Otis College Philosophy Statement
The Otis 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 student conduct program within the Office of Student Affairs is committed
to an educational and developmental process that balances the interests of individual
students with the interests of the Otis College community.
A community exists on the basis of shared values and principles. At Otis 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, respect, community/civic
engagement, and social responsibility.
Each member of the Otis 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 Otis 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 community expectations. When a student is unable to uphold our shared community
expectations, the student conduct process may determine that they should no longer
share in the privilege of participating in this 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 of due process afforded by the courts.
Due process, as defined within these procedures:
- assures written notice of the charges against them
- provides an opportunity for a hearing before an objective decision-maker or committee
- provides an opportunity to respond to the charges against them
No student will be found in violation of College policy without information demonstrating that it is more likely than not (preponderance of evidence) 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.