/01/19; 09/03/19; 07/13/21; 09/14/21
Most Recent Revision: 02/20/24
Series: Student Conduct and Expectations, Student Services

Policy: 8007

Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ), as a community dedicated to learning and the advancement of knowledge, expects and requires the behavior of students to be compatible with its high standards of scholarship and conduct. Admission to RCSJ carries with it an obligation to uphold these standards.

Students will be identified as those registered for credited courses, non-credited courses, any other program offered on the RCSJ campus, or who officially participate in dual activities at another educational institution. All students are responsible for being aware of, and are held accountable for, adhering to all policies and procedures at all RCSJ owned and operated properties. Those students participating in dual activities will be held accountable for adhering to all policies and administrative procedures at both institutions, at all RCSJ and dual institution owned and operated properties (and specifically including all Rowan University owned and operated locations and activities).

Discipline for violation of RCSJ policies and administrative procedures on all RCSJ campus locations and/or at any RCSJ-sponsored or supervised functions may be imposed whether or not such violations are violations of civil or criminal law. In addition, disciplinary action may be imposed for RCSJ off-campus student conduct that is contrary to the mission and educational goals of RCSJ, thereby protecting the best interests, safety, and well-being of the RCSJ community.

The final responsibility for administration of student discipline rests with the President who will have administrative procedures developed to implement a fair, prompt, and appropriate disciplinary process (see administrative procedure, 8007 Student Code of Conduct).

An individual student whose conduct may pose a significant risk to the safety of one’s self or to the RCSJ campus community due to mental, emotional, medical, or psychological health conditions or other serious concerns may be subject to an Interim Safety Suspension. The Interim Safety Suspension is a preliminary action taken to protect the safety of any student and the campus community and is not a penalty. Refer to administrative procedure, 8007.1 Interim Safety Suspension.

Students who violate the law may incur penalties prescribed by civil authorities, but RCSJ College authority is never used merely to duplicate the function of general laws. The special authority of RCSJ will be asserted only where the interest of RCSJ as an academic community is distinctly and clearly involved. Institutional action should be independent of community pressure.

Violations of Student Conduct

The following is a non-exhaustive list of conduct that does not meet RCSJ’s expectations for student conduct. Such misconduct is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary sanctions.

