Student Rights within the University Community

With approval of the Board of Trustees, the University affirms the following student rights and privileges:

• To engage in discussion, to make inquiries, to exchange thought and opinion, to publish and exchange findings and recommendations, to speak, write, or print freely on any subject, and to sponsor speakers of their choice, in accordance with the guarantees of our Federal and State Constitutions, subject only to the right of the University to make reasonable rules and regulations related thereto. 
• To associate with whomsoever they please.
• To engage in the educational process.  
• To engage in peaceful, orderly, and non-destructive picketing, protests, and demonstrations, to the extent they do not violate public law, and do not interfere with the educational process, or the rights of other members of the University community.
• To be free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, veteran or handicapped status. 
• To be secure in their persons, living quarters, papers and effects, from unreasonable illegal, or unauthorized searches and seizures; and in the event of a legally authorized search, whenever possible to have present an official of the University and the student against whom the legally authorized search is directed.
• To be free from violence, force, the threat of force, entrapment, and coercion.
• To organize one’s own personal behavior as long as such behavior does not violate public law or the rights of others and does not interfere with the educational process.
• To be informed of the standards and the norms of conduct established by the University and the right to have advance notice of any sanctions for violations thereof.
• To have the benefit of fair and equitable procedures for determining the validity of charges of alleged violations of University standards of conduct. All procedures shall be structured to facilitate a reliable determination of the truth or falsity of charges while providing due process and fundamental fairness of all persons.
• To retain unaltered status as a member of the University community and to be present on the campus and attend classes during the consideration of any disciplinary matter, except for reasons relating to the safety and well-being of members of the University community or University property or a student’s own physical or emotional safety and well-being.
• To petition for redress of a grievance arising from negligent, malicious, or irresponsible actions of a member of the University community.
• To have University records reflect only such information as is reasonably related to the educational process of the University.
• To be informed of the existence, custodianship and general character of all personal records maintained by the University.
• To inspect all personal records, except records determined to be confidential in accordance with properly established criteria.
• To have protection from disclosure of personal records to unauthorized persons. Information will not be released outside the University community without the expressed consent of or waiver by, the student involved, except under valid legal compulsion or where there is a clear and present danger to a member of the University community, in which case the student will be informed of any such release.
• To establish and elect a representative, democratic student government which is accountable to the University and the student community.
• To be heard and have one’s views considered at appropriate levels of the decision-making process within the University community.
• To use designated University facilities as individuals and members of student organizations for  extra-curricular activities sponsored by registered student organizations and student groups, subject to the priority of academic needs and to reasonable University rules and regulations regarding use of facilities.