[Filed May 19, 2022, 9:05 a.m., effective June 19, 2022]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: Student conduct: Will clarify the appeal process, including that parties have the right to appeal the dismissal of a formal complaint, as well as language clarifying a president's authority to appoint an administrative law judge or third party to serve as hearing officer. In addition, on August 4, 2020, the Washington Court of Appeals Division III filed an opinion regarding academic misconduct in the Daniel Nelson v. Spokane Community College case (No. 36556-5-III). Community Colleges of Spokane will provide clarification regarding its treatment of academic misconduct to ensure compliance with the decision of the court of appeals.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 132Q-10-221 Faculty member authority to respond to academic dishonesty and other ethical violations; and amending WAC 132Q-10-210 Academic dishonesty and other ethical violations, 132Q-10-600 Order of precedence, and 132Q-10-608 Appeals.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 34.05 RCW; and RCW 28B.50.140(13).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 22-08-090 on April 5, 2021.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 1, Amended 3, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: March 17, 2022.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 15-15-161, filed 7/21/15, effective 8/21/15)

WAC 132Q-10-210Academic dishonesty and other ethical violations.

(1) Acts of academic dishonesty ((will be reported to the student conduct officer and)) include the following:

(a) Cheating which includes:

(i) Use of unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations.

(ii) Acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the college faculty or staff.

(iii) Fabrication, which is the intentional invention or counterfeiting of information in the course of an academic activity. Fabrication includes:

• Counterfeiting data, research results, information, or procedures with inadequate foundation in fact;

• Counterfeiting a record of internship or practicum experiences;

• Submitting a false excuse for absence or tardiness;

• Unauthorized multiple submission of the same work; sabotage of others' work.

(iv) Engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or class discussion.

(v) Plagiarism which includes the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

(vi) Facilitation of dishonesty, including not challenging academic dishonesty.

(b) Knowingly furnishing false information to any college official, faculty member, or office including submission of fraudulent transcripts from other institutions.

(d) Tampering with an election conducted by or for CCS college students.

(2) ((Acts of))Other ethical violations ((will be reported to the student conduct officer and)) include the following: The breach of any generally recognized and published code of ethics or standards of professional practice that governs the conduct of a particular profession for which the student is taking a course or is pursuing as an educational goal.

WAC 132Q-10-221Faculty member authority to respond to academic dishonesty and other ethical violations.

(1) A faculty member need not give credit for course work that is the product of cheating, plagiarism, or other dishonesty. For any act of dishonesty that occurs during an instructional course, the faculty member may impose reprimands, educational opportunities, and/or adjust the student's grade accordingly for the particular examination, paper, or other work product where that dishonesty occurred. Any such faculty response shall not limit or preclude disciplinary sanction(s) from the student conduct office for the same act of dishonesty.

(2) A student who has received a grade adjustment by the faculty member on the basis of academic dishonesty under this code may grieve that adjustment under the student complaint procedure; however, any sanction that is imposed by the student conduct officer or student conduct board or panel must be reviewed under the student disciplinary procedure. See WAC 132Q-10-335.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-10-010, filed 4/23/21, effective 5/24/21)

WAC 132Q-10-600Order of precedence.

This supplemental procedure applies to allegations of sexual harassment subject to Title IX jurisdiction pursuant to regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Education. See 34 C.F.R. Part 106. To the extent these supplemental hearing procedures conflict with the Community Colleges of Spokane's standard disciplinary procedures, WAC 132Q-10-101 through 132Q-10-503, these supplemental procedures shall take precedence. The college may, at its discretion, contract with an administrative law judge or other person to act as presiding officer and assign such presiding officer to exercise any or all of the duties in lieu of the student conduct committee and committee chair.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-10-010, filed 4/23/21, effective 5/24/21)

WAC 132Q-10-608Appeals.

(1) ((The))All parties, including the student conduct officer in their capacity as a representative of the college shall have the right to appeal from the ((initial order's)) determination of responsibility and/or from a dismissal ((of an allegation(s) of sexual harassment in a formal complaint. The right to appeal will be subject to the same procedures and time frames set forth in WAC 132Q-10-335.)), in whole or part, of a formal complaint during the investigative or hearing process. Appeals must be in writing and filed with the appropriate vice president's office within 21 days of service of the initial order or notice of dismissal. Appeals must identify the specific findings of fact and/or conclusions of law in the initial order or dismissal that the appealing party is challenging and must contain argument as to why the appeal should be granted. Failure to file a timely appeal constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal and the initial order or dismissal shall be deemed final.

(2) For appeals coming from Spokane Community College, the vice president of student affairs at Spokane Falls Community College will ((determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether the disciplinary sanction and condition(s) imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and, if amended, set forth any new disciplinary sanction and/or condition(s). For appeals coming from Spokane Falls Community College, the vice president of student services at Spokane Community College will determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether the disciplinary sanction and condition(s) imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and, if amended, set forth any new disciplinary sanction and/or condition(s).

(3)))process the appeal. For appeals coming from Spokane Falls Community College, the vice president of student services at Spokane Community College will process the appeal.

(3) Upon receiving a timely appeal, the appropriately identified vice president's office will serve a copy of the appeal on all parties, who will have 10 days from the date of service to submit written responses to the appropriate vice president's office addressing issues raised in the appeal. Failure to file a timely response constitutes a waiver of the right to participate in the appeal. Upon receipt of written responses, the appropriate vice president shall serve copies of the responses to the other parties.

(4) Parties receiving a copy of the responses shall have five days in which to submit a written reply addressing issues raised in the responses to the appropriate vice president's office.

(5) The appropriate vice president or their delegate, based on their review of parties' submission and the hearing or investigative record, will determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether a dismissal if affirmed or denied, or if the disciplinary sanctions and conditions imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and if amended set for the new disciplinary sanctions and conditions.

(6) The appropriate vice president of student affairs/services shall serve the final decision on the parties simultaneously.

(7) All administrative decisions reached through this process are and may be judicially appealed pursuant to applicable provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW including, but not limited to, the timelines set forth in RCW 34.05.542.