Student Code of Conduct

Preamble

The conduct of the students of Saybrook Graduate School is expected to reflect the humanistic values upon which Saybrook was founded and to which it remains committed.   This Code of Student Conduct, in an effort to promote civil interaction appropriate to adult education in a community of learning and foster the positive expression of the human spirit, provides guidance to Saybrook students concerning the kinds of behavior that are inconsistent with Saybrook's mission and values.

Unlike the formal grievance procedure, this Code of Student Conduct is not designed primarily to mediate disputes or resolve conflicts among members of the Saybrook community, although such resolution may be a by-product of its procedures. Rather, the Code of Student Conduct and the procedures it includes are intended to provide a means by which Saybrook can take appropriate actions, if necessary, to protect its interests as both an educational institution and corporate entity responsible to the larger society of which it is a part.

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I. Policy and Code of Conduct

Saybrook Graduate School strives to maintain a learning community uniquely characterized in higher education by intentional behaviors and interactions which reflect and value the personal integrity of each member of the community, common civility, and the active mutual respect by each individual member of the community toward every other, including specifically, diversity of opinions and beliefs. A student's conduct at Saybrook, or in direct connection with any community activity sponsored by Saybrook, violates this policy whenever it:

• May threaten the health, safety, or security of any member of the Saybrook community, including the person who may be engaged in the violation. This includes but is not limited to sale or knowing possession of illegal drugs or narcotics; possession or use of explosives or deadly weapons or other weapons or other violation; or
• Constitutes violation of the policies set forth in section of this catalog related to the policy against sexual and other unlawful harassment, non-discrimination and violation of the drug-free policies; or
• Constitutes an overt attempt to intimidate, offend or demonstrate hostility towards others that goes beyond civil expressions of difference; or
• In the judgment of Saybrook, constitutes a gross breach of the highest professional and ethical standards of conduct and of standards of intellectual honesty and academic scholarship. Such misconduct includes any form of cheating or plagiarism, or any attempt to obtain credit for academic work through fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest means. Students are expected to be the sole authors of their essays and dissertations and the sole creators of original concepts expressed in them; or
• Interferes, or seriously threatens to interfere, with Saybrook- related activity of any student or member of the faculty, administration, staff or Board of Trustees of Saybrook. This includes physical abuse, misappropriation of or destruction of property; or
• Violates, or seriously threatens to violate, any federal, state, or local law in the course of a Saybrook activity; or
• Intentionally violates institutional policies, or fails to comply with the authorized requests or directives of members of the Saybrook administration acting in their official capacity; or
• Solicits or assists another to perform an act which violates this Policy.