  • Violating RCSJ Policies and Administrative Procedures: Violating RCSJ policies and administrative procedures, whether on or off the RCSJ campus;
  • Academic Integrity: Engaging in academic dishonesty as defined by RCSJ. Students charged with a violation of this section of the policy are subject to the administrative procedures outlined in the Academic Integrity Policy 8001. This includes, but not limited to:
  • Cheating (including the use of unacknowledged academic sources);
  • Fabrication;
  • Collusion;
  • Facilitating Academic Dishonesty;
  • Academic Sabotage;
  • Plagiarism; and/or
  • Violation involving criminal activity;
  • False Information to an Official: Furnishing false information to any RCSJ Official;
  • Forgery: Fraudulent use and/or creation of RCSJ documents, records, identification cards, other official RCSJ database files, or other misuse or abuse of RCSJ computerized systems. This includes, but not limited to:
  • Alteration;
  • Forgery;
  • Misuse; and/or
  • Using the ID Card, Key, and/or Fob of another person
  • Disruptive Activity: Engaging in activity which substantially disturbs or poses a tenable threat of interfering with teaching, administration, disciplinary procedures, public service functions, typical RCSJ operations, or other RCSJ authorized activities, or which substantially interferes with the rights of others, on RCSJ premises;
  • Misuse of Property: This includes, but not limited to:
  • Obtaining property under false pretenses; and/or
  • Possessing or receiving stolen property
  • Damage to Property: Actual or threat of damaging or destroying property;
  • Harm to Person: Engaging in conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person (including self). This includes, but not limited to:
  • Bullying;
  • Coercion;
  • Harassment;
  • Intimidation;
  • Attempted or actual physical abuse or restraint of another;
  • Stalking;
  • Threats; and/or
  • Written, verbal, physical, electronic acts or gestures, whether single incidents or a series of incidents, reasonably perceived as being motivated by actual or perceived characteristics protected under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et. seq. taking place on RCSJ property or at any function affiliated/sponsored by RCSJ which substantially disrupts or interferes with the orderly operation of RCSJ or the rights of other students, and is not otherwise protected by the Constitutions of the United States and the State of New Jersey, and that:
  • A reasonable person should know, under the circumstances, will have the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or damaging the student's property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm to a person or damage to property;
  • Has the effect of insulting or demeaning any student or group of students in such a way as to cause disruption in, or interference with, the orderly operation of RCSJ;
  • Creates a hostile educational environment for the student at RCSJ; and/or
  • Infringes on the rights of the student at RCSJ by interfering with a student's education or by severely or pervasively causing physical or emotional harm to the student.
  • Title IX: Engaging in conduct that is a violation of RCJS’s Title IX Harassment and Discrimination and Sexual Harassment and the Rights of Victims policies;
  • Invasion of Privacy: Invasion or violation of an individual's rights. This includes, but not limited to:
  • Terroristic threats;
  • Illegal or unauthorized surveillance;
  • Imposing physical or mental restraints on others;
  • Engaging in obscene verbal or written communication;
  • Verbally confronting a person using obscenities or fighting words likely to incite immediate physical altercation;
  • Making, attempting to make, live streaming, transmitting, or attempting to transmit audio, video, or images of any person(s) on or off campus in bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, common areas of suites or apartments, medical examination rooms, training rooms, or other premises where there is an explicit expectation of privacy with respect to nudity and/or sexual activity, without the knowledge and consent of all participants subject to such recordings and/or transmissions; and/or
  • Viewing any person(s) on or off campus in bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, common areas of suites or apartments, medical examination rooms, training rooms or other premises where there is an explicit expectation of privacy with respect to nudity and/or sexual activity, without the knowledge and consent of all participants
  • Alcohol: Possessing, consuming, and/or distributing, or attempting to distribute alcoholic beverages in contravention of federal, state or local laws, or RCSJ administrative procedures, or knowingly being present at the time of the prohibited conduct;
  • Drugs/Paraphernalia: Possessing, using, manufacturing, distributing, or attempting to distribute narcotics, dangerous drugs, controlled dangerous substances, or drug paraphernalia prohibited by federal, state or local laws, or RCSJ policies, or knowingly being present at the time of the prohibited conduct;
  • Weapons: Possessing or using a firearm, BB gun, carbon dioxide propelled gun, explosive, dangerous chemical, knife, martial arts equipment, or other dangerous weapon as a means to threaten or intimidate another person and/or in contravention of federal, state or local laws, or RCSJ policies and administrative procedures;
  • Disorderly Conduct: Causing noise or a disturbance. Exhibiting disorderly, lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct or exhibitionism;
  • Unauthorized Use of RCSJ Resources: Using RCSJ’s name, logo, finances, materials, and supplies (including letter templates or stationery bearing RCSJ’s letterhead), or facilities (including computer facilities) for commercial, personal, or political purposes without authorization;
  • Failure to Comply with an RCSJ Official: Refusing or failing to comply with a request, directive, or order from an RCSJ Official, including Public Safety officers, members of RCSJ administrative staff, or other authorized persons acting in the performance of their official duties and responsibilities;
