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Student Conduct at MSJC

It is expected that all students attending Mt. San Jacinto College have read, understand, and will abide by the District’s Student Code of Conduct as set forth in AP 5500 Standards of Student Conduct. MSJC strives to create a safe learning environment for the campus community and affirms the values of honesty and integrity essential to academic life and personal development. The Standards of Student Conduct can also be found in the MSJC Catalog.

The following conduct shall constitute good cause for discipline, including but not limited to the removal, suspension or expulsion of a student. 

• Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person.

• Possession, sale or otherwise furnishing any firearm, knife, explosive or other dangerous object, including but not limited to any facsimile firearm, knife or explosive, unless, in the case of possession of any object of this type, the student has obtained written permission to possess the item from the Vice President of Student Services or designee, which is concurred by the Superintendent/President.

• Unlawful possession, use, sale, offer to sell, or furnishing, or being under the influence of, any controlled substance listed in California Health and Safety Code Section 11053 et seq., an alcoholic beverage, or an intoxicant of any kind; or unlawful possession of, or offering, arranging or negotiating the sale of any drug paraphernalia, as defined in California Health and Safety Code Section 11014.5 (See AP 3550).

• Committing sexual assault or harassment as defined by law or by District policies and procedures or sexual assault or sexual exploitation regardless of the victim’s affiliation with the district (see AP 3430 and 3540; Ed. Code 76033g(h)).

• Engaging in harassing or discriminatory behavior based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identify, gender expression, age, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

• Disruptive behavior, willful disobedience, habitual profanity or vulgarity.

• Open and persistent defiance of the authority of, or persistent abuse of, college personnel.

• Plagiarism (including plagiarism in a student publication), or engaging in other academic dishonesty.
  • The use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person, third-party, or artificial intelligence (AI) software without full and clear acknowledgment.
  • The unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

• Cheating (during tests, quizzes, or on assignments)
  • Use of any unauthorized assistance, including (but not limited to) third-party (AI) Software, in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations.
  • Use of the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor, including (but not limited to) third-party (AI) software in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments.
  • The acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the College faculty or staff.
  • Collaboration with other students that results in a shared intellectual product without the express permission of the instructor of record.

• Committing or attempting to commit robbery or extortion.

• Causing, attempting to cause or threatening to cause damage to District property or to private property on campus.

• Stealing or attempting to steal District property or private property on campus, or knowingly receiving stolen District property or private property on campus.

• Willful or persistent smoking in any area of the District is prohibited (See BP 3570).

• Engaging in intimidating conduct or bullying against another student, or District employee, through words or actions, including direct physical contact; verbal assaults, such as teasing or name-calling; social isolation or manipulation; and cyber bullying.

• Willful misconduct that results in injury or death to a student or to District personnel.

• Misconduct that results in cutting, defacing, or other injury to any real or personal property owned by the District or on campus.

• Dishonesty; forgery; alteration or misuse of District documents, records or identification; or knowingly furnishing false information to the District.

• Unauthorized entry upon or use of District facilities.

• Lewd, indecent or obscene conduct or expression on District-owned or controlled property, or at District sponsored or supervised functions.

• Engaging in expression which is obscene, libelous or slanderous, or which so incites students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on District premises.

• Violation of lawful District regulations, or the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the District.

• Persistent, serious misconduct where other means of correction have failed to bring about proper conduct.

• Unauthorized preparation, giving, selling, transfer, distribution, or publication, for any commercial purpose, of any contemporaneous recording of an academic presentation in a classroom or equivalent site of instruction, including but not limited to handwritten or typewritten class notes, except as permitted by any district policy or administrative procedure.
• Unauthorized, or absent consent, recording of any individual at any District function (curricular or extra-curricular), unless otherwise necessary for an approved Accommodation Services Center (DSPS) accommodation.
• Violation of local, state or federal law on campus or while involved in college sponsored activities off campus.

• Copyright infringement as described in Section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). 

Students who engage in any of the above are subject to the procedures outlined in AP 5520 titled Student Discipline Procedures.

Report a Student Conduct Incident

For questions about reporting, contact Kristin Gonzalez by email at kgonzalez@msjc.edu or call 951-374-0539. 

Reporting Discrimination

Student Grievance Process

A student has the right to pursue a grievance against any employee alleged to have treated the student unfairly or inappropriately. For more information, see the MSJC Catalog or contact Kristin Gonzalez by email at kgonzalez@msjc.edu or call 951-374-0539.

Students may grieve unfair acts by an employee against a student where the act has a negative impact on the student.

Students may not grieve the following:

(A) Grades except with evidence of:

1. Mistake – unintentional error on the part of the instructor;

2. Fraud – intentional misrepresentation of any or all facts, which lead to a negative outcome;

3. Bad Faith – includes fraud and any other intentional act of the instructor, which negatively impacts the grade of the student;

4. Incompetence – there is evidence that the instructor does not have the knowledge skills and/or abilities to conduct and fairly grade the course. Incompetence is usually pervasive, and not restricted to one student or one incident.

(B) Acts by another student (see Standards of Conduct).

(C) Acts which, though deemed unfair, do not have a specific negative impact on the student. Included among non-grievable issues are situations which are deemed to be petty or to have no significant negative impact upon the student in question.

(D) Acts which affect another student. Only the student affected by an act may file a grievance. A student may not file on behalf of another student.

Please refer to AP 5530 Student Rights and Grievance Process for more information.

Reporting Sexual Harassment under Title IX

Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, whether or not the person reporting is the person alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sex discrimination or sexual harassment. For more information or to Report a Title IX Incident, contact Kristin Gonzalez by email at kgonzalez@msjc.edu or by calling 951-374-0539.