PDFWAC 132I-126-050

Definitions.

The following definitions shall apply for the purpose of this student conduct code:
(1) "Business day" means a weekday, excluding weekends and college holidays.
(2) "College premises" shall include all campuses of the college, wherever located, and includes all land, buildings, facilities, vehicles, equipment and other property owned, used or controlled by the college.
(3) "Complainant" is a student, employee, or another member of the college community who was participating or attempting to participate in college programs and activities at the time of the alleged violation, and who is directly affected by a claimed violation of this student conduct code. The complainant may be the reporting party, but not necessarily; witnesses or other third parties may file complaints alleging a violation of the student conduct code. In any case involving a report of sex discrimination, a complainant is afforded certain rights as specified in this student conduct code including, but not limited to:
(a) The right to be informed of all orders issued in the disciplinary case in which this person is a complainant;
(b) The right to appeal a disciplinary decision or dismissal of their sex discrimination complaint; and
(c) The right to be accompanied by an advisor, who may be an attorney retained at complainant's cost.
(4) "Conduct review officer" is the vice president for student services or designee who is responsible for receiving and for reviewing or referring appeals of student disciplinary actions in accordance with the procedures of this code. The president is authorized to reassign any and all of the conduct review officer's duties or responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary.
(5) "Disciplinary action" is the process by which the student conduct officer imposes discipline against a student for a violation of the student conduct code. A written or verbal warning is not disciplinary action.
(6) "Disciplinary appeal" is the process by which an aggrieved party can appeal the discipline imposed or recommended by the student conduct officer. Disciplinary appeals from a suspension in excess of 10 instructional days or from a dismissal are heard by the student conduct committee. Appeals of all other appealable disciplinary action are reviewed through brief adjudicative proceedings, unless the case is referred to the committee by the student conduct officer or the conduct review officer.
(7) "Filing" is the process by which a document is officially delivered to a college official responsible for facilitating a disciplinary review. Unless otherwise provided, filing shall be accomplished by:
(a) Hand delivery of the document to the specified college official or college official's assistant; or
(b) Sending the document by email and either intercampus mail or first class mail to the specified college official's office and college email address.
Papers required to be filed shall be deemed filed upon actual receipt during office hours at the office of the specified college official.
(8) "Pregnancy or related conditions" means:
(a) Pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation;
(b) Medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, or lactation; or
(c) Recovery from pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, or related medical conditions.
(9) "President" is the president of the college. The president is authorized to:
(a) Delegate any of their responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary; and
(b) Reassign any and all duties and responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary.
(10) "Program" or "programs and activities" means all operations of the college.
(11) "Relevant" means related to the allegations of sex discrimination under investigation. Questions are relevant when they seek evidence that may aid in showing whether the alleged sex discrimination occurred, and evidence is relevant when it may aid a decision maker in determining whether the alleged sex discrimination occurred.
(12) "Remedies" means measures provided to a complainant or other person whose equal access to the college's educational programs and activities has been limited or denied by sex discrimination. These measures are intended to restore or preserve that person's access to educational programs and activities after a determination that sex discrimination has occurred.
(13) "Respondent" is a student who is alleged to have violated the student conduct code. All respondents are afforded certain rights including, but not limited to:
(a) The right to be presumed not responsible for the reported misconduct unless or until a determination of responsibility is reached after completion of the disciplinary process; and
(b) The right to be accompanied by an advisor, who may be an attorney retained at respondent's cost.
(14) "Service" is the process by which a document is officially delivered to a party. Unless otherwise provided, service upon a party shall be accomplished by:
(a) Hand delivery of the document to the party; or
(b) Sending the document by email and by certified mail or first class mail to the party's last known address.
Service is deemed complete upon hand delivery of the document or upon the date the document is emailed and deposited in the mail, whichever is first.
(15) "Student" includes all persons taking courses at or through the college, whether on a full-time or part-time basis, and whether such courses are credit courses, noncredit courses, online courses, or otherwise. Persons who withdraw after allegedly violating the code, who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with the college, or who have been admitted for admission are considered "students."
(16) "Student conduct officer" is a college administrator designated by the vice president for student services to be responsible for implementing and enforcing the student conduct code. The vice president for student services is authorized to reassign any and all of the student conduct officer's duties or responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary.
(17) "Student employee" means an individual who is both a student and an employee of the college. When a complainant or respondent is a student employee, the college must make a fact-specific inquiry to determine whether the individual's primary relationship with the college is to receive an education; and whether any alleged student conduct code violation including, but not limited to, sex-based harassment, occurred while the individual was performing employment-related work.
(18) "Student group" is a student organization, athletic team, or living group including, but not limited to, student clubs and organizations, members of a class or student cohort, student performance groups, and student living groups within student housing.
(19) "Supportive measures" means reasonably available, individualized and appropriate, nonpunitive and nondisciplinary measures offered by the college to the complainant or respondent without unreasonably burdening either party, and without fee or charge for purposes of:
(a) Restoring or preserving a party's access to the college's educational program or activity, including measures that are designed to protect the safety of the parties or the college's educational environment; or providing support during the college's investigation and disciplinary procedures, or during any informal resolution process; or
(b) Supportive measures may include, but are not limited to: Counseling; extensions of deadlines and other course-related adjustments; campus escort services; increased security and monitoring of certain areas of campus; restriction on contact applied to one or more parties; a leave of absence; change in class, work, housing, or extracurricular or any other activity, regardless of whether there is or is not a comparable alternative; and training and education programs related to sex-based harassment.
(20) "Title IX coordinator" is the administrator responsible for processing complaints of sex discrimination, including sex-based harassment, and overseeing investigations and informal resolution processes in accordance with college policy.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW, RCW 28B.50.140(13), 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f), and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Department of Education April 2024 Title IX Regulations Final Rule. WSR 24-21-065, s 132I-126-050, filed 10/11/24, effective 11/11/24. Statutory Authority: 2022 c 209. WSR 23-21-054, § 132I-126-050, filed 10/11/23, effective 11/11/23. Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW and RCW 28B.50.140(13); 20 U.S.C. § 1092(f); Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. WSR 21-14-003, § 132I-126-050, filed 6/23/21, effective 7/24/21.]