Definitions

• The term "person of their choosing" includes students, faculty, staff, or others who advise complainants or respondents. The adviser’s role is to provide personal counsel and support to the respondent or complainant, but not to present the case or address the hearing panel, hearing chairperson or other participants in the process. The adviser may not generally serve as a witness in the conduct proceeding. Legal representation is only permitted when the student faces concurrent criminal charges or for proceedings related to an alleged violation of the sexual misconduct policy.
• The term "college" means Howard Community College, college owned or controlled property, and all college departments, programs and college sponsored activities, including off-campus when the vice president of student services or designee determines that the off-campus conduct affects a substantial college interest. A substantial college interest is defined to include any situation where it appears the student’s conduct may present a danger or threat to the health or safety of self or others; and/or any situation that significantly impinges upon the rights, property or achievements of self or others or significantly breaches the peace and/or causes social disorder; and/or any situation that is detrimental to the educational mission and/or interests of the college.
• The term "reckless" means conduct which one should reasonably be expected to know would create a substantial risk of harm to persons or property or which would otherwise be likely to result in interference with normal college or college-sponsored activities.
• The term "student" as defined for the student code of conduct includes all individuals accepted for admission to any credit or noncredit course or degree granting program sponsored by the college. Student status continues until a student has not enrolled in a course or program for two consecutive academic years.
• The term "college premises" means buildings or grounds owned, leased, operated, controlled, or supervised by the college.
• The terms "college-sponsored activity" means any activity on or off college premises that is specifically initiated or supervised by the college.
• The term "complainant" usually means a person who filed the complaint against the student/respondent or has been affected by the alleged policy violation. In matters of serious misconduct requiring a hearing by the student conduct committee, the complainant may be the vice president of student services or designee.
• The term "respondent" is defined as the student accused of violating the Student Code of Conduct.
• The term “preponderance of evidence” means information that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that it is more likely than not that a student violated the Student Code of Conduct
• The term "will" is used in the imperative sense. The term “may” is used in the permissive sense.
• The term “in writing” is defined as communication delivered by hard copy or electronically via HCC email.
• The term “witness” is defined as an individual who has pertinent knowledge about the incident for which the student conduct process is being held. Individuals who do not have pertinent knowledge of the incident are considered character witnesses, and the college reserves the right to preclude them.