Student Code of Conduct

Rockingham Community College students are considered responsible adults and are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with generally acceptable standards of behavior that are pertinent to providing all members of the College community with a safe environment that demonstrates respect for other persons, respect for property, and that contributes to a positive learning environment.

This Student Code of Conduct identifies behaviors that are unacceptable, and, therefore, prohibited. Any action performed on the campus and all properties of Rockingham Community College, or at any off-campus activity sponsored by or officially sanctioned by the College, will be defined as a violation of standards of student behavior as specified in the Student Code of Conduct. Prohibited behaviors, as specified in the Student Code of Conduct, are typically those which: interfere with normal instructional activity; directly precipitate physical violence resulting in bodily injury or property damage; or are a violation or violations of the duly established regulations of the College, or the laws of the State of North Carolina, or of the United States.

In order to protect the learning environment, and safety and well-being of all students and other members of the College community, the following behaviors are explicitly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action.

There are many forms of academic dishonesty, and it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all academic work submitted is free of any type of dishonesty. Examples of academic dishonesty, include, but are not limited to:
1. Cheating is defined as providing, receiving or attempting to receive information, data, answers or other information not permitted by the faculty. This may include the use of unauthorized electronic devices.
2. Plagiarism is defined as presenting another’s work, words, ideas, opinions, theories, etc. either in whole or in part as though they were the student’s own efforts. This may include submitting one’s own work done in another class, whether at RCC or another institution.
3. Unauthorized Use of Artificial Intelligence is defined as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or technologies to generate, assist with, or modify academic work without explicit permission from the faculty member or without proper disclosure. This includes submitting AI‑generated content as one’s own work or using AI in ways that violate course, institutional, or academic integrity standards.
4. Falsification includes providing false information, spoken or written, concerning academic work or school activities to a fellow student or college employee. Unauthorized changing of grades/scores for academic work is also a form of falsification.
5. Complicity in a violation of academic integrity includes an awareness that a violation of any academic standard, regulation, law, or ordinance is about to occur or is taking place. Students who are aware that a violation of academic integrity is about to occur or is taking place are expected to notify a faculty or staff member. Students who fail to report such incidents are considered complicit and may face a charge of academic dishonesty themselves.
  
  Any activity that intentionally or unintentionally gives a student an unfair advantage in the student’s academic work is considered a violation of academic integrity.
Misuse, Damage, or Theft of Property: Attempted or actual theft of, damage to, and/or misuse of property belonging to the College, other members of the College community, or campus visitors, including facilities, equipment, technology, or instructional resources.
Unauthorized Access or Entry: Unauthorized entry into, use of, presence in, or access to any College facility, vehicle, property, or restricted area, including remaining in facilities after closing hours or accessing secured systems without authorization.
Alcohol, Drugs, and Controlled Substances Drug and Alcohol Use: The use, possession, manufacture, distribution, sale, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia on College property or at College‑sponsored or College‑sanctioned activities, except as permitted by law and RCC Board of Trustees policy. Students may not be present on College property or participate in College activities while under the influence of such substances.
Disorderly, Disruptive, or Dangerous Conduct:

