Student Code of Conduct

Print this Page

Student Code of Conduct

General Principles:

All members of the Southwest community are expected to:

• Behave in an ethical and moral fashion, respecting the human dignity of all members of the Southwest community, and resisting behavior that may cause danger or harm to others through harassment, intimidation, bigotry, theft, or violence.
• Adhere to the civil and criminal laws of the locality, state, and nation, and to regulations issued by Southwest.

Southwest reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the campus community. Such action may include taking disciplinary action against those individuals whose behavior causes disruption to the teaching and learning environment or poses a risk of danger to others in the college community.

Sexual harassment or assault and other behavior covered by Southwest Title IX Policy will be referred to the Title IX Coordinator and will be addressed by the procedures identified therein.

Specific Examples of Misconduct:

Examples of misconduct for which students may be subject to disciplinary action, include, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, the following:

• Violation of classroom guidelines presented in the course syllabus.
• Conduct that is lewd, indecent, or obscene.
• Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, or other Southwest activities.
• Persistent or gross acts of willful disobedience or defiance toward Southwest personnel.
• Committing illegal acts.
• Gambling, holding a raffle, or lottery on college premises or at college activities.
• Littering, defacing, destroying, removing, or damaging property of Southwest or property under its jurisdiction.
• Computer and lab abuse in violation of Southwest policy.
• Violation of the Alcohol and Drug Policy.
• Assault, battery, or physical abuse of any person on college premises or at college activities.
• Psychological abuse or threat of such abuse toward any person on college premises or at college activities. 
• Possessing any dangerous chemical, explosive element, or component parts thereof, not used for lawful College studies on college premises or at college activities.
• Possessing a rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver, other firearm or weapon as defined in section 18.2-308 of the Code of Virginia on college premises or at college activities without the authorization of the president of Southwest Virginia Community College.
• Seizing, holding, commandeering, damaging any property or facility of the college, or threatening to do so.
• Failure to identify oneself on Southwest property or at a Southwest event when asked to do so by Southwest personnel acting in the performance of his or her duties.
• Refusing to depart from college premises or college activities upon direction by college officials or other persons authorized within the regulations of the college.
• All forms of dishonesty, cheating, plagiarism, knowingly furnishing false information to the College, forgery, and alteration or the use of altered college documents.
• Violation of the Expressive Activity Policy, to include participating in or inciting a riot or an unauthorized or disorderly assembly on Southwest property or at a Southwest event.
• All forms of sexual harassment or racial discrimination other than such forms that constitute protected speech.
• Violating any rule or regulation not contained within the official college publications but announced as policies or directives by a college official or other person authorized by the president.
• Willfully encouraging others to commit any of the acts which have been herein prohibited.
• Possession of an animal on campus that is not a service animal.
• Intrusive use of personal sound amplification equipment.
• Sleeping in class.
• Failure to maintain reasonable hygiene.

In cases where there is a definite and imminent risk of physical harm or fear for safety, 911 should be called immediately. Subsequently, the student will be reported to Campus Police and the Dean of Student Success. At off-campus locations, students should first call 911 and then notify the site coordinator for the College, who will contact the Dean of Student Success.