Student Code of Conduct

Your academic attitude is a major factor in your success at Aims. You share responsibility along with your professor and other students for creating a productive learning environment, which includes behaving courteously and respectfully and becoming self-disciplined in your learning.

Here are ways to create a productive college experience:

1. Attend class and pay attention.
2. Be on time and stay until the end.
3. Give full attention when the instructor or another student speaks.
4. Show respect and concern for others by not monopolizing class discussion.
5. Turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones, pagers, MP3 players, etc.
6. Refrain from text messaging.
7. Obtain permission from your instructor if you want to bring a visitor to class.

As a student, you have the right to a learning environment free from distractions. If others in your classroom are engaging in behavior that interferes with your learning, bring the situation to the attention of your instructor. He or she is responsible for managing the classroom environment and determining the action that should be taken.

The instructor has the right and the responsibility to take appropriate action when he or she observes inappropriate classroom behavior. The form of intervention taken by the instructor will depend on the nature of the misconduct observed.

1. Conduct Relating to Acts of Dishonesty

• Cheating
• Fabrication or falsification
• Plagiarism
• Complicity in academic dishonesty
• Falsifying grade reports
• Lying
• Other acts of dishonesty

2. Conduct Causing Disruption or Obstruction of College Operations, Activities, or Functions

• Leading or inciting others to disrupt scheduled activities
• Disruption or obstruction of teaching or other college activities
• Disruption of any college-sponsored activity or event on or off campus
• Obstruction of ingress to or egress from any college building
• Obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic
• Obstructing or failing to comply with the directions of any college official
• Using obscene language

3. Conduct Related to College Property or Property of Members of the College Community

• Unauthorized occupation or use of or entry into any college building
• Destroying, defacing, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other college-owned resources or equipment
• Forging, altering, or otherwise falsifying any college document, record or instrument of identification
• Borrowing, lending or improperly possessing any college instrument of identification
• Using college computing resources for any purpose other than the purpose for which they are intended
• Unauthorized use of college property, facilities, equipment or materials
• Possessing, producing, manufacturing or having manufactured without proper authorization any key or unlocking device for use on any college facility or lock
• Traffic violations including reckless endangerment, reckless driving, speeding or operating any vehicle while intoxicated
• Taking or damaging the property of any student, college employee or member of the college community

4. Conduct Involving the Use of a Controlled Substance, Alcohol or Tobacco

• Selling, representing you are selling, dispensing, representing you are dispensing, possessing, distributing, using, abusing, or being under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or a controlled substance while on campus or at a college-sponsored event
• Using any tobacco product in any college building; using marijuana on all College property

5. Conduct Causing or Threatening Harm or Injury to Other Persons

• Engaging in any act for the purpose of injuring, threatening to injure, or unreasonably alarming a member of the college including physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment or coercion
• Engaging or attempting to in any act for the purpose of unreasonably interfering with the work, education or the environment or activities of any member of the college
• Using obscene language to verbally abuse any member of the college community
• Any disparaging comment, epithet, slur, insult, derogatory opinion, or other expressive behavior concerning age, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability, or any other personal characteristic of an individual or group
• Conduct that is disorderly, lewd or indecent
• Sexual harassment, which includes making unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or other unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or sexual behavior that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment
• Carrying, bringing, using, or possessing any dangerous weapon on campus or at any College-sponsored activity, subject to Colorado State Law
• Participating in, making claims of, or claiming responsibility for terrorist activity such as threats of bombs, biological weapons, etc. whether in fact or as a hoax

6. Conduct Causing an Abuse of the Disciplinary Process

• Failure to obey the summons of a college official
• Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information to a college official
• Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a disciplinary proceeding
• Attempting to discourage an individual's participation in or use of the disciplinary process
• Attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a disciplinary proceeding
• Harassment (verbal or physical) or intimidation of a member of a disciplinary proceeding
• Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed under the disciplinary process
• Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the disciplinary process

7. Conduct Involving Social Media

• Entries or posts on social media outlets that violate federal, state or local law

8. Other Unlawful Acts of Misconduct

• Any act that occurs on any of the college campuses or at any college activity or sponsored event that is in violation of any other college policy, standard or regulation, or any ordinance of federal, state or local laws.

The Dean of Students Office receives incident reports from Campus Security Officers, faculty, staff, or other members of the college community. 

If a report suggests that you may have violated the Aims Community College Student Code of Conduct you will be asked to schedule a meeting with the Dean of Students. You will receive a notice letter with the nature of the complaint and the conduct code that has been allegedly violated. The notice letter may contain specific requirements or restrictions pending the resolution of the matter to protect the interests of involved students or employees of the college. 

These requirements could include but are not limited to restriction from specific campus locations or orders prohibiting contact with the complainants or witnesses. The notice letter will be sent to the student 's current address listed in the college database. If a notice letter is returned due to a change of address that has not been recorded, the letter may be served to the student by a Campus Security Officer. Failure to comply with a summons from the Dean of Students may result in disciplinary action which may include being placed on hold.

At the meeting you may explain your perspective on the incident. The Dean of Students will issue a decision whether the alleged conduct occurred; whether the conduct violated the Code of Conduct or other college policies or procedures; and impose a sanction(s) if appropriate. You will receive a written notice of the decision and be advised of your right to appeal.

If you are found responsible for a conduct code violation, you may be assigned one or more sanctions. All sanctions are issued in writing. View a complete explanation of the Disciplinary Process.

Possible sanctions include:

• Warning
• Probation
• Loss of privileges
• Other disciplinary measures such as fines, restitution, assignment to perform services for the benefit of the college community, required meetings with an advisor or other college official, required attendance at programs, or restriction to selected locations
• Withdrawal from class with consequent loss of tuition and fees
• Immediate suspension from the college to ensure the safety and well-being of the college community
• Faculty determination of immediate suspension from class if a student is unresponsive to a faculty member's intervention and continues to be disruptive
• College suspension with consequent loss of tuition and fees for up to two academic terms
• College expulsion with consequent loss of tuition and fees for more than two academic terms
• Revocation of admission prior to matriculation for fraud, misrepresentation or other serious behavioral violation
• Withholding the awarding of a degree or certificate until the process set forth in the Student Code of Conduct has been completed including the completion of sanctions imposed
• Parental notification when a student is under age 18

If you disagree with the outcome of your hearing you may file a written appeal with the Dean of Students within seven days of receiving your disciplinary decision letter. Your appeal letter should answer the following questions:

• Was the disciplinary meeting conducted fairly? Did you have a chance to present relevant information?
• Was the decision reached based on sufficient information?
• Was the sanction(s) appropriate for the violation?
• Is new information available that may impact the decision?

An Appeal Committee will be appointed to review your request. You will have an opportunity to appear before the Committee to present your case. After reviewing your request, the Committee will make one of these decisions:

• Reverse the decision
• Affirm the decision
• Modify the decision

You will receive the Appeal Committee 's decision in writing. The Decision of the Appeal Committee is final.

Full details about the appeal process are explained in the Aims Disciplinary Process.