Code Violations

Howard Community College expects its students to adhere to high standards of honor and good citizenship. Students must conduct themselves in a responsible manner, which reflects credit upon themselves and the college. Acts of misconduct subject to disciplinary action include but are not limited to the following:

• Academic dishonesty (see section on academic honesty).
• Abuse or interference with, or failure to comply in, college processes including conduct and academic integrity hearings, including but not limited to: 1) falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information; 2) failure to provide, destroying or concealing information during an investigation of an alleged policy violation; 3) attempting to discourage an individual's proper participation in, or use of, the campus conduct system; 4) harassment (verbal or physical) or intimidation of a member of a campus conduct proceeding; 5) failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the campus conduct system; or 6) influencing, or attempting to influence, another person to commit an abuse of the campus conduct system.
• Forgery or alteration of college records or college identification cards.
• Intentionally furnishing false information to the college.
• Deliberate destruction of, damage to, malicious misuse of, or abuse of property. (Students are financially liable for the repair or replacement of property when the damage is a result of their willful destruction, reckless and intentional behavior, or malicious misuse.)
• Gender-based and sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex offenses as defined by Maryland state law and promulgated by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the sexual violence definition promulgated by Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972. This includes but is not limited to, sexual harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, non-consensual sexual intercourse, or exploitation (see section on sexual misconduct).
• Any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group's perceived status (sex, gender, race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion or sexual orientation, or other protected status) that is sufficiently severe that it limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from the college's educational program or activities.
• Harassment. Any unwelcome conduct based on actual or perceived status (including sex, gender, race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion or sexual orientation, or other protected status). Any unwelcome conduct should be reported to campus officials, who will act to remedy and resolve reported incidents on behalf of the victim and community.
• Retaliatory discrimination or harassment. Any intentional, adverse action taken by a responding individual or allied third party, absent legitimate nondiscriminatory purposes, against a particular participant, or supporter of a participant, in a civil rights grievance proceeding or other protected activity under this code.
• Physical abuse, assault, threat, intimidation, aggressive or threatening behaviors, or stalking of any member of the college community or visitor to the college, or conduct which provides a reasonable expectation of injury to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property. Intimidation is defined as implied threats or acts that cause a reasonable fear of harm in another. Intimate partner/relationship violence is defined as violence or abuse by a person in an intimate relationship with another. Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that is unwelcome and would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. Bullying and cyber bullying are repeated or severe aggressive behaviors that intimidate or intentionally harm or control another person physically or emotionally, and are not protected by freedom of speech. Note: Students are not permitted to contact faculty or staff members off campus, unless prior permission is given and communication is necessary and related to academic issues.
• Public exposure, including deliberately and publicly exposing one's intimate body parts, public urination, defecation, and public sex acts.
• Theft or attempted theft of college or personal property of another, including goods, services, and other valuables, maintaining possession of stolen property, or collusion in assisting another individual in the theft or in maintaining possession of stolen property. Additionally, knowingly passing fraudulent account information, or a worthless check or money order in payment to the institution or to an official of the institution acting in an official capacity.
• Theft or unauthorized use of another individual’s identity, password, access to information, or the identity theft of any member of the college community or visitor to the college, or the unauthorized use or misuse of college or organizational names and images.
• Misuse of HCC’s computer network, equipment, and Internet access for other than educational purposes. This includes, but is not limited to the following: (1) copying or duplicating proprietary software or files stored on college-owned computers that are protected by copyright laws; (2) transmission of communication in any form (e.g., text, images, sound) where the content, meaning, and/or distribution of the message would violate applicable law or regulation, or be deemed obscene or threatening; or (3) any violation of HCC’s Acceptable Use of Technology Policy.
• Disorderly, disruptive, obscene, or indecent conduct on college-owned or controlled property, or at off-campus functions sponsored by, or participated in, by the college.
• Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other college activities, including the college’s public service functions or other authorized activities on college-owned or controlled property, or during an off-campus college-sponsored activity.
• Participation in, or organization of, any unauthorized activity to interrupt the functions of the college.
• Intentionally and substantially interfering with the freedom of expression of others.
