Preface

Core Values of Student Conduct at Northland College

• Integrity
  

  Northland College students exemplify honesty, honor and a respect for the truth in all of their dealings.

• Community
  

  Northland College students build and enhance the college community.

• Social Justice

  Northland College students are just and equitable in their treatment of all members of the college community and act to discourage and/or intervene to prevent unjust and inequitable behaviors.

• Respect

  Northland College students show positive regard for each other, for property and for the college community.

• Responsibility

  Northland College students are given and accept a high level of responsibility to self, to others and to the college community.

Northland College students are responsible for knowing the information, policies and procedures outlined in this document. Northland College reserves the right to make changes to this code as necessary and once those changes are posted online, they are in effect.  Students are encouraged to check the Northland College catalog for the updated versions of all policies and procedures.

Section 1: Mission/Vision/Philosophy/Ethos Statement

Mission
The Northland College mission reflects our core purpose and confirms our faithfulness to the College’s direction established in the early 1970s.

Northland College integrates liberal arts studies with an environmental emphasis, enabling those it serves to address the challenges of the future.

Vision
Our history and our mission inform our future and lead us to our vision for Northland College in this decade.

Northland College will be the nation’s preeminent liberal arts college focused on the environment, preparing students and other stakeholders to lead us toward a more sustainable, just, and prosperous future.

We will model and lead in everything we do to create sustainable and thriving communities and regions, while using Lake Superior and the world as our classroom and laboratory.

We will continuously assess, innovate and reinvent ourselves and our programs.

Philosophy Statement
The Northland College community is committed to fostering a campus environment that is conducive to academic inquiry, a productive campus life and thoughtful study and discourse. The division of Student Affairs and the Office of Residential Life are committed to an educational and developmental process that balances the interests of individual students with the interests of the Northland College community.

A community exists on the basis of shared values and principles. At Northland College, student members of the community are expected to uphold and abide by certain standards of conduct that form the basis of the Code of Student Conduct. These standards are embodied within a set of core values that include integrity, social justice, respect, community, and responsibility.

Each member of the Northland College community bears responsibility for their conduct and to assume reasonable responsibility for the behavior of others. When members of the community fail to exemplify these five values by engaging in violation of the rules below, campus conduct proceedings are used to assert and uphold the Code of Student Conduct.

The student conduct process at Northland College is not intended to punish students; rather, it exists to protect the interests of the community and to challenge those whose behavior is not in accordance with our policies. Sanctions are intended to challenge students’ moral and ethical decision-making and to help them bring their behavior into accord with our college community expectations. When a student is unable to conform their behavior to college community expectations, the student conduct process may determine that the student should no longer share in the privilege of participating in this college community.

Students should be aware that the student conduct process is quite different from criminal and civil court proceedings. Procedures and rights in student conduct procedures are conducted with fairness to all, but do not include the same protections afforded by the courts. Fair process, as defined within these procedures, assures written notice and a hearing before an objective decision-maker. No student will be found in violation of Northland College policy without information showing that it is more likely than not that a policy violation occurred and any sanctions will be proportionate to the severity of the violation and to the cumulative conduct history of the student.

Section 2: Jurisdiction

Students at Northland College are provided a copy of the Code of Student Conduct annually in the form of a link on the Northland College website. Hard copies are available upon request from the Office of Residential Life. Students are responsible for having read and abiding by the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct. Each Resident Assistant (RA) will maintain a copy of the Code of Student Conduct in a binder in their room for review by residents as requested.

The Code of Student Conduct and the student conduct process apply to the conduct of individual students, and all Northland College-affiliated student organizations.  For the purposes of student conduct, Northland College considers an individual to be a student when an offer of admission has been extended and thereafter as long as the student has a continuing educational interest in Northland College.

Northland College retains conduct jurisdiction over students who choose to take a leave of absence, withdraw or have graduated for any misconduct that occurred prior to the leave, withdrawal or graduation. If sanctioned, a hold may be placed on the student’s ability to re-enroll and all sanctions must be satisfied prior to re-enrollment eligibility. In the event of serious misconduct committed while still enrolled but reported after the accused student has graduated, Northland College may invoke these procedures and should the former student be found responsible, Northland College may revoke that student’s degree.

The Code of Student Conduct applies to behaviors that take place on the campus, at Northland College-sponsored events and may also apply off-campus when the dean of students or designee determines that the off-campus conduct affects a substantial Northland College interest. A substantial Northland College interest is defined to include:

• Any situation where it appears that the student’s conduct may present a danger or threat to the health or safety of him/herself 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 Northland College;

The Code of Student Conduct may be applied to behavior conducted online, via email or other electronic medium. Students should also be aware that online postings such as blogs, web postings, chats and social networking sites are in the public sphere and are not private. These postings can subject a student to allegations of conduct violations if evidence of policy violations is posted online. Northland College does not regularly search for this information but may take action if and when such information is brought to the attention of Northland College officials.

The Code of Student Conduct applies to guests of college community members whose hosts may be held accountable for the misconduct of their guests. The code may also be applied to resident non-students, campers and high school bridge/extension/partner/dual-credit and continuing education programs. Visitors to and guests of Northland College may seek resolution of violations of the Code of Student Conduct committed against them by members of the Northland College community.

There is no time limit on reporting violations of the Code of Student Conduct; however, the longer someone waits to report an offense, the harder it becomes for Northland College officials to obtain information and witness statements and to make determinations regarding alleged violations.

Though anonymous complaints are permitted, doing so may limit Northland College’s ability to investigate and respond to a complaint. Those who are aware of misconduct are encouraged to report it as quickly as possible to the Office of Residential Life and/or to Campus Safety.

A responding student facing an alleged violation of the Code of Student Conduct is not permitted to withdraw from the Northland College until all allegations are resolved.

Northland College email is Northland College’s primary means of communication with students.  Students are responsible for all communication delivered to their Northland College email address.

Section 3: Violations of the Law

Alleged violations of federal, state and local laws may be investigated and addressed under the Code of Student Conduct. When an offense occurs over which Northland College has jurisdiction, the Northland College conduct process will usually go forward notwithstanding any criminal complaint that may arise from the same incident.

Northland College reserves the right to exercise its authority of interim suspension upon notification that a student is facing criminal investigation and/or complaint (additional grounds for interim suspension are outlined below). Interim suspensions are imposed until an inquiry can be completed. The interim suspension will be implemented if a danger to the community is posed.

Students accused of crimes may request to take a leave from Northland College until the criminal charges are resolved. In such situations, the Northland College procedure for voluntary leaves of absence is subject to the following conditions:

• The responding student must comply with all campus investigative efforts that will not prejudice their defense in the criminal trial; and
• The responding student must comply with all interim actions and/or restrictions imposed during the leave of absence; and
• The responding student must agree that, in order to be reinstated to active student status, they must first be subject to, and fully cooperate with, the campus conduct process and must comply with all sanctions that are imposed.

Section 4: The Rules

Core Values and Behavioral Expectations
Northland College considers the behavior described in the following sub-sections as inappropriate for the Northland College community and in opposition to the core values set forth in this document. These expectations and rules apply to all students. Northland College encourages college community members to report to Northland College officials all incidents that involve the following actions. Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the sanctions outlined in “Section 7: Conduct Procedures.”

Integrity: Northland College students exemplify honesty, honor and a respect for the truth in all of their dealings. Behavior that violates this value includes, but is not limited to:

1. Falsification
   

   Knowingly furnishing or possessing false, falsified or forged materials, documents, accounts, records, identification or financial instruments;

2. Academic Dishonesty
   

   Acts of academic dishonesty will be addressed by the processes outlined by the faculty of Northland College;

3. Unauthorized Access
   

   Unauthorized access to any Northland College building (i.e. keys, cards, etc.) or unauthorized possession, duplication or use of means of access to any Northland College building or failing to timely report a lost Northland College identification card or key;

4. Collusion
   

   Action or inaction with another or others to violate the Code of Student Conduct;

5. Trust
   

   Violations of positions of trust within the college community;

6. Election Tampering
   

   Tampering with the election of any Northland College-recognized student organization (minor election code violations are addressed by the NCSA);

7. Taking of Property
   

   Intentional and unauthorized taking of Northland College property or the personal property of another, including goods, services and other valuables;

8. Stolen Property
   

   Knowingly taking or maintaining possession of stolen property;

Community: Northland College students build and enhance the college community. Behavior that violates this value includes, but is not limited to:

9. Disruptive Behavior
   

   Substantial disruption of Northland College operations including obstruction of teaching, research, administration, other Northland College activities, and/or other authorized non-Northland College activities which occur on campus;

10. Rioting
    

    Causing, inciting or participating in any disturbance that presents a clear and present danger to self or others, causes physical harm to others, or damage and/or destruction of property;

11. Unauthorized Entry
    

    Misuse of access privileges to Northland College premises or unauthorized entry to or use of buildings, including trespassing, propping or unauthorized use of alarmed doors for entry into or exit from a Northland College building;

12. Trademark
    

    Unauthorized use (including misuse) of Northland College or organizational names and images;

13. Damage and Destruction
    

    Intentional, reckless and/or unauthorized damage to or destruction of Northland College property or the personal property of another;

14. IT and Acceptable Use
    

    Violating the Northland College Acceptable Use and Computing Policy;

15. Gambling
    

    Gambling as prohibited by the laws of the State of Wisconsin. (Gambling may include raffles, lotteries, sports pools and online betting activities.)

