For the purposes of this chapter, terms are defined as follows:

(1) "Student conduct officer" is a college administrator designated by the president to be responsible for implementing and enforcing the student conduct code. The vice president of learning and student success will serve as the student conduct officer or may appoint a designee.

(2) "Conduct review officer" is a college administrator designated by the president to be responsible for receiving and facilitating appeals from student disciplinary actions and for reviewing initial decisions issued in a brief adjudicative proceeding. The conduct review officer shall be designated by the president and shall be authorized to grant appropriate relief upon review. The director of student programs will serve as the conduct review officer, unless otherwise designated by the president.

(3) "The president" is the president of the college. The president is authorized to delegate any and all of his or her responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary and to reassign any and all duties and responsibilities as set forth in this chapter as may be reasonably necessary.

(4) "Disciplinary action" is the process by which discipline is imposed by the student conduct officer against a student for a violation of the student conduct code.

(5) "Disciplinary appeal" is the process by which an aggrieved student can appeal the discipline imposed by the student conduct officer. Disciplinary appeals from a suspension in excess of ten instructional days or an expulsion are heard by the disciplinary committee. Appeals of all other appealable disciplinary action may be reviewed through brief adjudicative proceedings.

(6) "Respondent" is the student against whom disciplinary action is being taken.

(7) "Service" is the process by which a document is officially delivered to a party. Unless expressly specified otherwise, service upon a party shall be accomplished by:

(a) Hand delivery of the document to the party; or

(b) By sending the document to the college assigned email, once one has been generated, and by certified 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, if possible, and deposited into the mail.

(8) "Filing" is the process by which a document is officially delivered to a school official responsible for facilitating a disciplinary review by a presiding officer. Unless expressly specified otherwise, filing shall be accomplished by:

(a) Hand delivery of the document to the school official or school official's assistant; or

(b) By sending the document by email and first class mail to the recipient's college-assigned email and office address.

Papers required to be filed shall be deemed filed upon actual receipt during office hours at the office of the specified official or presiding officer.

(9) "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.

(10) "Student" ((includes)) is defined as all persons taking courses at or through the college, including those concurrently attending secondary or postsecondary institutions and 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)) (excluding those trainings occurring through the Center for Business and Industry Service and the Japanese Agriculture Training Program), irrespective of modality. Persons who withdraw after allegedly violating the student code of conduct, who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with the college, or who have been notified of their acceptance for admission are considered "students" for the purposes of this chapter. "Continuing relationship" is established when a student is registered for an upcoming term or has indicated an intent to do so via a transaction, such as submitting a financial aid application for an upcoming term.

(11) "Business day" means a weekday, excluding weekends and college holidays. If a time period is not specifically stated in business days, then calendar days apply.

(12) "Complainant" means any person who files a complaint alleging that a student or student organization violated the standards of conduct for students. Complainant also refers to the college when the college files the complaint.

(13) "Sexual misconduct" has the meaning ascribed to this term in WAC 132R-04-057.

The college may impose sanctions against a student who commits, attempts to commit, aids, abets, incites, encourages, or assists another person to commit an act of misconduct. Misconduct for which the college may impose sanctions includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:

(1) Academic dishonesty. Any act of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication.

(a) Cheating includes, but is not limited to, any attempt to give or obtain unauthorized assistance relating to the completion of an academic assignment.

(b) Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, taking and using as one's own, without proper attribution, the ideas, writings, or work of another person in completing an academic assignment. Prohibited conduct may also include the unauthorized submission for credit of academic work that has been submitted for credit in another course.

(c) Fabrication includes falsifying data, information, or citations in completing an academic assignment, and also includes providing false or deceptive information in an instructional course concerning the completion of an assignment.

(2) Other dishonesty. Acts of dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

(a) Forgery, alteration, submission of falsified documents or misuse of any college document, record, or instrument of identification;

(b) Tampering with an election conducted by or for college students; or

(c) Furnishing false information, or failing to furnish correct information, in response to the request or requirement of a college officer or employee.

(3) Obstructive or disruptive conduct. Conduct not otherwise protected by law that interferes with, impedes, or otherwise unreasonably hinders:

(a) Any instruction, research, administration, disciplinary proceeding, or other college activities, including the obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular movement on college property or at a college activity; or

(b) Any activity that is authorized to occur on college property, whether or not actually conducted or sponsored by the college.

(4) Assault, intimidation, harassment. Unwanted touching, physical abuse, verbal abuse, threat(s), intimidation, harassment, bullying, or other conduct which harms, threatens, or is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person or another person's property. For purposes of this code, bullying is repeated or aggressive unwanted behavior, not otherwise protected by law, that humiliates, harms, or intimidates the victim.

(5) Cyber misconduct. Cyber misconduct including, but not limited to: Cyberstalking, cyberbullying, or online harassment.

