IT’S OFFICIAL
It is the responsibility of all UMBC students to know, understand, and adhere to all official UMBC policies and procedures. Included is list of important student policies and
procedures for which you are responsible for knowing. You can find full text versions of all
policies by accessing the Student Handbook from the Student Affairs Web page,
www.umbc.edu/saf/ (go to
Publications/Student Handbook*) or through the Student Link on UMBC’s
homepage.
If you are unable to access the Web, copies of these policies are available in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. You can call 410.455.2393 or stop by The
Commons Room 319 to request a copy.
Summaries and in some cases the complete text of policies are
available through the following web links:
MyUMBC – Academics tab
UMBC Registrar’s Office
http://www.umbc.edu/registrar/
UMBC home page (www.umbc.edu) Resources for Students
UMBC POLICIES INCLUDED IN HANDBOOK
·
UMBC Code of Student Conduct
·
Statement of Values for Student Academic Integrity
·
Student Academic Conduct Policy
·
Procedures for Review of Arbitrary and Capricious
Grading
·
UMBC Non-Discrimination Policy Statement
·
·
Sexual Assault Response and Risk Reduction
Procedures
·
UMBC Substance Abuse Policy Notification for
Students
· Inclement Weather/Emergency Closing Policy
(*full text for all policies is available on the web www.umbc.edu/saf/ go to Publications/Student Handbook)
·
The Clery Disclosure of
Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
·
Disclosure of Student Records Policy
·
Hazing Policy
·
Immunization Policy
·
International Student Health Insurance Policy
·
Policy on Acts of Violence and Extremism
·
Policy on a Drug-free Workplace
·
Policy for Responsible Computing
·
Posting Policy
·
Recognition and Registration Process for Student
Organizations
·
Sales and Solicitations Policy
· Scheduling Policy
UMBC POLICIES SPECIFIC TO GRADUATE STUDENTS
The
following policies specific to graduate students are available on the
·
Graduate
Assistant Policies and Guidelines
·
Rights
and Responsibilities for Academic Integrity
·
Procedures
for determination of instate status for admissions, tuition and
charge-differential purposes
·
Disclosure
of Student Records Policy
·
Policy and Procedures for Student Academic
Misconduct
·
Procedural Guidelines for Handling of Allegations of
Arbitrary and Capricious Grading
·
Policies and Procedures for the Appeal of Academic
Dismissal
· Graduate Student Mediation Procedure
UMBC CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT
The
University of Maryland Baltimore County is strongly committed to the development
of the student and promotion of personal integrity and
self-responsibility. Students enrolling
at UMBC become citizens of the community and are entitled to enjoy the
privileges and assume the responsibilities associated with this affiliation. UMBC affirms its commitment to achieving
diversity in higher education and continues to improve the quality and increase
the diversity of its student body. The
University consistently strives to create a community that welcomes and
celebrates differences. Since the rights
of all students are protected, and an atmosphere conducive to intellectual
development, personal growth, and community association are to be promoted,
standards and guidelines on student behavior are necessary. This Code of Student Conduct is intended to
outline certain responsibilities and expectations of UMBC students, assist the
students to understand their role in the academic community, and to establish
procedures that ensure due process in the adjudication of complaints concerning
students.
B.
The primary
purpose of this Code of Student Conduct is to serve the interests of both the
UMBC community and the individual student by: (1) prescribing the standards of
conduct expected of students; (2) outlining actions which can be taken when
misconduct occurs; (3) establishing procedures which ensure due process in the
adjudication of complaints concerning students; and (4) imposing sanctions in
the University setting to protect, deter, and educate.
C.
The Student Judicial Programs Office promotes the concepts of fairness
and due process in judicial settings throughout the University community, while
striking a balance between community standards and individual behavior through
the educational development of students.
D.
All students are
subject to the Code of Student Conduct.
Individuals who are not currently enrolled at the University remain
subject to the disciplinary process for conduct that occurred during any period
of enrollment, for conduct that occurred during a period between any
consecutive semesters, terms, or summer sessions for which they are enrolled,
or for conduct that occurred during the time after admission to the University
but prior to first enrollment, and for statements, acts or omissions related to
application for enrollment.
E.
UMBC is strongly
committed to an academic environment that supports the humanity and dignity of
all persons. As such, any behavior which
threatens that principle, shall be subject to severe sanctions. In this regard, any physical or sexual
assault or other act which threatens the safety or well being of other persons
shall be viewed as extremely serious and subject to the most serious sanctions,
including suspension or expulsion from the University.