16. Weapons
    

    In the state of Wisconsin a “dangerous weapon” means any firearm, whether loaded or unloaded; any device designed as a weapon and capable of producing death or great bodily harm; any electric weapon, as defined in statute 941.295; or any other device or instrumentality which, in the manner it is used or intended to be used, is calculated or likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Possession, use, or distribution of explosives and/or dangerous weapons, are not permitted on the Northland College campus. Handguns are not permitted in any college building. Hunting equipment and related tools must be stored in the Hunting Equipment Storage Room as directed by Campus Safety.  Refer to the Hunting Equipment Storage Policy. For the protection and safety of all hall residents and the college community, explosives, dangerous weapons and hunting equipment are not permitted in residence halls or any place on campus including storage in vehicles;

17. Tobacco
    

    Smoking or tobacco use in any area of campus where smoking or tobacco use are prohibited;

18. Fire Safety
    

    Violation of local, state, federal or campus fire policies including, but not limited to:

    • Intentionally or recklessly causing a fire which damages Northland College or personal property or which causes injury.
    • Failure to evacuate a Northland College-controlled building during a fire alarm;
    • Improper use of Northland College fire safety equipment; or
    • Tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on Northland College property. Such action may result in a local fine in addition to Northland College sanctions;

19. Animals
    

    Animals and pets as outlined in the Residence Life Handbook, are not permitted in campus housing except as permitted by law. Exceptions include accommodation animals. For the purpose of this policy, the term “accommodation animal” refers to “service animals,” “emotional support animal”, “assistive animals” and “necessary assistance animals” as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Act, and other applicable laws.

Social Justice: Students recognize that respecting the dignity of every person is essential for creating and sustaining a flourishing college community. They understand and appreciate how their decisions and actions impact others and are just and equitable in their treatment of all members of the college community.  They act to discourage and challenge those whose actions may be harmful to and/or diminish the worth of others. Conduct that violates this value includes, but is not limited to:

20. Discrimination
    

    Any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group’s actual or perceived status that is sufficiently severe that it limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from Northland College’s educational program or activities.

21. Harassment
    

    Any unwelcome conduct based on actual or perceived status. Any unwelcome conduct should be reported to campus officials, who will act to remedy and resolve reported incidents on behalf of those who have been victimized and the college community.

    • Hostile Environment: Sanctions can and will be imposed for the creation of a hostile environment when harassment is sufficiently serious that it unreasonably interferes with, limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from Northland College’s educational or employment program or activities.

22. Retaliatory Discrimination or Harassment
    

    Any intentional, adverse action taken by a responding individual or allied third party, against a participant or supporter of a participant in a civil rights grievance proceeding or other protected activity under this code.

23. Bystanding

    • Complicity with or failure of any student to appropriately address known or obvious violations of the Code of Student Conduct or law;
    • Complicity with or failure of any organized group to appropriately address known or obvious violations of the Code of Student Conduct or law by its members.

24. Abuse of Conduct Process
    

    Abuse or interference with, or failure to comply in, Northland College processes including conduct and academic integrity inquiries including, but not limited to:

    • Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information;
    • Failure to provide, destroying or concealing information during an investigation of an alleged policy violation;
    • Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the campus conduct system;
    • Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of campus conduct officers prior to, during, and/or following a campus conduct proceeding;
    • Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the campus conduct system;
    • Influencing, or attempting to influence, another person to commit an abuse of the campus conduct system.

Respect: Northland College students show positive regard for each other and for the college community. Behavior that violates this value includes, but is not limited to:

25. Harm to Persons
    

    Intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm or endangering the health or safety of any person.

26. Threatening Behaviors

    • Threat: Written or verbal conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of injury to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property.
    • Intimidation: Intimidation defined as implied threats or acts that cause a reasonable fear of harm in another.

27. Bullying and Cyberbullying
    

    Bullying and cyberbullying are repeated and/or severe aggressive behaviors that intimidate or intentionally harm or control another person physically or emotionally.

28. Hazing
    

    Defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene to prevent or failing to discourage or failing to report those acts may also violate this policy;

29. Intimate Partner/Relationship Violence

    Violence or abuse by a person in an intimate relationship with another;

30. Stalking
    

    Stalking is behavior and/or action directed at a specific person that is unwelcome and would cause a reasonable person to feel fear or suffer substantial emotional distress;

31. Sexual Misconduct
    

    Includes, but is not limited to, sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, and/or sexual exploitation (see Sexual & Gender-Based Sexual Misconduct policy);

32. Public Exposure
    

    Includes deliberately and publicly exposing one’s intimate body parts, public urination, defecation, and public sex acts.

Responsibility: Northland College students are given and accept a high level of responsibility to self, to others and to the college community. Behavior that violates this value includes, but is not limited to:

33. Alcohol
    

    Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages or paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law and Northland College’s Alcohol policy;

34. Drugs
    

    Use, possession or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances or drug paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law and Northland College’s Drug policy;

35. Prescription Medications
    

    Abuse, misuse, sale, or distribution of prescription or over-the-counter medications;

36. Failure to Comply
    

    Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of Northland College officials or law enforcement officers during the performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so;

37. Financial Responsibilities
    

    Failure to promptly meet financial responsibilities to the institution, including, but not limited to; knowingly passing a worthless check or money order in payment to the institution or to an official of the institution acting in an official capacity.

38. Reporting an Arrest
    

    Failure of any student to accurately report an off-campus arrest by any law enforcement agency for any crime (including non-custodial or field arrests) to the Office of Residential Life within seventy-two (72) hours of release.

39. Other Policies
    

    Violating other published Northland College policies or rules, including all Residence Hall policies;

40. Health and Safety
    

    Creation of health and/or safety hazards (dangerous pranks, hanging out of or climbing from/on/in windows, balconies, roofs, etc.)

41. Violations of Law
    

    Evidence of violation of local, state or federal laws, when substantiated through Northland College’s conduct process.

Section 5:  Overview of the Conduct Process

This section is a general overview of the Northland College campus conduct process, but it should be noted that not all situations are of the same severity or complexity. As such, these procedures may be adapted depending on each unique situation. The campus conduct process and all applicable timelines commence with notice to an administrator of a potential violation of the Northland College Code of Conduct.

A. STEP 1: Preliminary Inquiry and/or Educational Conference
Northland College conducts a preliminary inquiry into the nature of the incident, complaint or notice, the evidence available, and the parties involved. The preliminary inquiry may lead to:

1. A determination that there is insufficient evidence to pursue the investigation, because the behavior alleged, even if proven, would not violate the Code of Student Conduct, (e.g.: for reasons such as mistaken identity or allegations of behavior that falls outside the code);
2. A more comprehensive investigation, when it is clear more information must be gathered (see detailed procedures below);
3. A formal complaint of a violation and/or an educational conference with the responding student.

When an initial educational meeting/conference is held, the possible outcomes include:

1. A decision not to pursue the allegation based on a lack of or insufficient evidence. The matter should be closed and records should so indicate;
2. A decision on the allegation, also known as an “informal” or “administrative” resolution to an uncontested allegation (see immediately below);
3. A decision to proceed with additional investigation and/or referral for a “formal” resolution.

If a decision on the allegation is made and the finding is that the responding student is not responsible for violating the code, the process will end. The party bringing the complaint may request that the dean of students and the Title IX administrator reopen the investigation. This decision shall be in the sole discretion of the dean of students and the Title IX administrator and will only be granted for extraordinary cause. If Northland College’s finding is that the responding student is in violation, and the responding student accepts this finding within three days, Northland College considers this an “uncontested allegation.” The administrator conducting the initial educational conference will then determine the sanction(s) for the misconduct, which the responding student may accept or reject. If accepted, the process ends.

If student accepts the findings, but rejects the sanction, Northland College will conduct a sanction-only hearing, conducted by a different conduct officer or hearing panel which recommends a sanction to the dean of students. The sanction is then reviewed and finalized by the dean of students and is subject to appeal by any party to the misconduct. Once the appeal is decided, the process ends.

If the administrator conducting the educational conference determines that it is more likely than not that the responding student is in violation, and the responding student rejects that finding in whole or in part, then it is considered a contested allegation and the process moves to Step 2.

B. STEP 2: Formal Hearing
In a contested allegation, additional investigation may then be commenced and/or a hearing may be held when there is reasonable cause to believe that a rule or rules have been violated. A formal notice of the complaint will be issued, and a hearing will be held before a conduct officer or hearing panel. In most instances, the hearing will involve reviewing all relevant information about the incident and generally will not include directly interviewing involved parties. A finding will be determined and is final. In cases that involve Title IX or other discrimination allegations, the process will be addressed by the Title IX administrator. If the finding is that the responding student is not responsible, the process ends. Applicable appeals options are described below.

C. STEP 3: Review and Finalize Sanction(s).
If the student is found in violation(s), sanctions will be recommended by the conduct officer or hearing panel to the dean of students who will review and finalize the sanctions.

Section 6: Student Conduct Authority

A. Authority
The dean of students is vested with the authority over student conduct by the Board of Trustees and College president. The dean of students appoints the director of residential life to oversee and manage the student conduct process. The dean of students and director of residential life may appoint investigators, administrative hearing and appeals officers as deemed necessary to efficiently and effectively supervise the student conduct process.

The director of residential life (or designee) will assume responsibility for the investigation of an allegation of misconduct to determine if the complaint has merit

B. Gatekeeping
No complaint will immediately move to a hearing unless there is reasonable cause to believe a policy has been violated. Reasonable cause is defined as some credible information to support each element of the offense, even if that information is merely a credible witness or a reporting party’s statement. A complaint wholly unsupported by any credible information will not be moved to a hearing. The director of residential life or dean of students will serve as the primary gatekeepers.

C. Conflict Resolution Options
The director of residential life and dean of students have discretion to refer a complaint for mediation or other forms of appropriate conflict resolution. All parties must agree to conflict resolution and to be bound by the decision with no review/appeal. Any unsuccessful conflict resolution can be forwarded for formal processing and hearing; however, at no time will complaints of physical sexual misconduct or violence be mediated as the sole institutional response. The director of residential life and dean of students may also suggest that complaints that do not involve a violation of the Code of Student Conduct be referred for mediation or other appropriate conflict resolution.

