The Daily Bulletin

In the February 2022 meeting of the College Senate, the Standards for Students Committee brought forth for a vote a revision to DOPS Policy VIII:01:00 Judicial System. The College Senate voted in favor of the resolution, presented by the Standards for Students Committee on February 11, 2022.

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: VII:01:00                           
Date:  Revision
Subject: Judicial System

• To remove duplication of Student Code of Conduct from DOPS.
• Reduce confusion over multiple copies of policies that reference the Student Code of Conduct on the Buffalo State site-wide web search.

Original DOPS: http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/dops/policysect8/080100.pdf

BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
DIRECTORY OF POLICY STATEMENTS
Policy Number: VIII:01:00                                                                  
Date: July 1987

Subject: Student Code of Conduct

As stated in the Student Code of Conduct, SECTION 1.C - INHERENT AUTHORITY FOR THE STUDENT CONDUCT PROCESS:

Section 356g of the Education Law empowers the College Council of each state-operated campus of the State University of New York to make regulations governing the conduct of students. All programs for student welfare and conduct are entrusted to and administered by the president of Buffalo State College on behalf of the College Council.

The president has delegated administration, enforcement, and modification of programs and policies for student conduct to the vice president for student affairs. In addition to the Code of Conduct, the rules, regulations, and procedures for the Maintenance of Public Order on campuses of the State University of New York, adopted by the Board of Trustees, are in effect at Buffalo State College.

Alleged infractions of non-academic rules and regulations are adjudicated through the College Court. The system emphasizes student involvement in the judicial student conduct process. The College Court is not a court of law; hence, the formal rules of evidence do not apply as they are applicable in a court of law. The judicial student conduct system provides for a full and open discussion of cases by all parties concerned in an effort to render a fair judgment.

The Student Code of Conduct SECTION 4: STUDENT CONDUCT PROCEDURES states: "The student conduct system uses a "preponderance of evidence" standard of proof. A preponderance of evidence standard evaluates whether it is more likely than not that a violation occurred."

The judicial student conduct system encourages the informal handling of infractions if deemed appropriate and if considered satisfactory to all concerned.

The judicial student conduct system follows the policies and procedures detailed in the Student Code of Conduct, which recognizes that students have rights, freedoms, and responsibilities both as citizens and as members of the college community. The student conduct system is operable within the provisions of the Constitution of the United States; federal, state, and local laws; and the policies of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York. It shall apply to conduct that occurs on college premises and at college-sponsored programs and activities, and to off-campus conduct that adversely affects the college community, the pursuit of its objectives, or neighboring communities. A student may be charged with violating local, state, and federal laws and also the Student Code of Conduct.

Disciplinary action may be taken by the college against a student for violation of a federal, state, or local criminal statute. A definite relationship between the statutory violation and the college's rules and regulations must exist. The violation of a statute or conviction off-campus must be shown to be such that it justifies action by the Student Code of Conduct.

Further details about the process and procedure of the student conduct system can be found in the Student Code of Conduct SECTION 4: STUDENT CONDUCT PROCEDURES.

Reference:
State University of New York College at Buffalo, Student Conduct and Community Standards, Student Code of Conduct (2018), https://studentconduct.buffalostate.edu/student-code-conduct

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate and charge the provost with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.