F.
Any violation or
attempted violation of University rules and regulations which is motivated by
the person’s, or group’s, racial identity, religion or beliefs, disability,
national origin, sex, or sexual orientation shall subject a student to a more
severe sanction than would ordinarily accompany that violation or attempted
violation.
G.
UMBC is also
strongly committed to an academic environment that supports the health, safety,
and well being of all persons. Any behavior that violates this principle shall
be subject to severe sanctions. To that
end, the possession, use, or distribution of controlled dangerous substances or
alcohol shall be viewed as extremely serious.
Violations of this kind shall subject a student to the most serious
sanctions, which may include suspension or expulsion from the University.
H.
The University is
committed to an academic and employment environment free from unwelcome sexual
advances, requests for sexual favors, and other forms of sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination and is illegal. Harassment
and retaliation against persons filing discrimination charges is illegal.
I.
All proceedings of
the University's student judicial process are confidential. In accordance with the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the University's Policy on the Disclosure of
Student Records states that students' judicial and disciplinary records are
educational documents. The Student
Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act modified FERPA to allow institutions to
inform victims of the outcome of student judicial proceedings regarding an
alleged crime of violence as defined by the U.S. Code. The Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security
Act was amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 (sometimes known as
the Campus Sexual Assault Victims Bill of Rights Act) requiring the University
to inform the victim of an alleged sexual assault of the final outcome of
student judicial proceedings against the Charged Student. Although
all judicial proceedings are considered confidential, FERPA permits and, in some
cases, requires the release of these records, with and without notice to the
student. Some of the exceptional
circumstances recognized in FERPA include, but are not limited to, release to
University personnel with a legitimate educational interest, release in
response to a subpoena, release to parents of income tax dependent students,
and permissible disclosure to parents or legal guardians of the results
of disciplinary hearings if the student is less than 21 years of age and has
been found responsible for violating campus rules regarding the use or
possession of alcohol or a controlled substance. The University may be compelled,
under the Maryland Public Information Act, to release disciplinary records of
student found to have committed crimes of violence and non-forcible sex
offenses.
A.
The term "
Vice President for
B.
The term
"day" means a full University business day of the month.
C.
“Charging Party”
means the person who has referred, for adjudication, alleged Code of Student
Conduct rule violations, or the person appointed by the Director of Student
Judicial Programs to act as Charging Party.
D.
“Charged Student”
means the student alleged to have violated the Code of Student Conduct rule(s)
or regulation(s).
E.
The term
"student" includes all persons taking courses at UMBC, both full-time
and part-time, pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies who
are:
1.
currently
enrolled;
2.
accepted for
admission or readmission;
3.
enrolled in a
prior semester or summer session and who are eligible to continue enrollment in
the semester or summer session that immediately follows;
4.
not officially
enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with
UMBC; or
5.
an individual
suspended or excluded from enrollment for prohibited conduct that occurred
while the individual was a student at the University.
F.
The term
“institution” or "University" means the
G.
The term
"University President" means the President of the
H.
The term
“University property” includes all land, buildings, facilities, and other
property in the possession of or owned, leased, operated, controlled or
supervised by the University.
I.
The term “weapon”
includes any object or substance designed to inflict, or capable of inflicting,
a wound, cause injury, or incapacitate, including, but not limited to, all
firearms, pellet or “BB” guns, switchblade knives or knives with blades six or
more inches in length, metal knuckles, razors, nunchaku, stars, clubs, or
machetes.
J.
The term
“University official” includes any person employed by the University,
performing assigned administrative or professional responsibilities.
K.
The term “guest”
means any person visiting the University, or a building or area therein, for
any period of time.
L.
The term
“distribution” means sale or exchange for personal benefit or dispensing to
anyone without tangible personal benefit.
M.
The term “member
of the University community” includes any person who is a student, faculty
member, University official or any other person employed by the
University. The Director of Student
Judicial Programs shall determine a person’s status in a particular situation.
N.
The term “Judicial
Board” means any decision-making Board consisting of at least three (3)
students, selected by the Director of Student Judicial Programs to resolve
allegations of Code of Student Conduct violations.
O.
The term
“Director” or “Director of Student Judicial Programs” means the University
official, or designee, authorized by the Vice President for
P.
The term
"Judicial Officer" means any University Official who is designated by
the Director of Student Judicial Programs to oversee Judicial Conferences with
the ability to impose sanctions upon a Charged Student found, or admitted, to
have violated the Code of Student Conduct.
Q.