Conduct that is reckless, threatening, intimidating, abusive, obscene, illegal, or disorderly that disrupts or interferes with teaching, learning, administration, public service functions, College activities, or the rights of others. Engaging in conduct, or inciting others to engage in conduct that improperly restrains freedom of movement, speech, assembly or access to premises or activities by any individual who is a member of the College community or guest. This includes verbal, physical, electronic, or online conduct.
Discrimination and Harassment: Consistent with federal and state law, the College prohibits discrimination and harassment based on the protected classes of age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Discrimination means any unlawful distinction, preference, or detriment to an individual as compared to others that is based on an individual’s membership in one of the protected classes identified herein and that is sufficiently serious to unreasonably interfere with or limit a student’s or admission applicant’s ability to participate in, access, or benefit from educational programs, services, or activities provided by or afforded by the College. Harassment is a type of discrimination that occurs when verbal, physical, electronic, or other conduct based on an individual’s membership in a protected class that is sufficiently severe and pervasive such that impedes and/or interferes with that individual’s legitimate participation in any College sponsored or sanctioned activities on or off the College premises.
Sexual and/or Gender-Based Discrimination and Harassment: This type of harassment takes many forms which may not be readily apparent. In an attempt to clearly identify such prohibited activity without intending for these descriptions to be exhaustive with regard to all the possible prohibited acts that may constitute sexual or gender discrimination and harassment, the College identifies the following prohibited activities which:
1. include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, physical, or electronic conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile, intimidating, or abusive environment; (Examples of such behavior include, but are not limited to: offensive sexual flirtation, advances, or propositions; graphic verbal commentary about an individual’s body; the display of sexually suggestive objects or images; any unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature; the insinuation of educational, financial, or employment privileges exchanged for sexual favors; any and all electronic communications, including email, texting, and postings on social media that communicate messages that fall within this prohibited behavior.
2. involve verbal, physical, or electronic conduct based on Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation, or sex-stereotyping that creates a hostile, intimidating, or abusive environment, even if those acts do not involve conduct of a sexual nature; or
3. include harassment for exhibiting what is perceived as a stereotypical characteristic for one’s Sex or for failing to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity, regardless of the actual or perceived Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Gender Expression of the individuals involved.
Sexual Misconduct, Sexual Assault, Violence and Exploitation:

Sexual Misconduct refers to prohibited conduct of a sexual or gender‑based nature, including sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual violence, stalking, dating or domestic violence, and sexual exploitation, whether occurring in person or through electronic means, as defined by College policy and applicable law.
1. Sexual Assault or Sexual Violence
  
  Any activity that involves having or attempting to have sexual contact with another individual without that person’s consent.
2. Sexual Exploitation
  
  Sexual Exploitation is a form of Sexual or Gender-Based Harassment that involves one or more of the following behaviors committed for any purpose, including sexual arousal or gratification, financial gain, or other personal benefit:
  1. taking sexual advantage of another person without consent;
  2. taking advantage of another’s sexuality; or
  3. extending the bounds of consensual Sexual Contact without the knowledge of the other individual.
    
    Examples of Sexual Exploitation include, but are not limited to: threatening to disclose an individual’s Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Gender Expression; observing another individual’s nudity or Sexual Contact, or allowing another to observe the same, without the knowledge and Consent of all parties involved; non-consensual streaming of images, photography, video, or audio recording of Sexual Contact or nudity, or distribution of such without the knowledge and Consent of all parties involved; prostituting another individual; knowingly exposing another individual to a sexually-transmitted infection, without the individual’s knowledge; knowingly failing to use contraception without the other party’s knowledge; and inducing Incapacitation for the purpose of taking sexual advantage of another person.
Physical, Emotional, or Psychological Abuse: Mental, Physical, or Psychological, Abuse:

Conduct that threatens or endangers the physical, emotional, or psychological health or safety of any individual, including verbal abuse, coercion, intimidation, stalking, bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, or non‑consensual recording likely to cause harm or distress on College premises or at College-sponsored or College-sanctioned functions off campus, including verbal or physical actions that threaten or endanger the health or safety or any such persons. Any act by an individual, group, or organization which is intended to annoy, antagonize, or exhaust other persons; such acts may include, but are not limited to: frequent name-calling, degradation of character acts communicated electronically in any form, or other activities which, by nature, are so profound as to cause or potentially cause mental anxiety, mental stress, panic, human degradation, public embarrassment, and/or humiliation including repeated or ongoing conduct that continues after an individual has explicitly asked that the behavior stop