D. Composition of the Hearing Panel
The director of residential life or their designee will be responsible for assembling the Hearing Panel according to the following guidelines:

1. The membership of the panel of three is appointed and trained annually by the director of residential life or their designee.
2. For each complaint that is sent to a hearing panel, a panel will be chosen from the available pool, and is usually comprised of a combination of students, faculty, and staff. Availability may determine a different composition for the panel, and in complaints involving sensitive issues, the dean of students will replace student members and use only staff/faculty members for the panel. Each Hearing Panel will be assigned a conduct officer to serve as the procedural officer to ensure that Northland College procedures are followed throughout the hearing.
3. The Hearing Panel, convened at the discretion of the director of residential life and/or dean of students, is reserved for cases of a more sensitive nature. The majority of conduct cases will be adjudicated by a conduct officer via the administrative process.

E. Panel Pool
To serve in the panel pool, students must:

1. Be in good academic standing and have completed 12 hours of academic credit with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
2. Be in good conduct standing and not currently on any form of conduct probation or other active sanction(s).
3. The director of residential life and/or dean of students, or their designee, will have final authority to approve all those serving on the panel. The director of residential life, or designee, will oversee the panel with responsibility for training the panel, conducting preliminary investigations, and ensuring a fair process for the party bringing the complaint and responding student. In the event of a resignation from the panel, the director of residential life, or designee, will solicit a replacement from the group from which the representative came. Decisions made, and sanctions imposed, by the panel will be final and implemented, pending the normal appeal process. At the discretion of the director of residential life, or designee, implementation of sanctions may be stayed pending review.

F. Interpretation and Revision

The director of residential life will follow procedural rules for the administration of hearings that are consistent with provisions of the Code of Student Conduct. Material deviation from these rules will, generally, only be made as necessary and will include reasonable advance notice to the parties involved, either by posting online and/or in the form of written communication. The director of residential life may vary procedures with notice upon determining that changes to law or regulation require policy or procedural alterations not reflected in this code. The director of residential life may make minor modifications to procedure that do not materially jeopardize the fairness owed to any party. Any question of interpretation of the Code of Student Conduct will be referred to the dean of students, whose interpretation is final. The Code of Student Conduct will be reviewed annually under the direction of the director of residential life and dean of students with a comprehensive revision process being conducted every three to five years

Section 7: Formal Conduct Procedures

A. Northland College as Convener
Northland College is the convener of every action under this code. Within that action, there are several roles. The responding student is the person who is alleged to have violated the code. The party bringing the complaint, who may be a student, employee, visitor, or guest, may choose to be present and participate in the process as fully as the responding student. There are witnesses, who may offer information regarding the allegation. There is an investigator(s) whose role is to present the allegations and share the evidence that Northland College has obtained regarding the allegations.

B. Group Violations
A student group or organization and its officers and membership may be held collectively and individually responsible when violations of this code by the organization or its member(s):

• Take place at organization-sponsored or cosponsored events, whether sponsorship is formal or tacit;
• Have received the consent or encouragement of the organization or of the organization’s leaders or officers; or
• Were known or should have been known to the membership or its officers.

Hearings for student groups or organizations follow the same general student conduct procedures. In any such action, individual determinations as to responsibility will be made and sanctions may be assigned collectively and individually and will be proportionate to the involvement of each individual and the organization.

C. Amnesty

1. For Victims
   

   Northland College provides amnesty to victims who may be hesitant to report to Northland College officials because they fear that they themselves may be accused of minor policy violations, such as underage drinking, at the time of the incident. Educational options will be explored, but no conduct proceedings or conduct record will result.

2. For Those Who Offer Assistance
   

   To encourage students to offer help and assistance to others, Northland College pursues a policy of amnesty for minor violations when students offer help to others in need. At the discretion of the director of residential life, amnesty may also be extended on a case-by-case basis to the person receiving assistance. Educational options will be explored, but no conduct proceedings or conduct record will result.

3. For Those Who Report Serious Violations
   

   Students who are engaged in minor violations but who choose to bring related serious violations by others to the attention of Northland College are offered amnesty for their minor violations. Educational options will be explored, but no conduct proceedings or record will result. Abuse of amnesty requests can result in a decision by the director of residential life not to extend amnesty to the same person repeatedly.

4. Safe Harbor
   

   Northland College has a Safe Harbor rule for students. Northland College believes that students who have a drug and/or addiction problem deserve help. If any Northland College student brings their own use, addiction, or dependency to the attention of Northland College officials outside the threat of drug tests or conduct sanctions and seeks assistance, a conduct complaint will not be pursued. A written action plan may be used to track cooperation with the Safe Harbor program by the student. Failure to follow the action plan will nullify the Safe Harbor protection and campus conduct processes will be initiated.

D. Notice of Alleged Violation
Any member of the Northland College community, visitor or guest may allege a policy violation(s) by any student for misconduct under this code.

Notice may also be given to the director of residential life (or designee) and/or to the Title IX administrator, when appropriate. Additionally, administrators may act on notice of a potential violation whether a formal allegation is made or not. All allegations can be submitted by a victim or a third party, and should be submitted as soon as possible after the offending event occurs. Northland College has the right to pursue an allegation or notice of misconduct on its own behalf and to serve as convener of the subsequent campus conduct process.

The director of residential life (or designee) will assume responsibility/direction for the investigation of the alleged violation as described in the sub-section below.

E. Investigation
Investigation is referenced in both steps one and two above, with detailed investigation procedures described in this sub-section. Conduct cases that do not fall under the Title IX process may not require an investigation as described below. If necessary, the director of residential life and/or dean of students will appoint an investigator(s) and/or conduct officer, if needed, for allegations under this code. For any complaint that falls under Title IX (e.g. sexual misconduct) or involves any other form of discrimination, the director of residential life will work under the direction of the Title IX administrator. The investigator(s) will take the following steps, if not already completed by the Title IX administrator or designee:

1. Initiate any necessary remedial actions on behalf of the victim (if any);
2. Determine the identity and contact information of the party bringing the complaint, whether that person is the initiator of the complaint, the alleged victim, or a Northland College proxy or representative;
3. Assess the Duty to Warn;
4. Conduct an immediate preliminary investigation to identify an initial list of all policies that may have been violated, to review the history of the parties, the context of the incident(s), any potential patterns and the nature of the complaint;
   • If the victim is reluctant to pursue the complaint, determine whether the complaint should still be pursued and whether sufficient independent evidence could support the complaint without the participation of the victim;
   • Notify the victim of whether Northland College intends to pursue the complaint regardless of their involvement, and inform the victim of their rights in the process and option to become involved if they so choose;
   • Preliminary investigation usually takes between one to seven business days to complete;
5. If indicated by the preliminary investigation and authorized by the Title IX administrator or director of residential life, conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe that the responding student violated Northland College policy, and to determine what specific policy violations should serve as the basis for the complaint;
   1. If there is insufficient evidence through the investigation to support reasonable cause, the allegations will be closed with no further action;
   2. A comprehensive investigation usually takes between one day and three weeks;
6. Meet with the party bringing the complaint to finalize their statement, which will be drawn up by the investigator or designee as a result of this meeting;
7. Commence a thorough, reliable and impartial investigation by developing a strategic investigation plan. The responding student, will be given notice of the interview prior to the interview;
   • Prepare the notice of alleged policy violation(s) on the basis of the reasonable cause determination, which will be delivered to the responding student prior to their interview;
8. Interview all relevant witnesses, summarize the information they are able to share;
9. Obtain all documentary evidence and information that is available;
10. Obtain all physical evidence that is available;
11. Complete the investigation promptly by analyzing all available evidence without unreasonable deviation from the intended timeline;
12. The conduct officer or hearing panel, if applicable, reserves the right to directly question complainants, respondents, and any witnesses;
13. Make a finding, based on a preponderance of the evidence (whether a policy violation is more likely than not);
14. Present the investigation report and findings to the responding student, who may:
    • accept the findings,
    • accept the findings in part and reject them in part,
    • or may reject all findings;
15. Share the findings and update the party bringing the complaint on the status of the investigation and the outcome.

F. Findings
The following options (1-3) describe how to proceed depending on whether the responding student is found responsible and whether the responding student accepts or rejects the findings and/or the sanctions either in whole or in part.

Responding students have three days to accept the findings resulting from an administrative conference.

1. The Responding Student is Found “Not Responsible”
   

   Where the responding student is found not responsible for the alleged violation(s), the investigation will be closed. The party bringing the complaint, if any, may request that the Title IX administrator and/or director of residential life, as applicable, review the investigation file to possibly re-open the investigation or convene a hearing. The decision to re-open an investigation or convene a hearing rests solely in the discretion of the Title IX administrator or the director of residential life in these cases, and is granted only on the basis of extraordinary cause.

2. The Responding Student Accepts a Finding of “Responsible”

   • The Responding Student Accepts a Finding of “Responsible” and Accepts the Recommended Sanctions:  Should the responding student accept the finding that they violated Northland College policy, the conduct officer/investigator will assign appropriate sanctions for the violation, having consulted with director of residential life and/or Title IX administrator as appropriate. In cases involving discrimination, recommended sanctions will act to end the discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and remedy its effects on the victim and the Northland College community. If the responding student accepts these recommended sanctions, the sanctions are implemented and the process ends. This outcome is not subject to appeal.
   • The Responding Student Accepts a Finding of “Responsible” and Rejects the Sanctions Recommended: If the responding student accepts the “responsible” findings, but rejects the recommended sanctions, there will be an administrative conference with a different conduct officer on the sanction only. Administrative conference procedures are detailed below.

