Introduction

Community Statement

University of Jamestown is a community. Such a community offers an environment that allows individuals to develop their full potential. To that end, the University has created a set of standards regarding personal conduct within this community. Personal responsibility and respect for others are the key values underlying these standards. Teaching students to accept responsibility for their behavior and to respect the rights of others is a high priority for our University community.

The University holds the belief that students become more productive when they have adopted these values. One of our responsibilities is to challenge behaviors that violate the rights of others or which violate the laws of the larger society. By holding each student to a high standard of behavior, we both protect the campus community and promote the moral and ethical development of students. In doing so, we also have an obligation to regard each student as an individual, deserving individual attention, consideration and respect.

There are times when the University must exercise its responsibility to the community by suspending or expelling a student who has violated the UJ Standards of Conduct. Behavior which is prohibited by these standards is outlined in this Handbook. These standards arise from the key values of personal responsibility and respect for others. By presenting these to you, we hope to begin a process which will lead to your support of the guidelines and the values upon which they are based.

We believe that the educational focus of our institution will be served best by a serious commitment to helping students develop responsible personal attitudes and behavior. We feel it is our responsibility to establish behavioral guidelines which are stated clearly and to define the consequences for those acts outside these guidelines. We intend to fulfill this goal by making these guidelines and consequences well known to all members of our community.

It is our hope that the response to these expectations will be a positive one which enables our community to better achieve its educational mission and to affirm the wholeness of that mission, inside and outside of the classroom.

Nondiscrimination Statement

The University of Jamestown is committed to fostering an atmosphere that is respectful and cooperative, and which promotes equal opportunity. University of Jamestown prohibits unlawful discrimination and/or harassment in the University environment, in its employment, and in all of its programs, including: all academic, extra-curricular, and University-sponsored activities whether off or on campus. University of Jamestown is committed to ensuring an environment free from all discrimination and/or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, family medical history or genetic information, disability, political affiliation, military or veteran status, status with regard to public assistance, or other status with respect to which discrimination would be unlawful. Prohibited behaviors include: disrespectful and offensive behavior, unwelcome remarks and/or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual’s race, color, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or other status with respect to which discrimination would be unlawful.

All students, faculty, administrators, and staff are encouraged to work together to prevent acts of unlawful discrimination and/or harassment of any kind. University employees who observe acts of discrimination and/or harassment should intervene to stop discrimination and/or harassment, unless circumstances would make such. intervention dangerous. Any student, faculty, administrator, or staff who believes he or she has been subjected to or witnessed discrimination, harassment, or a hostile environment shall promptly report such conduct to the Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Becky Knodel (bknodel@uj.edu, 701-252-3467 ext. 5566, Liechty Center/Taber Hall 219) or the alternate designee, Vice President for Student Affairs (Lyngstad), so that the University can timely, fairly, and appropriately investigate, document, and respond to any such reports. Any student, faculty, administrator, or staff found to have engaged in acts of unlawful discrimination, harassment or other acts that create a hostile environment at the University of Jamestown, will be promptly disciplined. Such discipline may include, if circumstances warrant, discipline up to and including suspension, expulsion, and termination. Retaliation against any person who complains of discrimination or harassment, or who participates in the investigation of a complaint of discrimination or harassment, is prohibited. Individuals who are found to have engaged in retaliation will be subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment, suspension, or expulsion.

Interpretation

University policy is continually being reexamined to reflect the needs and values of the community. As such, the University reserves the right to modify or cancel any statement in the student handbook at any time, and such changes may not be immediately reflected in this publication. Student conduct regulations at the University are set forth in writing in order to give students general notice of prohibited conduct.