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II. Procedures

• Administration
  This Code of Student Conduct is administered by the Dean of Students under the authority of the President of Saybrook Graduate School.
• Initiation of Complaint
  Any member of the Saybrook community may register a complaint with the Dean of Students of a violation of the Code. The Dean of Students may also, at his or her own initiative, institute an inquiry into possible violations of the Code. Complaints of harassment and/or discrimination shall initially follow the Procedure for Complaints of Harassment and/or Discrimination as outlined in this Appendix. However, if such a complaint against a student of Saybrook is determined to be valid, it shall also be referred to the Dean of Students for consideration of discipline for violation of the Code.
• Discretionary Requirements
  Upon complaint being made to the Dean of Students, the Dean may require a written summary of the facts allegedly constituting the violation; a copy of this summary may, at the discretion of the Dean, be provided to the person(s) against whom the complaint is being made.
• Initial Determination by Dean
  Upon an initial determination by the Dean of Students, based upon his or her own informal inquiries and investigation, that the Code of Student Conduct may have been violated or has been violated, the Dean of Students, in consultation with others as may be appropriate, will decide whether the matter may best be resolved informally through mediating actions (with or without the assistance of others), or whether it warrants formal consideration and action. The Dean of Students, acting in his or her capacity as the chief judicial officer in matters of student conduct, may impose formal disciplinary sanctions up to and including probationary status as outlined in Section II Paragraph 8.
• Review Panel
  At his or her discretion, the Dean of Students or the President may determine that a matter warrants formal consideration and action, whether or not prior informal resolution has been attempted. In such cases, the Dean of Students, or the President, will convene a formal Review Panel chaired by the Dean of Students or such other person as the President may designate. The Review Panel will consist of no fewer than three, and/or no more than five, members of the Saybrook community. Its membership shall in every case be approved by the President of Saybrook. It will be charged with formal determination of, report upon, and recommended action regarding, the alleged violation. The Review Panel will be convened in matters where suspension and/or exclusion or dismissal and expulsion may be considered (except when emergency action is necessary).
• Review Panel Proceedings
  The proceedings of the Review Panel may include, but are not necessarily limited to: (a) Interviews with any concerned party, including the complainant(s) and person(s) complained about; (b) The taking of written statements from any witness to the alleged violation and from any party who may have information relevant to the charges; and (c) The holding of private interviews with, or public hearings of, witnesses.
• Findings & Recommendations of the Review Panel
  Under normal circumstances, the Review Panel investigation shall be completed within 30 days of its initiation.   At the conclusion of its proceedings, the Review Panel may recommend affirmation or dismissal of the charges of violation, and may recommend affirmation, reversal, or modification of any prior disciplinary action. The Panel, under direction of its Chair, shall prepare a written report of its findings and recommendations to the President of Saybrook, a copy of which shall be provided to (a) any person(s) whose complaint was the first origin of the Panel's investigation; and (b) any person(s) found in the Panel's report to have violated this Code. The Panel, in its own discretion, or as required by law, may maintain the confidentiality of parts of the Report to the President, and excise from copies of the Report furnished to others, any part(s) of the Report whose confidentiality is deemed necessary to be maintained. All relevant files in the matter, including all evidence submitted to a Review Panel, will be maintained by the Dean of Students.
• Disciplinary Actions
  A student or students found by the Dean of Students, or the President, acting on their own authority or on the findings of a Review Panel, to have violated any of the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct may be subject to the following disciplinary actions:
  • A written reprimand and warning, with a copy of such reprimand and warning placed in the student's file;
  • Appropriate restriction of student activities in relation to the other members of the Saybrook community, or with respect to designated Saybrook activities or events;
  • Probationary status for a specified period with specific possible consequences of violation of probation expressly stated in the communication advising the student of his or her probationary status;
  • Disciplinary suspension and/or exclusion from Saybrook premises for a specified period of time;
  • Dismissal and expulsion from Saybrook; or
  • Such other lawful disciplinary action as may be recommended by a review panel and approved by the President.
• Appeal to the President and the President's Final Decision
  Within 10 days of receipt of any Report by a Review Panel to the President recommending disciplinary action, any person(s) found to have violated this Code shall have the right to file a written appeal of the Panel's recommendations to the President. The President's decision in response to a Panel's recommendations shall be made no less than 12 days, nor more than 30 days, after receipt by the President of the Panel's written report, and shall be final.
• Emergency Action by Dean
  In any case where a reported violation of this Code immediately endangers or seriously threatens to endanger the health, safety, or security of any person in his or her person or property, the Dean of Students is authorized to take, in consultation with the President, immediate appropriate interim non-disciplinary action, including, where evidently necessary or appropriate, immediate suspension from study and exclusion from Saybrook premises of the person(s) committing, or threatening to commit, the violation. Such action by the Dean of Students may, at the discretion of the President, be made the subject of an investigation or hearing by a Review Panel convened by the President following the abatement of the situation which formed the basis for the Dean's action.   The chair of such a Review Panel may be any senior member of the Saybrook community, other than the Dean of Students, designated by the President.
• Special Student Rights.
• Any action taken by the Dean of Students on his or her own authority shall be subject to appeal to the President by the student(s) affected within 10 days of the affected student(s) notification of the action taken by the Dean. Upon such appeal, the President's decision shall be final, unless the President chooses to have the matter made the subject of a Review Panel investigation, in which case the matter will be subject to procedures set out in paragraphs 5-8 above.
• Whenever any student is asked to respond to charges of an alleged violation of the Code, in any disciplinary proceeding where disciplinary suspension or expulsion may result, the student shall have the right to have the assistance of an advisor of his or her choice, other than an attorney, present at the proceeding to consult with the student(s) being advised, unless the Dean of Students or other Chair of the Review Panel, as the case may be, authorizes and invites fuller participation by the advisor.
• Except for the emergency circumstances provided for in paragraph 10 above, in any case in which a student may be subject to disciplinary action, the student shall be notified in writing by the Dean of Students of the particular alleged violation(s) of the Code involved, and the time, place, and date of each proceeding at least 10 days in advance of the date set for any such proceeding.
• Every student charged with violation(s) of this Code has the right, and shall be given a reasonable opportunity, to respond to charges of violation of the Code in writing and in person. However, where considerations of time, travel, distance, or like circumstances do not permit a personal appearance by a student charged within a reasonable period of time from the date the student is given notice of the alleged violation(s), participation of the student in a proceeding by means of telephone conference may, at the discretion of the Saybrook official conducting the proceeding, be substituted for personal appearance by the student. If a student declines to participate by telephone in any disciplinary proceeding where such participation is found to be reasonably necessary by the Saybrook official conducting the proceeding, the student will be considered to have waived his or her right to personally participate in the hearing. In such cases, the student may, however, with such member's consent, designate a member of the Saybrook community in good standing to represent him or her at the proceeding.
• When any letter of reprimand or warning has been in a student's file for a period exceeding one calendar year, and the student has not been subject to any new or additional charge of violation of the Code during the entire period, the student may petition the Dean of Students to remove the letter of reprimand or warning from his or her file. If the Dean of Students denies the student's petition for removal, appeal for removal may be made to the President, whose decision as to removal or retention of the letter will be final.
• Student Right of Appeal
  Appeal by a student of any disciplinary action taken under the procedures of this Code shall be limited to the following grounds:
• The decision appealed is arbitrary and capricious;
• The decision has violated established school policies or procedures; or
• There is information which would have materially affected a recommendation or decision but which was unavailable to the person(s) making the recommendation or decision at the time it was rendered, despite the best efforts of the appealing student.

