Student code and Student Rights & Responsibilities

St. Mary’s College recognizes its responsibility to provide an environment conducive to free inquiry and free expression, and to encourage fair and just relationships among the members of the College community. The purpose of the Code is to set forth the standards, policies, and procedures essential to safeguard students’ rights and their freedom to learn, as well as to provide a fair and efficient process for adjudicating complaints concerning student misconduct. In addition, this code aims to provide students with an educational experience with regard to protecting community standards. 

The authority for student conduct and discipline is delegated to the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) or their designee. The VPSA oversees actions of the conduct system and delegates the operations to the Dean of Students. The VPSA or designee acts as the appeal officer.  

The goal of the campus conduct process is to help students develop responsibility, commitment, and understanding. As a result of compliance with this Code, each member of the College community will be able to live in a community based on mutual trust, guided by a spirit of self-regulation. If a student is in violation of College regulations, or of local, state, or federal laws, campus conduct action may be required. 

The philosophy of this College is that most violations are best handled in a way so as to inform and guide students toward the development of personal responsibility and mature, moral, and ethical standards. Conduct proceedings in the College are administrative in nature rather than criminal. The emphasis of the College conduct system rests upon the questions of student responsibility rather than questions of legal or criminal guilt. The authority of the College to discipline students for violations of its regulations, and the power of civil authorities to deal with violations of criminal law are clearly separate proceedings, each with a different nature and purpose. The aim of the College conduct proceedings is to arrive at fair, impartial, and consistent decisions that presume that individuals are fully responsible for their actions, and which ensure the rights, freedom, and safety of all members of this educational community.