Conduct and Discipline
The Board and the Colleges are committed to creating and maintaining a productive educational community that fosters the personal, ethical and intellectual development of its students. Adherence to standards of conduct is essential to the educational process and to the safety and well-being of the College community.
The Board grants authority to the Presidents to designate appropriate officers, establish representative college committees, render initial decisions and provide appeal procedures in regard to allegations of academic dishonesty; grade appeals; failure to pay a financial obligation; or academic performance, achievement, probation and suspension. All disciplinary sanctions imposed for misconduct identified in this policy are to be governed by terms of this policy and the due process requirements set forth in Board Policy 3200. Acceptance of this policy by the student is implied as a condition of his or her enrollment.
Due to the anticipated changes to Board Policy 3100 and 3200, which will occur after the print date, these policies can be found on our website at https://student.peru.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook.html.
Anti Harassment Policy
The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges is committed to providing an environment in which all students who participate in College programs and activities can work together in an atmosphere free from unlawful discrimination, including unlawful harassment. The Board specifically prohibits unlawful discrimination (including harassment) based on students’ race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age or any other class protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. (The Board has a separate policy, Board Policy 3020, concerning unlawful Sexual Violence or Sex Harassment.) The Colleges will take appropriate action to prevent, correct, and discipline discriminatory behavior that is found to violate Board policies and principles of equal opportunity and access.
Each College has designated an individual to coordinate the College’s nondiscrimination efforts to comply with regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies and practices may be directed to the Compliance Coordinators assigned at each College and identified on each College website.
Harassment based on a protected class (i.e., race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, or any other protected class) may take many forms, including unwelcome verbal acts, name-calling, derogatory comments, slurs, coercion, intimidation and/or negative stereotyping; graphics and written statements, which may include use of cell phones or the internet; or other physically threatening, harmful, or humiliating conduct. Harassment does not have to include an intent to harm, be directed at a specific target, or involve repeated incidents. (Conduct is unwelcome if the student did not request or invite it and regarded the conduct as undesirable or offensive. Acquiescence in the conduct or the failure to complain does not always mean that the conduct was welcome.)
Students who believe they or others have been subjected to unlawful discrimination should immediately report their concerns to any College President, Vice-President, Dean, Title IX Coordinator, staff member of Housing/Residence Life (including Directors, Managers, Assistant Directors, Senior Residence Hall Advisors, and Residence Hall Advisors), Coach, or any Campus Security Officer.
The Board of Trustees will follow the processes and procedures described in Board Policies 3100 and 3200 to investigate and address discriminatory behavior. See Board of Trustees Policy 3021 Unlawful Harassment (Other) Reporting, Policies, and Procedure.
Sexual Violence/Sex Harassment Reporting, Policy & Procedure
The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and is committed to providing an environment in which all students who participate in College programs and activities can work together in an atmosphere free from sexual harassment and sex discrimination.
A student alleged to have committed sexual harassment may be disciplined under the Code of Student Conduct and/or prosecuted under Nebraska criminal statutes. Additional Board Policies, Employee Handbooks and Collective Bargaining Agreements apply to employees alleged to have committed sexual harassment.
Reports of sexual harassment are taken with the utmost seriousness. The Colleges are responsible for responding to reports or complaints of sexual harassment and attending to the needs of impacted students. Complainants and Respondents are both referred to appropriate resources and services to assist them and are treated equitably in receiving individualized supportive measures from the Colleges. Respondents are presumed to be not responsible for the alleged conduct and the College’s investigation or response will be impartial and fair to all parties.
Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, to the College. A person who alleges to be the victim of sexual harassment is the Complainant. A person who submits a report on behalf of another person is the Reporting Party. Reports can be made by mail, telephone, email, in person, or by any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving the person’s written or verbal report. The names and contact information for the College’s Title IX Coordinator is below:
Eulanda Cade, E-mail: ecade@peru.edu, Phone: 402-872-2230, Address: Administration, 312 PO Box 10 Peru, NE, 68421 https://www.peru.edu/titleix/
See Board of Trustees Policy 3020 Grievance Policy & Procedures For Sexual Harassment & Sex Discrimination.
Weapons/Explosives
Peru State College prohibits all persons who enter college property from carrying or possessing a handgun, firearm, explosives (including fireworks), prohibited weapons of any type or any item designed to cause injury or death regardless of whether the person is licensed to carry the weapon or not. Only certified law enforcement officials who have appropriate approval will be allowed to carry a weapon on campus property. Concealed weapons are not permitted at the college, in buildings, on the grounds, other Peru State property or at College activities.