  • Public Health Compliance: Engaging in behavior that places other members of the RCSJ community at risk and/or refusing to comply with requests from RCSJ Officials related to matters of health safety. Examples include, but not limited to: refusing to wear face coverings to prevent the spread of diseases, refusal to complete required health and safety educational programs, and failure to adhere to occupancy/social distancing guidelines during times of elevated health-related concerns;
  • Unauthorized Access: Entering into and/or using RCSJ facilities/equipment, including, but not limited to: library, athletic facilities and equipment, galleries, classrooms, computers, or confidential files without authorization;
  • Disorderly/Disruptive Behavior Off-Campus: Engaging in off-campus actions and/or behaviors that violate laws and regulations of federal, state, and local agencies, as well as policies of RCSJ;
  • Abuse of the Student Discipline System: Abusing the Student Discipline system, including, but not limited to: noncompliance with a disciplinary sanction, falsification of information, and disruption of a hearing;
  • Use of Technology to Harass: Using information and communication technologies including, e-mail, voicemail, telephones, cell phones, text or electronic messaging, web-cameras, or websites to engage in harassment, intimidation, bullying (a violation of Title IX may be found) or in any behavior which violates the law, or RCSJ policies;
  • Use of Public Medium for Violation: Initiating behavior that violates the law or RCSJ policies and placing evidence of that behavior on a public website or other public medium;
  • Arson/Fire Safety: Starting a fire or creating a fire hazard on RCSJ owned or operated property. Willful damage to property by fire shall be prosecuted as arson when appropriate;
  • Tampering, altering, and/or, damaging the fire protection system, or tampering with or removing fire protection equipment;
  • Failing to evacuate a building upon audible fire safety warning device, or verbal command from staff or fire department personnel; and or
  • Pulling a fire alarm when a fire-related emergency is not present
  • Hazing: Engaging in a manner that a reasonable person would conclude endangers the mental or physical health or safety or which may demean, disgrace, or degrade any person, regardless of location, intent, or consent of participant(s). Although hazing is generally related to a person’s initiation or admission into, or affiliation with, any group or organization, it is not necessary that a person’s initiation or continued membership is contingent upon participation in the activity, or that the activity was sanctioned or approved by the organization, for a charge of hazing to be upheld. The actions of active, associate, new, and/or prospective members of an organization may be considered hazing when these actions include, but not limited to:
  • Unreasonable interference with a student's academic performance;
  • Forced or coerced consumption of food, alcohol, drugs, or any other substance;
  • Forced or coerced wearing of apparel which is conspicuous and/or inappropriate;
  • Forced or coerced exclusion from social contact;
  • Branding;
  • Creation of unnecessary fatigue;
  • Deprivation of basic needs such as food, shelter, sleep, or water;
  • Beating, whipping, or paddling in any form;
  • Line-ups and berating;
  • Physical and/or psychological shocks;
  • Personal servitude (to include mandatory designated driving);
  • Kidnapping or abandonment;
  • Interviewing process for membership;
  • Possession of required items (example: a new member must always be in possession of a ping-pong ball);
  • Unreasonable exposure to the weather;
  • Any activity subjecting a person to embarrassment, degradation, or humiliation; and/or
  • Expectation of participation in activities that are unlawful, lewd, or in violation of RCSJ policy
  • Sexual Misconduct: Engaging in behaviors and/or actions which are sexual in nature without consent. These may include, but not limited to: dating violence, domestic violence, sexual contact, sexual penetration, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking. Matters related to sexual misconduct will be evaluated by the Office of Diversity and Equity and Compliance for possible violations of Title IX standards. Allegations not meeting that threshold may be referred for adjudication as a possible violation of the Student Code of Conduct;
  • Discrimination: Actions that are intended to treat others in a different or unfair manner based on their actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, and other protected characteristics;
  • Retaliation: Any adverse actions taken against a person because of that person’s participation in a complaint, investigation, or legitimate process. Such actions are treated as a separate violation and will result in immediate action by RCSJ to stop the retaliatory behavior, prevent further violations by the perpetrator, and remedy any adverse impact of the violation;
  • Parking Violations: Excessive RCSJ parking/traffic violations;
  • Animals on Campus: Possession and/or custody of any animal on the RCSJ campus without prior approval from campus officials, unless the animal is a service animal;
  • Smoking: Smoking on the RCSJ campus in any prohibited area. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas. This includes electronic smoking and the use of any tobacco products;
  • Prohibited Items: Possession of, or use of, any prohibited items in RCSJ controlled areas, including Rowan University residential areas; and/or
  • Guest Behavior: Students may be held responsible for acts and/or omissions of their guests on any RCSJ campus location, program, or RCSJ-sponsored events where such acts and/or omissions constitute a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, including the Rowan University.

The President will have administrative procedures developed.

References:

Rowan College of South Jersey Administrative Procedure, 7011 Harassment and Discrimination, 7013 Sexual Misconduct and the Rights of Victims, 8007 Student Code of Conduct, and 8007.1 Interim Safety Suspension

Rowan College of South Jersey Board of Trustees Policy Manual, 7013 Sexual Misconduct and the Rights of Victims and 8001 Academic Integrity

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