6.7 VHCC Student Rights and Responsibilities
VHCC is part of the Virginia Community College System and
adheres to the standards set forth for the System. Student
rights and responsibilities are designed to clarify what rights
students may expect as a member of the student body and the
responsibilities and obligations placed upon them.
VHCC provides an environment conducive to learning. VHCC
establishes standards of conduct expected of all students.
Any student who has allegedly violated the code of conduct
is afforded due process. Should the student's conduct be judged
to represent a danger to others, the College will immediately
take appropriate action.
6.7.0 Administrative Responsibility page
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The President is responsible for the entire administration
of the College, subject to the control of the Chancellor of
the Virginia Community College System and the State Board for
Community Colleges. It is his/her duty to administer the laws
of the Commonwealth of Virginia which may be applicable on
the campus, as well as the policies, rules, and regulations
of the State Board for Community Colleges. Any authority or
responsibility or duty granted to or imposed upon the President
may be delegated to others on the College faculty or staff.
The President or his/her designee may take whatever legal or
institutional action is necessary under this authority.
6.7.1 Student Rights and Responsibilities page
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Application for admission to VHCC is a voluntary decision
by a prospective student to participate in the programs offered
by the College. Upon admission, students are subject to the
policies, rules, and regulations of VHCC and the State Board
for Community Colleges.
Students are guaranteed the privilege of exercising their
rights without fear of prejudice. Such rights include the following:
A. Students are free to pursue their educational goals.
VHCC provides appropriate opportunities for learning curricula
offered by the College.
B. No disciplinary action is taken against any student without
due process.
C. Free inquiry, expressions, and assembly are guaranteed
to all students provided their actions do not interfere
with rights of others or the effective operation of VHCC.
D. Academic evaluation of student performance is neither
arbitrary nor capricious.
E. VHCC provides for personal safety, protection of property,
and the continuity of the educational process.
6.7.2 Student Conduct page
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6.7.2.0 Forms of Student Misconduct Subject to Disciplinary
Action
The following forms of misconduct are subject to disciplinary
action:
A. All forms of dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism,
knowingly furnishing false information to the College, and
the forgery, alteration, or use of College documents or instruments
of identification with the intent to defraud. Plagiarism
and cheating are further defined below to include:
- Plagiarism is the appropriation of passages, either
word for word or in substance, from the writings
of another and the incorporation of those passages as
one's own in written work offered for credit. VHCC assumes
that the written work offered for credit is the student's
own unless proper credit is given the original author
by the use of quotation marks or other explanatory inserts.
- Collaboration with another person in the preparation
or editing of notes, themes, reports, or other
written work offered for credit is prohibited unless
such collaboration has been specifically approved in
advance by the instructor. Examples of collaboration
include extensive use of another's ideas for preparing
a creative assignment and receiving undue assistance
in the preparation or editing of written materials.
- Giving, receiving, offering, or soliciting information
on any quiz, test, or examination is prohibited
including the following:
- Copying from another’s paper.
- Using prepared materials during an examination.
- Collaborating with another student during
an examination.
- Buying, selling, stealing, soliciting, or
transmitting the contents of an examination.
- Substituting for another person during an
examination or allowing such a substitution
for one's self.
- Bribery of any person to obtain examination
information.
B. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration,
disciplinary proceedings, or other College activities.
C. Physical and/or psychological abuse, or the threat of
such abuse, of any person on College premises or at College
activities.
D. Participating in or inciting a riot or an unauthorized
disorderly assembly.
E. Seizing, holding, commandeering, or damaging any property
or facilities of the College, or threatening to do so, or
refusing to depart from any property or facilities of the
College upon direction by College officials or other person
authorized by the President.
F. Use of alcoholic beverages on campus including the purchase,
consumption, possession, or sale of such items except where
specifically authorized within the regulations of the College.
G. Possessing, using, selling, or distributing any type of
illegal drugs.
H. Gambling or holding an unauthorized raffle or lottery
on campus or at any College function.
I. Possessing on College property, or at any College activity,
any rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver, or other firearms or
weapons or any dangerous chemical or explosive elements or
component parts not used by the student for lawful College
studies without the prior written authorization of the President.
J. Physically detaining or restraining any other person or
removing a person from any place where he/she is authorized
to remain, or in any way obstructing the free movement of
persons or vehicles on College premises or at College activities.
K. Littering, defacing, destroying, or damaging property
of the College or property under its jurisdiction or removing
or using such property without proper authorization.
L. Violating any local, state, or federal laws.
M. Violating any rule or regulation not contained within
the official College publications but announced as administrative
policy by the President or his/her designee.
N. Willfully encouraging others to commit any of the acts
which have been herein prohibited.
6.7.2.1 Sanctions page
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The following sanctions may be imposed:
A. Admonition: An oral or written statement to a student
that he/she is violating or has violated College rules and
may be subject to more severe disciplinary action.
B. Disciplinary
Probation: Exclusion from participation in extracurricular
activities of the College, including holding any student
office, for a period of time not exceeding one academic year.
C. Restitution: Required reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation
of property. This may take the form of appropriate services
or other compensation.
D. Suspension: Exclusion from attending
the College as a student for a definite period of time not
to exceed one year.
E. Dismissal: Termination of student
status for an indefinite period. The conditions of readmission,
if any, will be stated in the letter of dismissal.
