Notifications, Policies and Rules and Regulations

Notice of Access to Campus Crime Statistics, the Campus Security Report, and Information on Registered Sex Offenders

In accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, all institutions of post-secondary education that participate in federal student aid programs must publish and disseminate an annual security report containing information about crime on and around the campus. The most recent version of Kingsborough Community College’s Annual Security Report is available on the college’s website, under the Office of Public Safety and Security, at

https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/campus_security/clery.html

or by going to the Public Safety office in the Kibbee Library, second floor, L-202.

Upon request, the Office of Public Safety will provide a hard copy of the College’s campus crime statistics, mailed to the individual requesting the report within 10 days of the request.

The U.S. Department of Education’s website address for campus crime statistics is

http://ope.ed.gov/Security/GetOneInstitutionData.aspx

In accordance with the federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, registered sex offenders now are required to register the name and address of any college at which he or she is a student or employee. The New York State Division of Criminal Justice maintains a registry of convicted sex offenders and informs the college’s chief security officer of the presence on campus of a registered sex offender as a student or employee. To obtain information about Level 3 registered sex offenders on campus contact the Division’s registry website at

http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/nsor/

and then click on “Search for Level 3 Sex Offenders” or access the directory at the College’s Public Safety Office or police precinct.

To obtain information about Level 2 offenders, contact the Public Safety Office, local police precinct in which the sex offender resides or attends college, or call the Division’s sex offender registry at 1-800-262-3257.

Notification of Student Immunization Requirements

Information regarding New York State Public Health Laws 2165 and 2167 can be located in this catalog under Health Regulations.

Notification under FERPA of Student Rights Concerning Education Records and Directory Information

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. See Section “6” below on your right to prevent the disclosure of directory information. The FERPA rights of students are:

(1) The right to inspect and review your education records. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. If the records are not maintained by the college official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. All requests shall be granted or denied in writing within 45 days of receipt. If the request is granted, you will be notified of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the request is denied or not responded to within 45 days, you may appeal to the college’s FERPA appeals officer. Additional information regarding the appeal procedures will be provided to you if a request is denied.

(2) The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. You may ask the college to amend a record that you believe is inaccurate or misleading. You should write to the college official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record you want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

If the college decides not to amend the record as requested by you, the college will notify you of the decision and advise you of your right to a hearing before the college’s FERPA appeals officer regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to you when notified of your right to a hearing.

(3) The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in your education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to college officials with legitimate educational interests.

A college official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position, a person or company with whom the University has contracted, a person serving on the Board of Trustees, or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another college official in performing his or her tasks. A college official has a legitimate educational interest if access is reasonably necessary in order to perform his/her instructional, research, administrative or other duties and responsibilities.

Upon request, the college discloses education records without consent to officials of another college or school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.

(4) You may appeal the alleged denial of FERPA rights to the:

General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs
The City University of New York
205 East 42nd Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10017

(5) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the college to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

(6) The college will make the following “directory information” concerning current and former students available to those parties having a legitimate interest in the information: name, attendance dates (periods of enrollment), address, telephone number, date and place of birth, photograph, e-mail address, full- or part-time status, enrollment status (undergraduate, graduate, etc.), level of education (credits) completed, major field of study, degree enrolled for, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, height and weight of athletic team members, previous school attended, and degrees, honors and awards received. By filing a form with the Registrar’s Office, you may request that any or all of this directory information not be released without your prior written consent. This form is available in the Registrar’s Office and may be filed, withdrawn, or modified at any time.

If you do not want your information disclosed, complete the prevent disclosure of directory information form and return it to the Registrar’s Office, A-101.

Freedom of Information Law Notice

Requests to inspect public records at the college should be made to the Records Access Officer - Executive Legal Counsel and Labor Designee, A-226, at 2001 Oriental Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York, 11235-2398, 718- 368-5109. Public records are available for inspection and copying by appointment only at a location to be designated. You have a right to appeal a denial of a request for access to records to the CUNY General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs, 205 East 42nd Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017.

Title I, Article 5, Section 224-A of New York State Education Law

Religious Holidays and Observance

1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an Institution of Higher Education for the reason that he/she is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
2. Any student in an Institution of Higher Education who is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each Institution of Higher Education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements which may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the Institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o’clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements held on other days.
5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each Institution of Higher Education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of availing him/herself of the provisions of this section.
6. Any student, who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the Supreme Court of the County in which such Institution of Higher Education is located for the enforcement of rights under this section.
   
   6a. It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of each Institution of Higher Education to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.
7. As used in this section, the term “institution of higher education” shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a postsecondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which is operated, supervised, or controlled by a church or by a religious or denominational organization whose educational purposes are principally designed for the purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used in this section, the term “religious belief” shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not qualified for tax exemption under section 501 of the United States Code.

CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity

Academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York. Penalties for academic dishonesty include academic sanctions, such as failing or otherwise reduced grades, and/or disciplinary sanctions, including suspension or expulsion.

1. Definitions and Examples of Academic Dishonesty

1.1 Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, information, notes, study aids, devices or communication during an academic exercise. Examples of cheating include:

• Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another to copy your work.
• Unauthorized collaboration on a take home assignment or examination.
• Using notes during a closed book examination.
• Taking an examination for another student, or asking or allowing another student to take an examination for you.
• Changing a graded exam and returning it for more credit.
• Submitting substantial portions of the same paper to more than one course without consulting with each instructor.
• Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination.
• Allowing others to research and write assigned papers or do assigned projects, including using commercial term paper services.
• Giving assistance to acts of academic misconduct/ dishonesty.
• Fabricating data (in whole or in part).
• Falsifying data (in whole or in part).
• Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
• Unauthorized use during an examination of any electronic devices such as cell phones, computers or other technologies to retrieve or send information.

1.2 Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own. Examples of plagiarism include:

• Copying another person’s actual words or images without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source.
• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source.
• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.
• Internet plagiarism, including submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the internet without citing the source, or “cutting & pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.

1.3 Obtaining Unfair Advantage is any action taken by a student that gives that student an unfair advantage in his/her academic work over another student, or an action taken by a student through which a student attempts to gain an unfair advantage in his or her academic work over another student. Examples of obtaining unfair advantage include:

• Stealing, reproducing, circulating or otherwise gaining advance access to examination materials.
• Depriving other students of access to library materials by stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing them.
• Retaining, using or circulating examination materials which clearly indicate that they should be returned at the end of the exam.
• Intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student’s work.

1.4. Falsification of Records and Official Documents
Examples of falsification include:

• Forging signatures of authorization.
• Falsifying information on an official academic record.
• Falsifying information on an official document such as a grade report, letter of permission, drop/add form, ID card or other college document.

2. Methods for Promoting Academic Integrity

2.1. Packets containing a copy of the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and, if applicable, the college’s procedures implementing the Policy, and information explaining the Policy and procedures shall be distributed to all current faculty and, on an annual basis to all new faculty (full- and part-time) These packets also shall be posted on each college’s website. Orientation sessions for all new faculty (full- and part-time) and students shall incorporate a discussion of academic integrity.

2.2. All college catalogs, student handbooks, faculty handbooks, and college websites shall include the CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity and, if applicable, college procedures implementing the policy and the consequences of not adhering to the Policy.

2.3. Each college shall subscribe to an electronic plagiarism detection service and shall notify students of the fact that such a service is available for use by the faculty. Colleges shall encourage faculty members to use such services and to inform students of their use of such services.

3. Reporting

3.1. Each college’s president shall appoint an Academic Integrity Officer in consultation with the elected faculty governance leader. The Academic Integrity Officer shall serve as the initial contact person with faculty members when they report incidents of suspected academic dishonesty. The Academic Integrity Officer may be the college’s Student Conduct Officer, another student affairs official, an academic affairs official, or a tenured faculty member. Additional duties of the Academic Integrity Officer are described in Sections 4.1, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.3 and 4.4.

