As members of the larger community, students are entitled to all rights and protections accorded them by the laws of the country, State of North Carolina, and the community. Central Piedmont Community College honors the right of free speech, discussion and expression, and the right to petition and assemble, each of which is consistent with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. That these rights are a part of the fabric of this institution is not questioned. They must remain secure. It is equally clear, however, that in a community of learning, willful disruption of the educational process, destruction of property, and interference with the rights of other members of the community cannot be tolerated.

As members of the academic community, students are expected to exercise their freedoms responsibly. As such, students are subject to the same federal, state, and local laws to which all citizens are subject, and which are enforceable by duly constituted authorities. When students violate these laws, they may incur governmental penalties. When they violate academic policies or the college's Code of Conduct, they may incur college penalties.

The Central Piedmont Student Code of Conduct, including Students' Rights and Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures, is published in the Central Piedmont Student Handbook. The College expects students to familiarize themselves with and be accountable for the rights, responsibilities, and disciplinary procedures in all college publications relating to student conduct, including the Student Handbook, College Catalog, bulletins, and other sources of available information.

In accordance with Policy 4.16 Sexual Misconduct Policy, other forms of student conduct are unacceptable and may also violate the College’s policy against Sexual Misconduct under Title IX. When a report of harassment is received, the Title IX coordinator will determine whether it shall proceed under this policy, and/or the Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures.

I. Rule

Students must abide by all the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 14-269.2 Weapons on Campus or Other Educational Property.

II. Definitions

A. College Premises

Any property or facility in use by the College including property that is leased, owned, used for College functions, or under the control of the College in the conduct of any of its courses of instruction, administrative operations, or extracurricular activity sponsored by the College

B. Weapons

Any object, visible or concealed, that is or could be used to threaten, intimidate, inflict serious bodily injury, or kill another person. This includes, but is not limited to, guns, rifles, pistols, air guns, stun guns, other types of firearms, explosives, metallic knuckles, clubs, batons, and knives or other blades, dangerous chemicals or biological agents. Weapons also include any dynamite cartridge, bomb, grenade, mine or powerful device as defined in North Carolina General Statute 14-284.1.

C. Student

Any person enrolled in any course offered by the College at any location, whether it is credit or non-degree. These policies, therefore, apply to any student for any semester during which that student is enrolled or during which an activity in question transpired.

D. Administrative Meeting

An informal meeting between a student and the Associate Vice President of Student Engagement or their designee to discuss an alleged violation of the Student Code of Conduct. An administrative meeting does not result in a sanction; however, following the administrative meeting, the Associate Vice President of Student Engagement or their designee may determine whether the situation warrants a disciplinary hearing.

E. Disciplinary Hearing

A formal hearing between a student and the Associate Vice President of Student Engagement or their designee during which due process will be followed. A disciplinary hearing may result in one or more sanctions, up to and including suspension or expulsion.

III. Regulations

A. General Standards of Conduct

Students shall obey the law, show respect for properly constituted authority, perform contractual obligations, show regard for the property of other persons and the College, maintain absolute integrity and high standards of individual honor in scholastic work, and observe high standards of behavior that are appropriate for a democratic educational environment in which the rights of others are respected. Each student shall be responsible for their own conduct, from the time of application for admission through the actual awarding of a degree, diploma, certificate, or skills certification. This requirement applies during the academic year, between terms, and before and after classes begin and end, as long as the student remains enrolled.

B. General Conduct

The following describe general rules of student conduct, including behaviors and actions, which are established as policy by the Board of Trustees and are prohibited at Central Piedmont Community College. The Board authorizes College officials to take immediate action and/or begin disciplinary proceedings when a student or students are in violation of these rules.

1. Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

It is the policy of the College that students neither give nor receive assistance from other students during examinations, proctored tests, quizzes, in-class projects or activities or assignments, unless authorized by the instructor of record, or in a setting where the assignment includes other class or group participants.

Plagiarism is prohibited. Merriam-Webster defines plagiarize as stealing and passing off (the ideas and words of another) as one’s own without crediting the source. All borrowed phrases, sentences, and ideas must be attributed to any sources consulted.

Students may submit only work they have created themselves for any assignment, not parts of or whole submissions created by someone else or content generated by an Artificial Intelligence third-party service, site, or provider (AI-generated content). All student assignment submissions must be wholly original except for any portion attributed to the source(s) that produced it and documented accurately and according to the instructor’s requirements.