Student and/or employees who possess a weapon on Peru State College property are in violation of this policy and may be subject to disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment or expulsion. Any violator may also be reported to law enforcement officials to face the possibility of criminal prosecution.
Temporary Suspension
Students may be ordered to leave the College under a temporary suspension pending disciplinary action due process per Board Policy #3200 in the event the student’s continued presence is believed to threaten the safety or health of another person or for other reasons at the discretion of the Vice President responsible for Student Affairs. Such order shall be given in writing by the Vice President responsible for Student Affairs.
Due Process
It is the policy of the Board to grant procedural due process to students accused of misconduct under the terms of Board Policy 3100. Regarding allegations of academic dishonesty; grade appeals; failure to pay a financial obligation; or academic performance and achievement, probation, and suspension each College will devise its own adjudication procedures. However, for allegations of misconduct identified in Policy 3100 that may result in disciplinary sanctions, the due process procedures outlined in Board Policy 3200 shall be followed. See Board of Trustees Policy 3200 Due Process; Students
Due to the anticipated changes to Board Policy 3100 and 3200, which will occur after the print date, these policies can be found on our website at https://www.peru.edu/studentlife/studenthandbook.
Student Complaint Procedures
Section 1. The grievance procedure set forth herein is designed to provide a method for a student to resolve a request or complaint with the College. Timelines should be adhered to unless modifications are agreed to by the parties to the grievance.
Section 2. A grievance is defined to be a request or complaint by a student not covered under faculty or staff grievance procedures. Issues involving academic dishonesty; grade appeals; failure to pay a financial obligation; or, academic performance and achievement, probation or suspension for which the College has established appeal procedures are not eligible for grievance under this policy. Issues of student misconduct for which appeal procedures are available pursuant to Board Policy 3200 are not eligible for the grievance procedure under this policy.
Section 3. In reducing a grievance to writing, it should include the exact nature of the grievance, the act(s) of commission or omission, the date(s) of the act(s), the identity of the grievant, the identity of the party(ies) alleged to have caused the grievance, provisions of any agreement, bylaws, rules, policies or practices that are alleged to have been violated, and the remedy that is sought.
Section 4. The grievant shall, at his/her expense, have the right to assistance by a person of his/her own choosing from the College community or to legal counsel in any step of the grievance procedure.
Procedure
Step 1. The grievant shall first discuss the grievance with the appropriate College administrator, faculty or professional staff member or with the person at the first level in the chain of command within ten (10) working days of the occurrence giving rise to the grievance in an attempt to settle the grievance. The College administrator, faculty or professional staff member or the person at the first level in the chain of command shall then have ten (10) working days in which to respond and give a written answer to the grievant.
Step 2. A grievance not settled in Step 1 may be filed in writing with the appropriate person in the next level higher in the chain of command in accordance with Section 3 above to discuss and attempt to settle the grievance. If the grievance is with the school dean or department chair, the grievant shall discuss the matter with the Vice President responsible for Academic Affairs.
Step 3. A grievance which has not been settled in Steps 1 and 2 and which the grievant wishes to pursue shall be appealed to the Vice President responsible for Student Affairs within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the response given in Step 2. The appeal shall include the written grievance and all responses given in the first two steps.
Custom PageThe Vice President responsible for Student Affairs may conduct a conference with the grievant.
Within ten (10) working days of receipt of the grievance, the Vice President responsible for Student Affairs shall render his/her written decision. If such findings and recommendations are not submitted within that time or if the grievance is not satisfied, then the grievant may proceed to the next step within ten (10) working days.
Step 4. Should all prior steps fail to resolve the grievance, and the grievant wishes to pursue the grievance, the grievant may appeal to the President, within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the response in Step 3, by filing the grievance and all prior responses with the President.
Step 5. Should all prior steps fail to resolve the grievance, and the grievant wishes to pursue the grievance, the grievant may appeal to the Chancellor, within thirty (30) working days of the receipt of the response in Step 4, by filing the grievance and all prior responses with the Chancellor. The Chancellor will only consider whether basic procedural fairness was offered. The Chancellor may request additional information from the grievant and the College in order to render a decision. The Chancellor will issue a written decision within twenty (20) working days after receipt of the appeal.
Step 6. If the grievant is not satisfied with the decision made by the Chancellor, the grievant may seek relief under applicable State and Federal laws.
See Board of Trustees Policy 3210 Grievance Procedures - Students
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