3.2. A faculty member who suspects that a student has committed a violation of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy shall review with the student the facts and circumstances of the suspected violation whenever feasible. Thereafter, a faculty member who concludes that there has been an incident of academic dishonesty sufficient to affect the student’s final course grade shall report such incident on a Faculty Report Form in substantially the same format as the sample annexed to this Policy and shall submit the Form to the college’s Academic Integrity Officer. Each college shall use a uniform form throughout the college, which shall contain, at a minimum, the name of the instructor, the name of the student, the course name and number and section number, the date of the incident, a description of the incident and the instructor’s contact information.

3.3. The Academic Integrity Officer shall update the Faculty Report Form after a suspected incident has been resolved to reflect that resolution. Unless the resolution exonerates the student, as described in Section 4.4, the Academic Integrity Officer of each college shall place the Form in a confidential academic integrity file created for each student alleged to have violated the Academic Integrity Policy and shall retain each Form for the purposes of identifying repeat offenders, gathering data, and assessing and reviewing policies. Unless the student is exonerated, written decisions on academic integrity matters after adjudication also shall be placed in the student’s academic integrity file. The Academic Integrity Officer shall be responsible for maintaining students’ academic integrity files.

4. Procedures for Imposition of Sanctions

4.1. Determination on Academic vs. Disciplinary Sanction

The Academic Integrity Officer shall determine whether to seek a disciplinary sanction in addition to an academic sanction. In making this determination, the Academic Integrity Officer shall consult with the faculty member who initiated the case and may consult with student affairs and/or academic affairs administrators as needed. Before determining which sanction(s) to seek, the Academic Integrity Officer also shall consult the student’s confidential academic integrity file, if any, to determine whether the student has been found to have previously committed a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, the nature of the infraction, and the sanction imposed or action taken. Prior violations include both violations at the student’s current college and violations that occurred at any other CUNY college. In making the determination on prior violations, the Academic Integrity Officer shall determine whether the student previously attended any other CUNY colleges and, if so, shall request and be given access to the academic integrity files, if any, at such other CUNY colleges.

The Academic Integrity Officer should seek disciplinary sanctions only if (i) there is a substantial violation; or (ii) the student has previously violated the Policy; or (iii) academic sanctions are unable to be imposed because the student has timely withdrawn from the applicable course. Examples of substantial violations include but are not limited to forging a grade form or a transcript; stealing an examination from a professor or a university office; having a substitute take an examination or taking an examination for someone else; having someone else write a paper for the student or writing a paper for another student; sabotaging another student’s work through actions that prevent or impede the other student from successfully completing an assignment; and violations committed by a graduate or professional student or a student who will seek professional licensure. The college also should consider any mitigating circumstances in making this determination.

4.2. Procedures in Cases Involving Only Academic Sanctions

4.2.1. Student Admits to the Academic Dishonesty and Does Not Contest the Academic Sanction

If a faculty member wishes to seek only an academic sanction (i.e., a reduced grade) and the student does not contest either his/her guilt or the particular reduced grade the faculty member has chosen, then the student shall be given the reduced grade, unless the Academic Integrity Officer decides to seek a disciplinary sanction. The reduced grade may apply to the particular assignment as to which the violation occurred or to the course grade, at the faculty member’s discretion. A reduced grade may be an “F” or another grade that is lower than the grade that the student would have earned but for the violation.

The faculty member shall inform the Academic Integrity Officer of the resolution via email and the Officer shall update the applicable Faculty Report Form to reflect that resolution.

4.2.2. Student Admits to the Academic Dishonesty but Contests the Academic Sanction

In a case where a student admits to the alleged academic dishonesty but contests the particular academic sanction imposed, the student may appeal the academic sanction through the college’s grade appeal process. The student shall be allowed, at a minimum, an opportunity to present a written position with supporting evidence. The committee reviewing the appeal shall issue a written decision explaining the justification for the academic sanction imposed.

4.2.3. Student Denies the Academic Dishonesty

In a case where a student denies the academic dishonesty, a fact-finding determination shall be made, at each college’s option, by an Academic Integrity Committee established by the college’s governance body or by the Student-Faculty Disciplinary Committee established under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws. Each college’s Academic Integrity Committee shall adopt procedures for hearing cases. (If a college opts to use its Student-Faculty Disciplinary Committee for this purpose, that Committee shall use Article XV procedures.) Those procedures, at a minimum, shall provide a student with (i) written notice of the charges against him or her; (ii) the right to appear before the Committee; and (iii) the right to present witness statements and/or to call witnesses. Those procedures also shall provide the faculty member with the right to make an appearance before the Committee. The Committee may request the testimony of any witness and may permit any such witness to be questioned by the student and by the administrator presenting the case. Academic Integrity Committees and Student- Faculty Disciplinary Committees, as applicable, shall issue written decisions and send copies of their decisions to the college’s Academic Integrity Officer. The Academic Integrity Officer may not serve on a college’s Academic Integrity Committee.

4.3. Procedures in Cases Involving Disciplinary Sanctions

If the college decides to seek a disciplinary sanction, the case shall be processed under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws. If the case is not resolved through mediation under Article XV, it shall be heard by the college’s Faculty- Student Disciplinary Committee.

If the college seeks to have both a disciplinary and an academic sanction imposed, the college shall proceed first with the disciplinary proceeding and await its outcome before addressing the academic sanction. The student’s grade shall be held in abeyance by using the PEN grade established for this purpose, pending the Committee’s action. If the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee finds that the alleged violation occurred, then the faculty member may reflect that finding in the student’s grade. The student may appeal the finding in accordance with Article XV procedures and/or may appeal the grade imposed by the faculty member in accordance with section 4.2.2. If the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee finds that the alleged violation did not occur, then no sanction of any kind may be imposed.

Where a matter proceeds to the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee, the Academic Integrity Officer shall promptly report its resolution to the faculty member and file a record of the resolution in the student’s confidential academic integrity file, unless, as explained below, the suspected violation was held to be unfounded.

4.4. Required Action in Cases of No Violation

If either the Academic Integrity Committee or the Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee finds that no violation occurred, the Academic Integrity Officer shall remove all material relating to that incident from the student’s confidential academic integrity file and destroy the material.

5. Implementation

Each college, in accordance with its governance plan, shall implement this Policy and may adopt its own more specific procedures to implement the Policy. Colleges’ procedures must be consistent with the policy and procedures described in the Policy

Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public Order

(Henderson Rules)

The tradition of the university as a sanctuary of academic freedoms and center of informed discussion is an honored one, to be guarded vigilantly. The basic significance of that sanctuary lies in the protection of intellectual freedom; the rights of professors to teach, of scholars to engage in the advancement of knowledge, of students to learn and to express their views, free from external pressures or interference. These freedoms can flourish only in an atmosphere of mutual respect, civility and trust among teachers and students, only when members of the university community are willing to accept self-restraint and reciprocity as the condition upon which they share in its intellectual autonomy.

Academic freedom and the sanctuary of the university campus extend to all who share these aims and responsibilities. They cannot be invoked by those who would subordinate intellectual freedom to political ends or who violate the norms of conduct established to protect that freedom. Against such offenders, the university has the right, and indeed the obligation to defend itself. Therefore, the following rules and regulations are in effect at Kingsborough Community College and will be administered in accordance with the requirements of the process as provided in the Bylaws of CUNY’s Board of Trustees.

To enforce these rules and regulations the Bylaws of CUNY’s Board provides that:

The President, with respect to this education unit, shall:

1. Have the affirmative responsibility of conserving and enhancing the education standards of the college and schools under his jurisdiction;
2. Be the advisor and executive agent to the Board and of his respective College Committee and as such shall have the immediate supervision with full discretionary power in carrying into effect the Bylaws, resolutions and policies of any of its committees and the policies, programs and lawful resolutions of the several faculties;
3. Exercise general superintendence over the concerns, officers, employees and students of his education unit.

