The College's Student Code of Conduct expressly prohibits any "and all forms of academic dishonesty." The following conduct clearly falls under the heading of academic dishonesty.

1. Cheating. Any form of cheating, be it on a formal examination, informal quiz, or other submitted material is a violation of college conduct. Copying material from fellow students or from other print or electronic sources during an examination may result in a failing grade for the course or the examination. When students work together on a project, this becomes a joint responsibility for a group so designated, and participation should be limited to the people and resources agreed upon with the instructor.
   
   
2. Plagiarism. Students should realize that presenting the words and ideas of others as their own is dishonest. In college writing, students must fully acknowledge the print, electronic/Internet, or other source of any paraphrased passages and any ideas which they have used. Failure to conform to these academic standards is plagiarism and may result in a failing grade for the course or the project.

If an instructor claims that a student is in violation of the academic dishonesty policy, the instructor may initiate student conduct proceedings through the Campus Associate Dean of Student Services. Alternately, the instructor may notify the student that she/he plans to impose one of the following penalties:

• require that the student repeat the assignment or the examination
• give the student a failing grade for the assignment or examination
• give the student a failing grade in the course and deny the student continued access to the class

Faculty are encouraged to report all cases of academic dishonesty to the campus Associate Dean of Student Services, even if a decision is made not to refer the student to the Student Code of Conduct. This practice will allow the campus to place the incident in the student's conduct file in the event of a similar violation in the future.

See the Student Code of Conduct contained in the Student Handbook for more information. Copies may be obtained from the Associate Dean of Student Services Office on any campus.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS STANDARDS

The general principles governing coordination of curricula, courses and other academic matters on the several campuses of Suffolk County Community College, as approved by the Board of Trustees on April 25, 1975, are as follows:

1. Degrees and certificates of completion are awarded by the college, not by an individual campus.
2. Each curriculum and course is part of the academic program of the college as a whole, even though a certain curriculum or course may be offered on only one of the three campuses.
3. Any curriculum or course offered on any campus of the college shall be recommended by the president and approved by the board of trustees.
4. When a particular curriculum or course is offered on two or more campuses, that curriculum or course is an offering of the college as a whole and shall be identical on all campuses.
5. Other matters of an academic nature such as probation, grading system, and graduation requirements shall be identical on all campuses.

Autonomy of the different campuses in the area of curricula and courses is achieved in two ways. First, in order to meet local service needs, a campus may develop new curricula and courses different from those already offered on another campus. Program approval is subject to the review and recommendation of the campus curriculum committee, the Campus/Executive Dean, the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and the President, and the approval of the Board of Trustees, the State University of New York, and the State Education Department.

Secondly, each campus may also develop new and different courses which will be offered as electives on that campus under an established curriculum. Again, approval is subject to the recommendation of the campus curriculum committee, the Campus/Executive Dean, the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and the President, and acceptance by the Board of Trustees.

Interchange of established curricula and courses among the several campuses also requires review and approval. Any campus may propose adopting any curriculum or course already developed and approved on one of the other campuses, but the process is not automatic. Each curriculum and course to be "adopted" must be recommended by the faculty and administration of the campus, the appropriate campus governance body, the Campus/Executive Dean and the College Dean of Faculty, the college curriculum committee, the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, and the President. In addition, it must be approved by the Board of Trustees. Any curricula so adopted must be identical on all campuses. Such curricula also require review and approval by the State University of New York and the State Education Department.

Changes proposed in existing curricula and courses offered on more than one campus must be discussed by the faculty and administration of each affected campus. Such proposals will be considered by the Board of Trustees only after recommendations by each interested campus, the college curriculum committee, the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, and the President.

For a more complete description of the general procedures for college/campus course and curriculum development and of the role and guidelines of the college curriculum committee, please visit the College Curriculum Committee.

Other matters of an academic nature, such as probation, the grading system, and graduation requirements, shall be subject to similar procedures. Identical requirements shall apply on all campuses. Proposed changes must be discussed on each campus. The Board of Trustees will consider any proposed changes only after receiving recommendations from the President.

CLASS SIZE

A college-wide class size committee reviews and proposes modifications in the maximum class size for all credit-bearing courses. Recommendations from this committee are forwarded to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs for submission to the President and the Board of Trustees.