F. Interim Suspension: If, in the opinion of the Vice President
of Instruction and Student Services the continued presence
of any student on the campus may reasonably pose a threat to,
or interfere with, the College's mission and/or the rights
of others, a student may be suspended from the College pending
the right to a hearing. The Vice President will first make
a reasonable effort to advise the student orally of the reasons
for the suspension, and give the student opportunity for explanation
or rebuttal. The informal opportunity does not give the student
the right to present witnesses, to cross examine adverse witnesses,
or to require the presence of counsel. As soon as possible
after the suspension, the student will have the right to call
for a hearing. At the hearing, the affected student shall have
all the rights described under
Section
6.7.3.
6.7.2.2 Disciplinary Procedures page
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The Vice President of Instruction and Student Services is
responsible for the execution of disciplinary procedures within
the college. Any academic or administrative official, faculty
member, or student may file a complaint with the Vice President
of Instruction and Student Services against any student for
alleged violations of any college rule or regulation. The Vice
Present of Instruction and Student Services may make a preliminary
investigation to determine if the charges can be disposed of
informally by mutual consent without the initiation of disciplinary
proceedings. (Traffic and parking complaints are made to the
Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services.)
In order to provide an orderly procedure for the handling
of disciplinary cases in accordance with due process, VHCC
has established procedural rules and regulations governing
disciplinary action, including the following:
A. All charges not disposed of informally shall be presented
to the accused student in written form, and the student
shall respond in writing within seven (7) calendar days.
The time for such response may be extended by mutual agreement
of the student and the Vice President of Instruction and
Student Services.
B. An admonition is an action which may be administered
by the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services
without any further approval. All cases in which probation,
restitution, suspension, or dismissal from the College is
sought shall be referred by the Vice President of Instruction
and Student Services to the Student Advisory Committee for
a hearing, unless the student has, in writing, waived the
right to such a hearing.
C. A calendar of the hearings in a disciplinary proceeding
shall be fixed by the Vice President of Instruction and
Student Services after consultation with the parties involved.
The College shall have discretion to alter the calendar for
good cause. A time shall be set for a hearing which shall
not be less than seven or more than fifteen calendar days
after the student's written response.
D. The student shall have the right to have present at
the hearing legal counsel at his/her own expense, other advisors,
parents, and relatives, any of whom may advise the student.
E. The student shall have the right at the hearing to present
and cross‑examine witnesses and the right to present
and examine documentary evidence.
F. A transcript of the hearing shall be prepared by the
College; the student shall have a right to a copy of the
transcript of the proceedings furnished at his/her own expense.
G. Written decisions will be given by the Student Advisory
Committee no later than ten (l0) calendar days following
such hearings. Any such decision which is adverse to the
interests of the student shall contain notification of
the appeal procedures.
H. The student or the Vice President of Instruction and
Student Services may appeal any decision by submitting a
written appeal to the President within ten (l0) calendar
days of receipt of the decision; any such written appeal
shall include the grounds for the appeal.
I. The President shall review the case on the basis of
the record of the hearing and any evidence submitted by the
student that was not previously available at the time of
the hearing. The decision of the President is final.
6.7.3 Student Grievance Procedures page
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The purpose of the student grievance
procedure is to provide an equitable and orderly process to
resolve grievances at Virginia Highlands Community College. This
grievance procedure includes, but is not limited to, concerns
and disputes involving application of a policy or procedure;
grades/academic record; and discrimination on the basis of race,
sex, disability or sexual harassment. The Vice President of
Instruction and Student Services is ultimately responsible for
overseeing the execution of student grievance procedures.
Recognizing that grievances should be
raised and settled promptly, a grievance shall be raised within
twenty (20) calendar days following either the event giving rise
to the grievance or within twenty (20) calendar days of the time
when the student reasonably should have gained knowledge of its
occurrence.
Step 1: A student who is
experiencing dissatisfaction with any academic or administrative
official, faculty member, or student concerning application of
the provisions of the rules, policies, procedures, and
regulations of the College must first discuss the complaint with
the person with whom the problem exists.
If the issue cannot be resolved, the student will meet
with the immediate supervisor of the person identified in the
grievance. The immediate supervisor may make a preliminary
investigation to determine if the concerns can be resolved
informally by mutual consent. If the issue cannot be resolved
informally, the immediate supervisor will render a written
decision within five (5) calendar days. (The only exception is
that appeals of academic suspension and dismissal are made in
writing to the Admissions and Financial Aid Committee with
direct final appeal to the president).
Step 2: If the decision of the
immediate supervisor is not satisfactory, the student or the
other party may file a written appeal within ten (10) calendar
days with the Vice President of Instruction and Student
Services. The Vice President will render a written decision
within ten (10) calendar days.
Step 3: If the decision of the Vice
President is not satisfactory, either of the dissenting parties
may file a written appeal to the Student Advisory Committee
within ten (10) calendar days.
Step 4: The Vice President of
Instruction and Student Services will set a time for a hearing
before the Student Advisory Committee which shall not be less
than seven (7) calendar days nor more than fifteen (l5) calendar
days after the Student Advisory Committee receives the appeal.
Both parties shall have the right to have
present, at their own expense, legal counsel or others who may
advise.
A transcript of the hearing shall be
prepared by the College; both parties shall have a right to a
copy of the transcript of the proceedings at their own expense.
Written decisions will be given by the
Student Advisory Committee no later than ten (10) calendar days
following such hearings.
Step 5: Either party may appeal in
writing the decision of the Student Advisory Committee to the
President within ten (10) calendar days of the decision.
The president of the college will review
the case and make the final decision. This procedure will apply
to student grievances.
Note: This procedure will apply to all
parties with grievances involving students and will supersede
all other grievance procedures.
