Student Code of Conduct
The administration, faculty, staff, and Student Government Association of Western Piedmont Community College believe that self-discipline is an integral part of all students’ education. They also assume that students will maintain standards of conduct appropriate for students; however, in those rare instances when individuals interfere with the rights of others to educational opportunities, the College will maintain order. To that end, the following conduct is prohibited:
- Intentionally causing physical harm or severe emotional distress to any member of the campus community;
- Theft or malicious damage to College property or to the personal property of a student or employee;
- Possession or use of an unauthorized firearm, other dangerous weapon or explosive device;
- Possession, use or distribution of any unauthorized drug, alcoholic beverage or other controlled substance (as defined by the North Carolina General Statutes) while on College grounds or when participating in any College activity (medical prescriptions are not a violation of this rule; however, students are accountable for their behavior while under the influence of a prescribed medicine.);
- Falsifying information including that on official College records;
- Dress that does not conform to published standards in specified program areas (e.g. vocational shop, health science lab/clinical areas);
- Failure to comply with the Western Piedmont Communicable Disease Policy as published in the College Policy Manual (4.9-10);
- Academic dishonesty which includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating or collaborating on a test, or submitting the academic work of another as one’s own (See Plagiarism, College Policy Manual, Section 2.18);
- Disruption of any process of the College by force, noise, coercion, threat, passive resistance or any other conduct that could impede normal College operations;
- Failure to comply with the instructions of College officials acting in accordance with the performance of their duties;
- Violation of a local, state, or federal ordinance or law;
- Lewd or indecent conduct, including offensive and vulgar language;
- Mental or physical abuse of any person, including verbal or inconsiderate behavior which threatens or endangers health or safety (see Communicable Diseases/Pandemic Influenza Policy, (College Policy Manual, Section 4.9-10);
- Violation of the College’s Sexual Harassment policy, (College Policy Manual, 3.47);
- Unauthorized occupation or seizure, in any manner, of College property or any portion thereof (see Emergency Policy, College Policy Manual, Section 7.7);
- Tampering with fire and/or safety equipment;
- Gambling;
- Smoking and/or using other tobacco products on College property or in College vehicles;
- Violation of College regulations regarding the operation and parking of motor vehicles (see Traffic and Parking, College Policy Manual, Section 7.6);
- Violation of the terms of an imposed disciplinary probation or any College regulation during the period of a probation;
- Fiscal irresponsibility such as failure to pay College-levied fines, to repay College-sponsored loans, or to issue a worthless check to College officials;
- The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once without prior authorization;
- Committing an act of academic dishonesty or intentionally helping or attempting to help others to commit an act of academic dishonesty;
- Violation of the College Computer and Internet Use Policy;
- Unauthorized use of electronic communication and equipment such as telephones and pagers in College classrooms, labs, test taking situations and assemblies. (The only exception to this policy will be for on-call emergency personnel, i.e. EMS, police and firemen who are required to notify their instructor of their need for such devices at the beginning of the term and to provide documentation verifying their occupation); and
- Disruption of peace and order by playing loud music while on campus with electronic devices or motor vehicles.