Student Rights and Responsibilities: A Code of Student Behavior
1.0 Purpose and Application
Higher education plays a vital role in developing future leaders by providing students with educational opportunities both in and outside the classroom. As an institution of higher education, the University of Southern Indiana is a learning community dedicated to excellence. All USI students are presented with rights, privileges, and opportunities by choosing to become a part of the USI community.
For USI community members to live and learn in harmony, they must assume responsibility for their actions and respect the rights of others. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni make a commitment to furthering the mission of the University of Southern Indiana.
The University of Southern Indiana expects and requires all its students upon admission to the University to develop, adhere to, and maintain high standards of scholarship and conduct. The Student Rights and Responsibilities is the guiding document for USI community standards, and outlines all rights and responsibilities afforded to USI students.
The student conduct process at the University of Southern Indiana 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 conform their behavior to community expectations, the student conduct process may determine that the student 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 and a hearing before an objective decision-maker. No student will be found in violation of University/College policy without information showing that it is more likely than not 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.
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This Student Rights and Responsibilities was approved on August 14, 2023, by Dean Laurie Berry, and implemented on August 15, 2023.