FAQ for Students
Green River College expects everyone to follow basic guidelines for responsible behavior. While we recognize people often have unique circumstances, it is important to have a shared set of expectations for what is appropriate behavior. Green River College's student code of conduct explains students' rights and responsibilities. The full text is available online here.
Student Rights
The following rights are guaranteed to each student. There are limits of these rights, those included violations related to statutory law and college policy which may be deemed necessary to maintain the educational goals of the college.
- Academic freedom.
- Students are guaranteed the rights of free inquiry, expression, and assembly upon and within college facilities that are generally open and available to the public.
- Students are free to pursue appropriate educational objectives from among the college's curricula, programs, and services, subject to the limitations of RCW 28B.50.090 (3)(b).
- Students shall be protected from academic evaluation which is arbitrary, prejudiced, or capricious, but are responsible for meeting the standards of academic performance established by each of their instructors.
- Students have the right to a learning environment which is free from unlawful discrimination, inappropriate and disrespectful conduct, and any and all harassment, including sexual harassment.
- Due process.
- The rights of students to be secure in their persons, quarters, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures is guaranteed.
- No disciplinary sanction may be imposed on any student without notice to the accused of the nature of the charges.
- A student accused of violating this code of student conduct is entitled, upon request, to procedural due process as set forth in this chapter.
Here are some examples of how students may come to interact with our office:
- You have been documented in an academic assignment where alleged academic dishonesty violations may have occurred
- You would like to work with the student committee on improving college policies
- You are involved in an investigation related to college policy
- You would like to report potential code violations that you have witnessed
As members of our community, you are encouraged to use critical thinking and to be engaged in your learning. You have the freedom to learn while at Green River College and will be provided appropriate opportunities and conditions in the classroom, on the campus, and in the larger community to do so. Students should exercise their freedom with responsibility, all members of the college community share the responsibility to respect the freedom to learn.
Formal Hearings:
There are a number of formal pathways that the Conduct Officer may use in order to resolve conduct cases. One way is with formal hearing when needed. The Judicial Affairs office will schedule a time for the hearing to occur. In this hearing, the student will be invited to share their perspective on the incident, what issues and policies were involved, what harm may have been caused, and how the student could remedy this situation.
The final determination may be made by the conduct review officer or through the student conduct committee, a panel comprised of two students, two faculty members, one faculty or administrator serving as the chair. A student conduct committee hearing type is mostly commonly used for instances when a student appeals a suspension decision of greater than 10 days, or for egregious conduct situations.
If you just received notice of a Student Conduct case, it is natural to be a little nervous. We hope the following pages will answer your questions about what to expect from the Student Conduct process.
- Student Code of Conduct
- Student Rights To Know And Student Conduct
- WAC-132J-126 Rules of Student Conduct - full chapter
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
U.S. Department of Education: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)