Code of Student Conduct

Morton College assumes that students govern themselves in terms of appropriate behavior with emphasis on self-respect and respect for others. The purpose of the Code of Student Conduct is to provide fair and reasonable rules and procedures to promote educational development and to ensure that students do not engage in conduct that interferes with the mission or the daily operation of the College.

Prohibitions

For the College to carry out its responsibilities and to provide students with the most beneficial educational experience, the following actions have been deemed as violations of the College’s Code of Student Conduct: (This is not an exhaustive list of prohibited conduct, but merely guidelines as to the type and nature of conduct that is prohibited. Any conduct that the Dean of Student Services determines could endanger the safety or security of members of the College community or is harmful to the College environment is also prohibited.)

• All forms of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to circumventing testing and/or assessment procedures, cheating, plagiarism, forgery and alteration or unauthorized use of College documents, records or instruments. (Please see the Academic Honesty Policy below for details.)
• Engaging in conduct that interferes with, disrupts or obstructs teaching, the performance of institutional duties or the pursuit of educational, administrative, or other authorized College activities; or occupying College buildings or property after notice to depart has been given.
• Abuse, damage, or vandalism (including all forms of graffiti) to, or theft of College property. Unauthorized entry to College facilities. Theft of College property includes theft of College services and products and includes but is not limited to software licensing infringements and illegal copying/downloading of copyrighted materials.
• Abuse, damage, or vandalism (including all forms of graffiti) to, or theft of the personal property of a member of the College community on campus or at an official College activity off campus.
• Tampering with or disabling fire and safety equipment, systems or posted instructions for their use, as well as causing false alarms of fire or emergency systems; failing to exit College facilities when an alarm is sounded; failing to comply with emergency procedures as directed by College officials or those acting in their stead.
• Unauthorized possession or duplication of keys or key cards to College property or passwords to College information technology systems and the distribution of such keys and/or passwords to other persons.
• The possession of, use of, or being under the influence of illegal drugs, controlled substances, narcotics, or alcoholic beverages, without an authorized prescription issued by a medical authority, while on campus or at an official College activity off campus; the sale or distribution of illegal drugs, controlled substances, narcotics, or alcoholic beverages while on campus or at an official College activity off campus; the intentional misuse of legally prescribed drugs or medications and/or the sale or distribution of these drugs to other people.
• Verbally, in written form, or physically abusing, harassing (including but not limited to harassment on the basis of sex), threatening, assaulting (including but not limited to sexual assault, as defined in the College’s Sexual Misconduct policy) or endangering the health, safety or well-being of any person on campus or at an official College activity off campus. This includes (a) a student who threatens to cause harm to himself/herself, and (b) all conduct or communications that a reasonable person would interpret as a serious expression of intent to cause physical or mental harm to a person or damage to a person’s property.
• Hazing, stalking, creating a hostile environment, and any other behaviors which intimidate, threaten, coerce, or endanger the safety of others, or which interfere with the safety of any member of the College community or its guests.
• Unauthorized use of College facilities, equipment, and services including but not limited to telephones, e-mail system, internet, computer networks, photocopy machines or fax machines.
• Denying a trustee, employee, student or guest of the College freedom of movement or use of the facility.
• Loud, abusive or offensive language; loitering; gambling; indecent exposure of the body including but not limited to urination or defecation in public, and lewd or obscene conduct.
• The use and/or possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives, explosive devices, fireworks, other weapons or dangerous chemicals on College premises or at an official College activity off campus; the intentional misuse of chemical or flammable
• substances normally used in the educational process on College premises or at an official College activity; Firearms are never permitted to be carried on the College campus by students; an enrolled student who may be otherwise authorized to carry a firearm (such as employment as a police officer) is strictly prohibited from bringing his/her weapon on to College premises, or to any official College activity off campus
• Smoking within any College facility or within fifteen (15) feet of an entrance, open window, or ventilation intake.
• Failure to comply with directions of College officials or law enforcement officers acting in performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested.
• Unauthorized use of the College’s name or logo or an attempt to defraud another per son through unauthorized representation as an agent of the College.
• Abuse of computer time including but not limited to unauthorized entry into a file to use, read or change the contents; unauthorized transfer of a file; unauthorized use of another individual’s identification and password; unauthorized use of copyrighted material received or transferred over the network; use of computing facilities to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member or College official; use of computing facilities to send or receive obscene or abusive messages; use of computing facilities to access obscene Internet sites; use of computing facilities to interfere with normal operation of the College computing system; and use of computing facilities for personal profit or gain.
• Inciting, aiding, or encouraging others to engage in a behavior which violates the Student Code of Conduct.
• Violation of local, state and federal laws, regulations and policies on campus or at an official College activity off-campus.
• Students shall assume responsibility for their own conduct. All students involved in apparent acts of misconduct will have the right of due process as set forth in detail below.

  *Please refer to the Student Handbook for the most current information.

Reporting Violations of the Code of Student Conduct

All members of the MC community including faculty, staff and students must work together to protect the integrity of the institution. Together they share the responsibility for reporting violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Except as otherwise provided herein, as in the case of Academic Dishonesty, the following process should be followed for reporting violations of the Code of Student Conduct: Reports shall be made in writing and submitted to the Dean of Student Services. A written report must include the date and approximate time of the violation of, where the violation took place, a brief description of the violation or incident, and the names of witnesses, if any. It is preferred that reports be submitted within forty-eight (48) hours of the alleged violation. Individuals who submit a violation report will be informed that information from their report (including their identity) may be shared with the accused student during the investigatory and/or due process hearing stage.