Rules

1. A member of the academic community shall not intentionally obstruct and/or forcibly prevent others from the exercise of their rights. Nor shall he/she interfere with the institutions educational process or facilities, or the rights of those who wish to avail themselves of any of the institution’s instructional, personal, administrative, recreational, and community services.
2. Individuals are liable for failure to comply with lawful directions issued by representatives of the university/college when they are acting in their official capacities. Members of the academic community are required to show their identification cards when requested to do so by an official of the college.
3. Unauthorized occupancy of university/college facilities or blocking access to or from such areas is prohibited. Permission from appropriate college authorities must be obtained for removal, relocation and use of university/ college equipment and/or supplies.
4. Theft from or damage to university/college premises is prohibited.
5. Each member of the academic community, or an invited guest, has the right to advocate his position without having to fear abuse, physical, verbal, or otherwise from others supporting conflicting points of view. Members of the academic community and other persons on the college grounds, shall not use language or take actions reasonably likely to provoke or encourage physical violence by demonstrators, those demonstrated against, or spectators.
6. Action may be taken against any and all persons who have no legitimate reason for their presence on any campus within the college, or whose presence on any such campus obstructs and/or forcibly prevents others from the exercise of their rights or interferes with the institution’s educational process or facilities, or the rights of those who wish to avail themselves of any of the institution’s instructional, personal, administrative, recreational, and community services.
7. Disorderly or indecent conduct on college-owned or controlled properties is prohibited.
8. No individual shall have in his possession a rifle, shotgun or firearm, or knowingly have in his possession any other dangerous instrument or material that can be used to inflict bodily harm on an individual or damage upon a building or the grounds of the college without the written authorization of such educational institution. Nor shall any individual have in his possession any other instrument or material which can be used and is intended to inflict bodily harm on an individual or damage upon a building or the grounds of the college.
9. Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health or involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organization is prohibited.
10. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of illegal drugs or other controlled substances by University students or employees on university/college premises, or as part of any university or college activities is prohibited. Employees of the University must also notify the College Personnel Director of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace not later than five (5) days after such conviction.
11. The unlawful possession, use, or distribution of alcohol by students or employees on University/college premises or as part of any University/college activities is prohibited.

In addition to Henderson Rules, student conduct and discipline is governed by Article XV of the Bylaws of The City University of New York. Students are urged to familiarize themselves with the content of the Article. Copies of the Bylaws are available in the Library. They are printed in the Student Handbook as are the rules and regulations pertaining to Sexual Harassment.

Penalties

1. Any student engaging in any manner in conduct prohibited under substantive Rules 1–11 shall be subject to the following range of sanctions as hereafter defined in the attached Appendix: admonition, warning, censure, disciplinary probation, restitution, suspension, expulsion, ejection, and/or arrest by the civil authorities.
2. Any tenured or non-tenured faculty member, or other member of the instructional staff, or member of the classified staff engaging in any manner in conduct prohibited under substantive Rules 1–11 shall be subject to the following range of penalties: warning, censure, restitution, fine not exceeding those permitted by law or by the Bylaws of the City University of New York or suspension with/without pay pending a hearing before an appropriate college authority, dismissal after a hearing, ejection and/or arrest by the civil authorities, and, for engaging in any manner in conduct prohibited under substantive rule 10, may, in the alternative, be required to participate satisfactorily in an appropriately licensed drug treatment or rehabilitation program. A tenured or non-tenured faculty member, or other member of the instructional staff, or member of the classified staff charged with engaging in any manner in conduct prohibited under substantive Rules 1-11 shall be entitled to be treated in accordance with applicable provisions of the Education Law, or the Civil Service Law, or the applicable collective bargaining agreement, or the Bylaws or written policies of The City University of New York.
3. Any visitor, licensee, or invitee, engaging in any manner in conduct prohibited under substantive Rules 1–11 shall be subject to ejection, and/or arrest by the civil authorities.
4. Any organization which authorized the conduct prohibited under substantive Rules 1-11 shall have its permission to operate on campus rescinded.

Penalties 1-4 shall be in addition to any other penalty provided by the law or The City University Trustees.

Sanctions Defined

1. ADMONITION: An oral statement to the offender that University rules have been violated.
2. WARNING: Notice to the offender, orally or in writing, that continuation or repetition of the wrongful conduct, within a period of time stated in the warning, may be cause for more severe disciplinary action.
3. CENSURE: Written reprimand for violation of a specified regulation, including the possibility of more severe disciplinary sanction in the event of conviction for the violation of any university regulation within a period stated in the letter of reprimand.
4. DISCIPLINARY PROBATION: Exclusion from participation in privileges or extracurricular university activities as set forth in the notice of disciplinary probation for a specified period of time.
5. RESTITUTION: Reimbursement for damage to or misappropriation of property. Reimbursement may take the form of appropriate service to repair or otherwise compensate for damages.
6. SUSPENSION: Exclusion from classes and other privileges or activities as set forth in the notice of suspension for a definite period of time.
7. EXPULSION: Termination of student status for an indefinite period. The conditions of readmission, if any is permitted, shall be stated in the order of expulsion.
8. COMPLAINT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES.
9. EJECTION.

Adopted by the Board of The City University of New York, June 23, 1969, Calendar No. 3(b).

Policies on Equal Opportunity, Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action

Information regarding these policies can be located in this catalog under Equal Opportunity, Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action  .

Admission of Students Who May Pose a Risk to a College

The College reserves the right to deny admission to any student if in its judgment, the presence of that student on campus poses an undue risk to the safety or security of the college or the college community. That judgment will be based on an individualized determination taking into account any information the college has about the crime committed by the student and the particular circumstances of the college, including the presence of a child care center, summer camp, public school or public school students on campus. In addition, the college may consider factors such as the amount of time since the crime was committed, the amount of jail time served by the student, the number of years the student was on probation or parole, whether the student has satisfied probation or parole requirements at the time of the student’s application, whether the student has completed drug, alcohol, sex offender or other treatment, and what work or educational experience the student has had after the conviction. Finally, if the student is known to have been assisted by a CUNY-sponsored or other re-entry program or initiative, the college will consult with a counselor or representative with said program.

CUNY Tobacco-free Policy

Effective September 4, 2012, the following shall be prohibited at The City University of New York: (1) the use of tobacco on all grounds and facilities under CUNY jurisdiction, including indoor locations and outdoor locations such as playing fields, entrances, and exits to buildings, and parking lots, (2) tobacco industry promotions, advertising, marketing, and distribution of marketing materials on campus properties, and (3) tobacco industry sponsorship of athletic events and athletes.

Procedures for Handling Student Complaints about Faculty Conduct in Academic Settings

