Henry Ford College Student Code of Conduct

Policy Type: 
Students

I. Henry Ford College Student Code of Conduct

II. Who Does This Policy Affect

HFC Board of Trustees, students, faculty, employees, staff, visitors and vendors (“HFC Community Members”)

III. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to help protect the safety and well-being of the campus community and to assist the College in providing an environment that supports the educational process. The responsibility for maintaining such an environment is shared by all members of the College community.

Henry Ford College (HFC) is a comprehensive college that is dedicated to maintaining a teaching-learning environment that fosters critical thinking, creativity, personal integrity and self-esteem. We value the diversity of our educational community and of the communities we serve. The purpose of this document is to define a collegiate standard of behavior and to explain the actions to be taken if a student fails to adhere to those standards. Questions regarding this policy and procedure should be directed to the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee.

This policy addresses non-academic behavior, such as criminal behavior, and disorderly or disruptive conduct. Academic behavior, such as cheating, is addressed in official student publications, such as the Student Handbook, and the Faculty Handbook. For academic behavior and complaints, reference the Complaint Policy. https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/student-0.

The College Board of Trustees, acting through a delegation of authority to the President (or their designee), retains the ultimate right to make and enforce rules relating to student conduct and discipline.

Whenever, in this policy or in the Student Code of Conduct Procedure, written notice to the student is required, such written notice is deemed accomplished by HAWK e-mail and, if necessary, mailing the document in question to the address the student has on file with the College’s Registrar. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the address on file with the College’s registrar is current. Written notice can also be accomplished by providing the document in question to the student by hand delivery.

IV. Policy Statement

Students enrolled (registered) and/or attending HFC are responsible for adhering to HFC’s Student Code of Conduct, rules and regulations, college policies and for complying with all local, state, and federal laws.

Rights and Responsibilities

Students have the rights and accept the responsibilities of participating in an educational environment when they enroll (register) and/or are attending HFC. Each student is expected to respect the rights of others and to help create an environment where diversity of people and ideas are valued. A collegiate community should be free from intimidation, discrimination and harassment, as well as safe from violence. Students are also expected to know and obey federal and state laws and local ordinances, as well as to follow College policies.

Students at HFC have the same rights under the constitutions of our nation and state as other citizens. All students have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity without regard to race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, physical or mental disability, perceived disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status and any other characteristic protected by law.

Student Code of Conduct Violations

The following is a non-exhaustive list of behaviors and attempted behaviors that are inconsistent with behavioral standards of the College and are subject to disciplinary action.

  1. Violations of state, federal and local laws and ordinances and HFC policies.
  2. Not showing respect for the personal rights of others, the educational mission of the College, and maintaining standards of personal integrity.
  3. Disrupting HFC operations or sponsored activities, including interfering with teaching, any class-related activities, or College events for reasons other than protected First Amendment speech.
  4. Failing to comply with the direction of Campus Safety and other College officials and personnel, including failure to leave or identify self when requested by Campus Safety or police.
  5. Engaging in activity that violates HFC’s Sexual Misconduct, , Non-Discrimination, or Retaliation policies.
  6. Causing harm to another person, such as assaulting, battering or killing another person.
  7. Stalking,
  8. Threatening to cause harm to another person.
  9. Setting fires or tampering with fire or safety equipment.
  10. Stealing.
  11. Gambling.
  12. Causing damage to College, student, faculty, or employee property.
  13. Hazing.
  14. Bullying another person.
  15. Violating HFC’s Computer Systems Acceptable Use Policy including, but not limited to, violation of HFC’s Social Media and Cell Phone Use policy.
  16. Violation of HFC’s Dangerous Weapons policy, Federal, state, or local law enforcement officers who are required to carry weapons during the course of their employment are required to notify the Campus Safety Office of this requirement prior to bringing such weapons on campus.
  17. Falsifying, altering or providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information on any College application, form or document; or providing false, inaccurate or incomplete verbal information which is to be used with regard to any College application, form, document, submitting false incident reports with Campus Safety or College administrators, or transaction. Using a falsified document or record.
  18. Engaging in an activity that violates the Non-Smoking policy and/or the Drug and Alcohol Policy and/or Misusing over the counter drugs or other substances on campus or at College authorized activities.
  19. Reporting or causing to be reported any false report, threat, or warning of an emergency on HFC’s premises or at an HFC sponsored event, including without limitation bomb threats and setting off false fire alarms.
  20. Assuming another person’s identity
  21. No skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles, or similar wheeled devices are permitted inside College buildings. Skateboards and other wheeled devices may not be ridden on railings, curbs, benches, stairs, or other such fixtures for the safety of the student and others, and to prevent damage to College property. The use of hover boards on College property is strictly prohibited. Failure to comply with these restrictions may also result in the individual being liable for any damages caused by these activities.
  22. Any other actions deemed unsuitable for a College campus.