3. Responding Student Rejects the Findings Completely or In-part

   • Responding Student Rejects the Findings Completely:Where the responding student rejects the finding that they violated Northland College policy, a formal hearing will be convened within ten business days, barring exigent circumstances. At the hearing, the responding student(s) will present all information and their case to the conduct officer or hearing panel. The investigation report will be considered by the conduct office or panel, which renders an independent and objective finding. The conduct officer or panel may choose to interview the parties and any necessary witnesses if more information is needed. Full panel procedures are detailed below. If the panel finds the responding student not responsible for all violations, the director of residential life will timely inform the parties of this determination and the rationale for the decision in writing. This determination is subject to appeal by any party to the complaint. Appeal review procedures are outlined below. If the panel finds a violation, it will recommend a sanction/responsive action to the director of residential life, who will render a decision within three days of the hearing and timely notify the parties in writing. An appeal of sanction(s) may be filed by any party to the complaint as detailed below.
   • Responding Student Accepts the Findings in Part and Rejects in Part: Where the responding student rejects in part the finding that they violated Northland College policy, there will be a hearing solely on the disputed allegations within ten business days, barring exigent circumstances. For all findings holding a responding student responsible for a violation, Northland College will follow the sanctioning process detailed below. If the responding student is found “Not Responsible” on any of the contested allegations, the process will move to the Sanctioning Phase on only the uncontested allegations, as detailed below.

G. Special Hearing Provisions for Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination and Other Complaints of a Sensitive Nature
Sexual misconduct, discrimination and other complaints of a sensitive nature including but not limited to dating violence, domestic violence and stalking will be addressed by the dean of students or the Title IX administrator outside of the hearing panel process.

H. Notice of Hearing
Once a determination is made that reasonable cause exists for the director of residential life, or designee, to refer a complaint for a hearing, notice will be given directly to the responding student. Notice will be in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person by the director of residential life (or designee emailed to the student’s Northland College-issued email account; mailed to the student using the Northland College campus mail system; or mailed to the local or permanent address of the student as indicated in official Northland College records. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in-person, such notice will be presumptively delivered. The letter of notice will:

1. Include the alleged violation and notification of where to locate the Code of Student Conduct and Northland College procedures for resolution of the complaint; and
2. Direct the responding student to contact the director of residential life (or designee) within generally be no less than two business days from the date of delivery of the summons letter.

A meeting with the director of residential life (or designee) may be arranged to explain the nature of the complaint and the conduct process. At this meeting, the responding student may indicate, either verbally or in writing, to the director of residential life (or designee), whether they admit to or deny the allegations of the complaint.

I. Interim Action

Under the Code of Student Conduct, the dean of students or designee may impose restrictions and/or separate a student from the community pending the scheduling of a campus hearing on alleged violation(s) of the Code of Student Conduct when a student represents a threat of serious harm to others, is facing allegations of serious criminal activity, to preserve the integrity of an investigation, to preserve Northland College property and/or to prevent disruption of, or interference with, the normal operations of Northland College. Interim actions can include separation from the institution or restrictions on participation in the community pending the scheduling of a campus hearing on alleged violation(s) of the Code of Student Conduct. A student who receives an interim suspension may request a meeting with the dean of students or designee to demonstrate why an interim suspension is not merited. Regardless of the outcome of this meeting, Northland College may still proceed with the scheduling of a campus hearing.

During an interim suspension, a student may be denied access to Northland College housing and/or Northland College campus/facilities/events. As determined appropriate by the director of residential life, this restriction may include classes and/or all other Northland College activities or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible. At the discretion of the director of residential life and with the approval of, and in collaboration with, the appropriate academic dean, alternative coursework options may be pursued to ensure as minimal an impact as possible on the responding student.

J. Hearing Options & Preparation
The following sub-sections describe Northland College’s conduct hearing processes. Except in a complaint involving failure to comply with the summons of the director of residential life (or designee), no student may be found to have violated the Code of Student Conduct solely as a result of the student’s failure to appear for a hearing. In all such instances, conduct hearings will proceed as scheduled and the information in support of the complaint will be presented to, and considered by, the conduct officer or hearing panel presiding over the hearing.

Where the responding student admits to violating the Code of Student Conduct, the director of residential life (or designee) may invoke administrative hearing procedures to determine and administer appropriate sanctions without a formal hearing. This process is also known as an administrative conference. In an administrative conference, complaints will be heard and determinations will be made by the director of residential life or designee.

Where the responding student denies violating the Code of Student Conduct, a formal hearing will be conducted by a different conduct officer or hearing panel. At the discretion of the director of residential life (or designee), a request by one or more of the parties to the complaint for an administrative conference may be considered. Students who deny a violation for which a panel hearing will be held will be given a minimum of three (3) days to prepare. Preparation for a formal hearing is summarized in the following guidelines:

1. Notice of the time, date and location of the hearing will be in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person by the director of residential life(or designee); mailed to the local or permanent address of the student as indicated in official Northland College records; mailed to the student through the campus mail system; or emailed to the student’s Northland College-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in-person, such notice will be presumptively delivered.
2. If there is an alleged victim of the conduct in question, the alleged victim may serve as the party bringing the complaint or may elect to have the Northland College administration serve as the party bringing the complaint forward. Where there is no alleged victim, the Northland College administration will serve as the party bringing the complaint forward.
3. If a responding student fails to respond to notice from the director of residential life (or designee), the director of residential life (or designee) may initiate a complaint against the student for failure to comply with the directives of a Northland College official and give notice of this offense. Unless the student responds to this notice within two days by answering the original notice, an administrative conference may be scheduled and held on the student’s behalf. As a result, the student may be administratively withdrawn from attending classes or a disciplinary hold may be placed on their Northland College account, deeming them ineligible to register for courses or Northland College housing until such time as the student responds to the initial complaint.
4. At least five (5) days before any scheduled formal hearing, the following will occur:a) The responding student will deliver to the director of residential life (or designee) a written response to the complaint; b) The responding student will deliver to the director of residential life (or designee) a written list of potential witnesses for Northland College to interview; c) The responding student will deliver to the director of residential life (or designee) all physical evidence the student needs to have present at the hearing and will indicate who has possession or custody of such evidence, if known, so that the director of residential life can arrange for its presence; d) The party bringing the complaint will deliver to the director of residential life (or designee) a written list of potential witnesses for Northland College to interview; e) The party bringing the complaint will deliver to the director of residential life (or designee) all items of physical evidence needed at the hearing and will indicate who has possession or custody of such evidence, if known, so that the director of residential life can arrange for its presence; f) The party bringing the complaint and the responding student will notify the director of residential life (or designee) of the names of an advisor/advocate who may be accompanying the parties at the hearing.
5. The director of residential life (or designee) will ensure that the hearing information and any other available written documentation will be gathered at least two (2) days before any scheduled hearing. In addition, the conduct officer or hearing panelists will be given a list of the names of all the parties in advance. The conduct officer or hearing panelists may only be changed if the director of residential life or dean of students concludes that a bias exists. Additionally, any conduct officer or panelist who feels they cannot make an objective determination must recuse themselves from the proceedings.

K. Panel Hearing Procedures

In cases that the director of residential life or the dean of students refer to a hearing panel, the director of residential life or dean of students will appoint a conduct officer as the procedural officer. The parties have the right to be present only at their portion of the hearing as called for questioning by the hearing panel; however, they do not have the right to be present during deliberations. If a student cannot attend the hearing, it is that student’s responsibility to notify the director of residential life no less than three (3) days prior to the scheduled hearing to arrange for another date, time and location. Except in cases of grave or unforeseen circumstances, if the responding student fails to give the requisite minimum three (3) day notice, or if the responding student fails to appear, the hearing will proceed as scheduled. If the party bringing the complaint fails to appear, the complaint may be dropped unless Northland College chooses to pursue the allegation on its own behalf, as determined by the director of residential life.

The director of residential life (or designee), the procedural officer, and the panel will conduct panel hearings according to the following guidelines:

1. Hearings will be closed to the public.
2. Admission to the hearing of persons other than the parties involved will be at the discretion of the panel chair and the director of residential life.
3. In hearings involving more than one responding student, the standard procedure will be to hear the complaints jointly; however, the director of residential life may permit the hearing pertinent to each responding student to be conducted separately. In joint hearings, separate determinations of responsibility will be made for each responding student.
4. The parties have the right to an advisor/advocate of their own choosing. An advisor/advocate may be chosen only from within the current Northland College community. The advisor may not make a presentation or represent the party bringing the complaint or responding student during the hearing. Their role is to support the party but not to participate in the hearing. Students who have legal representation may consult with their lawyer prior to the panel hearing.
5. The panel and the director of residential life (or designee) will have the opportunity to question all present witnesses and question all present complainant(s) and respondent(s) (at the discretion of the chair). Unduly repetitive witnesses can be limited at the discretion of the director of residential life, or designee.
6. Pertinent records, exhibits, and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by the panel and the director of residential life.
7. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the director of residential life or dean of students.
8. After a panel hearing, the panel will deliberate and determine, whether it is more likely than not that the responding student has violated the Code of Student Conduct. Best efforts will be made to reach consensus during the deliberations; however if consensus cannot be reached, the panel will make determinations by majority vote. The director of residential life (or designee) may be present and available as a resource during all deliberations. Once a finding is determined, if the finding is that of a policy violation, the panel will determine an appropriate sanction(s). The conduct officer(s) are responsible for informing the panel of any previous conduct violations or other relevant pattern information about the responding student. The procedural officer will prepare a written deliberation report and deliver it to the director of residential life, detailing the recommended finding, how each member voted, the information cited by the panel in support of its recommendation, and any information the panel excluded from its consideration and why. This report should conclude with any recommended sanctions. This report should not exceed two pages in length and must be submitted to the director of residential life within two (2) days of the end of deliberations.
9. The director of residential life and/or dean of students will consider the sanction recommendations of the panel, may make appropriate modifications to the panel’s report and will then render a decision regarding appropriate sanctions and inform the responding student and party bringing the complaint of the final determination within four (4) days of the hearing. Notification will be made in writing and may be delivered by one or more of the following methods: in person by the director of residential life (or designee); mailed to the local or permanent address of the student as indicated in official Northland College records; mailed to the student using the campus mail system; or emailed to the student’s Northland College-issued email account. Once mailed, emailed and/or received in-person, such notice will be presumptively delivered. In cases of sexual misconduct and other crimes of violence, notice of the outcome will be delivered to all parties simultaneously, meaning without substantial delay between the notifications to each.
10. There will be a single record for all panel hearings. The record will be the property of Northland College and maintained according to Northland College’s record retention policy.