1. Introduction. The University and its Colleges have a variety of procedures for dealing with student related issues, including grade appeals, academic integrity violations, student discipline, disclosure of student records, student elections, sexual harassment complaints, disability accommodations, and discrimination. One area not generally covered by other procedures concerns student complaints about faculty conduct in the classroom or other formal academic settings. The University respects the academic freedom of the faculty and will not interfere with it as it relates to the content or style of teaching activities. Indeed, academic freedom is and should be of paramount importance. At the same time the University recognizes its responsibility to provide students with a procedure for addressing complaints about faculty treatment of students that are not protected by academic freedom and are not covered by other procedures. Examples might include incompetent or inefficient service, neglect of duty, physical or mental incapacity and conduct unbecoming a member of the staff.
2. Determination of Appropriate Procedure. If students have any question about the applicable procedure to follow for a particular complaint they should consult with the chief student affairs officer. In particular, the chief student affairs officer should advise a student if some other procedure is applicable to the type of complaint the student has.
3. Informal Resolution. Students are encouraged to attempt to resolve complaints informally with the faculty member or to seek the assistance of the department chairperson or campus ombudsman to facilitate informal resolution.
4. Formal Complaint. If the student does not pursue informal resolution, or if informal resolution is unsuccessful, the student may file a written complaint with the department chairperson or, if the chairperson is the subject of the complaint, with the academic dean or a senior faculty member designated by the college president. (This person will be referred to below as the “Fact Finder.”)
   1. The complaint shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the alleged conduct unless there is good cause shown for delay, including but not limited to delay caused by an attempt at informal resolution. The complaint shall be as specific as possible in describing the conduct complained of.
   2. The Fact Finder shall promptly send a copy to the Faculty member about whom the complaint is made, along with a letter stating that the filing of the complaint does not imply that any wrongdoing has occurred and that a faculty member must not retaliate in any way against a student for having made a complaint. If either the student or the faculty member has reason to believe that the department chairperson may be biased or otherwise unable to deal with the complaint in a fair and objective manner, he or she may submit to the academic dean or the senior faculty member designated by the college president a written request stating the reasons for that belief; if the request appears to have merit, that person may, in his or her sole discretion, replace the department chairperson as the Fact Finder.
   3. The Fact Finder shall meet with the complaining student and faculty member, either separately or together, to discuss the complaint and to try to resolve it. The Fact Finder may seek the assistance of the campus ombudsman or other appropriate person to facilitate informal resolution.
   4. If resolution is not possible, and the Fact Finder concludes that the facts alleged by the student, taken as true and viewed in the light most favorable to the student, establish that the conduct complained of is clearly protected by academic freedom, he or she shall issue a written report dismissing the complaint and setting forth the reasons for dismissal and send a copy to the complaining student, the faculty member, the chief academic officer and the chief student affairs officer. Otherwise, the Fact Finder shall conduct an investigation. The Fact Finder shall separately interview the complaining student, the faculty member and other persons with relevant knowledge and information and shall also consult with the chief student affairs officer and, if appropriate, the college ombudsman. The Fact Finder shall not reveal the identity of the complaining student and the faculty member to others except to the extent necessary to conduct the investigation. If the Fact Finder believes it would be helpful, he or she may meet again with the student and faculty member after completing the investigation in an effort to resolve the matter. The complaining student and the faculty member shall have the right to have a representative (including a union representative, student government representative or attorney) present during the initial meeting, the interview and any post-investigation meeting.
   5. In cases where there is strong preliminary evidence that a student’s complaint is meritorious and that the student may suffer immediate and irreparable harm, the Fact Finder may provide appropriate interim relief to the complaining student pending the completion of the investigation. The affected faculty member may appeal such interim relief to the chief academic officer.
   6. At the end of the investigation, the Fact Finder shall issue a written report setting forth his or her findings and recommendations, with particular focus on whether the conduct in question is protected by academic freedom, and send a copy to the complaining student, the faculty member, the chief academic officer and the chief student affairs officer. In ordinary cases, it is expected that the investigation and written report should be completed within 30 calendar days of the date the complaint was filed.
5. Appeals Procedure. If either the student or the faculty member is not satisfied with the report of the Fact Finder, the student or faculty member may file a written appeal to the chief academic officer within 10 calendar days of receiving the report. The chief academic officer shall convene and serve as the chairperson of an Appeals Committee, which shall also include the chief student affairs officer, two faculty members elected annually by the faculty council or senate and one student elected annually by the student senate. The Appeals Committee shall review the findings and recommendations of the report, with particular focus on whether the conduct in question is protected by academic freedom. The Appeals Committee shall not conduct a new factual investigation or overturn any factual findings contained in the report unless they are clearly erroneous. If the Appeals Committee decides to reverse the Fact Finder in a case where there has not been an investigation because the Fact Finder erroneously found that the alleged conduct was protected by academic freedom, it may remand to the Fact Finder for further proceedings. The committee shall issue a written decision within 20 calendar days of receiving the appeal. A copy of the decision shall be sent to the student, the faculty member, the department chairperson and the president.
6. Subsequent Action. Following the completion of these procedures, the appropriate college official shall decide the appropriate action, if any, to take. For example, the department chairperson may decide to place a report in the faculty member’s personnel file or the president may bring disciplinary charges against the faculty member. Disciplinary charges may also be brought in extremely serious cases even though the college has not completed the entire investigative process described above; in that case, the bringing of disciplinary charges shall automatically suspend that process. Any action taken by a college must comply with the bylaws of the University and the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Professional Staff Congress.
7. Campus Implementation. Each campus shall implement these procedures and shall distribute them widely to administrators, faculty members and students and post them on the college website.
   
   Policy 5.20 from the CUNY Manual of General Policy

Article XV from the CUNY Manual of General Policy – Students

Preamble Section 15.0

Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well-being of society. Student participation, responsibility, academic freedom, and due process are essential to the operation of the academic enterprise. As members of the academic community, students should be encouraged to develop the capacity for critical judgment and to engage in a sustained and independent search for truth.

Freedom to learn and to explore major social, political, and economic issues are necessary adjuncts to student academic freedom, as is freedom from discrimination, as set forth in the university’s non-discrimination policy.

Freedom to learn and freedom to teach are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The concomitant of this freedom is responsibility. If members of the academic community are to develop positively in their freedom, if these rights are to be secure, then students should exercise their freedom with responsibility.

Conduct Standard Defined Section 15.1

Each student enrolled or in attendance in any college, school or unit under the control of the board and every student organization, association, publication, club or chapter shall obey (1) the laws of the city, state and nation; (2) the bylaws and resolutions of the board, including the rules and regulations for the maintenance of public order pursuant to Article 129-a of the education law (“Henderson Rules”); and (3) the governance plan, policies, regulations, and orders of the college.

Such laws, bylaws, resolutions, policies, rules, regulations and orders shall, of course, be limited by the right of students to the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and petition as construed by the courts.

Student Organizations Section 15.2

a. Any group of students may form an organization, association, club or chapter by filing with the duly elected student government organization of the college or school at which they are enrolled or in attendance and with an officer to be designated by the chief student affairs officer of the college or school at which they are enrolled or in attendance (1) the name and purposes of the organization, association, club or chapter, (2) the names and addresses of its president and secretary or other officers corresponding in function to president and secretary.

The board recognizes that students have rights to free expression and association. At the same time, the board strongly believes that respect for all members of the university’s diverse community is an essential attribute of a great university.

b. Extra-curricular activities at each college or school shall be regulated by the duly elected student government organization to insure the effective conduct of such college or school as an institution of higher learning and for the prevention of activities which are hereafter proscribed or which violate the standards of conduct of the character set forth in Bylaw 15.1. Such powers shall include:

1. The power to charter or otherwise authorize teams (excluding intercollegiate athletics), publications, organizations, associations, clubs or chapters, and, when appropriate in the exercise of such regulatory power, the power to refuse, suspend or revoke any charter or other authorization for cause after hearing on notice.
2. The power to delegate responsibility for the effective implementation of its regulatory functions hereunder to any officer or committee which it may appoint.

c.1. Any person or organization affiliated with the college may file a complaint with the chief student affairs officer if there is reason to believe that a student organization has violated any of the standards of conduct set forth in Section 15.1 above. The chief student affairs officer shall promptly notify the affected organization, investigate any complaint and report the results of that investigation along with a recommendation for appropriate action to the complainant and the student government which shall take action as it deems appropriate, except that in the case of a complaint against the student government itself, the chief student affairs officer shall report the results of the investigation and the recommendation for appropriate action directly to the president.

c.2. The complainant or any student organization adversely affected pursuant to paragraph c. 1. above may appeal to the president. The president may take such action as he or she deems appropriate, and such action shall be final.

d. Each college shall establish a student elections review committee in consultation with the various student governments. The student elections review committee shall approve the election procedures and certify the results of elections for student governments, and student body referenda. Decisions of the student elections review committee may be appealed to the college president, whose decision shall be final. An appeal from the decision of the student elections review committee must be made in writing to the President within ten (10) calendar days of the decision. The President shall consult with the student elections review committee and render a decision as expeditiously as possible which may affirm, reverse, or modify the decision of the student elections review committee.

e. Student government elections shall be scheduled and conducted, and newly elected student governments shall take office, in accordance with policies of the board, and implementing regulations.

The University Student Senate Section 15.3

There shall be a university student senate responsible, subject to the board of trustees, for the formulation of university-wide student policy relating to the academic status, role, rights and freedoms of the student. The authority and duties of the university student senate shall not extend to areas of interest which fall exclusively within the domain of the student governments of the constituent units of the university. Consistent with the authority of the board of trustees in accordance with the education law and the bylaws of the board of trustees, the university student senate shall make its own bylaws providing for the election of its own officers, the establishment of its own rules and procedures, for its internal Administration and for such other matters as is necessary for its existence. The university student senate shall have the full rights and responsibilities accorded student organizations as provided in these bylaws. The delegates and alternate delegates to the university student senate shall be elected by their respective constituencies or by their student governments from the elected members of the respective student governments.

