California State University, International Programs

Bulletin

Student Conduct

General

During their stay overseas, participants in the International Programs are not only responsible for their own personal conduct, but how their actions reflect on the International Programs, the California State University, the State of California and the United States. Abuse of the hospitality of a host university or community on the part of a few can result in the loss of opportunities for many. It is important, therefore, that participants pay particular attention to the acceptable norms of conduct in their respective host countries and abide by those standards. Under most circumstances simple honesty, courtesy, restraint and respect for the law are usually sufficient guides for proper conduct anywhere.

Standards of student conduct for CSU International Programs students are established both in domestic and host country law, policy, and practice. They also derive from CSU policy relating to student conduct and to policies established by host university institutions abroad. In some cases, host countries and institutions apply standards which differ substantially from those normally applied within the CSU. Students must be aware that the CSU has concluded legal agreements with host institutions abroad which recognize the authority of those institutions to apply their own standards to CSU students. It is incumbent, therefore, on students to be fully aware of their responsibilities to the CSU and the host university and country.

Unacceptable Conduct

International Programs students are selected for their maturity and seriousness of academic purpose. These qualities are inconsistent with inappropriate or unacceptable conduct and such conduct is exceedingly rare among the members of this group. To be clear, however, on what constitutes unacceptable conduct, and to provide adequate legal notice to any who might choose to pursue such conduct, it is necessary to list here examples of unacceptable conduct:

·cheating or plagiarism in connection with an academic program;

·forgery, alteration, or misuse of official documents, records, or identification, or knowingly furnishing false information;

·misrepresentation of oneself or of an organization to be an agent of the CSU International Programs;

·obstruction or disruption, on or off International Programs property, of the educational process, administrative process, or other official function;

·physical abuse, on or off International Programs property, of the person or property of any member of the International Programs staff, faculty, or student body, or the threat of such physical abuse;

·theft of, or non-accidental damage to, International Programs property, or property in the possession of, or owned by, a member of the International Programs faculty, staff, or student body;

·unauthorized entry into, unauthorized use of, or misuse of International Programs property;

·the sale or knowing possession of dangerous drugs, restricted dangerous drugs, or narcotics, as those terms are used in California statutes, except when lawfully prescribed pursuant to medical or dental care, or when lawfully permitted for the purpose of research, instruction, or analysis;

·possession, or use of, explosives, dangerous chemicals, or deadly weapons on International Programs property;
·engaging in lewd, indecent, or obscene behavior;

·abusive behavior directed toward, or hazing of, a member of the International Programs community;

·violation of any lawful directive of the Director of International Programs, or of the Resident Director, notice of which had been given prior to such violation and during the academic term in which the violation occurs, either by publication or by posting on an official bulletin board designated for this purpose, and which directive is not inconsistent with any provisions of law and regulations currently in force;

·violation of International Programs rules and regulations as specified in official International Programs publications and correspondence;

·failure to attend classes to the extent normally required;

·failure to carry out a required portion of the program;

·violation of the laws of the host country or the political subdivisions thereof;

·violation of the rules and regulations of the host university institution;

·violation of the terms of stay or visa restrictions imposed by the host country;

·participation abroad in any event, activity, or conspiracy of a political nature, or the making of any public statement which might tend to embarrass or inconvenience the CSU International Programs or endanger the welfare of participating students;

·conduct of an antisocial or eccentric nature which might tend to embarrass or inconvenience the International Programs or infringe upon the opportunities and benefits available to participating students;

·failure to discharge lawful debts abroad in a responsible and timely manner;

·conduct which represents a danger to the personal safety of the student involved or to other students, faculty, or staff members, including psychotic, violent and/or irrational behavior;

·flagrant disregard of local customs, mores or beliefs which might result in offending or antagonizing host country citizens or officials;

·inciting or displaying antisocial or uncooperative behavior in the student group overseas, spreading malicious rumors, or an in any way violating the rights of any other participating student or students, faculty or staff members;
·soliciting or assisting another to do any act described above.

Sanctions

Each International Programs student concludes a legal agreement with the CSU Board of Trustees which recognizes the authority of Director of International Programs as the agent of the Board of Trustees, and at the sole discretion of the Director, to apply appropriate sanctions for the violation of the above items of unacceptable conduct, or other items of unacceptable conduct which the Director, again at the sole discretion of the Director, shall establish, Such sanctions are rarely applied, but must be brought to the attention of program participants:

· Reprimands -- verbal or written notice of unacceptable conduct. Reprimands set forth requirements for improvement of behavior and are intended to assist the student in correcting that behavior as part of the educational process where the conduct is remediable;

· Probation -- written notice of unacceptable conduct which sets forth specific terms required to avoid termination of enrollment where such conduct is deemed remediable, but of a serious nature;

· Disenrollment-- disenrollment and expulsion of a student from the International Programs is the final sanction available to the Director of International Programs as a means to remove students from the program who have committed serious infractions and whose unacceptable conduct is deemed unremediable. Students being considered for disenrollment are provided a fair and timely opportunity to explain, justify or deny the behavior in question, or to raise matters of mitigation prior to any decision to disenroll. Disenrollment means termination of status as an enrolled student, the probable termination of legal status in the host country, and withdrawal from the academic program at the host institutions abroad with all of the intendant academic and personal consequences thereof. Under most circumstances, disenrollment from the International Programs is not prejudicial to a continuation of enrollment at the student's home CSU campus;

Summary Disenrollment -- On those occasions where serious incidents of unacceptable conduct are combined with any form of imminent danger to the personal safety or health of the student involved, or where any threat to the safety, health or well-being of any other student participant, faculty member or staff member is involved, or where the continued operation of the International Programs is placed in imminent jeopardy by the conduct of the student involved, the Director of International Programs may carry out, at his sole discretion, an immediate disenrollment of the student involved without opportunity of appeal or mitigation.

Grievances

Students who believe that they have been treated unjustly, or have been victims of an error on the part of the staff or the administration of the International Programs, should make every effort to resolve the issue by consulting the Resident Director, if applicable, or the Director of International Programs. Should there be no satisfactory resolution of the problem, it will be the responsibility of the Director of International Programs to advise students with grievances in a timely manner on the availability of additional channels of appeal or assistance as may be appropriate and applicable to the circumstances involved.