L. Conduct Sanctions
One or more of following sanctions may be imposed upon any student for any single violation of the Code of Student Conduct:

1. Warning

   An official written notice that the student has violated Northland College policies and/or rules and that more severe conduct action will result should the student be involved in other violations while the student is enrolled at Northland College.

2. Restitution

   Compensation for damage caused to Northland College or any person’s property. This could also include situations such as failure to return a reserved space to proper condition–labor costs and expenses. This is not a fine but, rather, a repayment for labor costs and/or the value of property destroyed, damaged, consumed, or stolen.

3. Fines

   Reasonable fines may be imposed. Fines will range from $25.00 to $300.00.

4. Community/Northland College Service Requirements

   For a student or organization to complete a specific supervised community service project.

5. Loss of Privileges

   The student will be denied specified privileges for a designated period of time.

6. Confiscation of Prohibited Property

   Items whose presence is in violation of Northland College policy will be confiscated and will become the property of Northland College. Prohibited items may be returned to the owner at the discretion of the director of residential life and/or Office of Campus Safety.

7. Behavioral Requirement

   This includes required activities including, but not limited to, seeking academic counseling or substance abuse screening, writing a letter of apology, etc.

8. Educational Program

   Requirement to attend, present and/or participate in a program related to the violation. It may also be a requirement to sponsor or assist with a program for others on campus to aid them in learning about a specific topic or issue related to the violation for which the student or organization was found responsible. Audience may be restricted.

9. Restriction of Visitation Privileges

   May be imposed on a resident or non-resident student. The parameters of the restriction will be specified.

10. Northland College Housing Probation

    Official notice that, should further violations of Residence Life or Northland College policies occur during a specified probationary period, the student may immediately be removed from Northland College housing.

11. Northland College Housing Reassignment

    Reassignment to another Northland College housing facility. Residential Life personnel will decide on the reassignment details.

12. Northland College Housing Suspension

    Removal from Northland College housing for a specified period of time after which the student is eligible to return. Conditions for re-admission to Northland College housing may be specified. Under this sanction, a student is required to vacate Northland College housing within 24 hours of notification of the action, though this deadline may be extended upon application to, and at the discretion of, the director of residential life. This sanction may be enforced with a trespass action if deemed necessary. Prior to reapplication for Northland College housing, the student must gain permission from the director of residential life (or designee).  This sanction may include restrictions on visitation to specified buildings or all Northland College housing during the suspension.

13. Northland College Housing Expulsion

    The student’s privilege to live in, or visit, any Northland College housing building is revoked indefinitely. This sanction may be enforced with a trespass action if deemed necessary.

14. Northland College Probation

    The student is put on official notice that, should further violations of Northland College policies occur during a specified probationary period, the student may face suspension or expulsion.

15. Eligibility Restriction

    The student is deemed “not in good standing” with Northland College for a specified period of time. Specific limitations or exceptions may be granted by the director of residential life and terms of this conduct sanction may include, but are not limited to, the following:

    • Ineligibility to hold any office in any student organization recognized by Northland College or hold an elected or appointed office at Northland College; or
    • Ineligibility to represent Northland College to anyone outside the Northland College community in any way including: participating in the study abroad program, attending conferences, or representing Northland College at an official function, event or intercollegiate competition as a player, manager or student coach, etc.

16. Northland College Suspension

    Separation from Northland College for a specified minimum period of time, after which the student is eligible to return. Eligibility may be contingent upon satisfaction of specific conditions noted at the time of suspension. The student is required to vacate the campus within 24 hours of notification of the action, though this deadline may be extended upon application to, and at the discretion of, the director of residential life. During the suspension period, the student is banned from college property, functions, events and activities without prior written approval from the director of residential life. This sanction may be enforced with a trespass action as necessary. This sanction will be noted as a Conduct Suspension on the student’s official academic transcript.

17. Northland College Expulsion

    Permanent separation from Northland College. The student is banned from college property and the student’s presence at any Northland College-sponsored activity or event is prohibited. This action may be enforced with a trespass action as necessary. This sanction will be noted as a Conduct Expulsion on the student’s official academic transcript.

18. Other Sanctions

    Additional or alternate sanctions may be created and designed as deemed appropriate to the offense with the approval of the director of residential life or designee.

The following sanctions may be imposed upon groups or organizations found to have violated the Code of Student Conduct:

1. One or more of the sanctions listed above, and/or
2. Deactivation, de-recognition, loss of all privileges (including status as a Northland College registered group/organization), for a specified period of time in consultation with the Northland College Student Association.

M. Parental Notification
Per the federal financial aid guidelines, Northland College reserves the right to notify the parents/guardians of dependent students regarding any conduct situation, particularly alcohol and other drug violations. Northland College may also notify parents/guardians of non-dependent students who are under the age of 21 of alcohol and/or other drug violations.   Parental notification may also be utilized discretionarily by administrators when permitted by FERPA or consent of the student.  Parental notification would occur in consultation with the student.

N. Notification of Outcomes
The outcome of a campus hearing is part of the education record of the responding student and is protected from release under the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), except under certain conditions. As allowed by FERPA, when a student is accused of a policy violation that would constitute a “crime of violence” or forcible or non-forcible sex offense, Northland College will inform the alleged victim/party bringing the complaint in writing of the final results of a hearing regardless of whether Northland College concludes that a violation was committed. Such release of information may only include the alleged student’s/responding student’s name, the violation committed, and the sanctions assigned (if applicable). In cases of sexual misconduct and other offenses covered by Title IX, only, the rationale for the outcome will also be shared with all parties to the complaint in addition to the finding and sanction(s).

In cases where Northland College determines through the student conduct process that a student violated a policy that would constitute a “crime of violence” or non-forcible sex offense, Northland College may also release the above information publicly and/or to any third party. FERPA defines “crimes of violence” to include:

1. Arson
2. Assault offenses (includes stalking)
3. Burglary
4. Criminal Homicide—manslaughter by negligence
5. Criminal Homicide—murder and non-negligent manslaughter
6. Destruction/damage/vandalism of property
7. Kidnapping/abduction
8. Robbery
9. Forcible sex offenses
10. Non-forcible sex offenses

O. Failure to Complete Conduct Sanctions
All students, as members of the Northland College community, are expected to comply with conduct sanctions within the timeframe specified by the director of residential life. Failure to follow through on conduct sanctions by the date specified, whether by refusal, neglect or any other reason, may result in additional sanctions and/or suspension from Northland College. In such situations, resident students will be required to vacate Northland College housing within 24 hours of notification by the Director of Residential Life, though this deadline may be extended upon application to, and at the discretion of, the director of residential life. A suspension will only be lifted when compliance with conduct sanctions is satisfactorily achieved and the student has successfully petitioned to return to the College. This determination will be made by the director of residential life in consultation with the vice president of student affairs.

P. Appeal Review Procedures
Any party may request an appeal of the decision of the Hearing Panel by filing a written request to the director of residential life, subject to the procedures outlined below. All sanctions imposed by the original hearing body remain in effect, and all parties should be timely informed of the status of requests for appeal, the status of the appeal consideration, and the results of the appeal decision.

Grounds for Appeal Requests

Appeals requests are limited to the following grounds:

1. To consider new evidence, unavailable during the original hearing or investigation, that could substantially impact the original finding or sanction. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included;
2. The sanctions imposed are substantially outside the parameters or guidelines set by Northland College for this type of offense or the cumulative conduct record of the responding student.

Appeals must be filed in writing with the director of residential life within five (5) business days of the notice of the outcome to the hearing, barring exigent circumstances. Any exceptions are made at the discretion of the director of residential life and, when appropriate, the Title IX administrator.

The director of residential life will share the appeal by one party with the other party (parties) when appropriate under procedure (e.g., if the responding student appeals, the appeal is shared with the complainant, who may also wish to file a response, request an appeal on the same grounds or different grounds). The dean of students will consider and review request(s) for appeals. The dean of students will draft a response memorandum to the appeal request(s) that the request(s) will be granted or denied, and why.

If the appeal is not timely or substantively eligible, the original finding and sanction will stand and the decision is final.  If the appeal has standing, the dean of students will remand it to the original decision-maker(s), typically within 3-5 business days, with clear instructions for reconsideration only in light of the granted appeal grounds. Where the original decision-maker may be unduly biased by a procedural or substantive error, a new panel will be constituted to reconsider the matter.  In review, the original finding and sanction are presumed to have been decided reasonably and appropriately, thus the burden is on the appealing party(ies) to show clear error.

On reconsideration, the original decision-maker may affirm or change the findings and/or sanctions according to the permissible grounds. Procedural errors should be corrected, new evidence should be considered, and sanctions should be proportionate to the severity of the violation and the student’s cumulative conduct record.

All decisions regarding the appeal are to be made within five (5) days of submission and are final.

The presumptive stance of Northland College is that all decisions made and sanctions imposed by the original decision-maker are to be implemented during the appellate process. At the discretion of the director of residential life, and in consultation with the Title IX administrator when necessary, implementation of sanctions may be stayed pending review only in extremely exigent circumstances. This does not include proximity to graduation, end of term, or exams. Instead, it refers to an overwhelming likelihood, as determined by the dean of students and director of residential life, in consultation, that the appeal would result in a reversal of the finding and/or substantial modification of the sanctions.