Student Disciplinary Procedures Section 15.4

Complaint Procedures

1. A University student, employee, visitor, organization or department who/which believes she/he/it is the victim of a student’s misconduct (hereinafter “complainant”) may make a charge, accusation, or allegation against a student (hereinafter “respondent”) which if proved, may subject the respondent to disciplinary action. Such charge, accusation, or allegation must be communicated to the chief student affairs officer of the college the respondent attends.
2. The chief student affairs officer of the college or her or his designee shall conduct a preliminary investigation in order to determine whether disciplinary charges should be preferred. The chief student affairs officer or her or his designee shall advise the respondent of the allegation against her or him, explain to the respondent and the complainant their rights, consult with other parties who may be involved or who have information regarding the incident, and review other relevant evidence. The preliminary investigation shall be concluded within thirty (30) calendar days of the filing of the complaint, unless: (i) said complaint involves two or more complainants or respondents; or (ii) said complaint involves a matter that is also under investigation by law enforcement authorities. In those cases, the preliminary investigation shall be completed within sixty (60) calendar days. Further, if the matter has been previously investigated pursuant to the Board of Trustees Policy on Sexual Misconduct, the chief student affairs officer shall dispense with a preliminary investigation and rely on the report completed by the Title IX Coordinator. Following the completion of the preliminary investigation, the chief student affairs officer or designee shall take one of the following actions:
   1. Dismiss the matter if there is no basis for the allegation(s) or the allegation(s) does not warrant disciplinary action. The individuals involved shall be notified that the complaint has been dismissed;
   2. Refer the matter to mediation (except in cases involving allegations of sexual assault, stalking or other forms of sexual violence); or
   3. Prefer formal disciplinary charges.
3. In the event that a respondent withdraws from the college after a charge, accusation or allegation against a respondent has been made, and the college prefers formal disciplinary charges, the respondent is required to participate in the disciplinary hearing or otherwise to resolve the pending charges and shall be barred from attending any other unit of the university until a decision on the charges is made or the charges are otherwise resolved. If the respondent fails to appear the college may proceed with the disciplinary hearing in absentia, and any decision and sanction shall be binding.

Mediation Conference

4. The college may offer the respondent and the complainant the opportunity to participate in a mediation conference prior to the time the disciplinary hearing takes place in an effort to resolve the matter by mutual agreement (except in cases involving sexual assault, stalking and other forms of sexual violence). The conference shall be conducted by a qualified staff or faculty member designated by the chief student affairs officer. The following procedures shall be in effect at this conference:
   1. An effort shall be made to resolve the matter by mutual agreement.
   2. If an agreement is reached, the faculty or staff member conducting the conference shall report her/his recommendation to the chief student affairs officer for approval and, if approved, the complainant and the respondent shall be notified, and a written memorandum shall be created memorializing the resolution and any consequences for non-compliance.
   3. If no agreement is reached within a reasonable time, or if the respondent fails to appear, the faculty or staff member conducting the conference shall refer the matter back to the chief student affairs officer who may prefer disciplinary charges.
   4. The faculty or staff member conducting the mediation conference is precluded from testifying at a college hearing regarding information received during the mediation conference, or presenting the case on behalf of the college.

Notice of Hearing and Charges, and Pre-Hearing Document Inspection

5. Notice of the charge(s) and of the time and place of the hearing shall be personally delivered to the respondent, or sent by certified or overnight mail and email to the respondent’s CUNY-assigned email address. Notice shall also be sent in a similar manner to the complainant to the extent the charges relate to her/him/it. The chief student affairs officer is also encouraged to send the notice of charges to any other e-mail address that he or she may have for the respondent and the complainant. The hearing shall be scheduled within a reasonable time following the filing of the charges or the mediation conference. Notice of at least seven (7) calendar days shall be given to the respondent in advance of the hearing unless the respondent consents to an earlier hearing. The respondent is permitted one (1) adjournment as of right. Additional requests for an adjournment must be made at least five (5) calendar days prior to the hearing date, and shall be granted or denied at the discretion of the chairperson of the faculty-student disciplinary committee. If the respondent fails to respond to the notice, appear on the adjourned date, or request an extension, the college may proceed in absentia, and any decision and sanction shall be binding.
6. The notice shall contain the following:
   1. A complete and itemized statement of the charge(s) being brought against the respondent including the rule, bylaw or regulation she/he is charged with violating, and the possible penalties for such violation.
   2. A statement that the respondent and the complainant have the right to attend and participate fully in the hearing including the right:
      1. to present their side of the story;
      2. to present witnesses and evidence on their behalf;
      3. to cross-examine witnesses presenting evidence;
      4. to remain silent without assumption of guilt; and
      5. to be represented by an advisor or legal counsel at their expense; if the respondent or the complainant request it, the college shall assist in finding a legal counsel or advisor.
   3. A warning that anything the respondent says may be used against her/him at a non-college hearing.
   4. At least five (5) calendar days prior to the commencement of a student disciplinary hearing, the college shall provide the respondent and the complainant and/or their designated representative, with similar and timely access to review any documents or other tangible evidence that the college intends to use at the disciplinary hearing, consistent with the restrictions imposed by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”). Should the college seek to introduce additional documents or other tangible evidence during, or some time prior to, the disciplinary hearing, the respondent and the complainant shall be afforded the opportunity to review the additional documents or tangible evidence. If during the hearing the respondent submits documentary evidence, the chairperson may, at the request of either the college or the complainant, direct the respondent to produce such other documents as may be necessary in the interest of fairness.

Emergency Suspension

7. The president or her/his designee may in emergency or extraordinary circumstances, temporarily suspend a student pending an early hearing as provided in this bylaw section 15.4. to take place within not more than twelve (12) calendar days, unless the student requests an adjournment. Such suspension shall be for conduct which impedes, obstructs, impairs or interferes with the orderly and continuous administration and operation of any college, school, or unit of the university in the use of its facilities or in the achievement of its purposes as an educational institution. Prior to the commencement of a temporary suspension of a student, the college shall give the student oral notice (which shall be confirmed via email to the address appearing on the records of the college) or written notice of the charges against her/him and, if she/he denies them, the college shall forthwith give the student an informal oral explanation of the evidence supporting the charges and the student may present informally her/his explanation or theory of the matter. When a student’s presence poses a continuing danger to person or property or an ongoing threat of disrupting the academic process, notice and opportunity for denial and explanation may follow suspension, but shall be given as soon as feasible thereafter. The complainant shall be notified in the event that an emergency suspension is imposed against a student, and/or when the suspension is subsequently lifted to the extent that the suspension involves the complainant in the same manner notice is given to the student.

Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee Structure

8. Each faculty-student disciplinary committee shall consist of two (2) faculty members or one (1) faculty member and one (1) member of the Higher Education Officer series (HEO), and two (2) student members and a chairperson, who shall be a faculty member. A quorum shall consist of the chairperson and any two (2) members, one of whom must be a student. Hearings shall be scheduled promptly (including during the summers) at a convenient time and efforts shall be made to insure full student and faculty representation.
9. The president shall select in consultation with the head of the appropriate campus governance body or where the president is the head of the governance body, its executive committee, three (3) members of the faculty of that college to receive training and to serve in rotation as chairperson of the disciplinary committee. The following schools shall be required to select two (2) chairpersons: CUNY School of Law, Guttman Community College, CUNY School of Professional Studies, and the CUNY School of Journalism. If none of the chairpersons appointed from the campus can serve, the president, at her/his discretion, may request that a chairperson be selected by lottery from the entire group of chairpersons appointed by other colleges. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the faculty-student disciplinary committee and decide and make all rulings for the committee. She/he shall not be a voting member of the committee but shall vote in the event of a tie.
10. The faculty members shall be selected by lot from a panel of six (6) elected biennially by the appropriate faculty body from among the persons having faculty rank or faculty status. CUNY School of Law, Guttman Community College, CUNY School of Professional Studies, and the CUNY School of Journalism shall be required to select four (4) faculty members The HEO members shall be selected by lot from a panel of six (6) HEOs appointed biennially by the president. CUNY School of Law, Guttman Community College, CUNY School of Professional Studies, and the CUNY School of Journalism shall be required to select four (4) HEOs. The student members shall be selected by lot from a panel of six (6) elected annually in an election in which all students registered at the college shall be eligible to vote. CUNY School of Law, Guttman Community College, CUNY School of of Journalism shall be required to select four (4) students. In the event that the student or faculty panel or both are not elected, or if more panel members are needed, the president shall have the duty to select the panel or panels which have not been elected. No individuals on the panel shall serve on the panel for more than four (4) consecutive years. Notwithstanding the above, in cases of sexual assault, stalking and other forms of sexual violence, the president shall designate one (1) chairperson, two (2) faculty/HEO members, and two (2) students, who shall be specially trained, and who shall constitute the faculty-student disciplinary committee in all such cases.
11. In the event that the chairperson cannot continue, the president shall appoint another chairperson. In the event that a seat becomes vacant and it is necessary to fill the seat to continue the hearing, the seat shall be filled from the respective faculty, HEO, or student panel by lottery.
12. Each academic year, the chief student affairs officer, and her or his designee, shall appoint/identify one or more college employees to serve as presenters for the hearings. This list shall be forwarded to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and the Office of the General Counsel and Sr. Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs prior to the first day of the academic year.
13. Persons who are to be participants in the hearings as witnesses or have been involved in preferring the charges or who may participate in the appeals procedures or any other person having a direct interest in the outcome of the hearing shall be disqualified from serving on the committee.

Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee Procedures

14. The following procedures shall apply at the hearing before the faculty-student disciplinary committee:
    1. The chairperson shall preside at the hearing. The chairperson shall inform the respondent of the charges, the hearing procedures and her or his rights.
    2. All faculty student disciplinary committee hearings are closed hearings, but the respondent has the right to request an open public hearing. However, the chairperson has the right to deny the request and hold a closed hearing when an open public hearing would adversely affect and be disruptive to the committee’s normal operations, or when the complainant in a case involving allegations of sexual assault, stalking, or other forms of sexual violence requests a closed hearing. In the event of an open hearing, the respondent must sign a written waiver acknowledging that those present will hear the evidence introduced at the hearing.
    3. After informing the respondent of the charges, the hearing procedures, and her or his rights, the chairperson shall ask the respondent to respond. If the respondent admits the conduct charged, the respondent shall be given an opportunity to explain her/his actions before the committee and the college shall be given an opportunity to respond and present evidence regarding the appropriate penalty. If the respondent denies the conduct charged, the college shall present its case. At the conclusion of the college’s case, the respondent may move to dismiss the charges. If the motion is denied by the committee, the respondent shall be given an opportunity to present her or his defense.
    4. Prior to accepting testimony at the hearing, the chairperson shall rule on any motions questioning the impartiality of any committee member or the adequacy of the notice of the charge(s). Subsequent thereto, the chairperson may rule on the admissibility of the evidence and may exclude irrelevant, unreliable or unduly repetitive evidence. In addition, if either party wishes to question the impartiality of a committee member on the basis of evidence which was not previously available at the inception of the hearing, the chairperson may rule on such a motion. The chairperson shall exclude from the hearing room all persons who are to appear as witnesses, except the respondent and the complainant.
    5. The college shall make a record of each fact-finding hearing by some means such as a stenographic transcript, an audio recording or the equivalent. The college must assign a staff member for each hearing, with the sole responsibility of ensuring that the hearing is recorded in its entirety. No other recording of the proceedings may be permitted. A respondent who has been found to have committed the conduct charged after a hearing is entitled upon request to a copy of such a record without cost upon the condition that it is not to be disseminated except to the respondent’s representative or attorney. In the event of an appeal, both the respondent and the complainant are entitled upon request to a copy of such a record without cost, upon the condition that it is not to be disseminated except to their representatives or attorneys.
    6. The college bears the burden of proving the charge(s) by a preponderance of the evidence.
    7. The role of the faculty-student disciplinary committee is to listen to the testimony, ask questions of the witnesses, review the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties and render a determination. In the event the respondent is found to have committed the conduct charged, the committee shall then determine the penalty to be imposed.
    8. The college, the respondent and the complainant are permitted to have lawyers or other representatives act on their behalf during the pendency of a disciplinary action, which shall include the calling and examining of witnesses, and presenting other evidence. Any party intending to appear with an attorney shall give the other party 5 (five) calendar days’ notice of such representation.
    9. The chairperson of the faculty-student disciplinary committee retains discretion to limit the number of witnesses and the time of testimony for the presentations by any party and/or their representative.
    10. In the event that the respondent is charged with a sexual assault, stalking or other forms of sexual violence, neither the respondent nor the complainant shall be permitted to cross-examine the other directly. Rather, if they wish to, the respondent and the complainant may cross-examine each other only through a representative. If either or both of them do not have a representative, the college shall work with them to find a representative to conduct such cross-examination. In the alternative, either party may provide written questions to the chairperson to be posed to the witness.
    11. At the end of the presentations, the respondent and the complainant may introduce individual character references. The college may introduce a copy of the respondent’s previous disciplinary record; including records from any CUNY institution the respondent has attended, where applicable, provided the respondent was shown a copy of the record prior to the commencement of the hearing. The previous disciplinary record shall be submitted to the committee in a sealed envelope, bearing the respondent’s signature across the seal, and shall only be opened if the respondent has been found to have committed the conduct charged. The previous disciplinary records, as well as documents and character evidence introduced by the respondent, the complainant, and the college shall be opened and used by the committee for dispositional purposes, i.e., to determine an appropriate penalty if the charges are sustained.
    12. The committee shall deliberate in closed session. The committee shall issue a written decision, which shall be based solely on the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties.
    13. The respondent shall be sent a copy of the faculty-student disciplinary committee’s decision within seven (7) calendar days of the conclusion of the hearing, by regular mail and e-mail to the address appearing on the records of the college. In cases involving two or more complainants or respondents, the respondent shall be sent a copy of faculty-student disciplinary committee’s decision within fourteen (14) calendar days of the conclusion of the hearing. The chief student affairs officer is also encouraged to send the decision to any other e-mail address that he or she may have for the respondent. The decision shall be final subject to any appeal. In cases involving a crime of violence or a nonforcible sex offense, as set forth in FERPA, the complainant shall simultaneously receive notice of the outcome of the faculty-student disciplinary committee’s decision as it relates to the offense(s) committed against the complainant, in the same manner as notice is given to the respondent.
    14. When a disciplinary hearing results in a penalty of dismissal or suspension for one term or more, the decision is a university-wide penalty and the respondent shall be barred from admission to, or attendance at, any other unit of the university while the penalty is being served.
    15. Disciplinary penalties shall be placed on a respondent’s transcript unless a mediation agreement, the committee’s decision, or the decision on any appeal under section 15.4(o) below, expressly indicate otherwise. For all undergraduate students, a penalty other than suspension or expulsion shall be removed from the respondent’s transcript upon the request of the respondent after at least four (4) years have elapsed since the penalty was completed, unless the respondent has been found to have committed a subsequent violation pursuant to this Article. The chief student affairs officer shall be responsible for having any penalty removed from a student’s transcript as provided above.

Appeals

15. A respondent or a complainant may appeal a decision of the faculty-student disciplinary committee to the president on the following grounds: (i) procedural error, (ii) newly discovered evidence that was not reasonably available at the time of the hearing, or (iii) the disproportionate nature of the penalty. The president may remand for a new hearing or may modify the penalty either by decreasing it (on an appeal by the respondent) or increasing it (on an appeal by the complainant). If the president is a party to the dispute, her/his functions with respect to an appeal shall be discharged by an official of the university to be appointed by the chancellor or her or his designee. If the penalty after appeal to the president is one of dismissal or suspension for one term or more, a respondent or a complainant may appeal to the board committee on student affairs and special programs. The board may dispose of the appeal in the same manner as the president.
16. An appeal under this section shall be made in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days after the delivery of the decision appealed from. This requirement may be waived in a particular case for good cause by the president or the board committee as the case may be. Within three (3) calendar days of the receipt of any appeal, either to the president or the board committee on student affairs and special programs, the appealing party shall be sent a written notice of the other party’s appeal. In addition, the respondent and/or the complainant shall have the opportunity to submit a written opposition to the other party’s appeal within fifteen (15) calendar days of the delivery of the notice of receipt of such appeal.
17. The president shall decide and issue a decision within fifteen (15) calendar days of receiving the appeal or within fifteen (15) calendar days of receiving papers in opposition to the appeal, whichever is longer. The board committee shall decide and issue a decision within five (5) calendar days of the meeting at which it hears the appeal.