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Academic Honesty (Plagiarism) and Authorship

Plagiarism is incompatible with graduate study. Students are expected to be the sole authors of their written work, including coursework, projects, essays, theses, and dissertations.

They are expected to be the sole creators of original concepts expressed in these written works, and to adequately cite the original concepts and writings of others.

Violations may result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Saybrook Student Code of Conduct. When students are co-authoring work, doing group work, or using editorial assistance in their work, it must be clearly identified and documented.

Plagiarism, which comes from the Latin word meaning "kidnapper" or "plunderer," is a serious violation in research and other academic work that can lead to failure in a course, academic suspension, or even expulsion from an institution. If the thoughts of others are used without citation, their work has been "plundered" by the user. Saybrook's catalogue, in its policy statement, describes plagiarism as "a gross breach of the highest professional and ethical standards of conduct and of standards of intellectual honesty and academic scholarship." Plagiarism is an act of betrayal of our field of study, of another researcher, and most important, of ourselves. Presenting another's thoughts as our own seriously limits our capacity to think in innovative ways, to create new ideas, to be a reliable thinker and researcher, and to participate in transformative learning, through which we can become more and more adept at self-expression, discovery, and the creation of new knowledge. If students co-author with another student, faculty member, or outside author, Saybrook adheres to the guidelines of the American Psychological Association Publication Manual, 5th Edition pertaining to the determination and listing of primary, secondary, and contributing authors, etc. Violations of these standards may result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Saybrook Student Code of Conduct.