(a) Use of electronic communications including, but not limited to, electronic mail, instant messaging, electronic bulletin boards, and social media sites, to harass, abuse, bully or engage in other conduct which harms, threatens, or is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person.

(b) Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to, unauthorized monitoring of another's email communications directly or through spyware, sending threatening emails, disrupting electronic communications with spam or by sending a computer virus, sending false messages to third-parties using another's email identity, nonconsensual recording of sexual activity, and nonconsensual distribution of a recording of sexual activity.

(6) Property violation. Damage to, misappropriation of, unauthorized use or possession of, vandalism, or other nonaccidental damaging or destruction of college property or the property of another person.

Property for the purposes of this subsection includes computer passwords, access codes, identification cards, personal financial account numbers, other confidential personal information, intellectual property, and college trademarks.

(7) Failure to comply with directive. Failure to comply with the directive(s) of a college officer or employee who is acting in the legitimate performance of his or her duties, including failure to properly identify oneself to such a person when requested to do so.

(8) Weapons. Possession of any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, explosive device or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, unless previously authorized by the vice president of learning and student success. This policy does not apply to the possession of a personal protection spray device, as authorized by RCW 9.91.160. This policy is subject to the following exceptions:

(a) Commissioned law enforcement personnel in the state of Washington, legally authorized military personnel while in performance of their duties, and other persons or entities authorized by contract to carry firearms in the course of their employment;

(b) A student with a valid concealed weapons permit may store a pistol in his or her vehicle parked on campus in accordance with RCW 9.41.050 (2) or (3), provided the vehicle is locked and the weapon is concealed from view; or

(c) The president or designee may grant permission to bring a weapon on campus upon a determination that the weapon is reasonably related to a legitimate pedagogical purpose. Such permission shall be in writing and shall be subject to such terms or conditions incorporated in the written permission.

(9) Hazing. Hazing includes, but is not limited to, any initiation into a student organization or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious mental or emotional harm, to any student.

(10) Alcohol, drug, and tobacco violations.

(a) Alcohol. The use, possession, delivery, sale, or being visibly under the influence of any alcoholic beverage, except as permitted by law and applicable college policies.

(b) Marijuana. The use, possession, delivery, or sale of marijuana or the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana intended for human consumption, regardless of form, or being observably under the influence of marijuana or the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana and intended for human consumption, regardless of form. While state law permits the recreational use of marijuana, federal law prohibits such use on college premises or in connection with college activities.

(c) Drugs. The use, possession, delivery, sale, or being observably under the influence of any legend drug (including anabolic steroids, androgens, or human grown hormones), narcotic drug or controlled substance as defined in chapters 69.41 and 69.50 RCW, except in accordance with a lawful prescription for that student by a licensed health care professional.

(d) Tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products. The use of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products in any building owned, leased, or operated by the college, or in any location where such use is prohibited, or in any location other than the parking lots, including twenty-five feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes of any building owned, leased or operated by the college. The use of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and related products on the college campus is restricted to designated smoking areas.

"Related products" include, but are not limited to, cigarettes, pipes, bidi, clove cigarettes, waterpipes, hookahs, chewing tobacco, vaporizers, and snuff.

(11) Disorderly conduct. Conduct which is disorderly, lewd, indecent, or obscene, that is not otherwise protected under the law.

(12) Discriminatory conduct. Conduct which harms or adversely affects any member of the college community because of race; color; national origin; sensory, mental or physical disability; use of a service animal; gender, including pregnancy; marital status; age (40+); religion; creed; sexual orientation; gender identity; veteran's status; or any other legally protected classification.

(13) Sexual misconduct. The term "sexual misconduct" includes sexual harassment, sexual intimidation, and sexual violence.

(a) Sexual harassment. The term "sexual harassment" means unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently serious as to deny or limit, and that does deny or limit, based on sex, the ability of a student to participate in or benefit from the college's programs or activities or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for other campus community members.

(b) Sexual intimidation. The term "sexual intimidation" incorporates the definition of sexual harassment and means threatening or emotionally distressing conduct based on sex. This includes, but is not limited to, nonconsensual recording of sexual activity or the distribution of such recording.

(c) Sexual violence. "Sexual violence" is a type of sexual discrimination and harassment. Nonconsensual sexual intercourse, nonconsensual sexual contact, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are all types of sexual violence.

(i) Nonconsensual sexual intercourse is any sexual intercourse (anal, oral, or vaginal), however slight, with any object, by a person upon another person, that is without consent and/or by force. Sexual intercourse includes anal or vaginal penetration by a penis, tongue, finger, or object, or oral copulation by mouth to genital contact or genital to mouth contact.

(ii) Nonconsensual sexual contact is any intentional sexual touching, however slight, with any object, by a person upon another person that is without consent and/or by force. Sexual touching includes any bodily contact with the breasts, groin, mouth, or other bodily orifice of another individual, or any other bodily contact in a sexual manner.