(Acts of hazing are also considered to be acts of mental, physical, or psychological abuse. Also, any unauthorized use of electronic or similar devices to create an audio or video record of any person without the student’s knowledge or effective consent, when such a recording is likely to result in injury or distress, is prohibited.)
Tobacco and Nicotine Use: The use of all tobacco products while on the campus of Rockingham Community College, including all buildings, facilities, properties, and those operated by the College at other locations, and including College vehicles. Prohibited products include any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco that is intended for human consumption, whether chewed, smoked, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any means, or any component part or accessory of a tobacco product including but not limited to cigarettes and cigars of all types, smoking and chewing tobacco products in any form, snuff, refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings and sweepings of tobacco, pipes, e-cigarettes, vaping devices, hookah pipe/waterpipe devices, and other kinds and forms of tobacco.
Hazing: Any act which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition of continued membership, in a group or organization. The express or implied consent of the victim will not be a defense. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing are not neutral acts; they are violations of this prohibited behavior. Note: Hazing is also a misdemeanor under North Carolina law.)
Possession or Use of a Firearm, Incendiary Device, Explosive, or Other Weapon. (Pursuant to the exceptions noted in N.C.G.S. Sec. 14-269[b] and 14-269.2[g]): Possessing or using a weapon on campus, on any property of the College, or at any College-sponsored or sanctioned off-campus event. This prohibition includes any gun, rifle, pistol, or other firearm of any kind; any explosive device (including fireworks); stun guns; and knives as defined by N.C.G.S. Sec. 14-269.2(e). N.C.G.S. Sec. 14-269.2(k) permits a limited exception to this prohibition. A firearm is permissible on a community college campus only under the following limited circumstances:
1. The firearm is a handgun; AND
2. The individual possessing the firearm has a valid concealed carry handgun permit or is exempt from the law requiring a permit; AND
3. The handgun remains in either: a closed compartment or container within the locked vehicle of the individual who possesses a valid concealed carry handgun permit, or a locked container securely affixed to the vehicle of the individual who possesses a valid concealed carry handgun permit; AND
4. The vehicle is only unlocked when the individual who possesses a valid concealed carry handgun permit is entering or exiting the vehicle; AND
5. The firearm remains in the closed compartment at all times.
  
  The law does not permit the concealed carry permit holder to carry the handgun on campus. While on campus, the handgun must remain in the closed compartment or container within a locked vehicle or within a locked container securely affixed to the individual’s vehicle. The law provides that the only weapon a concealed carry permit holder may have on a community college campus is a handgun, not a rifle, shotgun, or gun of any other type, and that the handgun must be stored according to the requirements listed in #1-5 above. Even if the gun, other than a handgun, is in a closed compartment in the concealed carry permit holder’s vehicle (as described in Sec. 14-269.2(k), and shown in #1-5 above, it is a violation of the law to have such a gun on campus.
6. Other limited exceptions as provided in N.C.G.S. 14-269 include:
  1. Law enforcement personnel, firefighters, emergency service personnel, and military personnel carrying out their official duties;
  2. A registered armored car service guard or registered armed courier service guard with the permission of the College; A weapon used solely for educational or College-sanctioned ceremonial purposes as authorized by the President.
  3. A person found to be in violation of this law is subject to both College sanctions and may be reported to local law enforcement for additional action.
Forgery and Falsification: Forgery, alteration, falsification or other misrepresentation on any College documents, records, or instruments of identification, including Rockingham Community College identification cards, with the intent to deceive, whether physical or electronic.
Misuse of the RCC ‘Acceptable Use Policy’ for Use of College Internet and Network Resources:

Violation of the College’s Acceptable Use Policy, including unauthorized access to systems, misuse of electronic resources, disruption of network operations, or improper use of College‑owned or College‑provided technology. This includes behaviors prohibited in the policy, which is found elsewhere in the Student Handbook and on the RCC web site.
Unauthorized Assembly or Disruption: Participating in or conducting an assembly, demonstration, or gathering in a manner which: threatens or causes injury to person(s) or property; interferes with free access to, ingress or egress of college facilities; or is harmful or obstructive to the function of Rockingham Community College. This prohibited behavior also includes remaining at the scene of such an assembly or gathering after being asked to leave by a member of the College staff.
Fire Safety Violations: Tampering with, damaging, falsely activating or any fire safety equipment, except with reasonable belief in the need for such an alarm or equipment.
Other Prohibited Conduct: Any behavior deemed by college officials to be a violation of accepted standards or decency and safety, or which threatens the campus working or learning environment, or which are prohibited by College policy and local, state, or federal law.