Action By The Board Of Trustees Section 15.5

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this article, the board of trustees reserves full power to suspend or take other appropriate action against a student or a student organization for conduct which impedes, obstructs, or interferes with the orderly and continuous administration and operation of any college, school, or units of the university in the use of its facilities or in the achievement of its purposes as an educational institution in accordance with procedures established by the board of trustees.

College Governance Plans Section 15.6

The provisions in a duly adopted college governance plan shall not be inconsistent with the provisions contained in this article.

CUNY Policy on Drugs and Alcohol

The City University of New York (“CUNY”) is an institution committed to promoting the physical, intellectual, and social development of all individuals. As such, CUNY seeks to prevent the abuse of drugs and alcohol, which can adversely impact performance and threaten the health and safety of students, employees, their families, and the general public. CUNY complies with all federal, state, and local laws concerning the unlawful possession, use, and distribution of drugs and alcohol

Federal law requires that CUNY adopt and implement a program to prevent the use of illicit drugs and abuse of alcohol by students and employees. As part of its program, CUNY has adopted this policy, which sets forth (1) the standards of conduct that students and employees are expected to follow; (2) CUNY sanctions for the violation of this policy; and (3) responsibilities of the CUNY colleges/units in enforcing this policy. CUNY’s policy also (1) sets forth the procedures for disseminating the policy, as well as information about the health risks of illegal drug and alcohol use, criminal sanctions for such use, and available counseling, treatment, or rehabilitation programs, to students and employees; and (2) requires each college to conduct a biennial review of drug and alcohol use and prevention on its campus.

This policy applies to all CUNY students, employees and visitors when they are on CUNY property, including CUNY residence halls, as well as when they are engaged in any CUNY-sponsored activities off campus.

CUNY Standards of Conduct

The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of drugs or alcohol by anyone, on CUNY property (including CUNY residence halls), in CUNY buses or vans, or at CUNY-sponsored activities, is prohibited. In addition, CUNY employees are prohibited from illegally providing drugs or alcohol to CUNY students. Finally, no student may possess or consume alcoholic beverages in any CUNY residence hall, regardless of whether the student is of lawful age, except for students living in the Graduate School and University Center’s graduate housing facilities who may lawfully possess and consume alcoholic beverages. For purposes of this policy, a CUNY residence hall means a residence hall owned and/or operated by CUNY, or operated by a private management company on CUNY’s behalf.

In order to make informed choices about the use of drugs and alcohol, CUNY students and employees are expected to familiarize themselves with the information provided by CUNY about the physiological, psychological, and socialconsequences of substance abuse.

CUNY Sanctions

Employees and students who violate this policy are subject to sanctions under University policies, procedures and collective bargaining agreements, as described below. Employees and students should be aware that, in addition to these CUNY sanctions, the University will contact appropriate law enforcement agencies if they believe that a violation of the policy should also be treated as a criminal matter.

Students

Students are expected to comply with the CUNY and college policies with respect to drugs and alcohol. Any student found in violation may be subject to disciplinary action under Article 15 of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, which may result in sanctions up to and including expulsion from the University.

In addition, any student who resides in a CUNY residence hall and who is found to have violated any CUNY or college policy with respect to drugs and alcohol may be subject to sanctions under the CUNY Residence Hall Disciplinary Procedures, up to and including expulsion from the residence hall.

In lieu of formal disciplinary action, CUNY may, in appropriate cases, seek to resolve the matter through an agreement pursuant to which the student must see a counselor or successfully participate in a drug and alcohol treatment program.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), CUNY may also choose—when appropriate—to contact parents or legal guardians of students who have violated the CUNY policy on drugs and alcohol.

Employees

Any employee found to have violated this CUNY policy may be subject to disciplinary action, in accordance with the procedures set forth in applicable CUNY policies, rules, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements. Sanctions may include a reprimand, suspension without pay, or termination of employment. In lieu of formal disciplinary action, CUNY may, in appropriate cases, seek to resolve the matter through an agreement pursuant to which the employee must successfully participate in a drug or alcohol treatment program.

Responsibilities of CUNY Colleges/Units

Each college or unit of the University should make its best efforts to educate employees and students about this policy and the risks associated with the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs and alcohol. The President of each college or unit may choose to ban alcohol at on-campus functions or at any particular function. This policy, together with information about the health risks of illegal drug and alcohol use, criminal sanctions for such use, and counseling, treatment, or rehabilitation programs available to employees or students, must be distributed annually to all employees and students. The Chief Student Affairs Officer shall be responsible for the distribution of this material to students, and the Director of Human Resources shall be responsible for the distribution of the material to employees.

The Vice President for Administration, or person performing the equivalent function at each college or unit of CUNY, shall be responsible for conducting a biennial review to determine the effectiveness of CUNY’s drug and alcohol program at its college or unit, and to ensure that sanctions for drug and alcohol violations are consistently enforced. Upon completion, the biennial review must be sent to the University’s Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer. This biennial review must include the number of drug and alcohol-related violations and fatalities that occur on the college’s campus or as part of the college’s activities, as well as the number and type of sanctions imposed as a result of drug and alcohol-related violations and fatalities that occur at the college as part of its activities.

Adopted by CUNY Board of Trustees: June 22, 2002 and amended on May 2, 2011
(BOT May 2, 2011 Calendar Minutes: Item # 5.A.)

CUNY Medical Amnesty/Good Samaritan Policy

The City University of New York’s (“CUNY’s “) Medical Amnesty/Good Samaritan Policy’s purpose is to encourage students to seek medical assistance related to drug and alcohol use without fear of being disciplined for such use. Because the use of drugs or alcohol may be life-threatening, CUNY wishes to reduce barriers to seeking and receiving medical help in those situations. In addition, CUNY wishes to encourage students who may be the victims of or witnesses to sexual harassment or sexual violence while under the influence of drugs or alcohol to seek medical assistance and to report that sexual assault. Toward that end, CUNY’s Policy is that students who seek medical assistance either for themselves or others will not be subject to discipline under the circumstances described below.

Students who call for medical assistance for themselves or others and/or who receive medical assistance as a result of a call will not be disciplined for the consumption of alcohol (either if underage or if consumed in a CUNY-owned or operated building/facility where alcohol consumption is prohibited) or drugs under certain conditions. First, the students involved must agree to timely completion of assigned alcohol and/or drug education activities, assessment, and/or treatment, to be determined by the individual campuses or units of CUNY with which the students are affiliated. Second, there must be no other violations that ordinarily would subject the student to disciplinary action. Other violations that would invoke discipline include but are not limited to (i) unlawful distribution of alcohol or drugs; (ii) sexual assault; (iii) sexual harassment; (iv) causing or threatening physical harm; (v) causing damage to property; (vi) hazing.

If students are involved in repeated incidents, the availability of medical amnesty to those students is at the discretion of the campus or unit with which the students are affiliated. Even if medical amnesty is granted to those students, repeated incidents raise issues of medical concern and may result in parental notification, medical withdrawal, and/or other non-disciplinary responses.

Failure to complete required alcohol and/or drug education activities, assessment and/or treatment by the deadline may result in a revocation of medical amnesty.

CUNY’s Policy is intended to complement New York State’s Good Samaritan Law, which is designed to encourage individuals to call 911 in the event of an alcohol or drug-related emergency. Generally, this law protects persons who witness or suffer from a medical emergency involving drugs or alcohol from being arrested or prosecuted for drug or underage alcohol possession after they call 911. It does not protect against arrest or prosecution for other offenses, such as the sale of drugs.

For more information on New York’s Good Samaritan Law, see N.Y. Public Health L. §§ 3000-a, 3000-b, 3013 (McKinney 2000); see also NY State Assembly website database of law.

Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Spring 2020 Term

As part of The City University of New York’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Spring 2020 term, all students shall have the option to convert any or all of the (A-F) letter grades they earn in their classes, to Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading.  https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/credit-no-credit-policy/

1.    During the Spring 2020 term, all students shall have the option to convert any or all of the (A-F) letter grades, including plus or minus variations, they earn in their classes, to Credit/No Credit grading.