(iii) Domestic violence includes asserted violent misdemeanor and felony offenses committed by the victim's current or former spouse, current or former cohabitant, person similarly situated under domestic or family violence law, or anyone else protected under domestic or family violence law.

(iv) Dating violence means violence by a person who has been in a romantic or intimate relationship with the victim. Whether there was such relationship will be gauged by its length, type, and frequency of interaction.

(v) Stalking means intentional and repeated harassment or following of another person, which places that person in reasonable fear that the perpetrator intends to injure, intimidate, or harass that person. Stalking also includes instances where the perpetrator knows or reasonably should know that the person is frightened, intimidated, or harassed, even if the perpetrator lacks such intent.

(vi) Consent: Clear knowing and voluntary permission to engage in mutually agreed upon activity. For consent to be valid, there must be actual words or conduct indicating freely given agreement to the act at the time of the act. Consent cannot be inferred from silence, passivity, or lack of active resistance. Consent can be withdrawn by either party at any point. Consent to engage in one activity, or past agreement to engage in a particular activity, cannot be presumed to constitute consent to engage in a different activity or to engage in the same activity again. There is no consent where there is a threat of force or violence or any other form of coercion or intimidation, physical or psychological. A person cannot consent if they are unable to understand what is happening or are disoriented, or if they are asleep or unconscious for any reason, including due to alcohol or other drugs. An individual who engages in sexual activity when the individual knows, or should know, that the other person is physically or mentally incapable of consent has engaged in nonconsensual conduct.

(14) Harassment. Unwelcome and offensive conduct, including verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct, that is directed at a person because of such person's protected status and that is sufficiently serious as to deny or limit, and that does deny or limit, the ability of a student to participate in or benefit from the college's educational program or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for other campus community members. Protected status includes a person's race; color; national origin; sensory, mental or physical disability; use of a service animal; gender, including pregnancy; marital status; age (40+); religion; creed; sexual orientation; gender identity; veteran's status; or any other legally protected classification. See supplemental definitions: "Sexual misconduct" for the definition of "sexual harassment." Harassing conduct may include, but is not limited to, physical conduct, verbal, written, social media and electronic communications.

(15) Retaliation. Harming, threatening, intimidating, coercing, or taking adverse action of any kind against a person because such person reported an alleged violation of this code or college policy, provided information about an alleged violation, or participated as a witness or in any other capacity in a college investigation or disciplinary proceeding.

(16) Misuse of electronic resources. Theft or other misuse of computer time or other electronic information resources of the college. Such misuse includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Unauthorized use of such resources or opening of a file, message, or other item;

(b) Unauthorized duplication, transfer, or distribution of a computer program, file, message, or other item;

(d) Use of such time or resources to interfere with someone else's work;

(e) Use of such time or resources to send, display, or print an obscene or abusive message, text, or image;

(f) Use of such time or resources to interfere with normal operation of the college's computing system or other electronic information resources;

(g) Use of such time or resources in violation of applicable copyright or other law;

(h) Adding to or otherwise altering the infrastructure of the college's electronic information resources without authorization; or

(i) Failure to comply with the college's electronic use policy.

(17) Unauthorized access. Unauthorized possession, duplication, or other use of a key, keycard, or other restricted means of access to college property, or unauthorized entry onto or into college property.

(18) Safety violations. Safety violation includes any nonaccidental conduct that interferes with or otherwise compromises any college policy, equipment, or procedure relating to the safety and security of the campus community, including tampering with fire safety equipment and triggering false alarms or other emergency response systems.

(19) ((Violation of other laws or policies. Violation of any federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation or other college rules or policies.

(20))) Abuse of process. Abuse or misuse of any of the procedures relating to student complaints or misconduct including, but not limited to:

(a) Failure to obey a subpoena or order to appear at a hearing;

(b) Falsification or misrepresentation of information;

(d) Interfering with someone else's proper participation in a proceeding;

(e) Destroying or altering potential evidence, or attempting to intimidate or otherwise improperly pressure a witness or potential witness;

(f) Attempting to influence the impartiality of, or harassing or intimidating, a student disciplinary committee member; or

(g) Failure to comply with any disciplinary sanction(s) imposed under this student conduct code.

(((21))) (20) Unsafe vehicle operation. Operation of any motor vehicle on college property in an unsafe manner or in a manner which is reasonably perceived as threatening the health or safety of another person.

(((22))) (21) Violation of other laws or policies. Violation of any federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation or other college rules or policies, including college traffic and parking rules.

(((23))) (22) Ethical violation. 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 or major.

(((24))) (23) Aiding or abetting. Aiding, abetting, inciting, encouraging, or assisting another person to commit any of the foregoing acts of misconduct.

In addition to initiating discipline proceedings for violation of the student conduct code, the college may refer any violations of federal, state or local laws to civil and criminal authorities for disposition. The college shall proceed with student disciplinary proceedings regardless of whether the underlying conduct is subject to civil or criminal prosecution.