The instructor of record should address academic dishonesty and/or plagiarism in a course or courses for which they are responsible by recording observations thereof. All allegations of Code violations of academic dishonesty or plagiarism observed by instructors should be reported, in writing, to the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee, with a recommendation of whether “charges” or “no charges” should be brought. Sanctions associated with charges, which may be imposed by instructors at their discretion following consultation with the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee, are based on the type of assignment and the content of the instructor’s syllabus, may include:

a. Having the student repeat the assignment;

b. Assigning a lower grade on the assignment;

c. Assigning a “zero” on the assignment; or,

d. Assigning an “F” in the course.

2. False Representation

Representing the College or a student organization without written authorization, or representing an individual member of the campus community without express authorization of the individual.

3. Violation of the terms or conditions of any disciplinary probation

Violation of the terms or conditions of any disciplinary probation imposed by the College or a sanctioning body thereof; or, non-compliance with any rule or regulation during a period of academic or disciplinary probation.

4. Lewd or Indecent Conduct

This includes public, physical or verbal actions; distribution of obscene or libelous written materials; use of profanity; or engaging in harassment or sexual harassment.

5. Possession and/or Consumption of Drugs, Alcohol, or Other Substances

A student shall not knowingly possess, use, sale, distribute, transmit, or be under the influence of any narcotic, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, or other controlled substance, compound, combination or derivative, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of any kind on any property or in any facility owned or leased by Central Piedmont, including all campuses and all off-campus sites at which the College conducts programs, services, or events.

Use of a drug authorized by a medical prescription from a licensed physician shall not be considered a violation, unless the student is taking the medical prescription inconsistent with the dosage prescribed by the attending physician so as to be under the influence or intoxicated. Any influence, which may be attributed to the use of drugs or of alcoholic beverages, shall not in any way limit the responsibility of the individual student for violations of this policy and the accompanying sanctions.

6. Gambling

Central Piedmont prohibits gambling in whatever forms it takes while on campus, wagering, or games of chance, where the playing for money or material is involved.

7. Misuse of Real or Personal Property or Equipment

It is a violation of the Code of Conduct for any student to misuse College property, property of a member of the college community, or of a visitor to any campus. Misuse is defined as “damage, theft, unauthorized occupation or access, seizure, intentional breaking or destruction, tampering with safety or security equipment, motor vehicles, instructional equipment, technology, trespassing, providing false alarm or communicating a threat, or any use that is inconsistent with the prescribed, customary authorized or intended use." Central Piedmont also prohibits any actions taken by a student that threatens or causes injury to another student, member of the college community, or visitor involving college property. In addition to any sanctions that may be imposed or disciplinary actions taken, the student may also be personally liable for the cost of misuse, including the payment of costs of repair or replacement costs, or the recovery of college personnel or operating costs.

8. Mental or Physical Abuse

Central Piedmont prohibits mental or physical abuse by a student to any person of the campus community or any visitor. Mental or physical abuse is defined as and includes verbal or physical actions that threaten bodily harm, endanger the health or safety of any person, or intimidates or coerces another. This prohibition applies to and encompasses all properties and facilities owned or leased by Central Piedmont, including all campuses and off-campus sites at which the College conducts programs, services, or events.

9. Forgery

Central Piedmont prohibits the forgery, alteration, duplication, or misuse of College documents, records, computers, or instruments of identification by a student with intent to deceive.

10. Student Facility Access and Use

Central Piedmont facilities are places where students have access to credit and non-degree educational and instructional activities and receive services; where the campus community can gather for assemblies, programs, and entertainment activities; and where the public can participate in the life of the educational community and beyond. The College endeavors to make as many spaces available as practical on its campuses for use by students, college student groups, non-college students and groups sponsored by the college or college groups, subject to reasonable procedures and guidelines for establishing campus health and safety, protection of property, and orderly reservation for educational, civic, and recreational use. Students and student groups must not violate federal, state, or local statutes, regulations, or ordinances in accessing and using College facilities. Priority use of facilities and grounds shall be given to the College, its administration, faculty, and staff; and shall not disrupt the educational and administrative purposes of the college. Student use of college facilities and grounds shall not be inconsistent with prescribed, customary, or authorized use; preventing, obstructing, or substantially interfering with the use of a facility or portion thereof by those persons for whom or to whom the space is assigned. This includes inciting or organizing attempts to prevent student attendance at classes, participating in or conducting an assembly, demonstration or gathering in a manner which threatens or causes injury to person or property; which interferes with free access, ingress or egress to College facilities or grounds; which is harmful, obstructive or disruptive to the educational process or institutional functions of the college, is prohibited.