2.    Students shall be able to make this decision up to 20 business days after the University’s final grade submission deadline. Once selected, the Credit/No Credit option cannot be cannot be reversed.

3.    If a student chooses to exercise this option, a passing letter grade (A, B, C, or D including +/-) will convert to ‘CR’ with credit for the class being awarded, while a failing grade (F) will convert to ‘NC’, with no credit awarded. Credit/No Credit grades will not impact the student’s GPA.

4.    Courses taken for a letter grade will continue to be included in the semester and general GPA, while courses taken for a Credit/Non-credit grade will be excluded, just as is the case with such courses taken at a student’s home institution.

5.    If a student exercises the option of Credit/No Credit, the Credit (CR) grade will not negatively impact the student’s satisfactory progress toward degree completion.

6.    Students with Credit/No Credit grades will be able to transfer those courses across colleges within CUNY, per current CUNY policy.

7.    The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy shall apply to coursework completed on Permit and will not affect Board of Trustees Policy 1.14 – Policy on Coursework Completed on Permit.

8.    Students placed on academic probation by their institution at the start of the Spring 2020 term shall not be penalized with academic dismissal based upon their grades earned this semester.

9.    The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy shall not affect the University standards of student retention and progress in accordance with Board of Trustees Policy 1.26.

10.  Before choosing this grading option for one or more of their classes, students shall consult with their academic and financial aid advisors regarding potential impact to their financial aid, licensure requirements, and graduate school admissions.

11.  The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy shall supersede and override all undergraduate and graduate program-level grading policies currently in effect at CUNY colleges and schools, including those related to required and elective courses within the major, minor, general education (Pathways), pre-requisite courses, honors courses, courses taken on permit and maximum number of credits that a student can earn with Credit/No Credit grades.

12.  The grade glossary, attached to each transcript, will be updated to include a notation denoting that all Spring 2020 grades, including CR or NC, were earned during a major disruption to instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

13.  The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy shall apply to all CUNY colleges and schools, except the School of Law and the School of Medicine, which may develop their own Pass/Fail policies, subject to approval of the Board of Trustees, to conform to norms in legal and medical education.

14.  The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy, which shall be effective April 1, 2020, applies to the Spring 2020 term only and that the Chancellor, may, in his discretion, to meet public health emergency policies and practices, extend this policy to future semesters, if necessary and report such extension to the Board of Trustees immediately.

15.  The Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy shall be codified in the Manual of General Policy as Policy 1.4. and cannot be overwritten by any individual units of the University, including presidents, provosts, or college councils.

16.  The policy will remain in effect for the Spring 2020 term and will be reviewed by the Chancellor and extended as necessary to meet public health emergency policies and practices.

Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Fall 2020 Term

To provide students with flexibility during the ongoing pandemic, The City University of New York has extended the use of the Credit/No Credit Policy, originally enacted for the Spring 2020 term, for the Fall 2020 term. To help students continue their academic progress during these challenging times. 

The policy will be administered by each of CUNY’s twenty-five colleges, which may alter the policy for college-specific considerations.  See below for Kingsborough’s adaptation and implementation of the policy for Fall 2020 (including Winter 2021).

The City University of New York  Special COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy for the Fall 2020 Term:

1. During the Fall 2020 semester, all students enrolled in courses with the CR/NC policy shall have the option to convert some or all of the (B+ through F) letter grades they earn in these classes to Credit/No Credit grading, as long as the course has not been excluded from the policy for Fall 2020 (Click HERE ) 
2. Students will be able to make this decision for eligible courses between December 24, 2020 and January 12^*, 2021 (*See Kingsborough’s Implementation of the Credit/No Credit Policy below). Once selected, the CR/NC option cannot be reversed.  Any changes to the dates of this opt-in window will be communicated in a timely fashion.
3. If a student chooses to exercise this option for an eligible course, a passing letter grade (B+ through D-) will convert to ‘CR’ with credit for the class being awarded, while a failing grade (F) will convert to ‘NC’, with no credit awarded. Credit/No Credit grades will not impact the student’s GPA.
4. Courses taken for a letter grade will continue to be included in the semester and general GPA, while courses taken for a Credit/No Credit grade will be excluded, just as is the case with such courses taken at a student’s home institution.
5. If a student exercises the option of Credit/No Credit, the Credit (CR) grade will not negatively impact the student’s progress toward degree completion.
6. Students with Credit/No Credit grades will be able to transfer those courses across colleges within CUNY, per current CUNY policy.
7. The Fall 2020 CR/NC Policy shall apply to coursework completed on Permit and will not affect Board of Trustees Policy 1.14 – Policy on Coursework Completed on Permit.
8. Students placed on academic probation by their institution at the start of the Fall 2020 semester who choose Credit/No Credit grades shall not be penalized with academic dismissal based upon their grades earned this semester.
9. The Fall 2020 CR/NC Policy shall not affect the University standards of student retention and progress in accordance with Board of Trustees Policy 1.26.
10. Before choosing this grading option for one or more of their classes, students shall consult with their academic and financial aid advisors regarding potential impact to their financial aid, licensure requirements, and graduate school admissions. 
11. Except for courses explicitly excluded (Click HERE ) by a College from application, the policy shall supersede and override all undergraduate and graduate program-level grading policies currently in effect at CUNY colleges and schools, including those related to required and elective courses within the major, minor, general education (Pathways), pre-requisite courses, honors courses, courses taken on permit and maximum number of credits that a student can earn with Credit/No Credit grades.
12. The grade glossary, attached to each transcript, will be updated to include a notation denoting that all Fall 2020 grades, including CR or NC, were earned during a major disruption to instruction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional information concerning the Flexible COVID-19 Flexible Grading Policy - also known as the Credit/No Credit Policy - for the Fall 2020 term can be found at CUNY’s Credit/No Credit Policy FAQ site: https://www.cuny.edu/coronavirus/credit-no-credit-policy/faq/

Kingsborough Community College’s Implementation of the Credit/No Credit Grading Policy for the Fall 2020 (including Winter 2021):

At Kingsborough, for the Fall 2020 A and B (Winter 2021) terms, students have the option to convert earned grades of B+ through D into a Credit (CR) grade and an earned grade of F into a No Credit (NC) grade with the exception of certain classes excluded from this option due to licensure, accreditation and/or pre-requisite requirements. 

Click HERE  for Classes EXCLUDED from the Credit/No Credit Policy. 

• Students can choose to convert one, some or all of their course grades, as long as the course has not been excluded from the policy for Fall 2020 (Click HERE  for excluded courses).
• Students will be able to make this decision for eligible courses between December 24, 2020 and January 27*, 2021 for Fall 2020 session A. Once selected, the CR/NC option cannot be reversed.  The opt-in window for Fall 2020 B (Winter 2021) has not been determined.  Any changes to the dates of these opt-in windows will be communicated in a timely fashion.
• Students applying for entrance into the Nursing or Allied Health Programs, as well as those already enrolled, are strongly encouraged to maintain letter grades in the pre-requisite and required courses (not choose the CR/NC option). Opting for a CR grade for Fall 2020/Winter 2021 instead of maintaining the letter grade in a course may impact your ability to meet the expected admission and/or retention criteria of the program.
• Institutions outside of CUNY may choose not to award transfer credits as per their individual policy.
• Students who receive a grade of INC for courses that are not excluded during Fall 2020/Winter 2021 will have 20 days after the grade has been posted to change the grade to a CR/NC.  
• International Students should contact Patrick Wong at Patrick.Wong@kbcc.cuny.edu or through the International Student Virtual Front Desk to explore how using the Credit/No Credit Policy may effect visa status.
• VA Students should check with the Military and Veteran Affairs Office at mava.kcc@kbcc.cuny.edu to explore how using the Credit/No Credit Policy may effect benefits.

Additional information regarding Kingsborough Community College’s Credit/No Credit Grading Policy can be found at https://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/Creditnocreditpolicy/index.html.  

Questions regarding the Credit/No Credit Policy should be sent to creditnocredit.policy@kbcc.cuny.edu