Saybrook's official source for appropriate citations and authoring conventions is the American Psychological Association Publication Manual, 5th Edition and is supplemented by Saybrook's Handbook of Format and Style for Proposals, Dissertations, Theses, and Project (San Francisco, 2001). A downloadable copy of the Handbook of Format and Style is on the Saybrook website for your use. In addition Saybrook provides access to students and faculty to the Turnitin software to assist with learning how to provide appropriate citations and with identifying material that is not appropriately cited.

If you have any doubts or questions about how to attribute sources or joint authorship please consult with the library staff (library@saybrook.edu)

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Equal Educational Opportunity

The school is an equal opportunity institution of higher education and employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its delivery of educational services and employment practices. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, such decisions will be made irrespective of the individual's race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the School will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities if the individual is otherwise qualified to meet the fundamental requirements and aspects of the educational program and/or safely perform all essential functions, without undue hardship to the School and/or without altering fundamental aspects of its educational program.

A qualified disabled student or applicant who requires an accommodation should contact the Dean of Students and request such accommodation in writing and in a timely fashion, that is, well before the accommodation is needed. The School will then work with the student or applicant to identify the existing barriers(s), and will also identify the possible accommodation, if any, that would eliminate the barrier(s). If the accommodation is reasonable, effective and will not alter a fundamental aspect of the educational program or otherwise impose an undue hardship, and/or there are no equivalent alternatives, the School will offer to make an accommodation. If appropriate, the Dean of Students will consult with such individuals, within or outside the School, to provide him or her with expertise needed to evaluate the request. Students are required to provide all available and reasonably necessary documentation that is requested by the Dean of Students.   Accommodation requests and the documentation related thereto will be maintained in a separate file controlled by the Dean of Students.

For purposes of reasonable accommodation, a disabled student or applicant is a person who: (a) has a physical or mental impairment which limits one or more major life activities (such as walking, seeing, speaking, learning, or working); (b) has a record with the School of such impairment; or (c) is regarded by the School as having such an impairment, or who is otherwise defined by law as a qualified disabled student or applicant. The individual must meet the qualification and requirements expected generally of Saybrook students, and must be able to perform the essential requirements of the curriculum, either with or without reasonable accommodation.

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Non-Discrimination

The School does not discriminate in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions, scholarships, loans, other School activities or programs on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. This notice is given pursuant to Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and amendments and other laws, orders, and regulations governing discrimination. Any student having a complaint should contact the Dean of Students or the Vice President of Academic Affairs. In addition, a procedure to resolve grievances of students regarding alleged acts of discrimination is contained in this appendix.

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Policy Against Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment

The School is committed to providing a learning environment that is free of sexual and other unlawful harassment and unlawful discrimination. In keeping with this policy, the School strictly prohibits unlawful harassment of any kind , including harassment on the basis of gender, gender identity, race, color, religion, religious creed, age (over 18 years), mental or physical disability, medical condition as defined by law, national origin, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law or local ordinance. The unlawful harassment of any student by a faculty member or staff employee will not be tolerated. Violation of this policy may result in discipline, up to and including suspension and dismissal and may include other forms of corrective action.

Acts that constitute unlawful harassment may take many forms; most common include:

• Verbal harassment such as jokes, epithets, slurs and unwelcome remarks or sounds about an individual's body, dress, clothing, appearance or talents; derogatory comments, questions about a person's sexual practices and patronizing terms or remarks. These include personal conversation, e-mail and voicemail.
• Physical harassment such as physical interference with normal study or work, impeding or blocking movement, assault, unwelcome physical contact or touching, massaging, patting and staring at a person's body.
• Visual harassment such as offensive or obscene photographs, calendars, posters, cards, cartoons, drawings and gestures, display of sexually suggestive or lewd objects, staring at a person's anatomy and unwanted love letters or notes.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, sexual threats and demands requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, and other unwelcome verbal, physical, or visual behavior of a sexual nature. Also, such conduct is a violation of School policy when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a part of the student's performance at the School; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a student is used as a basis for decisions affecting such student at the School; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the student's work or performance at the School or creating a sexually intimidating, hostile or offensive environment at the School.