11. Fireworks or Incendiary Devices

Possession or use of an incendiary device or explosive except, in connection with a College approved or sponsored activity, by any student is prohibited.

12. Illegal or Unauthorized Possession of Harmful or Dangerous Items

The unauthorized possession or use of any of the following items by a student is prohibited on the College’s campuses, facilities, or grounds:

a. Firearms, consistent with North Carolina General Statute 14-269.2;

b. Any other object, visible or concealed, that is or could be used to inflict serious bodily injury to any person. This includes, but is not limited to, the possession of bowie knives, dirks, daggers, loaded canes, sword canes, machetes, box cutters, brass metallic knuckles, clubs, batons;

c. Dangerous chemicals or biological agents; or,

d. Any dynamite cartridge, bomb, grenade, mine, or powerful device defined in North Carolina General Statute 12-28.

With the approval of the College President, exceptions may be made for item "a" for educational or security purposes by faculty, staff, or public safety only.

13. Fire Alarm, Public Safety, or Notification Device

No student shall intentionally sound or tamper with a fire alarm without cause, improperly use fire prevention equipment, set fires on campus without proper authorization, fail to evacuate a building or grounds during an alarm or public notification, or tamper with a public alert or notification device, such as a "call box", camera, or speaker system.

14. Failure to Comply

A student shall comply with instructions and directives of College officials and campus public safety officers acting in performance of their duties, and shall further identify themselves to these persons when requested to do so.

15. Use of Technology

Student users of college technology property, including computers, computing technology, equipment, software, and college networks shall do so in compliance with the College’s Technology, Electronic Communications, Voice Mail, and/or Network Policies.

16. Tobacco

The College prohibits the use of and tobacco products on any Central Piedmont campus, including cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, blunts, pipes, bidis, hookahs, chewing tobacco, dip, smokeless tobacco, snuff, electronic cigarettes, or any other items containing or reasonably resembling tobacco or tobacco products.

17. Violation of Criminal or Civil Law and the Student Code of Conduct

Central Piedmont may pursue disciplinary action against a student who is charged with a violation of criminal or civil law. Proceedings under the Code of Student Conduct may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following criminal or civil proceedings that are conducted off-campus. Determinations made or sanctions imposed under this Code shall not be subject to challenge or change on the grounds that the criminal charges have been dismissed, reduced, deferred, or because of any particular result of civil actions arising from the incident. When a student is charged by federal, state, or local authorities with a violation of law, Central Piedmont will not request or agree to special consideration for that student because of their status as a student.

C. Financial Obligations and Business Relationships

The College and the student enter into a business relationship when the student enrolls and incurs financial obligations to the College in the form of required tuition and registration fees, books, college-imposed fees, college-based loans or scholarships, federal or state administered financial aid, insurances, uniforms, supplies, and materials. The College assumes no responsibility for, nor will it act in behalf of, privately incurred debts or obligations involving students in relationships with third parties or sponsorships outside the College. The College prohibits failure to pay required tuition and registration fees, College imposed fees or fines, failure to repay college-based loans or scholarships, the passing of worthless checks, or fraudulent actions when transacting college business.

The College will take the following action in instances wherein the student fails to honor the business relationship with and financial obligations to the College:

Diplomas, grades, transcripts or records, letters of honorable dismissal, permission to register for succeeding semesters or to attend class or participation in graduation exercises will be withheld from students who have outstanding debts to the College, or who have not made arrangements with the Business Office for the discharge of such responsibilities, including:

a. The payment of costs to repair or replacement costs and/or the recovery of college personnel or operating costs for damages to College property by the student(s)responsible for such damage; or,

b. The payment of charges, fees, defaulted payments, Federal Pell Grant, or other financial aid overpayments and fines owed for violations of the College’s student parking and traffic regulations are viewed as debts to the College.

IV. Disciplinary Sanctions

Illegal activities on or off College premises or failure to meet standards of conduct acceptable to the College while on its premises may result in appropriate sanctions, including disciplinary suspension and expulsion.

Related Procedures

Conduct of Students Procedures

Changes

Changes approved by the Board of Trustees on May 6, 2020; May 11, 2023

Changes approved by Cabinet on September 13, 2004; April 30, 2012; September 16, 2013; August 10, 2015; November 6, 2017