Core Values and Behavioral Expectations
The College considers the behavior described in the following sections as inappropriate for the College community and in opposition to the core values set forth in this document. These expectations and rules apply to all students, whether undergraduate or graduate. The College encourages community members to report to 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 VII: Formal Conduct Procedures.
- Integrity: Otis 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
- Falsification. Knowingly furnishing or possessing false, falsified or forged materials such as falsification or misuse of documents, accounts, records, identification, or financial instruments.
- Academic Dishonesty. Acts of academic dishonesty as outlined in the Code of Academic Integrity. This includes but is not limited to, plagiarism, fabrication, and cheating.
- Unauthorized Access. Unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of means of access to any College building (i.e., keys, cards, etc.) or failing to timely report a lost College ID Card or key.
- Collusion. Action or inaction with another or others to violate the Code of Student Conduct.
- 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.
- Trust. Violations of positions of trust within the community.
- Election Tampering. Tampering with the election of any College-recognized student organization.
- Taking of Property. Intentional and unauthorized taking of College property or the personal property of another, including goods, services, and other valuables.
- Stolen Property. Knowingly taking or maintaining possession of stolen property.
- Abuse of Conduct Process. Abuse or interference with, or failure to comply in, College processes including
conduct, 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 a member of a campus conduct body prior to, during, and/or following a campus conduct proceeding;
- Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the campus conduct system, and
- Influencing, or attempting to influence, another person to commit an abuse of the campus conduct system.
- Community and Civil Engagement: Otis College students build and enhance their community. Behavior that violates
this value includes, but is not limited to the following.
- Disruptive Behavior. Disruption of College operations including obstruction of teaching, research, administration, other College activities, and/or other authorized non-College activities that occur on campus.
- Riots. Causing, inciting, or participating in any disturbance that presents a clear and present danger to self or others, causes physical harm to others, or destruction of property.
- Unauthorized Entry. Misuse of access privileges to 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 College building.
- Trademark Misuse. Unauthorized use (including misuse) of College or organizational names and images.
- Damage and Destruction. Intentional and/or unauthorized damage to or destruction of College property or the personal property of another.
- IT and Acceptable Use. Violating the College Acceptable Use and Computing Policy, found online at http://www.otis.edu/information-systems/policies-forms
- Gambling. Gambling as prohibited by the laws of the State of California. (Gambling may include raffles, lotteries, sports pools and online betting activities. For more information, see The Hoot, “Community Standards”).
- Weapons. Possession, use, or distribution of explosives (including fireworks and ammunition), guns (including air, BB, paintball, facsimile weapons, and pellet guns), or other weapons or dangerous objects such as arrows, axes, machetes, nunchucks, throwing stars, or knives (switchblade or belt buckle) with a blade of longer than two inches, including the storage of any item that falls within the category of a weapon in a vehicle parked on College property.
- Tobacco. Smoking or tobacco use in any area of campus except for the designated smoking areas. This includes prohibiting the use of Tobacco under the age of 21 as defined by California State law.
- Fire Safety. Violation of local, state, federal or campus fire policies including, but not limited to, intentionally or recklessly causing a fire that damages College or personal property or that causes injury. Failure to evacuate a College-controlled building during a fire alarm; Improper use of College fire safety equipment; or tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on College property. Such action may result in a local fine in addition to College sanctions.
- Animals. Animals, with the exception of service animals that provide assistance (e.g., seeing-eye dogs) and pets as outlined in the Residence Life Handbook and solely related to students within the program and their guests, are not permitted on campus except as permitted by law.
- Wheeled Devices. Skateboards, hoverboards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles, and similar wheeled devices are not permitted inside buildings, the residential community, or on campus. Additionally, skateboards and other wheeled items may not be ridden on railings, curbs, benches, or any such fixtures that may be damaged by these activities, and individuals may be liable for damage to College property caused by these activities.
- Respect: Otis College students show positive regard for each other and for the community.
Behavior that violates this value includes, but is not limited to
- Harm to Persons. Intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm or endangering the health or safety of any person.
- Threatening Behaviors. Written and/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.
- 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, and are not protected by freedom of expression.
- Hazing. Defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or one 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, failing to discourage and/or failing to report those acts may also violate this policy.