Other Guidelines for Appeals

• All parties will be timely informed of the status of requests for appeal, the status of the appeal consideration, and the results of the appeal decision;
• Appeals are not intended to be full re-hearings of the complaint (de novo).  In most cases, appeals are confined to a review of the written documentation or record of the original hearing, and pertinent documentation regarding the grounds for appeal;

Q. Disciplinary Records
All conduct records are maintained by Northland College for seven (7) years from the time of their creation except those that result in separation (suspension or expulsion, including from housing) and those that fall under Title IX, which are maintained indefinitely.

R. Approval and Implementation
This Code of Student Conduct was approved by the Northland College Student Association on May 30, 2014, and by the Northland College Board of Trustees on July 11, 2014.

Glossary of Terms

Only for the purposes of the Code of Student Conduct, the following terms and definitions will apply.  The vice president for student affairs (or designee) reserves the right to interpret and enforce the Code of Student Conduct.

• “Collusion” is secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others.
• “Complaints of a sensitive nature” sexual misconduct, discrimination and other complaints of a sensitive nature including but not limited to dating violence, domestic violence and stalking.
• “Disruptive” behavior is behavior that disturbs the peace or the public order
• “More likely than not” means  50.01%
• “Northland College” refers to the institution
• “Northland College community” refers to the entire community of students, staff, and faculty.
• “Responding student” is the person who is alleged to have violated the code
• “Trademark images” are legally protected identifying symbols or words that belongs to a particular brand, company or person and that is associated with that brand.
• “Trust” is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.

Serious violations include, but are not limited to the following:

• Crimes of violence
  • Arson
  • Assault offenses (includes stalking)
  • Burglary
  • Criminal homicide—manslaughter by negligence
  • Criminal homicide—murder and non-negligent manslaughter
  • Destruction/damage/vandalism of property
  • Kidnapping/abduction
  • Robbery
  • Forcible sex offenses
  • Non-forcible sex offenses
• Sexual misconduct
• Theft
• Weapon possession
• Drug and/or alcohol distribution, manufacture, or facilitating distribution
• Commission of a felony
• Chronic behavior (repeat violations)

Download and read the policy.

Download and read the policy.

Northland College takes student safety very seriously. The Higher Education Act requires that all institutions that provide on-campus student housing must establish a missing student notification policy and procedure. This policy establishes the procedures for the College’s response to reports of missing students.

This policy applies to students who reside in campus housing in all residential living spaces. For purposes of this policy, a student may be considered to be a “missing person” if the person’s absence is contrary to their usual pattern of behavior and without having informed roommates, friends, or residential life staff of the change.

At the beginning of each academic year, students submit emergency contact information to the institution. Each residential student will also be asked to voluntarily provide contact information, of a person, hereby referred to as the designated contact, to notify in the event they are reported missing while enrolled at Northland, the start of the year. The designated contact is in addition to the general emergency contact person, but they can be the same individual for both purposes. Designated contact information will be kept in the Residential Life office and will be updated annually.

• Students age eighteen and older and emancipated minors will have the opportunity to designate an individual or individuals to be contacted by the College solely for missing student purposes. This contact person can be, but does not have to be, the same person listed as an emergency contact.
• Students under the age of eighteen, who are not emancipated, will have their parent or custodial guardian notified as required by the law.  They can still list a designated contact person who will also be notified.

General Procedure for a Missing Person

Any individual who has information that a residential student may be a missing person must notify the Office of Campus Safety 715-682-1399 as soon as possible.

1. Campus Safety will collect and document the following information at the time of the report from the reporting person and from any known student’s acquaintances:
   • The name and relationship of the person making the report
   • The date, time, and location the missing student was last seen
   • A physical description of the student including clothes last worn
   • The general routine or habits of the suspected missing student including any recent changes in behavior or demeanor
   • Any contact information for the missing student
2. Every report made to Campus Safety will be followed up with an immediate investigation once a student has been reported missing.
   • If a residential student has not been seen for more than twenty-four hours, Campus Safety will contact the dean of students and the director of residential life in order to update them on the situation and receive any additional consultation. The dean of students will ascertain when/if campus leadership needs to be contacted or if the Emergency Response Team needs to meet.
   • No later than twenty-four hours after determining that a residential student is missing, the dean of students will notify the following that a student is presumed missing:
     • the designated contact individual(s) (for students eighteen and over and emancipated minors)
     • the parent(s) or custodial guardian(s) and the designated contact individual(s) (for students under the age of eighteen who are not emancipated)

Upon notification that a student may be missing, Northland may use any or all of the following resources to assist in locating the student:

• Call the student’s cell phone number
• Go to the student’s room and perform a welfare check
• Secure a current student ID picture
• Talk to the student’s roommate, friends, hall mates, RA and HRA to see if anyone can confirm the missing student’s whereabouts and/or confirm the date, time, and location the student was last seen
• Contact the student’s instructors and work-study supervisor to confirm the last time the student was seen
• Send the student an email and/or text message.
• Check all possible on-campus locations mentioned by the parties above including the library, gym, common spaces, lounges, etc.
• Ascertain the student’s car make, model, and license plate number. Check all on-campus parking lots for the presence of the student’s vehicle
• Contact or call any other on- or off-campus friends or social contacts. This includes checking social networking sites.
• Work with IT to obtain email logs in order to determine last use of the Northland network.

Local law enforcement will be notified within twenty-four hours of determining that a student is missing or immediately if there was a witnessed abduction.

Under the supervision of the Office of the President, the Office of Marketing Communications is responsible for defining and disseminating College messages during a crisis. Public or media inquiries concerning missing persons, or any active law enforcement investigation, shall be referred to Northland College Office of Marketing Communications for referral to law enforcement authorities as appropriate.

Preamble

Northland College is committed to maintaining an academic and social environment conducive to the intellectual and personal development of each student. To foster that development, the College strives to provide for the safety and welfare of all its members of the College community. It is in this context that the College seeks to promote responsible, informed choices involving the consumption of alcoholic beverages in accordance with state laws. The consumption of alcoholic beverages in moderation is a privilege for campus residents of legal age. Furthermore, the College discourages alcohol abuse that may lead to academic failure, socially disruptive behavior, or chemical dependency.

Standards of Conduct (Regarding Alcohol and Other Drugs)

1. Students at Northland College are subject to all federal, state, county, and local laws and ordinances regulating the sale, possession, and use of alcoholic beverages, as well as the rules and regulations stipulated by Northland College.
2. In the State of Wisconsin, it is unlawful for individuals under 21 years of age to possess, purchase, attempt to purchase, or consume any alcoholic beverage. Possession of an alcoholic beverage is evidence of intent to consume.
3. It is also unlawful for any person to sell or give alcoholic beverages or to induce such a person to purchase or attempt to purchase such a beverage. The law also forbids the misrepresenting of one’s age for the purpose of consuming alcoholic beverages. Northland College abides by Wisconsin law.
4. It is unlawful to manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess, or use controlled substances. Any student who illegally possesses, uses, distributes, and/or sells narcotics, stimulants, hallucinogens, or other controlled substances will be subject to disciplinary action.

Legal Sanctions

1. Anyone found by officers of the law to be in violation of the laws regarding alcohol and illicit drugs may be subject to fine, suspension of the person’s automobile operating privileges, participation in a supervised work program, or any combination of the above. Public consumption of alcoholic beverages on the city streets is subject to a fine of $25.00 to $100.00. Further information on these sanctions can be obtained from the Ashland Police Department or the District Attorney.

Health Risks

1. Drugs cause physical and emotional dependence. Users may develop a craving for specific drugs, and their bodies may respond to the presence of drugs in ways that lead to increased drug use.
2. Regular users of drugs develop tolerance and need to take larger doses to get the same initial effect. They may respond by combining drugs, frequently with devastating results.
3. Certain drugs, such as opiates, barbiturates, alcohol, and nicotine, create physical dependence. With prolonged use, these drugs become part of the body chemistry. When a regular user stops taking the drug, the body experiences the physiological trauma known as withdrawal.
4. Psychological dependence occurs when taking drugs becomes the center of the user’s life. Psychological dependence erodes academic work performance and can destroy ties to family and friends, as well as cause individuals to abandon outside interests, values, and goals. The user goes from taking drugs to feel good to taking them to keep from feeling bad. Over time, drug use itself heightens the bad feelings and can leave the user suicidal. More than half of all suicides are drug-related.
5. Drugs can remain in the body long after use has stopped. The extent to which a drug is retained in the body depends on the drug’s chemical composition, that is whether it is fat-soluble. Fat-soluble drugs such as marijuana and phencyclidine (PCP) seek out and settle in the fatty tissues. As a result, they build up in the fatty parts of the body. Such accumulation of drugs and their slow release over time may have effects on the mind and body weeks or even months after drug use has stopped.

College Stance Regarding Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Northland College will make a good faith effort to ensure a drug-free workplace and College community. Northland College abides by federal laws, Wisconsin laws, their adaptation by the City of Ashland, and all local ordinances.

Violations of the laws related to alcohol and other drug use and abuse will be subject to sanctions as defined in the Student Policies and Procedures. These include: confiscation of illegal substances, reports to officers of the law, referrals to substance abuse education programs, assessments and follow-up counseling, fines, disciplinary probation, suspension, and dismissal from the College. Specific situations are addressed below.

Goals of the Alcohol Policy

1. To support all federal, state, and local laws governing alcohol.
2. To foster healthy attitudes towards alcohol, balancing personal use with community responsibility.
3. To promote awareness of the dangers of abuse, including the physiology and compulsion of addiction.
4. To help secure comfortable living and learning conditions for the whole community.
5. To promote awareness of community resources and support systems that are available.