The term
“Appellate Board” means any decision-making Board, consisting of two (2)
students and one (1) faculty or staff member, authorized by the Vice President
for
R.
The term “shall”
or “will” is used in the imperative sense.
S.
The term “may” is
used in the permissive sense.
T.
The terms
“policy”, “rule”, and “regulation” are defined as the written regulations of
the University as found in, but not limited to, the Code of Student Conduct,
the Residential Life Guide to Community
Living, the Student Handbook, the Policy for Responsible Computing, and the
Graduate and Undergraduate Catalogs.
U.
The term “Victim”
means a victim of an alleged crime of violence as defined by the U.S. Code, and
includes a victim of an alleged non-forcible sex offense. The U.S. Code (Title 18, Section 16) defines “crime
of violence” as (a) an offense that has as an element the use, attempted use,
or threatened use of physical force against the person or property of another,
or (b) any other offense that is a felony and that, by its nature, involves a
substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another
may be used in the course of committing the offense.
V.
The term
“University Activity” includes any activities sponsored by the University or
students, or any activity on University property, of an academic or
non-academic nature.
W.
The term “Code” means the Code of Student Conduct.
X.
The term
"Rules and Regulations" refers to Article V, Section B of the Code of
Student Conduct.
Y.
The term “date of issuance”
means the day of delivery of any written form of the decision.
A.
The Director of
Student Judicial Programs shall determine the composition of any Judicial
Board.
B.
The Vice President
for
C.
The Director of
Student Judicial Programs may develop policies for the administration of the
judicial program and procedural rules for the conduct of the hearings, which
are not inconsistent with provisions of the Code of Student Conduct.
D.
Decisions made by
a Judicial Board and/or the Director of Student Judicial Programs, or designee,
shall be final, pending the stated appeal process.
E.
A Judicial Board
may be designated as arbiter of disputes within the student community in cases
that do not involve a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. All parties must agree to arbitration, and to
be bound by the decision with no right of appeal.
F.
The University
reserves the inherent authority and right to take necessary and appropriate
action to protect the safety and well being of the University community, and to
protect the continuing operation of the University.
A.
Student
Responsibility to Know Rules and Regulations
Each
student is responsible for notice of and compliance with the provisions of the
University’s Rules and Regulations. All
students are expected and required: (a) to obey the law, (b) to comply with
University Rules and Regulations and with directives issued by a University
official in the course of his or her authorized duties, and (c) to observe
standards of conduct appropriate for an academic institution. Each student is charged with the obligation
to conduct himself/herself in a manner compatible with the University's
function as an educational institution.
B.
Rules
and Regulations
Any student found to have
violated the following rules and regulations is subject to the disciplinary
sanctions outlined in Section C, below:
1. Violations of Fire and Safety Regulations.
This rule prohibits, but is not limited to, the
following:
a) failure to comply with posted evacuation procedures;
b) tampering with fire protection apparatus;
c) possession, use, or threatened use of fireworks,
bombs, or explosive devices of any character;
d) use of open flame devices or combustible materials,
including chemicals, which endanger the safety or well being of the University
community; or,
e) unauthorized use of, tampering with, or misuse of
electrical equipment, burglar alarms, fire exits, or telephone systems or
giving false alarms or false reports of fire or emergency.
2. Behavior Which Jeopardizes the Emotional or
Physical Safety of Self or Others.
This rule prohibits, but is not limited to, the
following:
a) unauthorized/illegal possession, storage, or use of
weapons or firearms;
b) acts, or threats, of physical assault or abuse;
c) sexual assault or rape (e.g., date, acquaintance or
stranger);
d) violence;
e) intimidation;
f)physical or emotional harassment;
g) sexual harassment or misconduct;
h) suicide attempts;
i)disorderly conduct;
j)hazing;
k) forcible detention;
l)threatening behavior;
m) indecent exposure;
n) alcohol
poisoning; or
o) drug
overdose.
3. Misconduct Involving Alcohol.
The University prohibits the unauthorized possession,
use, or distribution of alcoholic beverages.
The University enforces all state and federal laws or regulations that
regulate and control the sale or use of alcohol. University policy, consistent with State
laws, confines on-campus use of alcoholic beverages by persons of legal age (21
years old in the State of Maryland) to specified areas. This rule prohibits,
but is not limited to, the following:
a) unauthorized or illegal use of any alcoholic
beverages;
b) aiding or abetting an underage person in the
purchase of alcoholic beverages;
c) disorderly conduct due all or in part to being under
the influence of alcohol;
d)