• Illegal or unauthorized possession or use firearms or other weapons on college-owned or controlled property. This includes the storage of a firearm or weapon, such as in a vehicle parked on college property. Weapons include by are not limited to knives, arrows, axes, machetes, nunchucks, throwing starts, firearms, fireworks, explosives, electronic control devices (i.e., TASERS and stun guns), dangerous chemicals to include pepper spray and made, or arms classified as weapons.  An instrument designed to look like a weapon, or an instrument used by an individual to cause reasonable apprehension or harm is expressly included within the definition of weapon.  which is used by a student to cause reasonable apprehension or harm, is expressly included within the definition of weapon. Circumstances and notification requirements under which individuals are allowed to possess weapons on campus are outlined in the Weapons Policy. Failure to disclose this information is a violation of this code (see section on weapons).
• Unauthorized entry to or use of college-owned or controlled facilities, including all buildings and grounds.
• Demonstrations that interfere with the rights of other members of the college community or with the normal function of the college.
• Deliberate disobedience or resistance of properly identified college authorities acting in the line of duty.
• Initiation of, or causing to be initiated, any false report, warning, or threat of fire, bomb explosion, or other emergency.
• Unauthorized or fraudulent use of the college’s facilities and equipment, including but not limited to the phone, mail, computer, and transportation systems.
• Hazing. This includes any act or causing any situation which recklessly or intentionally subjects a student to the risk of bodily injury or endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission in a student organization.
• Unattended Children. Students must not bring children under the age of 16 on campus and leave them unattended while attending classes or campus activities. Students who violate this policy may be subject to the penalties of the Family Law Article, Section 5-801, et seq. This restriction does not apply to younger students enrolled under special admission procedures.
• Bringing children to class. Note: The college recognizes students may have difficulty with day care for their children; however, HCC views the classroom as an adult-learning environment, and one that should be free from potential distractions.
• Classroom, office, or lab disruption.
• Failure to identify oneself when requested by a college official, public safety officer, or faculty member, or failure to comply with instructions from college officials or public safety officers carrying out public safety functions. College officials may question students or campus visitors when there is a reasonable basis for believing that the person being stopped has committed an offense against the rules of the college or the State of Maryland.
• Gambling on college-owned or controlled property, or during college-sponsored activities.
• Excessive parking violations (see section on parking).
• Smoking on college-owned, leased, and controlled properties, including parking lots and garages, and at all college-sponsored activities, or excessive smoking violations (see section on smoking).
• Use of cellular phones and mobile devices in the classroom or lab is at the instructor's discretion. Unless otherwise directed by the instructor, students who must bring such devices to class must disengage or place devices on inaudible signal so as not to disturb or interfere with classroom activities.
• Animals, with the exception of service animals (i.e., seeing-eye dogs), are not permitted on campus except as permitted by law.
• Any unauthorized audio or video recording of any person on college premises or at college sponsored activities at other sites, without his/her prior knowledge or without his/her consent when such a recording has the potential to cause injury or distress. Students with disabilities who have been vetted through the office of Disability Support Services to record lectures must notify their instructor via their accommodation memo of their intent to record and are restricted to using these recordings for educational purposes only. All other students who wish to record lectures must obtain prior permission from their instructors authorizing audio or video recording and are restricted to using these recordings for educational purposes only.
• Any act or behavior which fails to comply with or violates the rules of the college or laws of the state of Maryland or of the United States.
• Alcohol and other drug related offenses. Illegal possession, manufacture, distribution, sale, or use of alcoholic beverages, narcotics, marijuana, hypnotics, sedatives, tranquilizers, stimulants, hallucinogens, and other similar known harmful or habit-forming drugs or chemicals, and the abuse or misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medications or chemicals on college-owned or controlled property, or during any college sponsored activity. Drunkenness or being under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or other substances on college-owned or controlled property or during any college sponsored activity, or intentional violation of the college policy on controlled substances and alcohol. Note: In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the college reserves the right to notify the parents/guardians of students under age 21 years of age, and the parents/guardians of dependent students, regardless of age, of any incident in which the student is found responsible for violating the college's alcohol and drug policy.