Policy Statements

1. The consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages by anyone under age is prohibited. (Possession includes on the person, in their room or vehicle, or in a room where alcohol is being consumed.)
2. Consumption of alcoholic beverages by people of legal age is allowed only in rooms of individuals who are of legal age. The door to the room must remain closed while alcohol is being consumed. All persons present must be of legal drinking age.
3. Serving alcoholic beverages anywhere on campus other than in private rooms requires the permission of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Institutional Sustainability.
4. On-campus advertisement of on-campus or off-campus events at which alcoholic beverages are to be served should not promote excessive drinking. Signs that do so shall be removed.
5. Absolutely no alcoholic beverages are allowed in College motor pool vehicles.
6. A person who is unconscious due to over-consumption of alcohol will be treated as a medical emergency. Expenses incurred are the responsibility of that person.
7. Giving and/or selling alcohol to underage people and selling without a license to anyone is a violation of state laws and College policy. Selling is defined by the state as: “sell,” “sold,” “sale,” or “selling” means any transfer of alcohol beverages with consideration or any transfer without consideration if knowingly made for purposes of evading the law relating to the sale of alcohol beverages or any shift, device, scheme, or transaction for obtaining alcohol beverages, including the solicitation of orders for, or the sale of future delivery of, alcohol beverages.

Responsibilities Regarding Alcohol

The federal government and the State of Wisconsin have determined that individuals must be at least 21 years old to consume alcoholic beverages legally. Northland College complies with the local, state, and federal laws.

Individuals of legal drinking age should remember that they are responsible for their behavior while using alcohol. It is important to remember that buying or supplying alcohol to underage individuals is against the law. Providing alcohol to underage individuals can have serious and far-reaching consequences, particularly if that person injures him or herself or others while under the influence of alcohol.

Individuals who are underage should remember that consumption of alcohol is against the law and that should they be caught drinking can suffer significant consequences. The Residential Life staff is charged with the enforcement of the policies in residence halls and will confiscate all alcoholic beverages (and open containers) in an underage individual’s possession. Those participating in illegal activities must be ready to accept the consequences of their actions. All confiscated beverages will be disposed of.

No large amounts of alcohol (such as kegs, party balls, wapituli buckets, etc.) are allowed on campus without written permission of the vice president of student affairs and Institutional Sustainability.

In the Residence Halls

Alcoholic beverages can only be consumed by those of legal age in their individual rooms. The door to the room must remain closed while alcohol is being consumed. All persons present must be of legal drinking age. The use of alcohol should not interfere with the normal operation of the residence hall. No open alcohol containers are allowed in common areas (such as lounges, bathrooms, hallways, etc.). An open alcohol container is defined as a bottle or can of intoxicating substance which has the seal broken or other container holding alcoholic beverage. Open containers will be confiscated on the spot and disposed of, and the incident will be documented.

Off-campus individuals are not exempt from the alcohol policy in the residence hall. Should an individual be found in violation in the residence hall, the individual will be asked to leave the residence hall immediately. Failure to do so will result in contacting local authorities.

“Home brewing” is permitted in campus residential facilities as long as the product contains no alcohol. Those found in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.

Counseling

Northland staff realize that drinking can be a problem for many. If drinking becomes a problem for you, or if you think that you may be developing a problem, there are people available on and off campus who can help you. All sessions are confidential.

On Campus Contacts:

• Campus Counseling
• Campus Nurse

Off Campus Contacts:

• Memorial Medical Center Behavioral Health Services, (715) 685-5400
• Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Center, (715) 682-5207

Sanctions for Violation of Alcohol Policy

These are the mandatory minimum sanctions which will be assessed to students who violate the alcoholic beverage policy:

• Underage drinking, or other policy violations
• Alcohol-related behavior resulting in community disturbance or other actions detrimental to the College

1st Offense: Social probation, fine and/or educational sanction:

• Violations of supplying alcohol to underage people and of possessing alcohol in College vehicles start at second offense.
• Second or subsequent offenses are accumulated through the duration of a student’s consecutive enrollment at Northland.

2nd Offense: Social probation, alcohol assessment either administered by an AOD professional or 40 hours of community service.

3rd Offense: For on-campus residents:

• No less than one full semester suspension from residence halls, loss of room rent, and social probation; and/or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be suspended from the residence hall for no less than one full semester, including loss of room rent.

3rd Offense: For off-campus students:

• Fine, social probation, and exclusion from the residence halls for no less than one full semester; and/or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be excluded from the residence halls for no less than one full semester.

4th Offense: No less than one full-semester suspension from the College and an indefinite exclusion from campus housing.

Where a choice of sanctions exists, the choice is up to the hearing officer.

The illegal use or possession of controlled substances is prohibited. Those who are alleged to have sold controlled substances will be referred to civil authorities. Individuals convicted of delivering controlled substances, will be suspended from the College for not less than one year. Persons found in violation of this policy may be suspended immediately if they are deemed a danger to others. (See Article II, Section 6 of the conduct code.)

Sanctions for Marijuana

For those individuals who are found possessing small quantities of marijuana or possessing paraphernalia that has been used for smoking marijuana will be sanctioned. A small quantity is defined as less than one-half ounce. When packaging and weighing materials are also found, it is considered possession with intent to deliver, which is a felony under Wisconsin Law.

1st Offense: Probation, fine and/or educational sanction.

2nd Offense: Fine, assessment administered by an AOD professional, and probation.

3rd Offense: For on-campus residents

• No less than one semester full suspension from residence halls, loss of room rent, and social probation; and/or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be suspended from the residence halls for no less than one full semester.

3rd Offense: For off-campus students

• Fine, social probation, and exclusion from the residence halls for no less than one full semester; and/ or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be excluded from the residence halls for no less than one full semester.

4th Offense: No less than one full semester suspension from the College and an exclusion from campus housing.

Sanctions for Other Controlled Substances

Those individuals who are found possessing small amounts of any other controlled substances or possessing paraphernalia with residue of their use:

1st Offense: Fine, probation and possible assessment.

2nd Offense: For on-campus residents

• No less than one full semester suspension from residence halls, loss of room rent, and social probation; and/ or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be suspended from the residence halls for no less than one full semester.

2nd Offense: For off-campus students

• Fine, social probation, and exclusion from the residence halls for no less than one full semester; and/or
• Chemical dependency assessment and treatment if indicated. If treatment is not indicated, a fine will be levied as a sanction for the offense. If treatment is indicated and the offender refuses it, a fine will be levied and the offender will be excluded from the residence halls for no less than one full semester.

3rd Offense: $500 fine, plus not less than two full terms suspension and an indefinite exclusion from campus housing.

All drug offenses in which a substance is found and identified to be illegal will be reported to the local police.

Fines

All fines collected via drug and alcohol violations will be used to purchase alcohol and drug education materials.

The College strives to balance its concern for the health and welfare of individual students with those of the larger campus community. Consequently, when a student’s conduct is dangerous or disruptive of campus life, the College may take disciplinary action against him or her. In some cases, the Vice President for Student Affairs and Institutional Sustainability, in consultation with the Student Life staff, may offer the student the option of taking a psychological assessment from an agency, institution, or practitioner selected by the College, instead of or in addition to such action.

The assessment process will be coordinated by the vice president for student affairs. A student selecting this option will be required to sign a release providing appropriate College officials access to the assessment results. The College will use the information gathered through the assessment to determine whether the individual will be allowed to continue as a student and/or remain in a College residence hall.

A student who is permitted to continue at the College will be required to follow the recommendations of the assessing agency/practitioner as well as those imposed by the College. The student will be required to execute a release to enable College officials to receive copies of the agency/practitioner’s records to monitor the student’s compliance with the treatment plan. Confidentiality in this process, from referral through the completion of treatment, will be provided according to the College’s policies on student records.

The student’s health insurance will be responsible for paying the costs of the initial assessment and any subsequent treatment. Any failure to adhere to the treatment plan, further endangerment to the well-being of the student or others, or further disruption of the campus environment may result in immediate suspension or expulsion.

As of October 1, 1991, Northland College is a smoke-free campus in all of its campus-owned buildings and vehicles. The only exceptions to this are when smoking is used within campus-approved Native American ceremonial occasions.

If you need to change your official and legal name, you must provide the Registrar’s Office with the following official documentation:

• Social Security card and
• valid driver’s license or picture ID.

Address Change
If you need to change your address, please complete the change of address form below. Students must provide a permanent off-campus address. A Northland College campus mailbox is not a valid permanent address.

Northland College recognizes that some of its students use first names other than one’s legal first name to identify themselves. Because of this, the College allows students to use a first name different than one’s legal first name on certain college records.

Northland College reserves the right to remove a preferred first name if it contains inappropriate or offensive language or if the name is being used inappropriately (such as for legal misrepresentation). Any review would be conducted by Student Affairs.

One’s preferred first name is considered public directory information.

Please note that changing your preferred first name for certain records does not change your legal first name with Northland College. Below is a listing of all the areas in which your preferred first name will appear (once changed) and areas in which your legal first name will still appear.

Preferred First Name Will Appear

• Alumni office records
• Athletic team lists
• MyNorthland email
• MyNorthland online faculty/staff directory
• Class Rosters
• Commencement Programs
• Dean’s List
• Diploma (if requested on graduation application)
• Faculty Advisee Lists
• Emergency Contact Lists
• Food Service
• Major/Minor lists
• Residential Life rosters
• Student ID Card (provided you obtain a new one from Residential Life)

Legal First Name Will Appear

• Financial aid and billing records and communication
• Official and unofficial transcripts
• Parking permit registrations
• Paychecks and paystubs
• Registrar’s Office records (i.e., permanent student file records)
• Some official correspondence such as financial aid awards, residential life contracts, department or program notices, new hire forms, etc.
• Study abroad (e.g., travel documents, signature documents)
• Transfer credit evaluation

Complete the form below to request to have a preferred first name instead of a legal first name reflected within specific college records. You will be contacted by IT to set up a time for the preferred name change to be implemented. We cannot update our records unless you respond to this inquiry. Students who have not completed this process—even those who indicated a preferred first name on one’s admissions application—will have one’s legal first name shown by default.