MULTICULTURALISM

Suffolk County Community College is committed to providing equal opportunity and equal treatment to all. Multiculturalism is an important value for the institution. Appreciation and understanding of pluralism are to be fostered and developed in the classroom and through co-curricular activities.

Behavior which reflects prejudice or bias, and which results in unequal treatment of an individual or a group on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin, will not be condoned. All members of the college community are expected to relate to one another in a bias-free manner and to display a high level of mutual respect in behavior and speech. Relating to one another in a bias free manner does not prohibit teaching or discussion during programs or workshops that addresses actual current or historical events or information for the purpose of learning. Faculty are encouraged to provide varying and opposing perspectives when presenting opinions.

RULES OF CONDUCT

Since 1969, every public and private institution of higher education in New York State has been required to adopt and publish a statement of compliance concerning conduct on campus. In fulfillment of this requirement, the Board of Trustees of Suffolk County Community College adopted such a statement which is predicated upon concern for the academic achievement of its students, development of character and standards of behavior, protection of college property, and insurance of the health and safety of all members of the college community.

Faculty members who engage in activities of a nature designed, or under existing circumstances likely, to disrupt, coerce others to disrupt, incite to riot, harass others, cause or inflict personal injury, damage property, or threaten others with such action in a manner designed as likely to interrupt the normal and orderly pursuits of parties of the college community, or engage in activities prohibited elsewhere in this document will be charged with misconduct and will face immediate suspension and ejection from college property and facilities and may be terminated from employment following a hearing conducted in the manner prescribed in the Faculty Handbook. In cases where federal, state or local law has been violated, appropriate action will be pursued. (Adopted by Board of Trustees 9/1/71, amended 10/19/73).

NY State legislative act 129-A states that it is a violation of the law for any faculty member to engage in any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health or involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organizations (Chapter 597, Section 1. Article 129-A).

A copy of the Student Code of Conduct may be obtained in the Office of the Associate Dean of Student Services on each campus.

1. Bias Crime. It is college policy to protect all members of the college community by preventing and prosecuting bias or hate crimes that occur within the college's jurisdiction. Hate crimes, also called bias crimes or bias-related crimes, are criminal activity motivated by a person's bias or attitude against an individual victim or group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics, such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. These crimes are covered under the federal Hate/Bias Crime Reporting Act of 1990 and the NY State Hate Crimes Act of 2000. The College is also committed to addressing bias-related activities that do not rise to the level of a crime. Bias-related incidents are defined as acts of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation directed at a member or group within the College community based on national origin, ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, color, creed, or marital status. Bias incidents can be reported to Public Safety, the Campus/Executive Dean's Office, or the Executive Assistant to the President.
2. Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs. The consumption, possession or distribution of alcoholic beverages either on college property or at college sponsored events is prohibited, except as authorized by the President or his/her designee. The possession, distribution or sale of any illegal drug is prohibited. Faculty found in violation of this policy may be subject to disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution.
3. Gambling. Gambling is strictly prohibited on college property or at college-sponsored activities, except as authorized by the President or his/her designee.
4. Smoking. Suffolk County Community College is a smoke-free environment. Accordingly, smoking is prohibited in all college buildings and vehicles and within 50 feet of any college facility. Traffic and Parking. Traffic and parking regulations are designed for the safety of all members of the college community. All faculty members are required to adhere to traffic and parking regulations. College public safety officers are authorized to enforce these and other rules and regulations. Faculty members are required to comply with the directions and instructions of Public Safety personnel. Faculty members are required to register their vehicles with the college.
5. College Identification Cards. All faculty members are required to obtain a Suffolk County Community College ID card. Faculty are required to carry their ID cards with them at all times while on college property, and are required to present their ID card if requested by a college official.
6. Information Technology. The College has designated e-mail as the official form of communication between the faculty and the administration. Each faculty member is provided a College e-mail account. Faculty members are responsible for any information sent via e-mail. As such, it is recommended that faculty check their College e-mail accounts on a regular basis. Mandatory Use of E-Mail. The college has designated e-mail as the official form of communication between the faculty and the administration. Each faculty member is provided a college e-mail account. Faculty members are responsible for any information sent via e-mail. As such, it is recommended that faculty check their college e-mail accounts on a regular basis.