Student Regulations and Rights
Statement on the Rights of Students
The Hunter College Senate voted endorsement of the following statement on September 24, 1974:
Preamble
“Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well being of society. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals….Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom.”
Students “have a distinctive role…which qualifies them to share in the responsible authority on campus; the exercise of the authority is part of their education….Joint efforts among all groups in the institution-students, faculty, administration, and governing board-is a prerequisite of sound academic government….Joint effort, to be effective, must be rooted in the concept of shared authority. The exercise of shared authority in college and university government, like the protection of (student and faculty) academic freedom, requires tolerance, respect, and a sense of community.”
“The responsibility to secure and respect general conditions conducive to the freedom to learn is shared by all members of the academic community.”
Students’ rights are not limited by what is enumerated in this statement. The purpose of the statement is to outline some basic principles and guidelines, many of which are now met. Specific implementation will have to be continuously adjusted as conditions at the college change.
I. Academic and Personal Files
Improper disclosure, even within the college, of academic, personal, and disciplinary records is a serious invasion of privacy. To minimize the risk of improper disclosure, academic, personal, and disciplinary records should be kept in separate files.
All files may be made available only to specially authorized college staff. Express consent of the student involved is otherwise required.
Academic records and transcripts should contain only information about scholastic achievement.
No records should be kept which reflect the political and off-campus activities or beliefs of students.
Non-current medical and disciplinary records should be periodically destroyed.
Students have the right to periodically review their academic, medical and disciplinary records and to appeal for removal of items improperly included. If the appeal fails the student has the right to append a written rebuttal to the record.
II. Classroom, Grades, etc.
Students have the right, within the limits of available facilities, to pursue any course of study for which they are eligible according to college standards.
In order to permit eligible students unhindered access to courses, the costs of required materials should be kept within reasonable limits.
Students have the right to know, at the start of each course of study, the basis to be used by the instructor in determining grades.
Students’ grades should be based solely on academic criteria, not on opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards.
Students should have the opportunity to take reasoned exception to facts or points of view offered in any course of study, but they are responsible for meeting the academic standards of any course of study for which they are enrolled.
Students should have the protection through formally established procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic standards or evaluations.
III. Participation in Academic Affairs
Students have the right, individually and collectively, to express their views on matters of general interest to the student body, including institutional policy, curriculum, and personnel decisions.
Students have the right to participate in the formulation and application of institutional policy affecting academic and student affairs.
Students should share in the formation of policies regarding degree requirements, courses and curriculum, academic grading systems, standards of academic standing, and calendar arrangements.
Students should have the opportunity, individually and collectively, to assess the value of a course and to express their views on the form and conduct of a class which they have taken.
The results of an institutional mechanism used for students to assess courses and faculty, such as evaluation questionnaires, should be accessible to all members of the college community, and should be weighed in all decisions affecting faculty status and curriculum.
IV. Extracurricular Activities
Students should be free to form and join associations to promote their common interests.
Students have the right to express their opinions, individually and collectively, and to support causes in a manner that does not disrupt the orderly operation of the college.
V. Standards of Conduct
Students should participate in the formulation of standards of behavior which are considered essential to the educational mission and community responsibilities of the college.
The code of conduct, as a set of regulations and procedures, should be clearly stated and published in a handbook or other generally available set of institutional regulations.
In all cases, disciplinary procedures should protect the student from capricious and prejudicial application of the rules of conduct. Such procedures should also satisfy the requirements of procedural due process, including written notice with details of charges, sufficient time to prepare a defense, right to assistance in the defense, right to cross-examine witnesses and to present evidence, and the right to appeal the decision.
RESOLVED, That these rules and regulations be incorporated in each college bulletin.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York on June 23, 1969, and amended on October 27, 1980, and May 22, 1989.
Rules and Regulations for Students Pursuant to Article 224A
No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.
Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.
It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.
If classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o’clock post meridiem or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements held on other days.
In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself or herself of provisions of this section.
Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his rights under this section.
A copy of this section shall be published by each institution of higher education in the catalog of such institution containing the listing of available courses.
As used in this section, the term “institution of higher education” shall mean schools under the control of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York or of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York or any community college.
Equal Opportunity Programs
Hunter College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, handicap, marital status, or sexual orientation. Any student who is discriminated against on the basis of any of these attributes will be afforded due process in accordance with Section 15.3 of the Student Disciplinary Procedure.