- Social Responsibility: Otis College students are given and accept a high level of responsibility to self,
to others and to the community. Behavior that violates this value includes, but is
not limited to the following:
- Sexual Assault. Nonconsensual Sexual Intercourse (or attempts to commit the same): Any sexual intercourse (anal, oral, or vaginal), however slight, with any object, by a person upon another person, without consent and/or by physical force.
- Sexual Assault. Nonconsensual Sexual Contact (or attempts to commit the same): Any intentional sexual touching, however slight, with any object, by person upon another person, without consent and/or by physical force.
- Dating/Relationship Violence. Dating Violence is violence or abuse committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with another. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. Dating violence includes sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. Relationship Violence is violence or abuse used by one person who has been or is in a relationship with another. Partners may be married or not married; heterosexual, gay, or lesbian; living together, separated or dating.
- Stalking. Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that is unwelcome and would cause a reasonable person to feel fear for their safety or the safety of their family/household.
- Sexual Misconduct. Includes, but is not limited to, sexual harassment, nonconsensual sexual contact, nonconsensual sexual intercourse, and/or sexual exploitation (see "Community Standards Sexual Misconduct Policy" for further information).
- Public Exposure. Includes deliberately and publicly exposing one’s intimate body parts, public urination and defecation, and public sex acts.
- Sexual Harassment.Hostile Environment: includes situations in which there is harassing conduct that is sufficiently severe, pervasive/persistent, and objectively offensive so that it alters the conditions of education, from both a subjective (the alleged victim’s) and objective (a reasonable person’s) viewpoint. The determination of whether an environment is “hostile” must be based on all the circumstances.
- Sexual Harassment: Quid Pro Quo: sexual harassment exists when there are unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where submission to, or rejection of, such conduct results in educational or employment action.
- Sexual Exploitation. Taking nonconsensual or abusive sexual advantage of another for one’s own advantage or benefit, or to benefit a person other than the one being exploited.
- Sexual Intimidation. Stalking, cyberstalking, and/or indecent exposure; Any unreasonable behavior, verbal or nonverbal, which has the effect of subjecting members of either sex to humiliation, embarrassment, or discomfort because of their gender or sexual identity.
- Discrimination. Any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group’s actual or perceived status (sex, gender, race, color, age, 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.
- Discriminatory Harassment. Any unwelcome conduct based on actual or perceived status including sex, gender, race, color, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected status should be reported to campus officials, who will act to remedy and resolve reported incidents. When discriminatory harassment is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent and objectively offensive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s educational or employment program or activities, sanctions can be imposed for the creation of a hostile environment.
- Retaliatory Discrimination or Harassment. Exists when an individual harasses, intimidates, or takes other adverse actions against a person because of the person’s participation in an investigation of discrimination or sexual misconduct or their support of someone involved in an investigation of discrimination or sexual misconduct. Retaliatory actions include, but are not limited to, threats or actual violence against the person or their property, adverse educational or employment consequences, ridicule, intimidation, bullying, or ostracism.
- Alcohol. Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages or paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law and the College’s Alcohol Policy.
- Drugs. Use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances or drug paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law and the College’s Drug Policy.
- Marijuana. Use, possession, or distribution of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, even if it otherwise meets the qualifications of the California compassionate use act, proposition 215, or the adult use of marijuana act, proposition 64. This includes all cannabis products, including those with CBD.
- Prescription Medications. Abuse, misuse, sale, or distribution of prescription or over-the-counter medications.
- Failure to Comply. Failure to comply with the directives of 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.
- 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 members of the institution acting in an official capacity.
- Arrest. Failure of any student to accurately report an off-campus arrest for any crime (including noncustodial or field arrests) by any law enforcement agency to the Office of Student Affairs within seventy-two (72) hours of release.
- Other Policies. Violating other published College policies or rules, including all Residence Hall policies found in the Hallway Handbook.
- Health and Safety. Creation of health and/or safety hazards (dangerous pranks, hanging out of or climbing from/on/in windows, balconies, roofs, etc.).
- Violations of Law. Evidence of violation of local, state, or federal laws, when substantiated through the College’s conduct process.
- Infectious Disease. Violation of College requirements or public health orders in place to reduce the risk of spreading infectious disease or failing to follow any applicable federal, state, and/or local public health orders.