V. Definitions

“Bullying” includes cyberbullying, and means any act, written, verbal, or physical that is intendent to harm a student or multiple student, directly or indirectly. MCL 380.1310b.

“Campus community and college community” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, college administrator or staff member employed by HFC, and any authorized non-employed personnel (such as interns). A person’s status in a particular situation shall be determined by the Vice President of Student Affairs/designee.

“College” means Henry Ford College.

“College administrator or staff”means any person who is employed by HFC and has the designation of part-time or full-time status and is hired as a temporary or full-time permanent employee.

“Faculty member” means any person hired by HFC to conduct a classroom or teaching activities.

“Gambling” means directly or indirectly, taking, receiving, or accepting from any person any money or valuable thing with the agreement, understanding or allegation that any money or valuable thing will be paid or delivered to any person where the payment or delivery is alleged to be or will be contingent upon the result of any race, contest, or game or upon the happening of any event not known by the parties to be certain. MCL 750.301.

“Harassment”means sexual harassment, or discriminatory harassment.

Sexual harassment means conduct that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it unreasonably interferes with a person’s college employment, academic performance or participation in College programs or activities and creates a working, learning, program or activity environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile or offensive. The conduct does not have to be threating and may include deliberate and persistent communication that disturbs the recipient.

Discriminatory harassment means unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or pregnancy, national origin, age (beginning at age 40), disability, or genetic information (including family medical history). These identifiers are collectively referred to as “Protected Classes.”

“Hazing” an act which endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or which destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in, a group or organization. The express or implied consent of the victim will not be a defense.

“Policy” means the written regulations of the College documented but not limited to the HFC Catalog, Student Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, College web site and departmental/division publications.

“Stealing” means the intentional and unauthorized taking of College property or the personal property of another, including goods, services and other valuables.

“Stalking” means a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested and that actually causes the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested. MCL 7504.11h(1)(e).

“Student” means all persons who are currently admitted, enrolled (registered) and/or attending HFC (or upon the issuance of a student ID number). This includes part-time or full–time students despite geographical location i.e., including being enrolled in on-line courses, certificate courses, non-credit courses, and clinical sites.

"Student Code of Conduct" means HFC's Student Code of Conduct, as enforced by the Office of the Student Conduct and Compliance/designee.

VI. Responsible Party for Policy Interpretation/Review

Vice President of Student Affairs
Student Conduct and Compliance Officer/designee

VII. Related Documents

Student Policies, Rights, and Responsibilities https://www.hfcc.edu/about/student-rights.
Student Code of Conduct Due Process Procedure https://policies.hfcc.edu/node/338.
Student Complaint Policy
https://www.hfcc.edu/sites/main.aegirprod.hfcc/files/attachments/StuComp...

Sexual Misconduct Policy (Title IX) https://www.hfcc.edu/about-us/title-ix.
Equal Education and Employment Opportunities, and Non-Discrimination https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/equal.
Non-Retaliation https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/non.
Academic Dishonesty Policy https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/academic.
Smoke Free Campus Policy https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/smoke-free.
Drugs/Alcohol Policy https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/drug-and.
Computer Acceptable Use Policy https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/computer-systems-acceptable.
Use and Regulation of College Property for Expressive Activities https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/use-and-regulation.
Social Media and Cell Phone Use Policy https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/social-media.
Dangerous Weapons https://policies.hfcc.edu/policy/dangerous.
 

VIII. Policy History:
a. Current Policy Adopted by Board: August 23, 2004
b. Previous Policy Section(s) Students; Previous Policy No(s).8100

Reviewed/Updated:

_________________, 2025 approved by Board
December 2018 due to OCR recommendations of adding definition of direct threat
October 16, 2017
July 15, 2015
April 13, 2011

Adopted Date: 
Monday, August 23, 2004
Status: 
Pending Subcommittee Approval