Please note that changing your preferred first name for certain records does not change your legal first name with Northland College.

All currently enrolled Northland College students are provided with access to the my.northland.edu student website, a Northland email address, and a campus mailbox. The my.northland.edu website provides students access to:

• general information (deadline dates, tuition rates, and registration materials);
• personal information (grades, tuition balance, schedule of classes and unofficial transcript);
• interactive services (online registration and a GPA calculator)

Email is the official means of communication between Northland College and each individual student. The campus mailbox is for correspondence that is addressed to the student coming through the U.S. Postal Service as well as various on-campus departments. Students are expected to check the portal, email, and their campus mailbox on a regular basis.

The information below is designed to help students gain a better understanding of the parameters by which students with disabilities are served by Northland College and, specifically, to identify the rights and responsibilities of each party.

Northland College has the right to:

• Request professional documentation verifying the nature of a student’s disability, the academic or physical limitations the disability presents, and the need for specific accommodations;
• Consult with college officials in attempt to determine the student’s qualifications for a degree program or course;
• Discuss the documentation submitted by a student with the party who produced the documentation and/or professional sources or additional experts (omitting identifying information) as needed to determine eligibility for Accessibility Services under the ADA or section 504;
• Deny a request for accommodation if a student’s documentation does not verify the need for the request;
• Deny a request for accommodation if it is deemed unreasonable, compromises the essential elements of the course or program, or poses an undue financial or administrative burden on the College.

Students with disabilities have the right to:

• Equal access to Northland College’s courses, programs, activities, and facilities;
• Individual assessment of disability and skills;
• Reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids as appropriate;
• Confidentiality of disability related information;
• Control the release of disability related information except as otherwise required by law;
• Appeal the coordinator’s decisions concerning reasonable accommodations by following the grievance procedures outlined in this document.

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

• Meet the qualifications essential for participation in academic courses and programs;
• If seeking accommodation, identify him/herself as a student with a disability and follow the procedures for applying for academic accommodations outlined in this document;
• Engage in an interactive process to establish and implement reasonable accommodations;
• Provide professional documentation verifying the nature of a disability, the academic or the physical limitations a disability presents, and the need for specific accommodations;
• Notify their instructors that they will be using accommodations by submitting an accommodation letter to each faculty member each semester.

The accommodations coordinator has the responsibility to:

• Ensure that, with or without accommodations, students with disabilities can obtain equal access to the College’s programs, activities, service and facilities;
• Inform students with disabilities about the availability and range of accommodations, and provide the policies and procedures necessary to obtain accommodations upon request;
• Determine each student’s eligibility for accommodation;
• Provide individualized assessments and evaluate students based on their abilities;
• Protect and maintain the integrity of the academic standards of individual courses or programs;
• Ensure that eligible students are provided with approved accommodations in a fair and timely manner;
• Establish through appropriate faculty members, the abilities, skills and knowledge fundamental to academic programs and courses and to evaluate each student’s requested accommodations on this basis;
• Maintain confidentiality of documentation and communication concerning students with disabilities except when otherwise specified by law or consent to release disability related information is provided by the student.

Northland College’s faculty members have the right to:

• Establish abilities, skills, and knowledge fundamental to academic programs and courses;
• Verify a student’s eligibility for accommodations with the coordinator of student accessibility resources;
• Expect students to participate actively in the process of establishing and acquiring accommodations;
• Expect students to abide by all College policies and procedures related to obtaining reasonable accommodations.

Northland faculty members have the responsibility to:

• Work in cooperation with the coordinator of student accessibility resources to ensure that eligible students are provided with approved accommodations in a timely manner;
• Consider equal access issues for students with disabilities when establishing academic courses, course requirements and teaching methods;
• Discuss any concerns related to the provision of accommodations with the coordinator of student accessibility resources as necessary;
• Assure the confidentiality of all disability related information;
• Refer students who identify themselves as, or those suspected as, having a disability to the coordinator of student accessibility resources.

Appeal Process

The decision of the Office of Accommodations may be appealed, in writing, within five (5) business days of the date on the notification message. Written appeals must be submitted to the Office of Accommodations for processing.

Appeals must state a specific reason for reconsideration. Appeals may only be based on:

1. New information, which was not available at the time of the initial review, to support the request as an accommodation.
2. A procedural error that occurred which unfairly affected the decision.

A student who foresees any educational issues related to a pregnancy or due to parenting responsibilities is strongly encouraged to notify Northland College personnel as soon as possible. By doing so, the student and Northland College personnel can collaborate and develop an appropriate plan for the continuation of the student’s education. Pre-planning can also help with particular challenges a student may face while pregnant, when recovering from childbirth, or due to parenting obligations (e.g., missed classes, make-up work, etc.), and this planning can be particularly beneficial in teacher preparation programs due to their practical requirements. Please note, however, that the choice to inform the College of a pregnancy is voluntary, and a student is not required to share this information with the College.

Options

If a student voluntarily decides to disclose a pregnancy to the College or is concerned that parenting responsibilities may have an impact on class attendance or other educational obligations, the student should contact the Accommodations and Disability Services Coordinator. Once contact has been made, the student will have several options, as described below.

1. Continue at the College and Seek Reasonable Adjustments to Educational Obligations

• If a student decides to continue in their program and desires to have any adjustments to their academic program due to pregnancy or parenting responsibilities, the student and the Accommodations and Disability Services Coordinator will discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be implemented. The Accommodations and Disability Services Coordinator may also consult with other College personnel in determining what, if any, reasonable adjustments are available. Also, while the student is able to and encouraged to ask for specific adjustments that are believed to be necessary, the College reserves the right to deny specific requests that it determines are not reasonable in light of the College’s programs and the particular circumstances raised by the student’s situation.
• Adjustments that have been agreed upon, if any, will be documented and signed by both the student and the Accommodations and Disability Services Coordinator.

2.  Request a Leave of Absence

• A student may desire to take a medical leave of absence due to pregnancy or parenting responsibilities, and the Dean of Students is available to discuss this option with the student.
• A leave of absence due to pregnancy or parenting responsibilities may be for various amounts of time, depending on a student’s particular circumstances. A leave based on pregnancy may be extended if deemed medically necessary by the student’s doctor. However, a leave of absence must be taken prior to term start and may not be granted for longer than a period of one year and may have financial aid implications.
• If taking a medical leave of absence under this policy, an Education Plan will be discussed and signed by the student and their advisor.

3. Withdraw from the College

• The student may, in their sole discretion, determine that they must withdraw from the College for an indefinite period of time or permanently due to pregnancy or parenting responsibilities. Normal College withdrawal procedures, and readmission procedures (if applicable), apply.

Our commitment

Northland College is committed to fostering an educational and professional community in which all members of our community are able to strive for excellence in their educational and professional pursuits. A key component of such communities is open and honest communication.

To this end, it is the policy of Northland College to provide an effective process for a student to bring concerns or complaints to the attention of the institution for review and resolution. While we encourage students to resolve issues promptly with those involved, we recognize that resolutions of student complaints may need to involve others, including campus offices.

This policy is not intended to address Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment Policy violations. If you need to report an incident of sexual or gender-based harassment or assault, please go the the Title IX webpage.

Informal Approach

Concerns regarding another student(s)

As a first step, a student is encouraged to discuss their concern directly with the other student(s) involved. For example, roommate conflicts should first be discussed between roommates.

• If the student feels uncomfortable with directly discussing their concerns with the involved individual(s), and they live on campus, then the student may discuss their concern with first the Residential Life staff in their building.
• If the student does not live on campus, any member of the Student Affairs division can be substituted for the Residential Life staff.
• If the student does not think the concern was handled properly or it is not resolved, the Director of Residential Life can be involved for residential students or the Student Welfare Coordinator for off-campus students.
• If the student is still not satisfied with the concern, they may discuss the matter with the Dean of Students (see Formal Procedures below).

Concerns regarding the classroom

As a first step, a student is encouraged to discuss their concern directly with the instructor.

• If the student feels uncomfortable with directly discussion their concern with the involved instructor, or thinks that the concern was not handled appropriately, the student may discuss their concern with their academic advisor.
• If the issue is still not resolved, the student may discuss their concern with the department head (unless the professor in question is the department chair).
• If the student is still not satisfied with the concern, they may discuss the matter with the Dean of Academic Affairs (see Formal Procedures below).

Concerns regarding an employee

As a first step, a student is encouraged to discuss their concern directly with the employee involved.

• If the student feels uncomfortable with directly discussing their concern with the involved employee or thinks that the concern was not handled appropriately, the student may discuss their concern with the appropriate supervisor.
• If the student is still not satisfied with the concern, they may discuss the matter with the Office of Human Resources (see Formal Procedures below).

Concerns regarding an administrative decision of College 

As a first step, the student is encouraged to discuss their concern directly with the administrator of the appropriate department. For example, a student may have concerns about a parking policy and contact Campus Safety.

• If the student is still not satisfied with the concern, they may discuss the matter with the President’s Office (see Formal Procedures below).

When successful, this informal approach results in a resolution of the concern that might take the form of an apology, correction, or compromise. The resolution should be mutual and agreeable to all parties.

Formal Procedures

If the informal approach is not successful, or if a student is not comfortable using this approach, the formal resolution process may be initiated. The formal process begins with a submission of the student complaint form. Depending on the nature of the complaint, the form may be sent to a variety of offices, including, but not limited to, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, or the President’s Office.

The respective recipient reviews the complaint, connects with needed resources, and notifies the individual who submitted the complaint of the respective resource for follow-up. The respective resource (department chair, office, supervisor, etc.) will seek resolution of the complaint with all parties. A record of the written complaint and its resolution is maintained in the student’s official record and any other relevant offices (Academic Affairs, Human Resources, Student Affairs, etc.).

A decision by the respective member of administration is final.

Student Formal Complaint Form