This policy must be adhered to by all School administrators, staff, faculty, students, contractors and other individuals involved in any employment, educational or other relationship with the School. This policy is intended by the School to be consistent with the terms of School collective bargaining agreements.

Individuals who know of harassment, or believe that they have been harassed, in violation of this policy have access to the complaint procedures described below in this policy and are encouraged to utilize the School's "Procedure for Complaints of and/or Harassment." School officials have a duty to report in good faith any conduct of which they have direct knowledge which they believe constitutes harassment in violation of this Policy.

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Procedure for Complaints of Harassment and/or Discrimination

A complaint should be filed promptly if an instance of harassment and/or discrimination has occurred or is expected to occur. This School's complaint procedure for complaints of harassment and/or is as follows:

• Students, faculty and staff with a complaint of harassment and/or are encouraged to contact a School intake officer as soon as possible after an act of harassment and/or discrimination has occurred. Delay in initiating a complaint impedes the School's effort at resolution. For students, the primary intake officer is the Dean of Students.
• Should a complainant choose not to file a complaint using one of the intake officers, he or she may bring the matter to the attention of the VPAA or any appropriate senior administrator or designee (usually a Vice President). School officials are empowered and required to address harassing or discriminatory behavior promptly and thoroughly.
• The intake officer will be available to meet with the individuals involved jointly or separately, and seek to find a resolution that is acceptable, provided the School concludes that such resolution is likely to provide prompt and effective corrective action. Any such proposed resolution at an informal complaint stage must be presented to the VPAA for review. All efforts to resolve complaints informally should be made promptly and within 30 days of receipt of the complaint.
• If an acceptable resolution is not reached, or is not likely to be reached, within 30 days or otherwise in a manner necessary to promptly and effectively correct harassment and/or discrimination, the complainant or the School may determine to resolve the matter as a formal complaint, or the School may take immediate action it deems necessary to effect prompt and effective corrective action.
• Whenever deemed appropriate to assist the School to determine whether a violation of this policy has occurred and/or to determine what if any, corrective action should be taken by the School, the VPAA or his or her designee may initiate an investigation without a formal complaint.
• If the complainant wishes to make a formal complaint, the complainant shall make a written complaint including details of the incident(s), the name of the person alleged to have engaged in the conduct complained of, the names of any witnesses, and shall attach any supporting documents to the written complaint.
• The VPAA or his or her designee will then initiate an investigation of the complaint, whenever appropriate to determine whether a violation has occurred or to identify needed corrective action.
• The written report of investigation will summarize information relevant to a determination of whether a violation of this policy occurred and/or what, if any corrective action should be taken by the School.
• Determination of the complaint will be promptly made by the President or his designee, in consultation with the VPAA. The determination will be communicated to the Complainant and to the person whose conduct is at issue, to the extent and in a form which is deemed appropriate.
• Corrective action by the School may include disciplinary action of the person(s) whose conduct constitutes unlawful harassment and/or discrimination and/or who is otherwise responsible for such conduct. Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to warning, suspension, or termination from employment, or from other affiliation with the School.

Students of the School may file a harassment and/or discrimination complaint within the time required by law, with the federal Office of Civil Rights (OCR) located at:

Region IX, Federal Building
50 United Nations Plaza, Room 239
San Francisco, CA 94102

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Retaliation Is Prohibited

An individual's good-faith filing or pursuit of a complaint under this Policy or otherwise reporting, complaining or assisting or cooperating in good faith with a complaint of harassment and/or discrimination will not be the basis for any adverse School decisions concerning a student, faculty or staff member's employment or student position or status. Such retaliation is prohibited by this policy.

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