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Mt. Hood Community College Mt. Hood Community College Mt. Hood Community College

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  • Student Rights: AR-7040-D

  • Section 7000: Students
    Student Rights
    Administrative Regulation: AR-7040-D
    		 President’s Cabinet (PC) Approval: 3/5/96
    Revised: 8/11/98
    9/23/08
    9/22/09

    Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) provides citizens access to higher education, giving them the ability to make life choices; adapt to change; build strong communities; contribute to and derive benefit from the new economy; and become part of a skilled workforce.

    1. Classroom Freedom
      A student will have the right of free discussion, inquiry and expression. Students will be evaluated solely on academic performance.
      1. Protection of freedom of expression: Students are free to:
        1. Take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study;
        2. Retain personal judgment about matters of opinion.
      2. Protection against improper disclosure: Information about an individual student’s views, personal beliefs and political associations which faculty acquire from their work as course instructors is confidential.
    2. Out of Class Student Freedom
      1. The College retains the legal right to adopt such rules as are deemed necessary to govern its operations and accomplish its educational mission.
      2. Freedom of association: Students will be free to organize and join associations to promote their common interests.
        1. The Associated Students of Mt. Hood Community College (ASMHCC) student government oversees the policies and actions of student organizations. The ASMHCC Executive Cabinet and Senate are responsible for assuring that student groups comply with MHCC’s contractual obligations, institutional policies and regulations and local, state and federal statutes.
        2. Affiliations with an off-campus organization do not keep groups from institutional recognition unless the affiliation seriously threatens to cause a substantial disruption or material interference with normal operation of the College.
        3. The adviser to the ASMHCC Executive Board will be appointed by the vice president of student success and enrollment management.
        4. Other organizations will choose their advisers from the MHCC staff with the concurrence of the Director of Student Life. If an adviser is not selected by the organization, the institution may assign an adviser; however, institutional recognition will not be withheld or withdrawn solely because of the inability of a student organization to secure an adviser. Additional advisers may be secured from the College staff. Informal advisers from off campus organizations can meet with student leaders and informally advise student groups, but they must first register with the Office of Student Life. Stewardship of all clubs and student organizations must be held by students. All advisers must ensure that all decisions are made by the students. Advisers from outside organizations are considered visitors at Mt. Hood Community College and their informal relationship with a student organization does not constitute an endorsement of the off-campus group by the College.

          Student clubs are required to submit a statement of purpose, address and telephone contact information for three student leaders of the group, the criteria for membership and rules of procedure before gaining charter as outlined in the ASMHCC constitution and bylaws. Membership lists are not required as a condition of institutional recognition.

          Campus organizations, including those affiliated with an off-campus organization will be open to all students.
      3. Freedom of inquiry and expression: As constituents of MHCC, students will be free to inquire, to research and express their ideas on any topic of interest to them or of general interest to the students at large.
      4. Student participation in institutional government: As constituents of MHCC, students will be free to express their views on issues of institutional policy and on matters of general interest to the students. The students and/or their association are given the opportunity to provide input in the formulation and application of institutional board policy.
      5. Student Publications:
        1. In the delegation of editorial responsibility to students, the institution provides sufficient editorial freedom and financial autonomy for the student publications to maintain their integrity of purpose as vehicles for free inquiry and free expression in academic community. Publications will adhere to the Oregon Code of Ethics for Journalism of the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association;
        2. All MHCC published and financed student publications will explicitly state on the editorial page that the opinions there expressed are not necessarily those of the College or student association;
        3. Complaints on publication rights will be taken to the publication review committee.
    3. Off-campus Freedom of Students
      Rights of citizenship — As citizens, students will enjoy the same freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and right of petition that other citizens enjoy. Faculty members and administrative officials will ensure that institutional powers are not employed to inhibit such intellectual and personal development of students nor to duplicate the function of civil authorities.
    4. Limitations
      In order for MHCC to function as an institution of higher learning, it must be protected from disruption. For that reason, students may be suspended or expelled where their acts or actions threaten or cause a substantial disruption or material interference with normal College activities.
    5. Complaint Procedure
      The rights as enumerated herein will be enforced solely and exclusively pursuant to the complaint procedure contained in the current collective bargaining agreement with the faculty association or normal administrative channels in accordance with the table of organization.